2012 Subaru Impreza

shipo

Can't say I agree regarding the heat-seaters; I've had three cars with the heaters, and my wife has had three others. Cloth, leather, vinyl, it matters not, I cannot stand heaters on my back side. When I get in my wife's car I don't even make it up our driveway before I'm batting away at the buttons on the dash to shut the power off to the freakin' seats.

Now, heated mirrors and even heated landing zones for the wipers, yeah, not only are they a "nice to have" here in southern New Hampshire, I consider them a "must have".

rsholland

I too have had several cars with seat heaters, and I'm a true believer in them. To each his own, I guess.

I only wish Subaru would add a heated steering wheel (like BMW, etc.) to their AWP. Oh, and before you comment—I hate driving with gloves on.

Bob

ateixeira

Count me as a fan, too. Our heated seats are perforated leather, but I wish my Miata (cloth had them).

Interesting side note - I went for a ride in a friend's G37S, loaded up, heated leather seats. It has a heating element only on the seat base.

My wife's Forester has a heating element on the base, and another one on the back.

So Subaru's heated seats are better than Infiniti's!

xwesx

I agree with you on the heated steering wheel, Bob! I could absolutely go for that.

On the seats, though? I'm with shipo - I just don't prefer them. I might on leather, though - at least for a minute or two.

The pricing is really what keeps me considering the Impreza versus some other compact hatch. Well, that and the AWD... and the Subaru Bucks I have at home.

once_for_all

yep, another thumbs up for heated seats (cloth). Major difference vs non-heated, and it's not just the quick warming, it also seems to ease back tension/discomfort on long drives too.

John

rsholland

That's true John. I have a bad back, and the seat heater does help. I even use it on days that aren't cold.

Bob

bg18947

I picked up my car on 12/12, and I am happy with the car so far. I'll share with you my initial driving impression and that of other owners discussing on other forums.

Good: CVT works well, smart grade logic down-shifting, manual mode operation was surprising good; good suspension; good road feel; room all around for a compact; great visibility up front and on the side, mediocre in the back with the smaller rear hatch window. Clean engine compartment without ridiculous panels.

Bad (so far): The visors are really cheap vinyl plastic (expect that it will crack/split eventually); quality of the leather seating is so-so.

Haven't Tried Yet: A/C cooling (it's winter baby); defrosting & defogging (waiting for the snow); outside lighting (haven't driven in the evening yet).

Subjective: I got the Ice Silver on the Sport Limited and the dark colors do look better for the hatch due to the bold block design of the rear end (as per Minghi). But, I got the silver because it will hide dirt best.

Already put winter rubber on my Impreza and I still have good road feedback with the softer rubber.

malachai1

Love your new car. How much did you pay for the car before taxes and fees? And also whats your MPG so far... thanks. Might be tradeing in my 2010 honda crv for this car,

bg18947

I paid $800 below invoice for the Sport Limited with a Moonroof. Got my car from Ramsey Subaru in New Jersey. They are still offering that price through ZAG.com. The catch is they charge you $300 for advertising/documentation fee and another $200 for window VIN etching. So, it's more like $300 below invoice which is still a good price. I'm still waiting for the $500 gift certificate for pre-ordering which is coming from Subaru of America. I believe the invoice was $23,910, including the moonroof, rear bumper applique, cargo tray, and homelink/compass/mirror.

Overall, I am happy with the car. It's actually the wife's, replacing her 2000 Legacy GT Limited. I find the suspension on the new Impreza better than on the old Legacy. I can take turns even faster on this econobox.

pao

cant be happier with the new purchase...got the 5D Limited in Deep Cherry Pearl with Ivory interior...added moonroof/w nav, pkg #1, splash guards out the door for under invoice....MSRP was $25782, and got it for $24,400, TTL was approx $1950, so drive off the lot for $26350.

First Impressions, agree with the cheap sun visors, drive is better than expected, no delay in acceleration like we have with our 2011 Outback. Night lighting is excellent with the projector lamps and fogs on; leather seating is comfortable though I do miss the electric controls as its all manual; handling in good and long hauls, since I have 110 Mile round trip commute every day feels good. No feel on gas mileage yet as Im on the first tank, but have gone 125 miles so far with the computer showing 300 miles remaining. Gas tank capacity is 14.5 gals so we will see at the first fill up.

