What is one of the best cult cars made has suddenly being redesigned to appeal to a wider audience with softer lines, a more relaxed ride, more allegiance to environmental awareness, and passenger accommodations. For better or worse, Subaru has taken its excellent all wheel drive system and noisy, but efficient boxer engines, and packaged them in sleek, nearly Toyota like non-offensive outerwear and the difference is startling.

We tested the Impreza sedan and wagon as well as the Legacy Outback and each one had us wondering what the public perception would be. Unfortunately, there was none. No one as much as looked at the new Subaru and several thought they were the new Corolla. However, if you drive these spacious Subarus there is no question they are quite attractive from a practical standpoint. Although we looked askance at the $29,000 plus cost of the non-turbocharged, but well loaded, Legacy Outback wagon, the base price of the Impreza at under $17,000 screamed bargain. And, since it is much more refined and has more cargo area than its predecessor, we couldn’t help not ask why anyone would pass on this handy dandy, especially in station wagon/hatchback form.

The difference between the Impreza hatchback and the sedan are startling. The sedan is much more undistinguished in appearance. Both models come in a sport version which we highly recommend but jumps the price to $23,000 for the added alloy rims, vehicle dynamics control, four wheel disc brakes, fog lights, and heated seats and more. If you just want basic transportation with all wheel drive get the base version, but if you like some fun opt for the sport model. By the way all Subarus have excellent heaters that work quickly and distribute the warmth well. Those with the heated seats option provide nearly instantaneous bun warming.

Who is going to buy the suddenly sedate Subarus is a question that is yet unanswered. Certainly the Subaru loyalist, as those when Saab was purchased by General Motors, is going to question the decision. In the case of the Saab a 2002 9-3 goes for fully 70 percent of its new car price even though it is six years old. Why? Because it is considered the last of the true Saabs, that being those made prior to the GM buyout. Could this be the case with the new Subarus? The answer is going to be interesting as the die-hard Subaru faithful are meet with the realization that big wings, big scoops, and a rugged ride have gone the way of cheap gas. 

And, for those of you who need a crossover SUV one of the best is going to be the new Subaru Forester. What makes this remarkable is that Subaru is pricing this cool dude under $20,000. That makes it less dear than the Legacy/Outback, which has more room, but is not nearly as off road friendly. The Forester is larger than the past version and gets a refined double-wishbone suspension and an abundance of safety features. Even if you order the turbo model, which we highly recommend if you want to not be permanently imbedded in the slow lane, prepare to pay $6000 more. Either way, the new Forester must be considered if you need a people hauler with all wheel drive and a high seating position and decent fuel efficiency.

Mom’s view: I really like the ride and look of the Impreza and Outback. It is new, clean, and lacked the tacked on body cladding of the past. The Impreza is especially causal in its attitude on the road and appearance. The flat four-boxer engine is still raspy, but gives a constant 25-mpg even when pushed. This is a remarkable number when considering that our test vehicle had all wheel drive and an automatic transmission.

The more I drove the Impreza the more I was impressed. Here is a very practical vehicle with a nice ride and good fuel mileage as well as all wheel drive priced under $20,000 and capable of holding four adults. It never feels small and the visibility to the front and rear are excellent. The gauges are easy to read, and the sweep that they do as you start the car give you a feeling that the Subaru is running a computer check to see if all systems are okay. The interior switchgear feels a bit flimsy, but the overall effect is one of quiet competence, which this Subaru is all about. The Outback had a more relaxed ride, but it bordered on sleepy when it came to accelerate. Clearly, the base engine is going to have its hands full with a family onboard. If you need more leap, go for the optional engine.

The Outback has a lot of room in back. It is little wonder why Subaru station wagons rule the market as they provide the cargo space that makes them such an ideal alternative to dangerous SUVs. They also have better handling and get better gas mileage. The Outback also has a roof rack and you can order optional carriers that are totally enclosed.

Changes to the underpinning the Impreza is a new double wishbone rear suspension set-up that allows for more usable room in the cargo area. The engine and gearbox have been lowered about four inches to provide better handling. The steering ratio is quicker, but offers very little road feel.  Obviously, You can take corners faster than any other station wagon in memory outside of the extremely tight and expensive BMWs. The Subaru has a 50:50 split through the central viscous coupling unit and it offers plenty of traction in all the situations I encountered. Road feel is subdued, but the brakes weren’t inspiring.

Safety wise you get four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags for both rows with  electronic stability system as an option. The Subies also now have active head restraints and an anti-theft alarm with engine immobilizer.

Dad’s view: The engines in both the Outback and Impreza were modest. The 2.5-liter motor was barely adequate with the automatic transmission, which was slow to kick down as well, and even using the sport-shifting mode provided little help. The plus side is excellent fuel economy, with a sturdy 25 mpg the rule. The horizontally opposed, 4-cylinder engine has 170 horsepower and it just feels overmatched unless you are ruthless with your accelerator stomping. We had the automatic versions of the Impreza and Outback and were not awed. Smooth, yes, but eager to please not.

