2012 Subaru Impreza

debbadoo2

I get about that same mileage in my Element. I have probably averaged about 21 mpg over the life of the vehicle (5+ years). It has been very reliable and I struggle to give it up, but I'm looking for something with a little nicer ride, nicer interior, better MPG, and "decent" cargo space. Plus this will be a lot sportier than my Element. As far as the CVT transmission, from what I am reading/hearing, Subaru has been making some form of CVT for many years so hopefully this new one is just a tweak of existing technology. I know even Saturn was making them years ago when I bought a RAV 4, so they are not knew. I am debating on the NAV/XM upgrade for the radio. I currently have XM and can't imagine being without it, but I don't know if I like the touch screen display. Plus, when using the map, it would override any radio information display. Plus, it is a $1000 add-on. Decisions, decisions ...

steine13

There are plenty of cars that are not rated to tow anything. Towing with them can certainly void the warranty, esp. for related items like the transmission.

Just installing a hitch by itself will not void the warranty, of course, but if some hack shorts the wrong cables while installing the trailer wiring and something in the electrical system gets fried, you think any manufacturer will cover it?

FWIW, the Outback has a trailer hitch as a dealer-installed accessory; the Impreza does not. Sounds like they don't want you to tow with their light-weight CVT. Their call.

Cheers -Mathias

pao

of course it doesnt void the warranty, but if any failure can be traced to towing, then a dealer can certainly deny warranty coverage on that particular item......havent been able to find a ready made hitch to fit the Impreza but searching online...even U-Haul doesnt show a hitch...which they usually do for an application...they indicate it takes a custom installation......

pao

if you do go with the Nav/XM option...also spend the extra $$ and get the upgraded speakers and tweeter.....both Kicker products......last I looked it was about $300 plus for the upgrade and the tweeters.
I have the Nav/XM in my limited......you can split the screen and show the map and at least the channel you are on on XM with the map up...it doesnt show the artist and song info on the split screen......

malachai1

Yeah I have the nav/xm in my crv. I'm just tring to save some money for a house. Do u have any kids? I have a 5 year and a 2 year old. They fit pretty good the specs are almost the same as my crv the impreza has a bit more front leg room, The one thing I will miss if i do go the the impreza is the flat rear floor. I love it in my crv. My moms 2002 civic has it. Not sure why subaru cant get it into there cars.

debbadoo2

Thanks for the recommendation on the speakers. I will look into that.

debbadoo2

No kids, but I do have two 45 lb dogs that sometimes go on vacation with us, so they need to fit along with our luggage. My one dog actually prefers to sit on the floor in the back seat while the other lays on the back seat, so we could potentially have one side of the back seat folded down to utilize more space for cargo when they ride with us.

debbadoo2

Pao, you seem to be our resident current owner ... any issues with quality control as of yet?

malachai1

Pao What MPG are you hitting.

pao

nothing on the QC as of yet...just rolled over 1000 miles in it on Sat....as for mileage...my low as been 27 MPG and my high 29.9.....the sweet spot is 65 at 200 RPM....most of my HWY miles are 70-75 MPH so Im sure that puts a dent in the mileage......

I got the 5DR limited in Deep Cherry Pearl with Ivory interior..added POP PKG #1 and Nav/Moonroof....got it for $200 under invoice.....

mmyk72

I test drove today. My impression is positive. (I'm no car guru). This is definitely at the top of my to buy list come May/June:
* Maneuverability and responsiveness are good. Felt tight to the ground when turning without braking.
* Interior (front/back) felt comfortable. Not cramped. Easy to get out with wide door openings.
* Visibility is excellent. One of the few cars with the driver side A pillar that doesn't seem to block view to the left.
* Good range of seat positioning. Like being able to raise up the seat.
* Center console and controls did not look cheap. Nice temp, clock, avg mpg display in the center. There's a nice flat surface to put my GPS (not planning on getting the built-in Nav).
* Did not feel lack of power when merging and going uphill.
* Decent size Spare Tire (not a small donut hole).
* Like being able to get heated seats without being forced to buy the highest end model and leather seats.

** Just wish the sun-visor is longer in size and not cheap vinyl (others said this already before).
** The center storage (under the armrest) could be bigger.
** One question: The doors felt light rather than sturdy. Isn't as dingy as say a civic or corolla but is this because of stronger lightweight material or is it cheap?

mmyk72

BTW, the power steering is electronic vs. hydraulic. Is electronic better? I assume it's a better technology since power steering fluid is not needed, thus eliminating a potential leak down the road. But don't know if one is more heavy duty than the other.

pao

its also a power saver, which is a factor in increased MPG.....not sure about it being more heavy duty than another.....had power assisted in my 04 Chevy which caused me no problems for 195K before I handed it down.....

rsholland

You are seeing more and more carmakers going to electric power steering, as it saves gas. That's the reason for the switch, pure and simple.

There has been some concern about electric power steering lacking in "feel" on some cars, but I think that's improving with each new model introduction. Haven't heard that criticism about the new Impreza's steering.

Bob

odie6l

I found this one for the 2012 Impreza. Now I would not do any towing with it. It would be mainly used for a bike rack.