Nav system is better than what I have in an 09 Cadillac CTS, bluetooth works flawless and is crystal clear, the multimedia center takes a while to learn, but I have XM, and memory stick hooked to the USB port all work well, though I need to work the file structure on the memory stick in order to show titles and songs on the display. The HD radio is also an interesting addition as this is the first I have heard one...

more later as the driving experience grows. I ordered the car in mid Nov and arrived at the dealership in less than 4 weeks.

bpizzuti

what RPMs are you turning at 65-70 MPH?

I'm thinking similar config, but being in the Mid Hudson Valley in NY, Subies here sell for MSRP. If I'm not willing to pay it, someone else will...

nbo

I just order my 2012 Subaru Impreza Premium Sport CVT from the dealer. The Out the door price is $21400. I have to make a 500 bucks deposit. Is this pricing good or I can do better? Now my question is does this trim level comes with The rear spoiler and the sliding armrest?

pao

Im thinking its turning around 23-2400 RPM...I will have to check tonight on the way to be sure

pao

if that price includes TTL I would say that is an OK price....I seeing an offer for 19,500 plus TTL on trucar pricing... in my area....anything less than 20K plus TTL is probably good pricing.....as far as the rear spoiler..not sure....the sliding armrest....dont think so as that is an accessory item and my 5DR limited didnt come with it....its my first upgrade along with the door sill plates.

bpizzuti

Wow, that would be REAL nice.

I'm currently flipping around between that and the Focus in my head. Tough decision.

pao

I looked at both..as my dealer is also a Ford dealer as well...the same equipped focus 5D was $1500 more on the sticker price than the Impreza....for the same mileage, however I took the AWD into consideration with my commute here in MD and the winter weather.....for the estimated mileage, it cant be beat

dcm61

....the sliding armrest....dont think so as that is an accessory item and my 5DR limited didnt come with it....

According to subaru.com ... Center console with adjustable armrest lid is standard in Premium and above trims.

pao

well certainly will have to check mine then.....I certainly dont think I have it...but havent really tried to see if it lifts and slides foward....to be honest

pao

checked on the commute home tonight...at 60 running about 1800 RPM, 65 approx 2150 RPM, 70 approx 2300 RPM and at 80 just over 2500 RPM when in top gear on cruise control.

bpizzuti

That low? Wow, that's something, maybe that engine's got a better low end than I thought.

I still wonder if they'll add DI or up the compression a bit for 2013 though. :shades:

pao

its adjustable in the fact that the top of the console can slide foward a few inches.....Im thinking there is one that is an accessory that actually raises and comes forward as well....the console is still a bit low to rest the right arm on.....IMHO

ateixeira

at 60 running about 1800 RPM, 65 approx 2150 RPM, 70 approx 2300 RPM and at 80 just over 2500 RPM when in top gear on cruise control

That's excellent. Ought to be quiet cruising along at high speeds.

I wish my Miata had a tall cruising gear, even 6th is *WAY* too short.

nbo

I just ckecked with the dealer on my factory order car and it does comes with the sliding armrest. I am kinda pumped about that. Now, I just have to wait for the car to be build. :-) Wandering what's the ETA? Did anyone order theirs from the factory recently?

nbo

Does anyone know whether the premium sport trim comes with a sport tune suspension or all suspension are the same across all trims?

bpizzuti

The sport has a little extra ground clearance so I'm thinking the suspension might be LESS "sporty" if anything.

bg18947

The suspensions are the same across all of the new Imprezas. The difference in ground clearance is due to the slight differences in the radius/diameter between the 16" and 17" tire combinations.

Also, "Sport" when used by Subaru with the new model, primarily means "Utility" because it comes with the built-in roof rails. The marketers probably felt Sport was a cooler term to use. Other than that, it also has the rocker sills that extend out just a bit.

mmyk72

I plan to sell my current car and buy a 2012 Impreza Premium CVT in the next 2-3 months. Would love to hear what new owners (you guys) think about the car, especially how easy the maintenance items can be assessed and whether there are places that can be better designed.

My current car runs great, but I found a few annoying things. Using my current car just as an example: 1) checking the transmission fluid is almost impossible since the dipstick is hidden somewhere low inside the hood, and 2) there are places where leaves or debris collects and impossible to clean out.

