Topic: Day-by-Day Review: 2012 Subaru Impreza; Day 1

[Autos_Editor]

Never before has James been this excited about big, bad winter weather in the forecast.
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[D70]

Cars have come a long way since I started driving in Canadian winter conditions back in the early 1960s

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/4809876455/

[Winterpeg]

Hey that back end does have a certain "Dodge" look to it....enough said on THAT.
I love HEATED windshield wiper de-icers.....but another cvt auto trans ?.........say it isn't so. 

[Mike]

Damn, when I saw the picture I thought, "Hey, James is in the same car I had a few weeks ago!"  But I then I read CVT.  I'm sorry for you James    It really does kill the car.   Not that the 5-speed I drove made it much better, but it did make it a bit more entertaining.

[Karumba]

Hey that back end does have a certain "Dodge" look to it....enough said on THAT.

Just saw one while commuting to work today. The back of the hatch looks like a nicer variation of the focus/matrix.  Not sure about the sides though ... seems too bland/boxy ... and those sideskirts 

[boz]

I love the car, and hate its Canadian pricing:

Impreza 5 door sport package & auto trans $21,595 + $785 Delivery = $22,830 (USA MSRP)
Impreza 5 door sport package & auto trans $26,095 + $1,695 Delivery = $27,790 (Canadian MSRP, dealer fees not incl.)

~$5,000 difference, before the taxes..  

[nlm]

Hey James - here's a challenge: for the remainder of your test days use the manual or paddle shifters ONLY and see if that changes your impression of the powertrain.

[redman]

These were actual Environment Canada 2010 snowfall summary remarks:

*It was the winter with the least snowfall ever recorded at the Toronto City site since snowfall observations began in 1843.
*Locations in the snowbelt, such as Wiarton, received about half the snowfall they normally get during this period. Wiarton received 228.8 centimetres compared with a normal 425.4 centimetres.
*Thunder Bay received 52 centimetres - less than a third of what would be expected during a normal snowfall season (185.8 centimetres).

The argument for Full Time AWD is really starting to get thin in the GTA (heck practically Ontario). Maybe Subaru should consider weight and cost saving having a FWD or RWD option.

Still have a beef with Subaru packages. Sunroof should always be a separate option. Do I really need to get a sunroof if I want a leather wrapped steering wheel ?

I like Subaru, wife drives one but it's time to rethink path.

[Snowman]

These were actual Environment Canada 2010 snowfall summary remarks:

*It was the winter with the least snowfall ever recorded at the Toronto City site since snowfall observations began in 1843.
*Locations in the snowbelt, such as Wiarton, received about half the snowfall they normally get during this period. Wiarton received 228.8 centimetres compared with a normal 425.4 centimetres.
*Thunder Bay received 52 centimetres - less than a third of what would be expected during a normal snowfall season (185.8 centimetres).

The argument for Full Time AWD is really starting to get thin in the GTA (heck practically Ontario). Maybe Subaru should consider weight and cost saving having a FWD or RWD option.

Still have a beef with Subaru packages. Sunroof should always be a separate option. Do I really need to get a sunroof if I want a leather wrapped steering wheel ?

I like Subaru, wife drives one but it's time to rethink path.

One drive along the 401 from London to Windsor last week is all the evidence I needed to justify my Subaru.

[redman]

Quoting Snowman "One drive along the 401 from London to Windsor last week is all the evidence I needed to justify my Subaru."

I guess we could all wear tin foil hats when crossing under electrical wire or cell towers and feel happy about it.

My question is how often do you encounter such conditions and then compare them to previous years. When you were on the 401 that day were all the other non AWD/4WD vehicles in the ditch ? I doubt it. I'll take a good set of snows over AWD all seasons if given the choice. As a matter of fact I see more AWD/4WD in the ditch then non. Some yahoo's apparently feel that if they can take off faster and maybe corner faster that they can stop faster, not the case especially with the added weight of AWD/4WD.

So at what point do we justify the added costs, 2% use ? I'm not seeing the justification in the G.T.A. nor are the stats.

[5 Wheel Drive]

I got to have a good look at this at the Montreal Auto show on Sunday.  I really liked it, but 5 minutes later I couldn't remember a thing about it.

[Mike]

Quoting Snowman "One drive along the 401 from London to Windsor last week is all the evidence I needed to justify my Subaru."

I guess we could all wear tin foil hats when crossing under electrical wire or cell towers and feel happy about it.

My question is how often do you encounter such conditions and then compare them to previous years. When you were on the 401 that day were all the other non AWD/4WD vehicles in the ditch ? I doubt it. I'll take a good set of snows over AWD all seasons if given the choice. As a matter of fact I see more AWD/4WD in the ditch then non. Some yahoo's apparently feel that if they can take off faster and maybe corner faster that they can stop faster, not the case especially with the added weight of AWD/4WD.

So at what point do we justify the added costs, 2% use ? I'm not seeing the justification in the G.T.A. nor are the stats.

I'll take AWD with snows any day.  I truly use my awd maybe 1-2% of the time a year.  You know what, going home and not ending up in the ditch is worth it during that 2% trip.  Last week I took a 7.5 hour trip from Montreal to Oakville after the Montreal autoshow.  10+ cm of snow in Montreal, switched to packed ice around Ottawa, Freezing rain by Cornwall and finally rain by Kingston.  3 big rigs jack knifed or in the ditch (at 12am) between Ottawa and Kingston.  It was an unnerving ride and I am sure I could have done it in other cars, but I was glad to be in the Subie (especially climbing some of the hills in downtown Montreal).  I'll did 9.6 L/100 km at roughly 115 KM/H average over 1200 km.  In a 270 hp car in -10C temperatures, I'll take that any day if it means getting through 3 or 4 tricky situations a year (plus the fun benefit of dirt roads, rainy roads, snow days, etc)

In December the gf and I went for a 10 hour shopping trip to Buffalo.  Of course it snowed all day and having had a vehicle written off in the USA during a snow storm previously (not my fault, on snows, fwd), I appreciate the ability to move through intersections with full confidence.

