I guess it's all due to balance? Supposedly the rally cars are more towards the hatches due to balance that few inches removed helped when sliding out that the rear doesn't hit anything in its path. I don't think they thought to use this 2012 Impreza as a rally car for the public, but it should be fun.
So I finally made it over to Fitzgerald Subaru and ... they have no 5 doors in stock!
Bummer.
They have one single sedan and if I can wait 1-2 hours I can test drive it. There were people in line to drive it! Wow...they said the next 5 or so 5 door models and pre-sold!
I'll go back later, but I did sit in the sedan, a stripped base model, 5 speed manual, the only option auto dimming mirrors.
Thoughts, first the bad...
Plastic wheel covers on the base model look cheap, I'd like to see Subaru make alloys standard across the board. I get that it's needed for the $18k price tag, but still.
Also had the plastic plugs where fog lights should be.
Inside - the headliner is peach fuzz, and the sun visor is a durable but cheap plastic. A few of the plastic surfaces in the door panel and center console also disappointed a little.
I guess I can't think of any other $18k car that's any better, to be fair.
Now the good.
Sedan's styling looks much better in person, up close. You gotta see it in the flesh to appreciate it, it looks swoopier than in photos.
Rear legroom is good. Very good toe room under the front seats. Very comfy for two, though head room on the sedan is limited. I was wearing a hat, but still. Reminds me of the Mazda6, which also has a swoopy roof.
Love the soft touch dash top, big plus. Cup holders are better shaped than our Forester, too. The cloth seats were comfy and supportive and had more than enough leg room, in fact I would not set it all the way back and I'm 6' tall.
I like the textures on the A-pillar, and the padded arm rests, and think they should make ALL surfaces match this nice grain.
Trunk is lined, decent size, but I'd still opt for the 5 door.
Overall not bad at all for $18k. I'd love to see a Premium or Limited model to see what upgrades it gets. The base/stripped model seems a little cheap, but then again $18k *IS* cheap.
It is possible to make decent-looking plastic wheel covers on an $18k car. One example (which I happen to lease now) is the Sentra S... very nice looking wheel covers, could pass for alloys unless you look carefully. The Impreza's are pretty bad, just based on photos. But then so are some others, e.g. Focus SE.
It's clear Subaru doesn't plan to sell many base models (otherwise they would make features like cruise at least available if not standard), and put some decent-looking wheel covers on it.
Should head over to Herb Gordon in Silver Spring. Yesterday, when I was there to pick up my WRX from being serviced, they had a couple of Impreza Sport 5-doors and at least one 4-door model. I didn't check them out to see which trim level they were.
I bought my 5Dr from Frederick Motors in Frederick MD....$200 under invoice...ordered it and it took abotu 3 and 1/2 weeks to arrive...got the limited with leather nav/moonroof...and love the car.....they will order a car for you without a deposit.....and if you dont like it when it comes in simply add it to their inventory....they cant keep them on the floor!....ask for Desmond!
I paid 24,200 before taxes, title and processing fee which just went up in MD from $100 to $200....MSRP on the car was $25,782. The dealership still made their money as their actual cost for the car with incentives to them was $23,500
Anyone seen the photos of the XV CrossTrek's center stack? It's got this really nice info display that also appears in the manual of the Impreza but we don't get it here. Anyone think we'll get it on one model or the other for 2013?
combined Im running about 29 MPG at the moment.....with just over 500 miles on it in a week....love the car so far.....cheap sunvisors..and the heated seat switches are in an awkward position on the center console, but other than those two issues so far....no complaints about the car.....
Went by Frederick today...they had two sedans and one sport 5dr on the lot....all were pretty basic models...the one sedan did have the moonroof
Yeah I''m in love with the sport model in white. I'm trading in a 2010 honda crv exl with nav. I need to downsize my pAyment a bit.
I Have 2 kids and besides the litte bit extra trunk its about the same size. I'm getting 19 city on my crv and maybe 22 for short highway runs, just not happy with the crv. going to wait a bit till winters over and see if they come down on the price a bit.
