2002 Subaru Impreza Review

Specifications

There are currently two, count ‘em, two rally homologation specials in North America. The first is, of course, Mitsubishi’sballs-to-the-wall Evolution. Based upon the lowly Lancer, this little turbocharged pocket rocket is simply stunning. The only other rally special you can own is the Subaru Impreza WRX.

The Subie is an impressive beast along the same lines as the Evo. All-wheel drive, a turbo four cylinder, and pretty much nothing else makes it an imposing vehicle. But it’s softer and slightly less agile than the Evo, and the new one has a horse collar for a grille. Oh, and its base, the Impreza, isn’t complete crap, unlike the Evo’s donor car, the Lancer.

That’s right, the Impreza is actually a pretty impressive car. Initially introduced to replace the funky Subaru Loyale in 1993, the second generation Impreza debuted in 2002. Sporting curvaceous styling, this Impreza was a drastic departure from the boxy Loyale, moving the nameplate from its entry-level roots into the premium compact market. As a result of that move, the two-door coupe was axed from the lineup, leaving the Impreza available only as a four-door sedan and sporty five-door liftback.

Available in a few confusingly organized trim levels (certain models are available in different forms in different countries), the new Impreza started its premium compact life at the TS level. As the entry-level Impreza, the TS offered a 165 horsepower 2.5L horizontally opposed “boxer” engine, a brand trademark design, backed by a five speed manual ‘box and the obligatory (for a Subaru) full-time all-wheel drive system. Beyond that, 2002 TS 2.5 owners also got to enjoy such luxurious standard features as cupholders, interior lights, and even a digital clock! Bare bones to say the least, the TS was the budget-minded Impreza, useful for those unwilling to step up to the more expensive models, but still wanting the security afforded by Subaru’s now famous symmetrical all-wheel drive.

A very capable AWD system, considered to be one of the best in the business, it’s that precise feature that makes even a lowly TS the sought-after vehicle that it is today. Using a simple mechanical coupling and almost devoid of electronic nannies and the like, the Subaru all-wheel drive system transfers power, famously, from the wheels that slip, to the wheels that grip. Doing this involves a remarkably simple and maintenance-free viscous coupling within the transmission tailshaft that acts as a center differential. Both the front and rear output shafts enter this grapefruit-sized viscous coupling, and both front and rear output shafts have plates attached to them on the inside of said coupling. When either the front or rear wheels lose traction, that ends’ output shaft spins faster than the other, and the plates on the end shear the silicone-based fluid within the coupling and cause it to heat up. The hotter the fluid becomes, the thicker it gets, hereby transferring more torque to the slower-rotating output shaft. In this manner, even the TS can go from a perfect 50:50 torque split to almost entirely front, or entirely rear-wheel drive; and it does all this without any assistance from electronic systems, making it an absolutely bulletproof system.

But for those looking for more than just a grapefruit-sized lump in their transmission, there was the RS model. A longstanding model in the Impreza lineup, the RS used to be the hottest Impreza North Americans could own. With flashy bodyworkand big fender flares this new RS offered fast styling at a substantially lower price than the WRX, but as much as it could walk the walk, theRS couldn’t talk the talk. Thanks to its cheaper price, mind you, and WRX-like structure, the RS quickly became a favorite of budget-minded tuners. Able to accept all the same parts as a WRX, the RS could be made as fast as one liked with turbochargers, suspension modifications, and even WRX exterior pieces.

Which brings us to the last, and most popular normal Impreza of the era: the WRX. Simply known as the “Rex” to the rest of the world, this little beast truly was the king. Utilizing a smaller 2.0L boxer engine, in order to meet the World Rally Championship engine displacement limit of the time, the WRX added a turbocharger and a top-mounted intercooler (hence the funny hood scoop) to the mix, boosting the diminutive four cylinder’s output to a much more respectable 227 horsepower and 217 foot pounds of torque.

