Hello everyone, i have a few questions about the impreza 2.5rs. First what is the stock quarter mile time? Is there a normal 2.5rs or are all the 2.5s "rs"s? Are there any huge problems with these cars that i should know about? How expensive are they? How much would one be with like 18k miles on it or so? I'm just car searching, won't be purchasing that soon but i'm just reasearching and the 2.5rs looks nice. The WRX is way out of my price range so that's out of the picture. Any info on these cars that i should know would be great. Thank you!

 

I'm kind of in the same boat w/ the price issue, and would like to know of any quirks. . . subscribing.

 

the 2.5rs are now the base models impreza since the 02+....before 02 they were the highest model imprezas but since the WRX and STi came, they have become the "L"... they still have a lot of options in the car, so it's not a car thats full of manual with auto options.

I believe all the RS's 02+ looks very simliar to the WRX except for minor things such as skirts, front lips, and spoilers, of course you can always add them later on.

for pricing, i dont know how much they are exactly worth but you should try kellybluebook ( www.kbb.com )

also another website to get more info would be www.cars101.com it has the breakdown in trim levels of subaru cars the last 10 years.

 

What year are you looking for? New or used? Here is a Motortrend write up on the Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS
Subaru has enjoyed a revitalized role in the sport-compact market since the introduction of the turbocharged Impreza WRX for the 2002-model year. Arguably, Mitsubishi owes much of its success with its Lancer Evolution to the trailblazing WRX.
Since then, Subaru upped the ante again with its performance flagship, the 300-horsepower WRX STi. Coinciding with that introduction was a makeover for the entire 2004 Impreza line, including the 2.5 RS. A bold new front end, hood, fenders, and rear fascia disguise some of the more intriguing mechanical changes beneath.
While the 165-horsepower, horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine and viscous-coupling all-wheel drive remain unchanged, WRX suspension tuning and wheel/tire package make their way to the 2.5 RS. New multiphase valves inside the dampers work like complex multivalve designs to smooth the ride and offer more positive steering response. Despite this, we feel the handling could be sharpened even more without compromising compliance.
In this group of cars, where "sport" is more than half of the objective, the 2.5 RS feels a little too soft and ponderous. Steering response from any of the other three is far better and this easily translates to significant differences in our handling tests, where the Subaru finished last. One might think the Subaru's all-wheel drive would give it an advantage here, but with only 165 horsepower on tap, and all-season tires, the system is better suited for all-weather tasks than as a performance-enhancing tool.
You might assume an all-wheel-drive car would have an advantage, but on the dragstrip, the 2.5 RS simply doesn't have enough power to overcome tire grip. Especially with a five-speed manual transmission, the launch becomes a driver and clutch test rather than a test of speed and time. Add to the mix a curb weight between 120 and 250 pounds greater than the others', and the Subie doesn't have a chance. Even with the same 0-to-30-mph time as the powerful Sentra, the 2.5 RS falls behind by a full second at 60 and nearly five seconds by 90 mph.
The great equalizer in this comparison, of course, would be weather of any kind. Throw a rainstorm or snowdrift at this foursome, and suddenly the Subaru driver with his mud-and-snow tires plus all-wheel drive would find himself running circles around the others--especially those cars with performance tires and no traction control.
The Subaru comes standard with four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and EBD. Interestingly, the Lancer Ralliart and 2.5 RS share nearly identical tires, brake sizes, and ABS and EBD. They stop within a foot of each other from 60 mph, despite a 122-pound weight difference.
Don't get us wrong here. The 2.5 RS is a fine, all-weather automobile. To get an all-wheel-drive, compact-sport sedan from another maker, you'd have to step all the way up to Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or Volvo. Yet the Impreza lacks the playful fun factor of the others and didn't impress us as being as good a value. If we were buying, we'd pay $5000 more for Subaru's own turbocharged WRX.
Conclusion
As much as we love Subaru for bringing the WRX to our shores, the Impreza 2.5 RS, which looks like its rally-bred brother, simply isn't in the same league. Yes, it's the only one here with all-wheel drive and also offers the most comfortable ride. But this particular version of the Impreza doesn't have the upper-cut necessary to go toe-to-toe with the others, much less knock them out. A humble fourth place.


Our Take: Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS
What's Hot: · All-wheel drive means all-season capability
· Largest fuel tank means greatest range
· Unusual, lumpy, snarly exhaust note
What's Not · All-season tires in a location with one season (L.A.)
· Unusual, lumpy, snarly exhaust note
· 165 horsepower isn't enough to use AWD to its fullest
Don't Miss: New sheetmetal banishes bug-eyed predecessor
Bottom Line: Spend the extra $5000 and get the 227-horsepower WRX

Nick

 

Here is a pic.

Nick