Faulkner Subaru in Harrisburg, PA has a bunch of the Impreza's in stock including a couple 5d's. I was up there the other day with a friend who was looking at them and the 5door aught my eye. I'm replacing my '06 Pilot come spring and the Impreza Sport Limited got added to the short list.
not sure the prices will come down that much...I was happy getting my below invoice.....while I was signing the paperwork..my salesperson took two more orders for the car over the phone.....they cant keep them on the floor more than a few days at the moment.......they are flying out the door faster than the Ford Focus ...a similiarily equipped one was $1500 more than the Impreza and of course isnt AWD......again...Im very happy with .. also the only difference with the Sport version is the rack on the top and some other minor differences, wheels, two tone paint, HD radio to name a few.....if you dont use the rack....no big deal...and if you ever decide to add one...the Limited 5DR has hard attachment points already in the roof...you simply add a rack to it.....
Picked up my Impreza last night. Great car so far...seating is nice. i was sitting too high when driving but lowered it when I got home. Bought the two tone so black/grey so the interior black, awesome! Nice comfy drive, but throttle response is a bit slow..when you quickly peddle the gas on and off...it doesn't jerk you much..almost none at all. Its a bummer, but hey, still an enjoyable ride. I didn't my first emergency turn out of danger today, cruising at about 35 on the main blvd, I see a light brown thing ahead of me...I thought it was a brown paper bag which the wind blew in front of me...until I got close enough, it was a chihuahua...did my turns, no screeching from the tires, looked in the rearview mirror...doggie was in one piece and everything was back to normal. Excellent car so far.
Bummer, or blunder? I was considering the new Impreza until I found it had no XM availability. I wouldn't consider a new vehicle without it, as I really enjoyed it on my last vehicle. So I'm back to looking at Legacy's, or something else.
There's XM available, but only in conjunction with the Nav system. Which is only available with the sunroof. Which is awfully restrictive but not exactly "no" availability. Just not enough.
I don't see it on the 'build your own' or cars101. Message #112 shows they have it, and that they also have the Nav. Hopefully Subaru updates their website soon. Would you know if the AWD still a 90/10 split on the 2012 CVT's?
I currently own a 2007 Honda Element AWD. It's been a great vehicle, no issues at all BUT it does not get good gas mileage (avg around 20/21 mpg) and the roof is so high that it is difficult for me to load things on top (i.e. my kayak) SO, I am considering an Impreza Sport Limited basically to get a car with a little more upscale interior, nicer ride, and much better gas mileage. My biggest fear is losing some of my cargo capacity (the Element has tons) but in researching hatchbacks, the Impreza has one of the biggest cargo areas without stepping up to a small sport utility. I'm wondering how reliability has been for anyone who has owned Subaru's in the past and kept them for 5+ years. Reliability is high on my check list.
I'm 6 foot and I fit, though I did end up putting the seat at its lowest point. I'd prefer to avoid the sunroof, but having XM is more important to me than not having a sunroof.
I'm hoping to hear some rumors about the XV CrossTrek, see if it corrects any of the Impreza's deficiencies in packaging and/or gets about the same FE. I like the look better and a jacked up Impreza should still have a lower center of gravity than a Focus or Mazda3, and should still handle nice. That should get me past winter, which gives me more time to pay down my Elantra Touring a bit (making the sunroof and nav viable), and after winter dealers might budge just a little more on pricing.
The Kia Forte5 is one of the vehicles I am also considering. The AWD is probably going to be the deciding factor for me since they are just about equal for me. I'm looking at replacing my '06 Honda Pilot EX-OR in the spring if my wife agrees.
Cars on my list (by size) and are all 2012's: 1. Honda Fit EX 2. Kia Forte5 SX 3. Subaru Impreza Sport 5dr (haven't decided which trim yet.) 4. Mazda 5 Touring 5. Kia Sportage 6. Honda CR-V 7. Toyota Rav-4
I originally had the Pilot, 4Runner, Ridgeline, and 4dr Wrangler on the list, but with the prices up closer to 40k and horrible mileage, they dropped off really quick.
I don't think the newer Imprezas have had common trouble spots...
Going back further, 2002 and earlier models had head gasket issues, 2001 and prior had fragile wheel bearings, but not a whole lot since.
