2006 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport Review

Specifications

A Compact Premium Wagon from Subaru?

Cool
wagon. Thats the attitude I got from passersby as I drove Subarus
latest compact wagon, a name its made legendary when fixed to its
Legacy wagon-based crossover.

Personally, I like its bold new
three section grille and aerodynamically efficient headlight design. It
gives the car more character in a segment that often lacks originality.
And while I thought this new 2006 model merely benefited from a
facelift to the outgoing 2005 Impreza wagon, theres a lot more
to it than that.

Firstly, each and every body panel forward of
the B-pillar and front doors is completely new. The redesigned front
fascia makes the upgraded Impreza crossover wagon appear more like its
sport-oriented WRX wagon sibling. I also find that the new cars front
fenders do a better job of visually integrating with the side panels
than those on the old model, while the new aluminum hood is shaped to
butt up smartly with the modified grille.

At the back it takes
the more educated palate of a Subaru aficionado to notice much of a
difference. A larger Subaru logo is more prominently positioned at the
center of the rear liftgate, while redesigned taillights give Impreza 2.5i Sport Wagons rear styling a nudge up the desirability ladder.

Subaru,
mind you, hasnt achieved its desirability, which includes one of the
highest customer retention ratings in the industry, because of how it
looks, but rather due to rock solid reliability, a continual focus on
safety issues, and, of course, the inclusion of symmetrical all-wheel
drive on all of its models.

During my drive, I was first
impressed with how solid it feels, and with that, how planted to the
road no matter how hard I pushed it. And this in a tallish crossover?
Yes, I know it sounds improbable, but despite its increase in ride
height the Impreza 2.5i Sport Wagon really takes to the corners well.

It
also seems very well-built compared to most other compact rivals, as if
it could withstand frontal or side impacts and look better after doing
so, protecting its occupants more as well, than the majority of small
cars in its compact class. Crash test results of the previous
generation Impreza, incidentally, which were done prior to the new
cars “ring frame reinforced body structure” that includes a
hydroformed front subframe and side sills plus tailored-blank welded
B-pillars, attest that it does survive impact better than its
competitors, and therefore the 2006 model should improve on the cars
strong record even more due to smart dual stage frontal airbags and
standard front-seat head/chest side-impact airbags. The smart
designation means that sensors detect the position of the front
passenger in order to mete out deployment. If theres a child on board
the airbag will deploy differently than if an adult is occupying the
seat. I should mention that such a system is not new, but usually only
available in higher priced premium vehicles, not the entire range of an
entry-level compact model. Impressive, Subaru!

In case you
were wondering, the Impreza lineup is pretty large. Truly, the only two
body styles missing would be coupe and convertible models, hmmm… gets
a person thinking doesnt it? Currently, mind you, the lineup includes
the 2.5i Sedan and the 2.5i Sport Wagon were covering here,
plus the high-performance WRX and WRX STI sedans and wagons. The wagon, compared to its sedan sibling and WRX duo, is probably the
typical Subaru, in that it puts practicality before flash.

That
practicality includes the functionality of a wagon configuration,
opening up the cargo area to much more available loading space, 27.9 cubic feet total when the rear seatbacks are upright and 61.6 cubic feet if the second row seatbacks are folded
flat. As outfitted, my tester was trimmed with a little more rough and ready style than the base 2.5i Sport Wagon - that would be its
flash element.

Inside, an upscale ambience comes standard on
all Imprezas, again a step above the majority in this class. Its also
well equipped off the rack with features like the aforementioned
standard side-impact airbags that are normally left for the options
list. Other items, such as standard all-wheel drive and four-wheel disc
brakes with standard four-channel, four-sensor anti-lock (ABS) and
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), are examples of how this
Japanese brand puts its customers first, never allowing a substandard
product to pull down the brands image and ruin its stellar reputation.

This attitude, however, makes its cars a little more expensive
than most rivals, a penalty its loyal customers have proven willing to
pay. And now that Subaru has improved the Imprezas cabin, it now feels
worth the extra coin, reliability and safety issues aside. Truly, its
interior is the most impressive improvement over the 2005 Impreza. Now its surface plastics are a little softer to the touch and
feature a higher quality matte finish than before. Its panel gaps are
about as tight as any in this category and switchgear is also very
good.

That switchgear connects to a standard AM/FM/CD audio
system, plus air conditioning, power windows, powered and heated
mirrors, automatic door locks with remote keyless entry, tilt steering,
an exterior temperature gauge and intermittent wipers. Additionally,
the seats are excellent, steering wheel the best around and overall
ergonomics extremely good.

This is important, as getting
comfortable will help its driver feel in control when velocities begin
to rise. Yes, once again the Impreza five-door comes equipped with a
powerful engine to complement its sporty appearance, but now it even
has more punch. With a 173-horsepower 2.4-liter horizontally opposed
four-cylinder engine on tap compared to 165-hp in last years car, it now
gets up and goes with less hesitation than the already quick 2005 car.
The engine now features oil pressure actuated i-Active Valve Lift, a
variable valve timing system that not only boosts power at the upper
edges of the rev range, but also fattens up the mid-range torque curve.
Torque remains constant at 166 lb-ft.

While the Impreza
comes standard with a five-speed manual, the car I tested was fitted
with Subarus four-speed automatic with manual-mode, not as
sophisticated a transmission as Hondas new five-speed unit but
nevertheless a robust gearbox. The Impreza makes a great deal more
torque than the Civic, mind you, so acceleration still feels brisk and
the transmissions shifts are quite instantaneous.

I should
probably mention that the ACT-4 automatic, as it is called internally,
features a lot of upgrades over the outgoing four-speed unit. Now with
enhanced control logic, the transmission features Subaru Active Torque
Split Multiple Plate Transfer System (no acronym possible) for
distributing torque to the front and rear axles depending on driving
conditions. Driving conditions are diagnosed via preset values
programmed into a data map, which is not that unusual, but now a
continuous stream of information can more accurate decipher real-time
situations and respond accordingly via an on-board LAN (Local Area
Network). The system measures engine torque, approximate steering
angle, and speed differences between the front and rear axles, to
accurately respond to the minutest changes in driving conditions to
optimize traction and overall handling. Youd think with all that
effort spent to improve the transmission Subarus engineers could have
added an extra cog or two. Oh well, it works well, which is what counts
in the end.

Not only is the shifter responsive, but due to the
transmission upgrades along with the wagons well-engineered
four-wheel independent suspension system, limited slip rear
differential (LSD), engine-speed-sensitive power-assisted
rack-and-pinion steering system, and new 16- by 6.5-inch seven-spoke
alloy wheels on 205/55 R16 89V Bridgestone Potenza RE92 M+S all-season
tires, it feels great on the open road.

Like I said before,
theres a lot more to the new Impreza than immediately visible. Its an
excellent car, even at its rather pricey $18,295 base sticker, that
reaches up to $24,926 if fully loaded. This puts it
within striking distance of Audis new and superb A3 and Volvos
equally delightful V50 - tough company to fight against.
The Impreza 2.5i Sport Wagon is an excellent car, mind you, almost worthy of compact premium status.