2004 Subaru Impreza 2.5 TS Wagon review from North America

Nothing has gone wrong with the car, it has only required scheduled servicing.

This car is quick and it handles well, it has decent torque for a 4-cylinder and is very rev-happy. It has good power, 165 bhp and 166 lb-ft of torque. The transmission is a little slow to downshift. A nice thing about the AT is that it adapts to your driving style.

The all-wheel drive system works well too, it has an electronically controlled multi-plate transfer clutch that continuously varies torque between the front and rear. This is not "fake AWD", all four wheels are driven at all times. Torque split can be locked by selecting "2" or "1" with the gear lever.

The gas mileage is reasonable for an automatic transmission AWD vehicle. In mixed driving I get a consistent 22 MPG, while on the highway I get 28 MPG, that is, almost 400 miles per tank.

The seats are good, it's quite roomy in the front seats and acceptable in the rear.

Wind and road noise are quite prominent in this car, esp. above 60 mph. This gets tiring on long trips, but it's not a big deal during the daily commute. The suspension is good, the car handles well while still absorbing bumps just fine.

The AC is not quite up to the task during hot and humid days in city traffic. On the highway the AC works well always. The heater works well in the winter time. The engine reaches operating temperature quickly.

The negatives are not big issues, I'd say that for the money (I paid 17000 dollars for a brand-new car) it's a fabulous car. AWD, auto, A/C, power windows, AND good performance for that kind of money? It's a DEAL.