Overview & Reviews

The 2008 Subaru Impreza has been completely redesigned. Roomier and more refined on the inside, the restyled Impreza is meant to appeal to a more mainstream audience. Sedan and hatchback body styles are again available, as are the turbocharged WRX and ultra-high-performance WRX STI.

• Missing some higher-end convenience features, behind-the-times transmissions, below-average fuel economy, sleepy styling except for extroverted STI.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 180.00

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  Very Good except for torque - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By AJ - September 24 - 5:40 am

  The car is generally very good. I got it for an excellent price, even in its first year. I really like the interior design and layout and the great looking and useful hatch bodystyle. The interior generally is nice for the $ but I think the red lighting is juvenile and hard to read. The main problem with the car is the short-stroke engine combined with interia of AWD system makes it a torqueless dog both around town and on the highway. I cant fathom why the engineers would set it up that way. At least the short gearing kind of makes up for it, but then it ends up feeling like it needs a 6th gear. All together it drives and rides pretty well and is comfortable. MPG isnt bad for AWD.

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  A great car that could be better - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By stijockey - July 20 - 6:26 am

  The STI is a great daily driver: fast, comfortable, good visibility and the hatch makes it practical. Handling is good with some understeer but the AWD grip is amazing. The interior quality is a little sub-par but it is an Impreza after all. Road noise is a bit on the high side but much quieter than the previous generation. Whats missing are heated mirrors and headlight washers, heated seats and the push button start system.

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  My 1st Subie - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By kuling23 - July 14 - 3:33 pm

  This car is great. One of the best deals if your looking for something in the 20-21k range. Very comfortable and very quiet ride. Suspension should be a little titer on corners but other than that, I love the car. Going on 4k miles now and have avg 24-25 consistently. Had one snow storm and the car didnt flinch once. The vdc works great and kept the car calm under snowy cornering. The seats fold flat down and make trips to lowes and hd a sinch. And u can hook up roof racks to the top with the pre-cut sockets on the rails.

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  Perfect pass - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By SpeedyPetey14 - June 2 - 10:00 am

  Driving the STI is an unmatched experience, especially. l compared to the Impreza w/o turbo. I previously owned an Impreza Outback Sport and always craved something more, the STI gave me that and then some. The SI drive and center differential settings are a great way to "customize" your driving experience every time you jump in. Its truly a Rocky Mountain toy.

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  Almost completely satisfied - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By Curiousfish - December 26 - 11:50 pm

  Had the car since January. Having this car made my winter commute just a bit safer and easier. Now that the weather is warmer and the motor is more broken-in, I am getting better MPG. My mix is 60-70% highway and Im getting roughly 24-25MPG. Im not exactly the most calm of drivers either, I dont straight cruise too often. I havent had any problems w/ this car except for the paint which is rather thin.

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  Mostly satisfied - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By cboy219 - December 2 - 8:20 am

  After 1000 miles, pretty content. Comfy, good head room, fun2drive! Smooth pickup, good ride. The hum from the engine is AWESOME. Good sized trunk. Car is perfect for a single person - quick and fun, 4 door versatility, adaptable to add luggage racks. Sporty and stylish enough, but kinda flies under the police radar cuz it isnt TOO flashy. I did have a cooling hose issue (factory didnt tighten it), and it does rattle a bit which is scary considering I traded in a 1997 Ford Probe that didnt rattle at all, but overall a very great car in my opinion if it holds up over time. Other Subaru owners near me all are happy with theirs. I have high expectations for this car.

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  New to Subaru and Happy - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By nt22 - October 20 - 1:33 pm

  So far I have really enjoyed my new Impreza (3000k miles/two months). I opted for the simplified and economical 2.5i auto 5-door in dark grey with a center armrest ext. Ive already added on the aux jack, rear seat net, and rear bumper cover. Its definitely a joy to drive around. It makes you hate city traffic, bored with open highway, and eager for some empty country roads. It would be nice if it were a bit quieter, but then it would be a Saab. I originally wanted a Saab 9-2 a few years ago, but it was discontinued and this car substitues perfectly, with the added bonus of AWD. Im getting 25 mpg on mixed travel. Measuring highway trips gets me 28-32 mpg. Had absolutely no problems.

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  Cheap AWD Safety, Small Family Car - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By Third Subaru - August 26 - 10:16 pm

  Biggest complaint: rear drum brakes! We dont drive too many miles but we do have to deal with snow. This model is underpowered and boring to drive, but it gets you to your destination safely and reliably in northern winters. We have averaged 23.5 mpg and have had zero maintenance issues. The interior is cheap but well put together and functional. The rear hatch is poorly designed, when you shut it you either push too light and doesnt latch or push too hard and it rubs the bumper. I am not happy with the amount of rust developing in the suspension, and may take it in to complain about that. The paint looks great but it chips and scratches very easily.

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  Im Imprezed - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By Joe R - July 27 - 3:03 pm

  All I needed was practical transportation. Something to get me from point a to point b safely and economcally. I tried the Scion xB, Mazda 3, Rabbit S 4 dr, and the Saturn Astra. I dont think you could go wrong with any of them. But, when you factored in what you can buy them for they were dealing on the Subaru plus you get AWD which was a huge selling point. The VW is supposed to be the gold standard at this price point, but the Subie was IMHO less plasticky. I needed the versatility of a hatchback, hence the 5 door. I must admit though the xB looked huge on the inside. But I got more car for the money.

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  Very good car - 2008 Subaru Impreza
  By St. Nick - April 20 - 4:20 pm

  Yeah, the handling isnt tight as my old 2.5 RS Impreza but its almost as much fun to drive with a much improved ride, a good tradeoff if you drive on rough roads. Also the overall interior design, room, and build quality is better too. Its almost as big as a Legacy on the inside. The fuel economy is better than the EPA figures. I get 27 mpg in mixed city/highway driving and the motor is not even broken in yet. Get the manual transmission unless you totally hate them. The four speed mutes the performance of the spunky motor a bit too much. The manual 2.5is almost make you forget about the WRX when you consider insurance and $3.25 premium gas.