2012 Impreza Hitch Receiver

Odie

debbadoo2

Thank you for posting that find! That is exactly what I would be using it for. I already have the bike carrier that attaches to a hitch so would want to stick with that if possible.

odie6l

I'm also wondering if I personally purchase it (or an Impreza Owner) and take it to the Dealership where you would have your service done. I wonder if they would install it and just charge you the labor? This way, the people who normally work on the cars would be the ones to install it.

Next time I'm near the service center, I'll pop in and ask the service manager. I'll post if I get a reply. I have 2 dealerships within 20 mins of me, so thats not a problem.

Odie

fredjohnson

malachai1, Impreza and Forester are in different classes, so not the best comparison. I've owned 3 Honda CRV AWD EX's. Great, reliable suv's. Forester is its competitor. Better mpg with the Impreza, lower price, a little less interior room. I'm getting the Impreza because of the 36 mpg, lower purchase price and its something different than I already have. I won't knock the CRV or Forester. But the newly redone CRV EX costs $26k. No one is discounting it much. The Impreza Sport Premium is $21k.

fredjohnson

kanjii, CVT 0-60 in 9.4 secs. 5 speed 0-60 in 8.0 secs. Info from Motor Trend Magazine. However, 6% less mpg for the 5 speed. And for me its waaaay to much shifting in city traffic so I'm going with the CVT. I believe that using the paddle shifters on the CVT will cut that 0-60 time down a bit, but don't know.

kanjii

fredjohnson, I hear you on the city driving and manual tranny, fortunately I also have an automatic. San Fran driving is a killer, I'd only go there with an auto only

fredjohnson

Took the plunge today. Ordered a dark grey metallic Sport Premium, CVT. Price was $300 over invoice or about $800 under msrp---$21,245. Also any accessories I wanted were at dealer invoice. 8 week wait for the car. Added floor mats, cargo mat and tail pipe chrome. I'm also happy they gave me $10,500 on trade for my 7 yr old Honda CRV which I only paid $21k for brand new. It was Bloomington Subaru/Acura in Minneapolis.

debbadoo2

Good for you! I will be trying to sell my '07 Honda Element outright versus trade-in because I do have another car I can drive in the interim. Will look forward to hearing your input once you take delivery and own the car for awhile!

pao

most folks are getting the impreza for under invoice.....keep trying......though too late for you since already purchased.....accessories are cheaper online..but at dealer cost...and if they arent going to charge you an installation fee wouldnt be bad.....5Dr limited here $300 under invoice....

angitherias

I'm 100 miles from our nearest Subary dealer in Canada. Pricing is way different, in the states, you guys are paying $22,000 for a sport premium 5 door CVT, in canada add another $6000, and without roof rails. (None of the models in Canada come with roof rails )
Is there anyone on these forums from Canada that have purchased these cars and what did you end up paying?

techdude

Got quoted a price of $21160 (before tax and dmv) for a Premium hatch with about six accessories. Only thing is the wait to get it...maybe 4-6 weeks. What do you guys think, worth the wait? Another dealer wouldn't budge from 22k.

jt_718

Just curious b/c I was reading that only the premium model has the rear folding armrest.

Anyone out there with a Sport model confirm/deny?

Thanks!

dcm61

According to subaru.com ...

Folding rear seat armrest with dual cupholders is standard in Limited and Sport Limited; not available in other models.

malachai1

What where the 6 things that where on the car? The cheapest i got for a sport prem cvt was 20900 before taxes ect. thats 300 under invoice. USe edmounds and price it out with the extras and see if your under invoice

techdude

I had requested:

spoiler
mudguards
side moulding
fog light
exhaust tip
hood protector

i believe i'm under invoice.

malachai1

Thats sounds like a really good price. I really like the sport prem because it comes with the all weather and fog light and those sick looking gunmetal rims.

When I order mine it will be a sport prem white pearl with cvt. Bike rack, rear spoiler, side molding. im pushing for about 21200.00

techdude

Cool.....i like the rims as well on those. I wonder how hard it's to put the bike rack and roof rails on yourself. I'll probably like to add those on at a later date. Good luck!

pao

I have a 5Dr limited...assume others are the same..there are four hard attachment points already in the room, covered with a plastic tab...in mind you simply pop them out and attached the four hard points then the cross rails....it doesnt look like the sport model with the full side rails...more like a standard roof rack setup....

dcm61

Why are people ordering the rear spoiler on the 5 dr? Doesn't a spoiler come standard? The optional one is just larger, correct?

techdude

From the pictures i've seen, I don't think Subaru considers what's on there as a spoiler. The optional spoiler looks like a better finish in my opinion, especially for the sportier trims.

jt_718

Folks,

Just curious, if I were to place an order with the dealer and they had to order it from the factory, would I be:

1) Subject to the current financing rate (1.9% 3 years)

OR

2) Would it be the rate that Subaru has at time of delivery?

wimchatta

My first take was that the optional spoiler did not do much for the looks, but my son (8) thought otherwise.