Driving through a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic with manual mode, the WRX astonished North American reviewers with its roadholding and tenacity; the cheap little four-door was capable of nipping at the heels of someestablished sports sedans costing twice as much! Available in both sedan and wagon forms, and the latter became quite popular with those looking to fly under the proverbial radar with their dog in back, or those proud fathers not quite ready to get dusted off the line in their minivan by a Mack truck.

Themanuals are now the ones to own, as the automatics have a reputation for prolonging the acceleration beyond the already lengthy turbo lag, while the 5-speed allows the driver to keep the engine over the 3,000 rpm mark - right where the boost is.

As one would expect from a near-race car, the WRX’s ride isn’t exactly the most comfortable, and the standard 16-inch wheels are noisy and harsh over pavement irregularities, while the optional 17-inch wheels can be positively violent over sharp hits; not that any Impreza is particularly softly sprung.

The trade-off from the harsh suspension is a nimble car, helped to be more so by its relatively light curb weight: the WRX sedan comes in at a hair under 3,000 pounds. Once again, though, that light weight transfers into such cheap-feeling things like tinny doors that feel anything but substantial, and less sound absorbing insulation combined with the thumping horizontally opposed 2.0L fed by a whooshing turbo make a WRX’s interior a semi-loud place to be, especially on the highway where the wide tires create quite a racket.

Finally, there is the ultimate Impreza: the WRX STi. Standing for Subaru Technica International (Subaru’s rally-tuning branch), the STi, introduced in 2004,took the by-then-semi-defunct WRX and turned it into an explosive sports sedan that didn’t just nip at the heels of the Germans, it kicked their teeth right down their well-established throats. Looking different thanks to an Impreza-wide redesign that most notably eliminated the bug/cross-eyed headlights, the STi is identified by a huge wing, 17-inch wheels and a fog lamp delete package that covered off the fog lamp pockets in the front fascia with simple body panels featuring pink STi script on them.

Inside, the STi was different too; with even more heavily bolstered seats and unique interior trim. Audio equipment was optional; the STi was just that hardcore. Don’t be disappointed to find one without a stereo though, for the STi came equipped with a larger 2.5L turbo four under the hood that sounds like gloriously immature muffled weapons fire. Far from the high pitched scream of most performance-oriented import engines, the Subaru’s long-stroke motor simply thumped all the way to the 7,000 rpm redline, giving the car a sonorous note that is incredibly distinctive, especially when fitted with an aftermarket exhaust.

Of course, the sound was perhaps the least important part of the car; the 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque seemed to get a lot more attention. Coming courtesy of such trick componentry as sodium-filled exhaust valves and forged pistons and rods, the STi also featured a few high-tech items the rest of the lineup did without, like variable valve timing and an electronic throttle in place of the regular WRX’s cable.

Perhaps most important, though, was the revised all-wheel drive system. With an available clutch-pack equipped active center differential in addition to two cheaper center diffs (to the Evo’s two available differentials), the STi boasted Subaru’s most advanced all-wheel drive system ever, allowing the driver to choose the torque split to a maximum 65 percent of total available torque being allocated to the rear. Once out back, the power went though a traditional limited slip rear end, just like normal, while the power to the front went through a viscous limited slip differential quite similar to the regular WRX’s center differential.

With such a short lifespan, the second generation Impreza never had much of a chance for serious model changes, with most changes being limited to minor trim swaps; after all, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Speaking of fixing it, it’s not something the usual Impreza owner is used to doing: the things are almost bulletproof. Shunning high-tech wizardry just for the sake of high-tech wizardry, Subaru kept all Imprezas as simple as possible, meaning that there isn’t a whole lot to go wrong. In fact, while there were a few recalls for things like cruise control that didn’t cancel and seats that weren’t fastened down as tightly as they should have been, most of those should have been completed leaving the only real trouble spot: a potentially poor clutch fluid line and/or slave cylinder on 2002 through 2003 2.5L engines.

Otherwise, an Impreza should last you a lifetime, and opting for the popular WRX or WRX STi models will make sure that lifetime is spent either ripping up your favorite backroad, or perfecting your WRC-style off-road slides on the way to your local ski hill.


Specifications: