It was the Subaru gen2 Leone hatch that initially caught my eye. It’s the stablemate of the hardtop we looked at the other day. But now that I really look at this picture, I realize how rare these first “bug eye” WRXs have become. I guess they all got beat to an early death by their boost-jacking youthful owners. I lusted after one of these; the WRX was a serious “game changer” when it first appeared, in a class of its own, in terms of an unbeatable price-performance equation. And this one looks very unmolested. Is that a “For Sale” sign on the window?
I know it’s heresy, but I’ve shared my appreciation of Subaru’s styling efforts enough that I’ll just add this: the Bug Eye Imprezas looked better than the facelifted ones, especially when one includes revisions to the taillights as well.
Other than the obviously thick B and C-pillars (and they have a strong structure, so there’s an excuse), I find the 02-06 Impreze quite attractive. But the ’02-’03 was the best looking.
I’ll temper that by saying they’ve grown on me over the years. At first, I found them ugly but obviously in tune with past Subaru’s (ugly), but now in hindsight they have a distinctive and interesting (in a good way) look.
They stiffened the structure and beefed up the hardpoints to improve handling for rallying. It didnt entirely work Xsaras were WRC champs again.
I remember when the Subaru Impreza premiered on the American market. At the time, I wasn’t impressed with its styling. I was so used to its predecessor, the Leone, both the 1981 and later the Loyale (Leone for the North American market), that I couldn’t imagine anything taking its place.
Its intro was a mess. Subaru sales were in the process of tanking and with the Impreza there was a real effort to pitch it as a woman’s car (but a smart, sassy ’90s woman’s car). Needless to say, that made it seem stodgy and any truly smart woman would be bothered by such obvious attempts at being targeted.
Also, as a cut-down first-gen Legacy, it wasn’t exactly spry in the way a comparable Civic or Neon was. It was a small car with a big car feel, but unfortunately, big car fuel consumption when properly outfitted with the 2.2 (a Protege or Civic could do as well with much smaller engines).
I love them, of course, but there’s a reason Subaru had to go all Outback/WRX to justify their presence in the US market. They’re not terribly efficient in most forms and certainly not quick without optional powertrains.
Plenty monstered Subarus in the UK,the wet dream of every chav and boy racer.
The rarest Subaru’s in my eyes are the junior Outback (Impreza hatchback with outback cladding a small suspension raise) and the Impreza coupe “base” model which was the basic Impreza coupe with no STI or other turbo go fast goodies.
I’ve seen one of each in this area but no more. They even seem to be rare in Santa Fe where Subaru is often referred to as the official car.
A buddy of mine has one of the first-gen Impreza coupes with a WRX drivetrain transplanted into it. Quite a sleeper.
And what about the Outback Sedan?
You mean the Gravel express a WRX with knobbly tyres plenty of those turned up here ex JDM.
Must be the ‘demographics’ in my area, but there are plenty of Impreza Outbacks still tooling around.
The WRX and STI are cars that I find completely infuriating.
Back in ’99 I test drove a 2.5 RS coupe. Blue with a 5 speed, it looked good and while it was definitely not ‘slow’, it didn’t really blow me away. Once the WRX was announced I was thinking this was just the hot ticket among cars available at the time. But they did away with the coupe bodystyle and limited it to a freakin 4 door sedan. WTF?!?!?!
Don’t get me wrong, I realize that some family types like to have fun too, so I have no issue with a 4 door being available. I have a huge issue with being LIMITED to a stodgy, frumpy looking bodystyle…especially after one big gripe (not powerful enough) is traded for one that’s completely unacceptable (wont be caught dead in a sedan). The 5 door makes it a little better, at least since that has a better look overall and is actually useful too.
Subaru’s turbo boxer 4s are amazing engines, and they have the best AWD system out there. (AWD and 4×4 being totally different animals). Its such a slap in the face that you cant get that delicious drivetrain in a bodystyle worthy of the performance. Something that looks similar to the Acura RSX, 2nd gen Eclipse, or last of the Celica’s would have been perfect. Hell, even the basic Impreza notchback coupe would’ve been just fine.
I never liked them for the same reasons. These and the EVO reinforced 4 door sedan proliferation even amongst enthusiasts and I for one do not thank them for that.
I thought the coupe predecessor was an attractive car as well, so I never liked these even before every punk in every neighborhood started putting on the mandatory fart can on em.
