The Impreza has an attractive, smooth shape and a tall passenger compartment. The car's lines are unusual - a Subaru tradition but not hard to like.The Impreza lineup consists of three body shapes: sedan, wagon and the new coupe. The sedan and coupe are the most conventional-looking; the wagon has the quirkiest shape. But styling cues such as a front spoiler (standard on even the base models) and exotic paint colors are a clue to the playful nature of the Impreza. The new coupe, with its egg shape, short front nose and high rear deck, is an appealing package. The optional foglights integrated into the front spoiler, combined with the rear deck spoiler, give the coupe a sporty appearance that is completely justified when equipped with the 2.2-liter engine. For the economy-minded, the coupe body is also available with the 1.8-liter base engine. Another new look for +95 is the Outback Sport Wagon package, the image - if not the reality - of a rugged miniature sport/utility. It has stripes, graphics and a 2-tone paint scheme consisting of a slate metallic lower body and bumpers and a choice of outdoorsy colors for the upper body. A roof rack, splash guards and big all-season radials complete the off-road appearance. There is an anomaly here, though. The 1.8-liter Outback wagon is not available with AWD because Subaru believes it would raise the price too high for an Impreza buyer. If you want an AWD wagon, you must settle for the 2.2-liter Sport Wagon, on which the added traction is standard. Subaru's trump card is its AWD. No other automaker offers it in a moderately priced car. (Audi, taking a leaf from Subaru's marketing book, began offering AWD as a freestanding option for +95, but its car prices start roughly where Subaru's - save the exotic Subaru SVX sport coupe - leave off.) Subaru packages its AWD along with anti-lock brakes. If you want one system, you automatically get the other, ordered as an option on any L or LX model sedan, coupe or wagon. Why opt for AWD? For improving traction in all kinds of conditions, AWD (full-time 4-wheel drive) has an edge over part-time 4-wheel drive. Although both are excellent in snow, AWD is more useful on wet, slippery roads. Subaru claims its system also offers superior performance over front-drive cars on dry roads. On a daily basis, subaru's AWD performs transparently, with minimal impact on fuel economy and no truck-like effect on ride.
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