1999 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport review from North America
"Fun to drive, expensive to repair, reliability?"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Both rear wheel bearings had to be replaced at only 45000 miles. This is a known problem with the Impreza and Forester which are assembled on the same chassis. Unfortunately the repair was not covered by warranty, dealer cost quoted at $300 per side, but managed to get a former Subaru mechanic turned garage owner to do it for only $300 in total. This common fault with these vehicles and may be due to a defective wheel bearing design. The replacement bearings are of a newer "needle/roller" design.
General comments?
Handling is great, performance in winter conditions also good.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.2 gasoline Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 5 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 0 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 20000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 50000 miles |
| Previous car | Jeep Comanche |
| Date of Entry | 8th May, 2003 |