Quick diesel hatch (Subaru Impreza?)

Muppet Man

Lads / Lassies, considering a 5 door diesel hatchback next year and wanted to know if anyone knew much about the recent market arrival - Subaru Imprea 2.0 TD (and its variants, TDR and TDRS).

http://www.subaru.ie/Subaru_ie/ViewMenu.qed?menuid=M3M2M1

No difference between the engines, just interior spec. What little I have read are fairly strong reviews about performance, grip (AWD) and comfort though Fuel consumption seems high.

Basically its a 2 litre turbo diesel boxer engine, mounted horizontally to reduce vibration/noise. All wheel drive, generating 150 BHP. The top end model (TDRS), with leather seats/sunroof and 17 inch alloys is a shade under 31k.

Anyone think of any reason why I shouldnt buy one. Alternatives are the 2.0 TDI's from Audi and VW - both more expensive if you configured the same car (leather/AWD). Also getting kind of tired of VW tbh, although the new GTD (170BHP) is surely worth a gander.

Other diesel alternatives... Volvo C30, BMW 120d (although BMW definitely pricey).

Would need to be in the 140-160 BHP bracket.

I suppose I could chip a Seat Leon 1.9 TDI to 140BHP.

Cheers
Muppet Man.

Zonda999

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055541858&page=8&highlight=impreza

This thread is worth a look. By all accounts the diesel impreza is a good car with a great mix of performance and economy but the looks are probably the biggest turn off. Great value too for the base model.

Biro

At just over 20 grand it's hard to see a better value car on the Irish market today. Go for it. Be a bit different.

sleepysniper

Golf GT TDi apparently their a "weapon"!!:p
Have to get it remapped tho!!

TestTransmission

Octavia VRS Diesel,170hp?

New model out in the new year,Mk2 could be picked up cheap though, as seen in the 2nd link,very weird pics in the first ad if you ask me

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Skoda/Octavia/RS-TDi-N/200910192046682/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Skoda/Octavia/RS-2.0-T/200932194852265/advert?channel=CARS

bazz26

The 2.0 TD S looks alot better with the bigger alloys, skirts, side mouldings, etc but there is no way I would pay an extra €5,500 for it.

An ex demo 2009 TD RS like this would be my choice instead:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200933194915448
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200936195127109

Drummerboy08

That first add was doing the rounds a while ago, but with a dude who looked like he came straight from an 80's Soviet block country. He even had a mullet!

By all means, the Impreza is a cracker from what i've heard.

Zonda999

jackncoke wrote: »

very weird pics in the first ad if you ask me

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Skoda/Octavia/RS-TDi-N/200910192046682/advert?channel=CARS

Jeez, ya theyve changed it though. Used to be a picture of some dude with a mullet

Thread on the very issue from a couple of months back here

Octavia vRS certainly worth a look. Bit more expensive though. Better looking and more sporty looking though! No 4wd though!

steve french

what about a seat leon tdi fr 170 not a bad price if you go to the uk but it 170bhp
http://pistonheads.com/sales/1241024.htm

Lex Luthor

The RS for those prices are very good. I wouldn't be paying full list price for one at over 30k when you can get a Legacy for a lot less.

I've just got the Legacy diesel and have to say the engine is absolutely fantastic. Coming from an Alfa GT 1.9JTDm which is renowned to be one of the best diesel engines out there, in my opinion the boxer exceeds it for smoothness & refinement. Torque & bhp are the same but there was too much torque steer on the Alfa where you get none on the Subaru

The looks are the only thing that put me off the Impreza, however in RS spec it looks improved. I've seen that blue one in C&R but I've seen a white RS one there aswell and its gorgeous. The ex demo's are a good place to start and I think if you're frugal you could get another few euro off them

I prefer the look of the Leon over the Impreza though. Its hard to beat the overall package

bazz26

In white:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200910192017399

.Longshanks.

Lex Luthor wrote: »

............The looks are the only thing that put me off the Impreza, however in RS spec it looks improved. I've seen that blue one in C&R but I've seen a white RS one there aswell and its gorgeous. The ex demo's are a good place to start and I think if you're frugal you could get another few euro off them......

Agree. A red one with bigger wheels and body styling kit passed me on the motorway yesterday. I have to admit i looked twice. Its growing on me - at least in that spec....

HashSlinging

Lex Luthor wrote: »

The RS for those prices are very good. I wouldn't be paying full list price for one at over 30k when you can get a Legacy for a lot less.

I've just got the Legacy diesel and have to say the engine is absolutely fantastic. Coming from an Alfa GT 1.9JTDm which is renowned to be one of the best diesel engines out there, in my opinion the boxer exceeds it for smoothness & refinement. Torque & bhp are the same but there was too much torque steer on the Alfa where you get none on the Subaru

The looks are the only thing that put me off the Impreza, however in RS spec it looks improved. I've seen that blue one in C&R but I've seen a white RS one there aswell and its gorgeous. The ex demo's are a good place to start and I think if you're frugal you could get another few euro off them

I prefer the look of the Leon over the Impreza though. Its hard to beat the overall package

Torque steer ? was the alfa remapped or something.. bad tyres ? only ever heard of FWD hot hatchbacks torque steering..

