Insider guide: Make the most of your 2002-'07 Subaru Impreza WRX

In addition to the three different noses and two available engines, there are a few other tweaks to be aware of when shopping for a 2002-’07 Impreza WRX.

Photography credit: David S. Wallens

• 2002:

This was the first model year for the U.S.-spec Impreza WRX. It was available as a sedan or wagon; both cars came with the same 227-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and 16x6.5-inch wheels. By this time, all-wheel drive was standard across the entire Subaru model line.

Available colors included Aspen White, Platinum Silver Metallic, Sedona Red Pearl, WR Blue Pearl and Midnight Black Pearl. Five hundred sedans came painted in limited-edition Blaze Yellow. List price for the sedan was $24,520, while the wagon went for $24,020. A one-year SCCA membership was also standard. 

• 2003:

This version was mostly a carryover, although the air ducts for the front brakes stopped being functional during the model year. Blaze Yellow was replaced by Sonic Yellow; 1500 sedans and wagons were offered in this color. The transmission also received wider gears, while the clutch hydraulics got a restrictor valve for better durability. The MSRP increased by $300.

• 2004:

Time for a makeover. The bug-eye nose was gone, replaced by what became known as the peanut eye or blob eye. Subaru revised the interior trim while adding new seats and a center console. They also moved the tachometer to the center of the gauge cluster and slightly enlarged the hood scoop.

The color palette changed a bit, too: San Remo Red replaced Sedona Red, while Java Black Pearl took the place of Midnight Black Pearl. A Premium Package became available for the WRX sedan; it included heated seats, a wiper deicer, heated outside mirrors, a moonroof and a rear spoiler.

Subaru also introduced the WRX-based STI model in limited numbers. The STI only came as a four-door sedan, and it was built for speed. While it came with a 300-horsepower, 2.5-liter engine mated to a six-speed transmission, don’t look for an audio system or floor mats—those last two items didn’t come standard. Factory equipment also included 17x7.5-inch BBS wheels; MSRP was $30,995.

• 2005:

Smoked headlights and body-colored side skirts along with a new center console design, automatic a/c and revised door panels set the 2005 WRX apart from previous models. A six-disc CD changer also came standard. Crystal Gray Metallic was added to the list of available colors, while Obsidian Black Pearl replaced Java Black Pearl. Subaru also tweaked the wheel design.

The STI received larger wheel bearings, an engine immobilizer key, a helical front differential, standard audio and floor mats. The BBS wheels grew to 17x8 inches, while the bolt pattern changed from 5x100mm to 5x114.3mm.

Saab dealers began selling the Saab 9-2X this year. While basically an Impreza wagon, the Saab sported its own front sheet metal and interior trim. The turbocharged Saab 9-2X Aero carried a $26,950 sticker price, but most were coaxed off the lot for less. 

The WRX wagon sold for $25,120, while the sedan’s price had climbed to $25,620. The STI was still the priciest variant at $33,020. The SCCA membership offer was discontinued this year.

• 2006:

Time for another styling change, as the headlights took on a very angular look. The enthusiasts call this model the pig nose or flying V. Steel Gray Metallic was added to the available colors.

The WRX also received some significant mechanical changes, as displacement grew from 2.0 liters to 2.5. Other big updates included revised standard gearing, 17x7-inch wheels, four-piston front calipers, two-piston rear calipers, vented rear rotors, aluminum front control arms and a new steering rack.

The model lineup also saw some changes. In addition to the standard WRX sedan and wagon, Subaru offered the WRX TR. The designation stood for Tuner Ready, and the car came with base Impreza seats, a simplified audio system, manual a/c and black mirrors. Retail price was $24,620, making it a full grand less expensive than the regular WRX sedan.

The WRX Limited also made its debut this year. It added a leather interior, a moonroof, heated seats and a trunk spoiler. The Limited also became the only way to get a WRX with an automatic box.

In addition to a revision of the Driver Controlled Center Differential, new features on the STI included liquid-filled engine mounts, a roof vane spoiler, and a mechanical center limited-slip differential.

Aside from receiving the WRX’s mechanical updates, the Saab 9-2X Aero was otherwise unchanged. 2006 was its last model year.

• 2007:

This was the last year for the GD (sedan) and GG (wagon) Imprezas, and the changes were minor. The WRX and WRX Limited both got an audio input jack, a revised leather wheel and Sirius audio prewiring. Satin White Pearl replaced Aspen White, Garnet Red Pearl replaced San Remo Red, and Urban Gray Metallic replaced Steel Gray. 

The STI received revised gearing, while a Torsen rear differential replaced the clutch-type unit used on previous cars. A rear seat passthrough was also added to the STI.

Eight hundred copies of the STI Limited were produced, and the model featured 17-inch Enkei alloys plus black Brembo calipers, leather seats, a sunroof, fog lights, nicer carpet and more sound-deadening material. A small trunk spoiler replaced the standard WRX wing. Only two colors were available, Satin White and Urban Gray.