We kept a 1998 Forester for 9 years, and a 2002 Legacy for 7 years. Getting our 3rd Subaru was an easy choice, and it hasn't seen the dealer once besides scheduled maintenance.
My salesman jokes that I come visit him only once every 7 years. To buy another.
hi all, i am considering a 2012 impreza premium w/ cvt and all-weather package (+ fog lights eventually) vs. the sports premium version w/ cvt since it comes w/ the above options. what do you think?. the msrp is similar. i live in ny, which one do you think i will be able to get a better deal on? gonna start calling some places next week. thanks in advance
Me and you are on the same boat. I wanted the exact same options and me and my wife end up getting the sports premium mode, because you get a better looking rims, (Gun Metal Finish), roof rack and the rocker panel at the back. We lived over at Northern VA. The out the door price is $21400. However, our car won't be here for another 2-3 months. Good luck.
For me the rims won't matter so much. On the other hand, I hate roof rails. They make noise and get in the way when I try to brush snow off. Rims I can buy when I replace the tires. :shades:
Did you get the cvt or the 5 speed. I took my first test drive today in a 5 dr sport cvt. I loved it but the engine was screaming alot and not use to a cvt. Its really up there on my list. I'm not liking my 19 mpg in my crv anymore,
I would like the Deep Cherry Red in the Sport Ltd as well but the Subaru website shows that color is only available in the sedan, not the hatch. How were you able to get that color in the 5dr?
I would like the Deep Cherry Red in the Sport Ltd as well but the Subaru website shows that color is only available in the sedan, not the hatch. How were you able to get that color in the 5dr?
Deep Cherry Red is available in all 4 or 5 dr Base, Premium, or Limted; everything except Sport Premium and Sport Limited.
that is correct...it isnt available with the sport version...only the base prem and limited versions of the 5DR....we went with it because we wanted the ivory interior.....
Ummmm...not exactly, I did see a dark cherry 5 door Sport Premium/Limited when I picked up my car. It had the grey cool rims, so I know it was a Premium or Limited.
MT. I wanted MT first and foremost, I can give up a sunroof.
No pulling teeth at all. I got an otd price from one dealer first. I made absolutely sure this was his lowest price before I went to another. The other dealer said he can beat it by $100. I had it in writing and ordered teh car.
Ummmm...not exactly, I did see a dark cherry 5 door Sport Premium/Limited when I picked up my car. It had the grey cool rims, so I know it was a Premium or Limited.
Either someone swapped the wheels onto a non-Sport (did it have roof rails?) or it was really Camellia Red, not Deep Cherry. Did you notice the interior color? Camellia Red has black interior, Deep Cherry has ivory interior.
Is a trailer hitch able to be placed onto a 2012 Sport Premium / Limited? I was looking at one at Lacaster Subaru yesterday and it had the little square on the rear bumper where a hitch looks like it would stick out. I'm looking at adding one if we got the Impreza route for the new vehicle because I prefer a bike rack on the back rather than on the roof rails, plus my 29er doesn't usually fit on the roof rack systems. The sales person that decided to wander outsaid "he didn't know if one could be added or not since nobody has ever asked before."
Yes, I want the Ivory interior as well and the exterior color choices are narrow. I am debating between the Sport Ltd or the regular 5 dr Ltd. I may sacrifice some of the features on the Sport to get the color I want (Cherry Pearl) plus it is $500 less for the non-sport model. I am considering one of the 2-tone colors in the Sport model though. Has anyone seen the Green/Silver up close and personal? Any thoughts on the 2-tone colors?
Yeah, I meant CVT lol. Stupid auto correct on my android phone. I am located in northern Virginia. I think is a decent price. Friend of mine know the owner of the dealership, so he kinda hook me up.
Comments
Bummer.
They have one single sedan and if I can wait 1-2 hours I can test drive it. There were people in line to drive it! Wow...they said the next 5 or so 5 door models and pre-sold!
I'll go back later, but I did sit in the sedan, a stripped base model, 5 speed manual, the only option auto dimming mirrors.
Thoughts, first the bad...
Plastic wheel covers on the base model look cheap, I'd like to see Subaru make alloys standard across the board. I get that it's needed for the $18k price tag, but still.
Also had the plastic plugs where fog lights should be.
