EARTHY CAR OF THE WEEK: Black 2006 Subaru Impreza Outback wagon

2006 Subaru Impreza Outback, Black, Sport Wagon, 104503 mi, $8,995 http://bit.ly/PHyGAj AWD, Compact, 5-spd manual, MPG = 20/27

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EXPERT REVIEWS
NewCarTestDrive:

“Subaru has remade itself into a premium brand and nowhere is that more evident than in its expansive Impreza line of compact cars. Premium features come not in the form of fancy interiors but in the form of sophisticated all-wheel-drive systems, turbocharged engines and high-quality engineering designs. The days when the Impreza was an inexpensive subcompact, sold mainly on the strength of its low price, are long gone. The 2006 Impreza line offers more variants than ever, almost to the point of confusion.

There's a lot to like in the Impreza line, and a small car for nearly every taste. All models are good fun to drive and quite practical, with decent room in the back seat and good gas mileage. The standard fulltime all-wheel-drive system is legitimately a safety, performance and foul-weather advantage.”

“The 2006 Impreza is more sophisticated, perhaps more serious, but it's still fun and sensible in any guise. It's still loaded with character compared to some of the sanitized appliances that populate this class of car. One of our favorite small cars is better than ever.”

“Standard features include upscale bits like interior air filtration, auto-off headlights and an outside temperature indicator, as well as air conditioning, an 80-watt stereo with CD, cruise control and remote keyless locks. The 2.5i Sport Wagon comes with a split folding rear seat, rear cargo utility bars and cover, roof rails and a trailer harness connector.

The Outback Sport wagon ($19,195) is designed for rugged conditions. The Outback's suspension is raised and tuned for more wheel travel (or off-road capability). It adds a chrome grille and gray-metallic lower body cladding, roof-rail crossbars, and projector-beam foglights.”

“In any of its many guises, the Subaru Impreza is a solid performer. All but the ultra-high performance WRX STi are comfortable, easy to live with, and quite practical. Any Impreza is very stable and forgiving, thanks to its all-wheel-drive system, which improves both performance and all-road capability and in certain respects adds a margin of safety.”

 

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