Doesn’t the 1st generation Impreza “coupe” have the same exact roof as the sedan?
Im pretty sure the whole car is a bit shorter. Even if its the same otherwise, a 2 door means cleaner lines and an overall sportier look. It also means a stiffer body since there are less holes in it, it will weigh less since there aren’t any rear door mechanisms. Coupes > sedans every time as a performance car. Wagons/hatches > sedans for utility. What WAS the point of the 4 door sedan again?
Nothing rare about bug eyed Imprezzas here they are everywhere a boy racers favourite, I test drove a 2.5 Imprezza wasnt impressed by the power and least of all by not being able to shift gears without snagging my boots on the pedals a very narrow drivers foot well someone told me Subaru enlarged the clutch to cope with the extra’power’ maybe they did maybe they didnt, the car was useless to me in manual and I’d never have another automatic Subaru ever. The older DL series are rare here rust ate thru them and very few remain on the roads there is a 2door wagon in yellow around here but I havent snagged it with my camera yet.
They aint rare here. All I have to do is follow the distinctive sound of one farting down a nearby subdivision and it’s 50/50 that it’s a bug eye when I find it.
I disagree on the ‘farting’ sound. One thing I like about Subarus is many of them up here have an aftermarket exhaust that gives them a deep, throaty ‘throbbing’ tone. Its pretty damn sexy, actually. Now Hondas, on the other hand sound like an extended fart going down the road. They sound especially feeble with a cheap fart can on an automatic car.
I’m with Perry; love the bug-eye Japanese Space Monster Impreza and thought the re-styled version was a downgrade. The WRX had already attained mythical status for me before it ever hit our shores thanks to Gran Turismo, and I was head over heels batshit crazy for them when they came out, but the original version (which I’ve only experienced via Playstation) is still my favorite. The closest thing we ever got here was the 1st gen 2.5RS, which was a pretty sweet car but not even in the same league. I’m also extremely fond of the previous generation Impreza/WRX 5-door. That actually may have now surpassed the bug-eye for my #2 favorite Impreza spot.
I don’t see them very often anymore either, and it’s actually been that way for years. Occasionally I’ll see a dark green bug-eye RS wagon at work, a model that was never common, but other than that it’s been awhile. When the WRX was new, they were bought almost exclusively by Tokyo Drifting bros and it’s safe to assume they were all destroyed in fiery street racing accidents long ago. That changed within a few years as the WRX (and Subaru) developed a much broader appeal. They’ve really come a long way since their days as the punchline to a butch lesbian/NPR Chomsky-wave joke.
It’s been even longer since I’ve seen a Leone hatch, but those are way cool too!
I think that the bug-eyed 2.5 is the Impreza wagon to have. I’ve always liked its unique looks, and particularly if you live in an urban area the torque curve is a lot more usable and it’s just an easier car to live with (and insure).
You are absolutely correct. When I had my Saab 9-2X Aero (basically WRX+) I once got a non-Aero as a loaner and found it extremely nice to drive. Gone was the desire or need to constantly get into the boost and drive it somewhat frenetically, what remained with the larger NA engine was a wonderfully torquey powerband that suited the car very well.
Let’s see, …
1. Unmolested bugeye WRX
2, Not World Rally Blue
3. Not wrapped around a telephone pole at 130 mph by someone who thinks a period at the end of a sentence is pronounced “brah”.
I’d say that’s the trifecta of rarity!
Actually, I’d say that’s an automatic 🙂
Looks just like my grandparents old hatch that they gave to my brother
Ever notice how Subie fan bois can’t stop bragging about the superior quality of their chosen cars? I find that off-putting. The cars may be fine, but they don’t speak to me, or do I see any measurable level of superiority to other imports.
Ive had their distinctive headlight foglight pattern behind me tailgating on my favourite highway 5 here several times a few quick left rights at well above our speed limit on speed advised corners usually solves that issue.
I was amused by your comment about the WRX’s being thrashed by youthful drivers. My son bought a 2006 WRX (flying vagina grill) during his senior year of the military academy he was attending. Unfortunately, he purchased his vehicle from a dealer in Portland specializing in Subarus with branded titles. The body workers that did the repair work on his car used worn and heavily used parts which made it downright dangerous to drive. He spent several thousand replacing the worn parts. Ironically, he ended up totaling it again on an Oakland Freeway. His wife wants a larger car now because of kids, strollers, etc. When the car eventually ends up in another young man’s hands, the cycle of destruction will begin again.
