Subaru Impreza GE/GH (gen 3) (2008-2011)

Great safe Vehicle – My daughter owned this late 2007 Subaru Impreza Hatch, each time I used the car I would indicate to my wife the great safe feel, while this car is slightly heavier on fuel , it is a Worthwhile purchase, we have become the new owners and loving it, Subaru has made huge inroads, focusing on Safety and handling... I am so tempted to purchase a New Forester which my daughter just acquired  Show details

Lemon of a car – I have had absolutely nothing but trouble with my Subaru Impreza from the date of purchase. I bought it brand new from the dealership and within the first two years had over $5000 worth of issues with it which they insisted were not covered under warranty, even though 1 was a recall? The electrics of the vehicle have been an issue since the day of… Read more

purchase but they always claim they cant find anything wrong with it? I have gone through 16 headlights in the space of six months - this is not normal Subaru! Won't be buying another vehicle like this again.

Fun, reliable car with All Wheel Drive – I have owned an Impreza RS hatch since 2009 (MY08 model), and it has aged much better than other cars of the generation. The all-wheel drive system gives the car excellent grip in all conditions, and I've found that tyres last for 40,000km+. The engine is enough for city driving, and with a manual transmission it can be pretty fun through the… Read more

corners, though it isn't all that fast in a straight line. The leather steering wheel feels really nice in the RS, and so do the sports seats (the interior is almost the same as the WRX).

I drive the hatch and the boot is a good size, and with the back seats folded down it can fit heaps of gear. It's been great for moving houses, and has managed well on some long distance trips between Sydney and Melbourne.

Would recommend changing the tyres to 215/45 17 inch from the original 205/50 17 inch, as it grips the road even better and tyres are cheaper.

Reasonable on fuel- with mixed driving I usually average 8.8 litres/100km. Car is still going strong after 170,000km, though I have serviced it pretty regularly (every 15000km-ish).

Things to watch- the manual clutch is more expensive than other cars to replace (around $2200 with labour), and mine failed after about 120,000km (might have just been unlucky). You can replace it with a standard Exedy clutch for lower cost and it works just as well. Other than that, the car has been very reliable, with only standard servicing required.

It's a sporty-feeling, practical and fun car, and I'm glad I chose it. I would gladly recommend this model (especially the RS with the nice bodykit and wheels).

I love it – Performs very nicely for a first car. I love driving it especially on windy roads as it handles well. The engine can be fun as well as responsible. Tons of space for such a small car. I get good mileage in the manual which is great! I love it so much.  Show details

Okay car for the money – Just bought this a few days ago, a good deal for what it was. Took it on a trip for an hour down the freeway yesterday, Previous car was a 2003 Ba Falcon. Compared to that, the Impreza has a rough ride, susceptible to cross winds or a passing truck. lots of road noise, has to rev to get going, not that good on fuel. But, good seats, lots of… Read more

features, great handling, sporty sound, lots of safety features, Looks great, particularly in light blue, easier to park, and Ilike the fact you have to actually drive it, unlike the Falcon where you just sit there and guide it down the freeway on cruise control. All in all, despites its noisiness, happy with it.

great little car – Bought this car as I like the look of it and the fact that it is all wheel drive, as I drive to the snow some years. I have been very happy with it so far. it accelerates well and handles pretty good. From what I know there have not been any problems with it (other than a recalled airbag which was promptly replaced free of charge). Very happy and would buy a subaru again.  Show details

Its okay – For a small car i feel it is not quite fuel efficient. It drives smoorh and my mechanic said its a good car. I like the interior of it and i find the chairs very comfortable. It is a little low to get in and out. The car steers well.  Show details

Great Car ! Just Buy It ! – 2008 Subaru Impreza RX G3 MY08 Manual Hatch 2.0i 153000 on clock. I have been driving the car since 2 weeks and so far its amazing. Handling is great thanks to AWD and Tranction control (also fairly good tires). Interior is fairly good designed and good quality. This car just sounds so powerful ! and also parts to be changed are located so… Read more

cleverly that its one of the rare cars you can change the timing belt in 20 mins for instance. If you read the manual book you can clearly see most of the minor services you can do at home. I have 8.4lt/100km fuel consumption combined. Consider that I drive %20 aggressive in city and rest is %40-%40 normal drive between city and highway. I highly recommend manual non-turbo models if you want to have problem free car. those models only needs clutch from time to time and regular minor things.