Is there a huge difference in performance with power going to all wheels now.

Zube

HashSlinging wrote: »

only ever heard of FWD hot hatchbacks torque steering..

The GT diesel shoves more torque through the front wheels than a GTi.

Zonda999

bazz26 wrote: »

In white:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200910192017399

Not bad at all really but please get rid of that grill. It needs the honeycomb grill!:)

Biro

The Impreza is not a bad looking car. It's no beauty contest winner, but neither is a Golf or Octavia. People just hate the new Impreza because they have memories of 22B's and Colin McRea through a Welsh forrest. But if you take the Impreza for what it is, a 5 door hatchback, and compare it to the Golf, Octavia, Leon, C'eed, i30 etc.. the Leon is nice, the rest are every bit as unexciting as the Impreza, with the facelifted Octavia being worse looking.
Go for the Impreza. Everyone in this country has a hard on for various VAG products, look at the amount of them mentioned in this thread already.

HashSlinging

Zube wrote: »

The GT diesel shoves more torque through the front wheels than a GTi.

As does my 2.0 TDi but mines never torque steered, sounds more like a tyre problem.

Biro

HashSlinging wrote: »

As does my 2.0 TDi but mines never torque steered, sounds more like a tyre problem.

More like the numbness of the VW steering not letting you know what's happening at the wheels than anything else!!

Lex Luthor

HashSlinging wrote: »

Torque steer ? was the alfa remapped or something.. bad tyres ? only ever heard of FWD hot hatchbacks torque steering..

Is there a huge difference in performance with power going to all wheels now.

no remap...and the tyres were in good nick...just a lot of power going thro the front wheels

Because I haven't put many km's on the Legacy, its hard to compare right now as I haven't driven it hard yet, but its certainly is quick from 100km/h up to 130km/h. I had it up to 170 the other day and I got there with very little effort...gearing is longer aswelll on the subaru as its only a 5speed

Zonda999 wrote: »

Not bad at all really but please get rid of that grill. It needs the honeycomb grill!:)

ya that grill isn't the best...I got them to change the grill to the honeycomb one aswell as its much better looking

fletch

HashSlinging wrote: »

Torque steer ? was the alfa remapped or something.. bad tyres ? only ever heard of FWD hot hatchbacks torque steering..

The Alfa is FWD and in 1.9JTDm guise probably has more torque than most hot hatches, hence why it torque steers

HashSlinging

Biro wrote: »

More like the numbness of the VW steering not letting you know what's happening at the wheels than anything else!!

Nah sports suspension and 18s means I feel everything. :pac:

ION08

If i was in the market for a new diesel 5 door hatch i'd definitely go for the Impreza boxer diesel without question.

As Biro said, if you take it for what it is, and not from a rally heritage/purists perspective, it is really hard to fault imo.

I genuinely think it looks good in the higher spec guise; its got a nice beefy stance to it. It's well spec'd, is AWD as opposed to the mundane FWD competition (with the exception of the 1 series) and is a boxer as opposed to a boring bog standard 4 pot - and well very well priced to top it off.

Its a great overall package.

Cryos

Im not sure to be honest; I test drove the top model and wasnt really that impressed with it; it seems liek a short powerband ? I drive a Jetta TDI 140 at the moment and will probably end up going for a GTD or Scirrocco in Feb.

Biro

HashSlinging wrote: »

Nah sports suspension and 18s means I feel everything. :pac:

18's and even harder suspension doesn't improve the numbness.

Biro

Cryos wrote: »

Im not sure to be honest; I test drove the top model and wasnt really that impressed with it; it seems liek a short powerband ? I drive a Jetta TDI 140 at the moment and will probably end up going for a GTD or Scirrocco in Feb.

But you see the answer is in your post. You're a VW head and you can't convince a VW head to move to anything other than another VW, or maybe an Audi.

HashSlinging

Biro wrote: »

18's and even harder suspension doesn't improve the numbness.

Well coming from a 00 accord which I think is a good handling car its right up there, agreed on the numbness of the previous VAG's (Golf mk IV and Leon Mk1) but things have moved on since.

Biro

HashSlinging wrote: »

Well coming from a 00 accord which I think is a good handling car its right up there, agreed on the numbness of the previous VAG's (Golf mk IV and Leon Mk1) but things have moved on since.

Maybe the Mk VI Golf has improved, but I drove a new A4 and it's still as numb as ever. Pity really, it grips quite well and has a nice enough range of engines since VW started putting a bit of effort in! I suppose that's what the customer wants though.

HashSlinging

Well I dont know never driven them, I actually hate golfs and a4's so boring, predictable and south Dublin.

Muppet Man

Thanks lads, this is terrific advice and just what I was looking for. Unless the GTD blows my socks off, I'll probably not be going with VW. I've had three golfs in the last 10 years and while they are nice ride, I think its time I changed.

I'll check out those links including the LEON 170.... I've driven the 1.9 TDI LEON, and I was very impressed by that. Heart is set on the Subaru though... top TDRS demo model might be the way to go

Thanks again, really appreciate the opinions.

Muppet Man.