I'm a big fan of snow tires and have had them on my 2 FWD cars and 2 RWD cars in the past and never got stuck or spun out.  Since I always buy sporting cars, the Subaru is a dream in the white stuff comparatively.

Subaru states their AWD system in particular adds very little weight and fuel consumption to their vehicles due to its design.  A lot of the other 'added to the design after the fact' systems are not as efficient.  I'm sure there could be savings, but not sure it matters with that car

[JohnM]

"My question is how often do you encounter such conditions and then compare them to previous years. When you were on the 401 that day were all the other non AWD/4WD vehicles in the ditch ? I doubt it. I'll take a good set of snows over AWD all seasons if given the choice. As a matter of fact I see more AWD/4WD in the ditch then non. Some yahoo's apparently feel that if they can take off faster and maybe corner faster that they can stop faster, not the case especially with the added weight of AWD/4WD.

So at what point do we justify the added costs, 2% use ? I'm not seeing the justification in the G.T.A. nor are the stats."

Agreed.  I live in hilly snow country and good tires are the key.  Right now running Hankook Optimo 4Ss which are a winter optimized 4 season.  Very impressed particularly in the non-snow conditions.  An upgrade to 4 snows of the Blizzak level would allow me to go through virtually anything in the Echo.  

It must be admitted that my driving style is "fuel efficient" and that may make the lack of 4 snows or awd seem more acceptable but if you push the limits in winter conditions no tire or drive system will keep you out of the ditch.

Cheers,
John M.

[CanuckG35]

James, what kind of fuel numbers are you seeing so far in the Impreza?

[nlm]

So at what point do we justify the added costs, 2% use ? I'm not seeing the justification in the G.T.A. nor are the stats.

Rutherford Road, west of Highway 27: every year there is a percentage of cars WITH WINTER TIRES (assummed b/c of black steel wheels) that do not make it up that incline during or after an ice rain. Impreza with winter tires always makes it up this incline. The hardest part is avoiding the vehicles coming BACK down the hill at you because they have given up.

King Road, west of Steele: every year before or during ice rain my Integra even WITH NEW BLIZZAKs struggled to climb this incline when at the bottom from a dead stop (because of line-up from the red light at this intersection). 2nd gear starts helped but still struggled. The worst was the driver, with winter tires (assumed b/c of black steel wheels) that turned around half-way up with a 3 point reverse turn across into my lane in front of me as I was going up. Had to make a decision on whether to slow down and lose my momentum or keep going and hope they clear my lane by the time I get there.

Your argument falls apart when AWD is used without snow tires. A continuous AWD system like Subaru's with winter tires maximizes forward traction for icy/slippery inclines and provides a difference than using 2wd with winter tires. AWD and Winter tires are same as insurance: its not the % of times you use it but having it for when you need it. Have you had an accident in the last 10 years? No? Why do you buy insurance then?

[wing]

James, what kind of fuel numbers are you seeing so far in the Impreza?

Was 8.8 until I idled for 15min this morning trying to scrape the ice off.  Now 9.6.

Oh and Mike, you didn't come anywhere near Ottawa if you went from Montreal - Toronto via the 401

[Mike]

James, what kind of fuel numbers are you seeing so far in the Impreza?

Was 8.8 until I idled for 15min this morning trying to scrape the ice off.  Now 9.6.

Oh and Mike, you didn't come anywhere near Ottawa if you went from Montreal - Toronto via the 401

True, should have said Ottawa exit   Is there some other road out of Montreal that meets up with the 401 around the Ontario border?  In an effort to avoid the traffic/accident madness in Montreal my GPS sent my out of town through some small towns and on a different highway.

BTW - we got 9.0 ofr our 5-speed manual, but we were on the gas a lot trying to get all 148 hp to move the car.

[CanuckG35]

James, what kind of fuel numbers are you seeing so far in the Impreza?

Was 8.8 until I idled for 15min this morning trying to scrape the ice off.  Now 9.6.

Thanks James.  Is that a combo of hwy/city driving?

[Blueprint]

I got to have a good look at this at the Montreal Auto show on Sunday.  I really liked it, but 5 minutes later I couldn't remember a thing about it.

I was there at the opening on Friday.  Subaru had the base car on display, and I just could not live with that.  The interior materials are so cheap, it's unbelievable.  Even when adding the packages, the cheapo fabric and black plastic remain.  For the same msrp, down the aisle Mazda showed a Mazda 6 with leather, plastiwood ... and a stick.  Not the same category, of course, but one has to want awd pretty badly to endure an Impreza when it,s not snowing.  The previous-gen interior was a bit better (still on the show floor in the WRX).

[Spec5]

Our current Tucson is 2WD - our next vehicle will be AWD. On most vehicles AWD is what - 2-3k$? I look at it the same way I look at snow tires - if it saves me from 1 incident (ie. insurance claim) then its paid for itself. Not only that but its just nice peace of mind that you are travelling in a vehicle that is as capable and safe as you can possibly be.

I won't argue that some people with AWD vehicles drive like idiots when its slippery but myself - I just want the extra confidence knowing I've got all the grip I could possibly get.