Pros:

- sounds great

- fairly good interior design

- fairly good economy on fuel

- great handling

- traction control and hill holder !

- headlights are really good

- easy to fix

Cons:

- Too much noise from road, almost no isolation (doesnt bother me)

- Acceleration is not good (vicroads max 100km/h so honestly you dont need it that much)

- Exterior design is (especially front) just so out of date, could be just improved a better aggressive look

Great car – Has great handling and plenty of leg room and can get from Newcastle to Wagga Wagga on a full tank only down side is the low beam has a h pattern and it makes it hard to see on you right hand side of the car. I would say it hasn't let me down yet  Show details

AT LEAST IT'S ALL WHEEL DRIVE – Bought the R sedan new, with sequential sport auto option, because wife can't drive stick & so I could use manual mode, also because of the flawless AWD system & safety features. In D, the car is gutless, in sport mode it's a bit better, to get this slug to move sharply, stick it in manual mode & keep the revs up, it's the only way to get full… Read more

use of the AWD system & the safety features, turn the traction off as well & you'll get a livelier drive.

Dash has rattled since new & motor is noisy, but it is a boxer so you expect it a little & it's a thirsty beast especially when you give it some stick, needing to run it on PULP. Other than the dash rattle the interior is OK with plenty of boot space & the split fold rear seats, for added carry space, is a bonus.

Have had no issues or major mechanical problems, it's been flawless & reliable, it's just gutless unless used in manual mode.

Because of the AWD & safety features, this is a great car for parents to buy for their kid, who they overly worry about.

First and last Subaru – Bought a 2008 Impreza R manual and was delivered to me with corrosion all over the exhaust. Great pre-delivery check! Replaced, as it should have been but meant 2 trips to the dealer who wasn't local. Had all servicing done there as per handbook and have had the a/c compressor replaced (bearing) and is now whining again but is now out of warranty.… Read more

Has had a drivetrain clunk from about 2 yrs old when cold and dealer could find nothing wrong even after hearing it. Continues to this day and just living with it. Developed horrendous whining noise just out of extended 5 yr warranty and mercifully the dealer repaired it under warranty. Replaced all 4 output shaft bearings in the gearbox. The paint has badly crazed on the dust deflector above the rear window and the other paint in spots has been stained by bird poo even though it is removed as soon as I see it. Economy isn't that great and 6 month servicing adds to the overall expense of owning this car. I upgraded to this Impreza from a Hyundai Getz and wish I'd kept it. First and last Subaru for me!!! Came with 6 airbags, ABD, etc. as standard in base model. Main reason I bought it at that time as other brands didn't have that. Mechanical issues, expensive to run and service.

First car - probably will stay with Subaru range from now on – If you like a sleek looking medium sized 4-door hatchback with plenty of grunt - this may be the car for you too. With clean modern lines and a 2 ltr engine, this car will get you out of trouble in a hurry. As mine is a 2008 model it doesn't have all the bells & whistles but with only 29000 kms on the clock when I'm ready to upgrade, I will… Read more

probably choose another Subie. The steering wheel controls for the very good sound system with CD stacker & the cruise control are handy. Even with a full load of passengers it doesn't have any problem getting up hills. Seats are comfortable but I would have liked headrests that move back & forth as well as up & down. All-in-all a good buy & hasn't missed a beat in almost 18 months. 2 ltr engine, neither too big nor too small Headrests not flexible enough

Lovely to drive - if you can afford to – We purchased this car in August 2010 - a limited edition RS, with leather seats, etc. I really love driving this car - around Brisbane only - I don't do a lot of freeway driving living inner city. But it's the WORST fuel economy ever! I get about 450 to 480 kms per tank - $90 to fill. I'm writing this review as we consider whether it's worth… Read more

selling it and buying something more economical. The service guys tell me what I'm getting is pretty good, but I think they're Subarobots who have been brainwashed.... Lovely and feels safe to drive Fuel economy - and had quite a few issues throughout the three years - shockies; blowing smoke, etc.