Mark me down as a fanboy. I like subaru. I’m a sucker for the underdog; scrappy, eager, willing to try things that the big guys aren’t able to. My family had subarus when I was growing up and forming opinions of all things automotive. When i came to driving ageIn the mid 90’s my parents owned loyales, imprezas, and I ended up bringing a legacy into the fold. Of course, across the pond Collin McRae was winning races and hooning around in Subarus that LOOKED similar to what we had in the driveway. This was before most Americans knew what a WRX really was and the boy-racers who would ultimately enjoy them a decade later were still playing with hotwheels.
i like that Subarus of the mid-90s were well designed, reliable, durable and in general “no-frills.” The Brighton series especially appealed to me. I loved that they were ballsy enough to bring us the SVX.
Somewhere around the late 90s and into the early 2000s, I think Subaru wavered. They slapped body cladding on everything. They dropped out of WRC. They moved away from the venerable 1.8 and 2.2L engines to the gasket munching 2.5. They began having paint problems and build quality issues…and worse of all they began moving away from “normal wagons.”
Yes, around this time the WRX finally came to us, but it didn’t have the classy (in my opinion) lines of the winningest mid 90s. And it was received by mostly by young punks who put ridiculous wings and wheels on them. It just wasn’t the same company I had grown up with.
This all came to a head for me in 2009 when I wasn’t able to coerce the local subaru dealership to even show me a suitable replacement for my then-aging 93 Impreza. I’m not kidding. I called and had an appointment to test drive a new Forester and when I arrives no one noticed. No one offered to sell me anything. They just left me tanding there in the showroom as if I didn’t belong. It broke my heart.
So I did what any self-respecting underdog lover could do at that time – drive down the street and bought a Saab 93!
I like where Subaru is going now. I like the new Impreza. I like the BRZ. The Forester is nice. The WRX doesn’t intrigue me any longer. It’s too far removed from the “glory days.” I may cros-shop Subaru next time we are looking for a car, but for me the magic is gone.
I still own my 93 Impreza. In fact, we use it to take the kids on their “Suby Adventures” such as going to the drive in theater in Belleville Il, or to visit many of the parks around ST. Louis.
Here is a picture of Jr. #2 enjoying the fine art of hand washing a “family heirloom” and last of a dieing breed.
This all came to a head for me in 2009 when I wasn’t able to coerce the local subaru dealership to even show me a suitable replacement for my then-aging 93 Impreza. I’m not kidding. I called and had an appointment to test drive a new Forester and when I arrives no one noticed. No one offered to sell me anything. They just left me tanding there in the showroom as if I didn’t belong. It broke my heart.
If you don’t mind me asking, which dealer was it? I’m in Alton, IL, where there are probably only about two dozen Subarus, including our ’05 Forester. With the exception of Dean in Ballwin we’ve dealt with all of the STL area Subie stores for one reason or another.
Mark,
I’d rather not name names, but one dealer (east of the 270 loop) didn’t return my calls asking about a Forester for 6 weeks! The other dealer (west of the 270 loop) was the one who bailed on my appointment.
Either way, it all worked out well in the end.
I spent two weeks in N Cal, both the coast up to Eureka and the Sierras. Now I know where all the old Subbies went. Even the little Justy was common.
It would be interesting to know the stats on Subarus as still registered survivors. Probably up there with pre mid 90’s ( the real) Benz and pick up trucks. The sporting Subies may end up on the other side of the bell curve, as typical of fast cars.
Its compelling to me, and fiscally wise, how West Coast people keep and keep their older rides. Cleary most of them could easily afford new iron. Here in S. Fla there is no rust, and the heat isn’t too bad, just feels horrendous with the humidy. 100 degrees is extremely rare. But “everyday type” of older cars are rare. For over ten years old, I typically see a few Panters, LS400, and 3800 Buicks; or hyper restored tribute muscle cars and exotics. Even 90’s Camcord are rare. My Lexus SC 300 is often the oldest in the crowd. I’ve lived in my neighborhood since 2008, most everyone has traded in cars at least once.
Clearly most of them could easily afford new iron.
In the case of Subies that’s true even for new ones. A significant number are purchased by customers who can afford much more. In the US, over 40% are paid in cash, the highest of any non-luxury/exotic brand.
I’ve always preferred original, and unmolested cars.