2000 Subaru Impreza: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

Impreza gets a sportier version of its sedan for 2000, and remains the only subcompact car with standard all-wheel drive. It comes in workaday L coupe, sedan, and wagon; racy 2.5 RS coupe and new 2.5 RS sedan; and sport-utility-inspired Outback Sport wagon with raised roofline and extra ground clearance.
All have permanent all-wheel drive, manual or optional automatic transmission, and horizontally-opposed 4-cylinder engines. L models and the Outback Sport use a 2.2-liter, while 2.5 RS versions carry a 2.5 liter.
Antilock brakes are standard on Outback Sports and 2.5 RSs but are unavailable on L models. The 2.5 RS has 4-wheel disc brakes, and gets new design alloy wheels for 2000.

COMPETITION

This crowded segment is best represented by two exceptional cars--one a Best Buy and the other a Recommended. Our Best Buy is the Honda Civic, which offers a wide range of bodystyles, engines, and equipment levels. Civic is a solid car that has good performance, a nice ride, and is very civilized.
Topping the Recommended list are the Volkswagen Golf and Jetta. They easily could be Best Buys as they are better than the Civic in many ways. However, they are also the most expensive cars in this segment. Other Recommended choices include the no-frills Chevrolet Cavalier and Dodge Neon, the slightly-upscale Chevy Prizm and clone Toyota Corolla, and the roomy Mazda Protege.
If you are looking for a Budget Buy we recommend you stay away from the Hyundai or Daewoo models and take a look at the Ford Escort.