I'd love to know what you guys think of the Impreza beyond how it drives and looks. thanks.

bpizzuti

The Limited and Limited Sport have different ground clearance, and both have 17 inch wheels.

dcm61

The suspensions are the same across all of the new Imprezas.

Not quite ... base Imprezas do not have rear stabilizer bar or rear suspension rebound springs.

But ... the 2 people that actually buy the base model probably don't care. :P

ateixeira

Well - 2 obvious ones for starters: no timing belt to change, since it uses a chain, and the oil filter is front and center when you open the hood.

All fluids have a bright yellow cap, so they should be easy to locate. They may not be easy to reach, though.

bpizzuti

But ... the 2 people that actually buy the base model probably don't care.

You really think that many bought the base model? :shades:

backy

When this page came up there was an ad from Subaru touting a $169/month lease special on the 2012 Impreza. Wow, looks great!

Except the picture was of the 2011 Impreza.

rwilner

I expect to take delivery of my impreza sport premium next week. I have some technical questions that someone here might be able to answer, but I suspect I'll just have to wait for this car to mature a little bit:

Tire rack does not yet have wheel fitment information. Does anyone know the bolt pattern spacing and backspacing for the wheels? (looking to get winter wheels and tires)

For anyone wondering: it's not possible to get the in-dash nav with a manual transmission from the factory. Does anyone know when or if a dash kit will be made so we can install an aftermarket nav unit?

Thanks!

mmyk72

no timing belt to change, since it uses a chain, and the oil filter is front and center when you open the hood.

That's great to know. I'm excited about the ease of getting to the oil filter. The only reason I take my current car to a shop for oil change is I can't easily reach in to change out the oil filter and every time I come back, there's a new ding on the paint or black hand marks all over. Now I should be able to change the oil myself, despite not being very mechanically inclined.

ateixeira

They've been 5x100 bolt pattern for the longest time, with the exception of the STI. I doubt that has changed.

Not sure about the offset.

I think the stereo opening is double-DIN sized, right? Should have good aftermarket choices.

rsholland tried the new Navi and said it was easy to load his contacts from an iPhone, and the new unit is also cheaper than before.

Edit: here's a good source:

http://www.cars101.com/subaru/impreza/impreza2012.html

No mention of wheel offset, but the pics show that's very, very likely double-DIN sized opening. You can see 2 different head units next to each other. Should be an easy swap.

pao

I ordered mine through the dealer on the 15 Nov and it arrived the second week in Dec....took delivery last Sat.....

bg18947

The rims on my Sport Limited are 17x7, 5x100, 48mm Offset. I ordered my winter wheelset already from Tirerack: 17x7.5, 48mm Offset, it sticks out just a tad more due to the wider rim. I just used the 2011 Impreza Outback Sport which uses the same size tires as the template.

This is a picture of the Moda MD-13 with Michelin X-Ice tires:

bg18947

I have a new set of Catz MSX gold driving lamps and they fit perfectly through the space of the lower grille in the bumper if you screw the bracket to the bumper impact bar. Pardon the alignment of the picture, but I had to hold the lamp inside the bumper with one hand and snap the picture with the other without a viewfinder.

I haven't actually installed it yet because the shield has to come off. I'll just wait until the spring and do the installation then. I just need to find out where to run the wire through the firewall.

ateixeira

Those rims/tires would look particularly good on the XV...

kanjii

Nice rims. Do you plan on selling the OEM tires and rims or they are your summer wheels. how does the Subie drive so far?

bg18947

The stock sport rims will stay 3 season wheels. Easter through Thanksgiving where I am is when they would stay on. When the Avids wear out, we'll see what the latest tires are.

I think the ride is great. No complaints except that slight pause when shifting into Drive. Slight hesitation in the 20-30 MPH range, but the CVT seems to work fine at highway speed. It's no speed demon, but it wasn't meant to be. We were replacing our 00 Legacy GT Ltd.

Compared to an Audi A4 Avant that I told my wife to get, I find the suspension on the Impreza and steering feedback much better than the A4. Most of the german cars now have that wimpy light electronic steering. We bought it sight unseen like many who pre-ordered. I'm happy with the purchase so far. I had also test drove the Ford Edge, KIA Sportage, Optima, and Sorento, Volvo S60 T6, and Toyota Venza.