Other than the Acura TSX wagon w/ tech pkg, this is the most balanced car I can find (and is $12K cheaper). The dealer (Livermore Subaru in CA) was very low-pressure, is pricing below invoice, and if I were to buy one, would have it delivered in 6-8 weeks. Had to wait two weeks to test-drive the hatchback since the first two that showed up before Christmas were sold very quickly.

Other thoughts: Am worried about the noise level (including CVT whine) at 70-75mph, may not be conducive to taking phone calls on the Bluetooth sound system. Anybody have experience with the noise issue?

kanjii

I have the 5 speed. Bluetooth is very good actually though the 6 speaker system, but I was cruising around 65-70 with no problem. I think it really depends on the road conditions. Definitely a lot of road noise on bad roads.

wimchatta

The 2012 Forester has an optional reverse assist sensor system, which I suppose works similarly as in my Honda Odyssey (which does so very well).

The Impreza does not have this in the accessory list.

Would any of you either know or be able to estimate if aftermarket systems (such as by Pyle) can be retrofitted onto the 2012 Impreza in a clean way? Granted, there is less need with a hatchback, but would be a peace-of-mind option if doable.

wimchatta

Test drove a Mazda 3 grand Touring hatchback with Skyactiv 2.0L engine (155hp, 148lb-ft at similar rpms to Impreza) with the six speed automatic.

The Mazda3 is an OK car given the high gas mileage, but not as balanced as the Impreza at city driving conditions. Auto transmission was jerky when starting fast from a stop. The Mazda did feel less noisy at highway speeds, maybe the AT does better than the CVT. On the balance, though, the Subaru felt the better car to drive day in and day out.

Visibility was poor in comparison to the Impreza - that's when I realized how much Subaru has done to narrow the pillars - quite a feat.

Mazda also did not do as well in rear seat side impact tests, 2 stars only. The Forester has a similar rating - wonder how the 2012 Impreza will do?

onemodog

It would be at time of delivery.
I assume you could probably purchase the car at the time of order, sight unseen, and get the low rate.
I ordered mine on NY Eve and was told all financials will be handled at time of delivery. Got my price though.

backy

Impreza did very well on the IIHS crash tests--it's a 2012 Top Pick:

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/ratingsbyseries.aspx?id=349

pao

have had no problem with bluetooth at cruising speeds...the CVT run about 22-2300 RPM at 75 MPH on level ground......no whine is evident to me or unusual to me..shall I say....1700 miles on mine in three weeks....

angitherias

This is what the optional (non-standard on any model) roof racks (no rails) look like for canadian customers:
http://www.subaru.ca/Content/7907/media/General/ImageLibrary/12TDI_IMPas007x_rev- erse2Large.jpg">link title

steine13

it's not a "rack" so much as it's fixed mounting points one can bolt a rack to -- a great idea if done properly, and this one is a fine foundation for bicycles. but the stupid things are so close together that the resulting rack is just about useless for boats.

subaru currently has no car in their lineup that's really good for carrying stuff up top. the forester is probably the best of the bunch, and that's with the factory rack, which also requires buying a sunroof and other goodies. not that i'm bitter.

it's pretty bad for a company that purports to cater to the outdoors crowd.
-Mathias

kanjii

Anyone know if its easy to install the spoiler? I've seen them on Canadian subaru advertisement....nice

pao

it requires drilling....so if you are comfortable drilling into the hatchback with a template.....plus the wiring for the third brakelight.....would assume its a simply plug connection.....

xwesx

Mathias, Subaru addressed the roof rail issue on the Forester late in the 2010 model run. They began to offer a "popular equipment" package on the X, which includes roof rails and 16" alloy wheels for an additional $400 MSRP. I am nearly certain they continued this option through to the '11 and '12 model years.

It is so popular that I suspect the only reason it is not standard equipment is so the advertised base price for the model line can be kept a little lower. :sick:

Had this option been available early in the 2010 model year, I would have opted for the X rather than upgrading to the Premium. Turns out that I (so far) really love the massive roof glass though, so I don't regret upgrading versus settling for the X sans rails.

The gimmicky rails on the Outback are just a joke, though, unless you're hauling small (short) cargo up there - forget about boats, long lumber, etc. :sick:

angitherias

I've only used the roof rack that came with my used '97 legacy outback once per year in the six years i've owned the car. And thats with a mid sized cargo bag. Wouldn't rails be better than what canadian version is being offered?

here http://www.subaru-global.com/11impreza_acc_04.html

fredjohnson

pao, nobody is getting that car for under dealer invoice here in MN at this time. One dealer in this State sells it at invoice but he couldn't match my trade in value. I got about $1k more for the CRV I traded in than any dealers were willing to part with. I guess you could say I got the car for $700 under dealer invoice. I'm a CPA. I use to audit car dealers. I have a good idea how much profit they are making on this car with all the holdbacks. I shopped at 10 dealers in 3 States and this was the best deal right here in Bloominton, MN. Most folks are paying either MSRP up here or $500 under MSRP. And we have 5 Subaru dealers in my City. Crazy.

bpizzuti

It's winter, and it's MN. What do you expect? Subarus don't get discounted much in the snow belt during winter.