Both the STI and STI Limited retailed for $34,120. At the other end of the spectrum was the $24,620 WRX TR. The rest of the lineup had also crept up a bit: $25,620 for the WRX sedan; $28,120 for the WRX Limited sedan; $25,120 for the WRX wagon; and $27,620 for the WRX Limited wagon.

drivetrain layout: front engine, all-wheel drive
engine: 1994cc DOHC turbocharged flat-4
horsepower: 227 @ 6000 rpm
torque: 217 @ 4000 rpm
transmission: 5-speed manual
suspension: MacPherson strut front and rear
wheels: 16x6.5-in.
tires: 205/55R16
brakes: 11.4-in. disc front; 10.3-in. disc rear
zero-to-60: 5.7 sec.
1/4 mile: 14.4 sec. @ 95.4 mph
weight: 3085 lbs.

Photography credit: David S. Wallens

The Impreza WRX was a huge success in Europe, Japan and Australia, and the U.S.-market car followed suit upon its release in 2001. Subaru then offered an even faster sibling for 2004, releasing the American-spec Impreza WRX STI.

In short, the STI was a pumped-up, track-ready version of the WRX, featuring more tire, more brakes, more suspension and more power. At about $30,000 when new, it was also seen as a performance bargain.

The U.S.-market STI was a bit of an unknown quantity, however. Unlike overseas models, our car received a 2.5-liter engine, not the proven 2.0-liter unit found in other markets. The American version made a cool 300 horsepower and 300 lb.-ft. of torque. The STI featured a massive clutch, a tough six-speed transmission, Brembo brakes, forged BBS wheels and fancy racing seats. It also got an electronic center differential that varied front-to-rear torque transfer.

From the outside, a gigantic wing set the STI apart from lesser WRX models. It also lacked the fog lights found on the regular WRX. The suspension was different, too, as it featured inverted struts, stiffer springs and forged aluminum links. This was a chassis designed to go fast and stay together, making the STI more than just a hopped-up road car.

Inevitably the STI was compared to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution; both had the same FIA rally background and mechanical makeup. In the real world, some felt that the Evo was marginally faster and had a more explosive powerband. On the other hand, the STI shined as a weekend track machine that was truly just as happy on the highway as it was on the track.

Photography credit: David S. Wallens

Photography credit: Courtesy Saab

Here’s a bit of automotive history that you might have missed: From 2000 until late 2005, General Motors held a 20-percent minority stake in Subaru. The relationship turned out to be unfruitful for GM, but one product prevents this affiliation from being just another footnote in the history of automotive corporate ties—the Impreza-based Saab 9-2X. 

In short, GM subsidiary Saab wanted an entry-level all-wheel-drive car to compete with the Volvo S40/V50 and Audi A4 in the U.S. market. Not having all-wheel-drive technology or a suitable platform of their own, GM bosses looked toward Subaru. A shotgun marriage between the Japanese and Swedish partners ensued, with Subaru agreeing to produce a restyled and retuned version of the Impreza wagon for Saab’s U.S. market.

Contemporary reports suggest that neither party was happy with the deal, but the project proceeded anyway. Saab engineers and stylists came up with their own front end, taillights and hatch treatment for the Impreza wagon. They also revised the suspension tuning—reportedly adding stiffer springs and softer shock absorbers—and included anti-whiplash front seat backs. 

Aside from the color palette, interior fabric and a few other details, the rest of the car remained the same as the Subaru version, including the available drivelines. The Impreza WRX-based Saab was known as the 9-2X Aero; the non-turbo car was called the 9-2X Linear.

The car was a sales failure. Buyers didn’t know what to make of it, and Saab dealers hated the car’s unique service and parts requirements.

During the car’s 2005 model year debut, only drastic discounts from GM’s employee pricing program and big dealer cash incentives could move the car. Actual transaction prices for the 9-2X Aero were in the $17,000 to $20,000 range, a huge discount from the $25,000 to $27,000 sticker price. Bargain-hunting WRX shoppers and a few confused Saab fans managed to buy all of the first model year’s 8000 or so cars.

In the midst of the 9-2X’s sales run, GM announced plans to sell its stake in Subaru to Toyota. Both Subaru and Saab wasted no time in dumping their cooperative venture. 

The 9-2X survived one more year, getting the same 2.5-liter turbo engine as the 2006 WRX. Less than 1500 examples made it into production that year, but even those were nearly impossible to sell. Without the steep corporate discounts, some Saab dealers had brand-new cars on the lot well into the first months of 2007. 

If you’re brave enough to pick the alternative choice, a 9-2X is an incredible bargain on today’s used market. A clean 2005 9-2X Aero can be found for $14,000 or less, about $2000 cheaper than the equivalent WRX. The 2006 9-2X, if you can find one, offers a similar bargain.

Saab continues to sell the car’s unique body and trim parts, though who knows how long the current situation will last. All of the mechanical parts and most of the body panels—excluding the front and rear sheet metal—are shared with the Impreza, which means they should be available for the foreseeable future. Check out saab92x.com for the scoop on these rare orphans.