In the end, the wife who is more sensible said to get something more basic with AWD and good gas mileage. I'm glad I agreed. When my 00 Odyssey goes, then we'll splurge. I don't like any of the minivans on the market. Hopefully, the 3rd transmission will hold up. :lemon:

bg18947

Yeah, I didn't exactly get the effect I was hoping for. I need a wheel that has more squares (block design) so it more closely resembles the stock sport rims and the overall shape of the hatch. Oh well, they are meant to be cheap winter rims. The other thing I'm afraid of is the clearcoat peeling from the polished surface. I just didn't see a cheap painted silver rim that was still in stock that I particularly liked.

kanjii

How do the stock tire and rim feel in the winter? I live in CA, so unless I go towards Reno, I may not see any snow. I just a call from my dealer, my Impreza just arrived!!! I will check it out this saturday. :shades:

scwmcan

Just wondering, how does the leg room in the back seat compare to your old legacy? I may replace a 96 legacy with a new car soon, and am interested in the Imprezza, just need to use the back seats occasionally.
Scott

bg18947

I only had the stock Yokohama Avid S34 on for less than a week before I threw on the winter treads, so I can't really say for sure with so few miles. They seemed like slightly below average tires. Tirerack survey gives them a poor ranking. Subaru typically chooses cheap tires in my opinion which doesn't allow the brand to show off its real capabilities. I remember the RE92s on my Legacy. Terrible.

bg18947

Compared to my 00 Legacy, my son says there is more legroom. Compared to my 08 G35x, I think the Impreza has more legroom as well. I'm 5'9" and I sat in the back after adjusting the front seat to my driving position. So, it has good legroom for its size. I would say the rear of the hatch is somewhat smaller (not counting the veritical space) than both the trunks of my old Legacy and current G35 sedan.

Overall, I feel very comfortable and in-control with the car. I like the clear engine compartment. That's the one thing I hate about the premium brands are all those ridiculous covers in the engine compartment. I suppose it helps isolate some noise, but it's a pain. I can't tell you how difficult it was to change the battery in my G. You had to take off the battery cover and the windshield cowl in order to get the battery out.

scwmcan

Thanks that helps a lot, it will definately continue to be at the top of my list if I go for a new car instead of used. I am not surprised the trunk is smaller, the old Legacys seem to have a huge trunk ( may still be the same for the new ones) but if I really need more space for luggage etc there is always the roof.
Thanks again
Scott

steine13

"Compared to my 00 Legacy, my son says there is more legroom."

This is what bothers me about the 5dr. Particularly the Impreza, since I'd like to buy one, but pretty much about any car with a hatch on the market.

I consider the '95+ Legacy wagon about the perfectly-sized car for all-around use. And I was hoping the Impreza would measure up to that, 17 years on... for the sedan, it pretty much does.

But why oh why does everyone feel the need to turn their sedans into a wagon by way of lopping 5" or so off the rear end? My Pontiac Vibe is that way compared to the Corolla it's based on; the Mazda3 is like that; the Kia/Hyundai 'wagons' are like that, and so is everything else on the market that isn't from Europe.

Now everybody just "knows" that Americans don't buy wagons, so they try every other cutesy name and they avoid that wagony silhouette. I can even understand that. But if you're Subaru, and you know your customers are, ah, different from the mainstream, and your Legacy/Outback wagons outsell the sedans by a margin of 3:1 or so, WHY do you follow the trend instead of exploiting a strength?

This isn't so different from not offering the stick in the upper trim levels. Yeah nobody buys sticks blah blah blah, but Subaru buyers do so in large numbers. Do the people making decisions at Fuji Heavy even understand their brand, or are they business majors who recently worked in other industries?

It's frustrating. Guess I'll buy an Outback or Forester. If the wagon were as long as the sedan, that would make for a great cargo area and it wouldn't be a contest at all.

So I'm up early and I guess I'm a little grumpy...
-Mathias

bpizzuti

Hatches are made by chopping off sedans. Wagons are made by extending them.

kanjii

Its funny you mentioned that. My first real car was a '91 Civic "hatchback", yet it was as long the civic sedan. Love the car.