Inside - the headliner is peach fuzz, and the sun visor is a durable but cheap plastic. A few of the plastic surfaces in the door panel and center console also disappointed a little.
I guess I can't think of any other $18k car that's any better, to be fair.
Now the good.
Sedan's styling looks much better in person, up close. You gotta see it in the flesh to appreciate it, it looks swoopier than in photos.
Rear legroom is good. Very good toe room under the front seats. Very comfy for two, though head room on the sedan is limited. I was wearing a hat, but still. Reminds me of the Mazda6, which also has a swoopy roof.
Love the soft touch dash top, big plus. Cup holders are better shaped than our Forester, too. The cloth seats were comfy and supportive and had more than enough leg room, in fact I would not set it all the way back and I'm 6' tall.
I like the textures on the A-pillar, and the padded arm rests, and think they should make ALL surfaces match this nice grain.
Trunk is lined, decent size, but I'd still opt for the 5 door.
Overall not bad at all for $18k. I'd love to see a Premium or Limited model to see what upgrades it gets. The base/stripped model seems a little cheap, but then again $18k *IS* cheap.
Not quite. The sedan was nearly a foot longer than the hatchback: 168.8" vs. 157.1".
Now, if you meant the WAGON Civic instead of the "hatchback", that was longer than the hatchback... but still shorter (161.7") than the sedan.
It's clear Subaru doesn't plan to sell many base models (otherwise they would make features like cruise at least available if not standard), and put some decent-looking wheel covers on it.
Bob
Went by Frederick today...they had two sedans and one sport 5dr on the lot....all were pretty basic models...the one sedan did have the moonroof
I Have 2 kids and besides the litte bit extra trunk its about the same size. I'm getting 19 city on my crv and maybe 22 for short highway runs, just not happy with the crv. going to wait a bit till winters over and see if they come down on the price a bit.
Faulkner Subaru
Odie
"Thanks for the reply. The sunroof kills it for me, as I don't fit in most sunroof equipped vehicles.
The info about the nav/satellite radio I got right off of the Edmund's product pages, but the information is also in the owner's manual.
I'm hoping to hear some rumors about the XV CrossTrek, see if it corrects any of the Impreza's deficiencies in packaging and/or gets about the same FE. I like the look better and a jacked up Impreza should still have a lower center of gravity than a Focus or Mazda3, and should still handle nice. That should get me past winter, which gives me more time to pay down my Elantra Touring a bit (making the sunroof and nav viable), and after winter dealers might budge just a little more on pricing.
Cars on my list (by size) and are all 2012's:
1. Honda Fit EX
2. Kia Forte5 SX
3. Subaru Impreza Sport 5dr (haven't decided which trim yet.)
4. Mazda 5 Touring
5. Kia Sportage
6. Honda CR-V
7. Toyota Rav-4
I originally had the Pilot, 4Runner, Ridgeline, and 4dr Wrangler on the list, but with the prices up closer to 40k and horrible mileage, they dropped off really quick.
Odie
Going back further, 2002 and earlier models had head gasket issues, 2001 and prior had fragile wheel bearings, but not a whole lot since.
We kept a 1998 Forester for 9 years, and a 2002 Legacy for 7 years. Getting our 3rd Subaru was an easy choice, and it hasn't seen the dealer once besides scheduled maintenance.
My salesman jokes that I come visit him only once every 7 years. To buy another.
Deep Cherry Red is available in all 4 or 5 dr Base, Premium, or Limted; everything except Sport Premium and Sport Limited.
So is that with CVT or MT?
How was the negotiation? Did you feel like pulling teeth with the dealers to get that or was it pretty easy?
No pulling teeth at all. I got an otd price from one dealer first. I made absolutely sure this was his lowest price before I went to another. The other dealer said he can beat it by $100. I had it in writing and ordered teh car.
Either someone swapped the wheels onto a non-Sport (did it have roof rails?) or it was really Camellia Red, not Deep Cherry. Did you notice the interior color? Camellia Red has black interior, Deep Cherry has ivory interior.
Odie
What's VCR??? I assume that's with CVT and Out-the-Door price?
BTW, where are you located? That's sounds like a really good price.
Thanks for input