 These Subarus aren’t meant for serious off-roading, but for the more utilitarian daily driving where the handling and acceleration and even cornering are enhanced by is all wheel drive system. The Impreza doesn’t have much ground clearance and so if you live where the drifts are deep the Outback with about nine inches of clearance is the best choice.

Okay, despite the lack of power, soft looks, and more modern interior why do I still find the Subaru so enjoyable to drive? Well, it is probably due to the combination of superior miles per gallon, interior usefulness, and the total lack of fear you feel when road conditions diminish. The best family wagon for active families.

Working woman’s view: What, no frameless doors? This is truly a new Subaru. Of course the benefits are obvious with much larger doors that make for easier entry, especially in the back.  The seats were much better than any other Impreza I have tested. They are firm and offer a lot of adjustments both in height, length and depth. The ride is quiet; the storage space more than adequate in both vehicles, and only the underpowered engines provided me any irritation. The Outback was equipped with a 4-cylinder 2.5-liter motor that creates 175 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque. The four-speed automatic seemed to drain some of this energy and there was little pressure put on the P255/55R17 tires when accelerating.

Young working male’s view: The rear seats in both vehicles were able to handle adults, two in the Impreza and three in the Outback, but don’t expect six footers to not complain in the former vehicle. Of course we didn’t get to test the WRX and the STi, but in reality both of those are not for the mainstream buyers Subaru seems intent on cultivating.

The Outback is now only available as a wagon with either a four- or six-cylinder engine and in a variety of trim levels from the base 2.5i to the turbocharged 2.5 XT Limited. You can also get the more expensive Outback 3.0 R L.L.Bean Edition and its smooth, but not much more powerful, six-cylinder engine. Every engine and transmission combination yields at least 22 mpg in mixed driving with the base model upping that by a couple of miles per gallon on regular fuel. The others are premium fuel recommended.

 Engine output ranges from 170 horsepower in the base four-cylinder to 245 hp with the six-cylinder. Manual or automatic transmissions are available for the regular and turbocharged four-cylinders. These vehicles clearly need to be driven in rugged weather to be appreciated since they are built with that environment in mind. We didn’t do that and so our views are from the sunshine patriot’s point of view. With that in mind what Subaru mainly manifests is a vehicle capable of handling most anything, but one that isn’t going to rough you up with an expensive price tag or gasoline costs. On the other hand beware of those options. Of the two, the Impreza is the much more difficult to identify as a Subaru due to its restyled exterior. The Outback is nearly the same in appearance. Both vehicles has quick acting heaters and some interesting features such an optional dual-pane moonroof that is quite novel on the Legacy. Another factor is that the wagon versions have very little competition. The Mazda and Volvo just aren’t as rough and ready as the Subaru and the Suzuki isn’t in the same class, although it is a good value.

I found the window controls difficult to reach, as they are too close to the door handles. The seat adjustments also require some practice to master and there isn’t all that much headroom with the moonroof. I would forgo that option anyway as it adds weight and very little to resale value. There is comfortable room for four adults, but the backseat is tight with five onboard.   

The interior is a mixed blessing with easy to read dials and a good feel to the materials, but the noise level is higher due to the frameless windows, no doubt. The rear windows don’t go all the way down and when opened are at a weird angle that makes you wonder about the engineering. Interesting is the best way to describe the steering wheel with its many buttons for audio, cruise control, and even paddle shifters adorning the telescoping and tilting unit. Certainly this isn’t your basic Subaru of the past especially with the upscale stereo and navigation system.   

We had the 175-horsepower, 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine version of the Outback and we highly recommend you drive the optional turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 243 horsepower or the 3.0-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder with 245 horsepower first.

In a class dominated by such crossover competitors as the Honda CR-V, RAV4, and even the Kia Sportage it is refreshing to see the Subaru still holds its own and offers a can do attitude that the others don’t. Whether the softened exterior of the new Subarus will stimulate sales is uncertain, but it isn’t going to hurt with base Outbacks starting under $23,000 and Imprezas around $18,000. Of course you can pay over $34,000 for a loaded L.L. Bean version. Most models have some extraordinary lease deals.

I owned a Subaru for a few years and outside of the expensive parts and difficulty in finding technicians who understood the boxer engine it was as tough as nails. I did learn never to run Bosch sparkplugs in it as they caused a miss. Subaru’s Intelligent Drive system is a wonder with its variable torque distribution.

Family conference: The larger Impreza sedan and wagon are terrific. They offer a lot of room, adequate performance, exceptional fuel mileage, and inspire confidence when driving on slick roads. The pricing of the Outback and the lack of a potent standard powerplant make it a more difficult proposition for us. If you need the extra room and the all wheel drive nothing can touch it in the station wagon field. The Outback’s starting price is $24,595 whereas the Impreza starts seven thousand less. Subaru is taking a real gamble with its new Subies and having owned a Subaru before, hope that the new look produces new consumers. We recommend you wait for the new Forester if you must have that SUV image.For a list of all vehicle websites go to
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