Good but underpowered in lower models – I got a special edition 2010 model with leather seats and I like it a lot. Even now 3 years later people still seem to think it's a brand new car, and frequently comment to me how nice it is inside. The only downside I would say is that because I got a Type R, it's very underpowered. Foot to the floor and it really takes a bit to get going (I have… Read more ·  1

the auto). My boyfriend (embarrassingly) drives a Barina and it gets going faster! All in all though, a great car. Looks nice, decent fuel milage, great to drive. Low acceleration in R model.

A bit troublesome car – So my mum suggested this car to me as my second car. Upon test driving this car, I knew it was the one for me. However, minor problems started to occur. The back two power windows started to cease functioning. It worked for a bit when you had to constantly push the button on the drivers side door but now it's completely useless. The… Read more

Bluetooth functionality is a bit dodgy as well. I try connecting my idevices and sometimes it would not connect as the screen says the device is not in range and sometimes it just automatically disconnects my iPad (which I use to stream music through the car speakers) whenever I move off from the traffic lights.

My friend pointed out to me that the plastic from the headlights seems to be condensating and he wasn't wrong, the inside of the plastic looks very foggy.

Lastly, one of the plastic bits which hides the bolt that attaches the windscreen wiper has mysteriously gone missing, revealing the bolt.

On the good side though, the stock speakers are very good as I was thinking of adding a subwoofer to it but it really doesn't need one.

I don't know much about performance wise on cars but for a 110 kw car, it packs a punch.

Never pick a black car. It's very hard to maintain its cleanliness. The shape, the look, speakers. Too many electrical related faults.

Subaru Impreza Sedan MY09 series – This car really stood out whilst shopping around. It was the last car I test drove on the day of shopping around and it was worth the wait. Compared to other cars on the market in that make and model bracket I found the Impreza to have quality and class superior to their rivals. The after sales service is also first class. I really am looked after… Read more

when I take my Subaru in for a service. They show genuine interest plus the cost is reasonable as well. The physical look of the car, the handling (especially around corners), the quality workmanship, the attractive warranty and the 5 star ANCAP safety features. Sluggish down low in second gear and boot space could be larger.

2009 model. Great car! – I have a 2009 model wrx and it hasn't missed a beat, handling is superb, especially through the mountains. The power is amazing you really have to drive one to understand how quickly it will accelerate. I have owned it for 4 years now and put 65000km on it. The stereo is fine for everyday driving and on long highway trips. I have drivin this car… Read more

on a lot of different terrains, mud gravel dirt and snow and the awd system on the car really keeps it stuck on the road. The only bad thing I could say about this car is the amount of plastic in the car and that if I turn the stereo up it viabrates some of the door plastic trims. And the road noise is a lot more noticeable compared to other new cars. It has a lot more room in the rear seats than previous models. Handling, power, reliability, AWD system, looks great. Plastic interior and road noise.

Just love it! – I bought it brand new and I just love driving it. It has power and responsive. The hatchback is big enough and could be used as an everyday car, if you don't mind driving it and park it anywhere. When the turbo kicks in, you can hear and it just feels right. Handling (in corners, etc..), responsiveness, power, reliable, the sound it makes,… Read more

bucket leather seats keep you comfortable, cruise control. Fuel, servicing cost, no bluetooth connectivity.

Excellent – Did a lot of research before buying. I didn't necessarily want another hatchback, but if it was a sedan then it need to have a big boot. Was looking for a car to buy brand new for more or less $30'000, ended up paying $32'000. Sunroof, A/C, fog lamps, all round air bags were standards in this car and it's one of the highest rated "safe" cars in… Read more

