The Subaru Impreza and Impreza WRX STI are not the best cars in the world…

The Subaru Impreza is a somewhat iconic car. With its instantly-recognisable shape and the undeniable rally-car feeling it gives off, it’s easy to see why people are passionate about them. However, we can also tell you exactly why it’s a little overrated as well. It’s not a bad car, it’s just not the best car in the world and here’s why:

Some of them are pretty ugly

The Subie Imprezas are well known for that distinctive look, that certain shape, and of course, that instantly-recognisable spoiler. Although the rough shape has been a constant throughout the generations, some of the iterations didn’t quite stick the landing. Take the pre-facelift Imprezas from the early 2000s.

Subaru Impreza side 1

It was almost the same as the pre-2000 Subaru’s except for the hideous face. Circular headlights were not the right choice, and Subaru soon realised this and followed up with a facelift. This brought us to the 2004 facelifted imprezas, which were a fine improvement, but still not quite as handsome as the first gen Subies.

Subaru Impreza front side 2

Soon enough, yet another facelift was implemented which changed the grill completely and made the lights look slightly more streamlined. This facelift made it not quite as ugly as the pre-facelift model, but also not as nice-looking as the first facelift model.

Subaru Impreza front side 3

The current WRX models and the first gen Imprezas are very good looking cars, the same cannot be said for the bug-eyed Imprezas of the early 2000s.

Furthermore, take the spoiler off and your cool rally car will soon transform into an ugly sedan. I’m not saying that any of Subaru’s sedans should ever be spoiler-less, but at the same time, it’s almost like the spoiler is a cheap trick to hide the ugliness of its foundations. If all it takes for it to look like an eyesore is to simply remove the spoiler, then it makes you wonder, was it ever a beautiful car in the first place?

The Subaru Impreza is overrated, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution is underrated

The WRX STI seems to have so much more credit than the underrated Evo, and it’s just not fair.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution front side 1

Firstly, following on from my last point, the Lancer Evo is a gorgeous car and to a lot of people, it’s a better-looking one. The aesthetic is more understated, not as “in your face” as the Imprezas and gives off a more “grown-up” feel. The bonnet scoop is smaller, the shape is sleeker and the car as a whole just looks less like a caricature drawing and more like a work of fine art. In fact, if you look at today’s WRX STI, one could almost say that it’s somewhat imitating the appearance of the Evo.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution front side 2

Not only does it look better, it handles tight corners better as well. Anyone that’s driven both will tell you that the Mitsubishi feels more grounded and sharper, thanks to the more responsive chassis and the superior traction control thanks to Mitsu’s S-AWC. All of this can be acquired for less money than the equivalent Subie would cost.

Not all Imprezas are cool rally cars

Some of them are unsightly hatchbacks. Carrying on from the previous point, unlike the Evo, the Impreza does NOT look anywhere near as nice as a hatchback.

Subaru Impreza front side 4

They somehow managed to make the hatch look like a horrifically mutated version of the sedan that was accidentally created by a mad scientist. Sure it’s great value for money and still fun to drive, but it’s also a disservice to the “Impreza” name that was once known for being the sporty rally car that it was introduced as.

The Subaru Impreza excels in the snow, but not anywhere else

We’ve all heard of how these brilliant AWD Imprezas really come into their own when they drive in snow. Not only are they a world of fun to drift in those conditions, but they’ve also been proven time and time again as great snow recovery vehicles. There have even been accounts of Subaru towing lorries in the snow!

Subaru Impreza AWD front side 1

Sure there’s nothing quite like drifting an Impreza in the snow or dirt, but what about driving it on a track? What about driving it to work, taking the family out in or travelling across the country?

Subaru Impreza front side 1

Driving on motorways feels like putting your head in a microwave thanks to the loud droning hum the Imprezas are known for. Now imagine that cross-country road trip with your car full of passengers, sitting uncomfortably on firm suspension and all complaining about their headaches.

Subaru Impreza front side 5

The mile per gallon is (obviously) not ideal for daily driving, sitting around the low 20s. Insurance companies are not kind on Impreza owners, the same goes for police. Servicing is not easy either, therefore not cheap and the same goes for buying parts. Although, all of this should be expected when buying a sports car.

We love the Subaru Impreza, but at the same time, it’s not flawless, just like any car.

Like What You’ve Read?

For more articles like this, receive our weekly e-newsletter, including partner deals and all things motoring, register your email below.

Please note: You cannot subscribe to Smart-Motoring unless you put a tick in the checkbox below to indicate have read and agreed to our privacy policy.

Leave a Reply