Australia. Ford focus, Honda City, Holden Astra, were cheaper but did not have all of the accessories included in the price, and when added together they didn't really work out much cheaper. Subaru RX came with EVERYTHING. With the other cars there was always something that I would have to pay extra for and it seemed so much easier to just pay one price and get this car. That being said, I DID end up paying extra to get tinted windows but with that also got a free protective coating on the car with a guarantee of free repair of stone chips and scratches for the life of the car which was fantastic. Sales service was fantastic at Docklands Subaru. Overall I am really happy I bought this car and would recommend it to someone wanting a medium size car that is not over priced, has a high safety rating, and good on petrol consumption. Subaru RX 2009 hatchback: Petrol consumption is good. I do about 600km p/week and it costs (at the moment) about $55 to fill it from empty. Having previously owned larger size engine I am really thrilled at not having to pay $85 each week to fill the car to run the same distance. It doesn't have the guts of a bigger engine when it takes off from a stop, although it's not a tortoise either, but once it's going it's a rocket and no problem overtaking on the highways at all. I feel quite safe driving, with the all round air bags, and the all wheel drive makes for better handling in wet conditions, previous car was front wheel drive and was often pulling the steering around in the wet. Stereo is awesome and has speakers everywhere. Love the automatic gear stick as opposed to the usual t-bar stick, much sexier I think! Cup holders in the doors and in center console, and enough pockets to hold things but not so many that you end up holding junk in the car. It's really neat and tidy inside and easy to keep clean. Headlights turn off automatically when you turn off the ignition. Dashboard instruments glow red instead of boring green, and everything is easily seen. There aren't any bells and whistles in the car that are over the top and useless, some things in previous cars I've had I never could figure out what they did. Petrol cap opener lug is on the floor by drivers seat and so easy to find because it's huge. Worst by far is the headlights. At first they were amazing but I kept getting high beamed by EVERYONE because they thought I had MY high beams on, and a man in another car slowed down and let me pass him on the highway then got behind me and started to drive erratically behind me with his own high beams pointed at me in a supposed attack of revenge. So I took it to Subaru and asked them to adjust the headlights and an hour later they said no adjustment was necessary, they are perfect. Eventually I had them adjusted down (not by Subaru) and bingo, no more hi beams from other drivers. I can see okay in the dark with the headlights the way they now although they were much better before and if the lights get raised just one more click then the high beams start again. I miss them the way they were, but it just wasn't worth the aggravation from other drivers. There is a bit of road noise, most likely because the hatch is only covered by a roller blind cover instead of the normal molded, fitted type cover. Not quite sure about the roller cover because you have to always roll it back manually to put something in the hatch, the usual type is that everything automatically pulls up when you lift the hatch up. On the up side the roller is so easy to remove when you need to put something big in the hatch, with my old car I had to completely remove the fitted molded cover and try to put it in the back seat somewhere which also was a nuisance. Also the car has some VERY MILD rattles in the dash which I pray don't get worse as time goes on, but they probably will eventually.

Good – It's a very well made car, paired up with a very good warranty. I had my car battery fail on me and they sent out a pickup to take the car, replace the battery and run over the safety checks for free. It's a car that has great value for money. Good styling, All wheel drive, strong brakes, excellent handling. Folding seats at the back allowed me to… Read more

move some fairly large furniture around. Poor fuel efficiency, despite the ability to fuel up on regular the car is best off running on premium petrol. Automatic is a bit "laggy" delivering power to the car.

Terrible – We had this car as a work car and having owned multiple Subaru's, we were surprised. There is not one panel in the car which isn't made of cheap plastic. My Kia Rio has less. The automatic gearbox shifted from 4th to 2nd gear going 110km/h on the highway when accelerating sending the engine to 6000rpm. The boot floor could only hold two laptops in… Read more

the back, the seats were uncomfy and on a 200km return trip on a highway it used over 1/2 a tank. We were really disappointed. I don't know if the quality improves higher in the model range. All wheel drive, reasonably powerful. Small boot space, everything is made of plastic, stupid gearbox in automatic.

Good – Overall the current model Impreza is a good car but if it had a 2.5l engine like the Liberty and with some more refinements and features that are standard in cars like Commodores, etc. it would be a great car. Nice Style. Nice Interior. All Wheel Drive. Excellent brakes. Fold downs rear seats very useful when need to carry large items. Drives and… Read more

Handles very well. Seats in the base model. 2 litre standard engine lacks zip. Lights do not automatically turn off when car is turned off. Electric Windows cannot be closed after ignition is turned off. CD or ratio cannot be payed with ignition off, no stereo control on steering wheel, needs premium fuel.