User Reviews

2.5 SE Sports Tourer estate (2005)

Andy Smith

Overall Rating

I spent a lot of time researching this car on the net before buying... and could't help noticing that one person wrote one review and everyone else simply copied it. I could go on about the quality, the handling and how if this car was branded with a blue propellor motif instead of six stars it would cost another 8k and give BMW a better reputation, but the myth's is beginning to bug me. Subaru brought their parts and servicing prices down some time ago. A 12k service is £150 - and so is the same service on a Ford Focus. The 2005 model 2.0 litre does 38mpg combined and the 2005 model 2.5 litre does 34mpg combined (according to the spec)... and real life consumption is better after 10 miles (I now get 35 to 36mpg commuting 60 miles each way to work). Now go look at the BMW 3 Series 2.0 litre petrol estate and tell me that the Subaru is thirsty. Oh, and the Sports Tourer (Estate) weighs the same as a Peugeot 307 hatchback because the Subaru has an aluminium bonnet and hatch to reduce the weight - so that 4WD comes at no weight penalty. So, enough of the myths - if all those journalists still believe the one who actually drove the Spec B or the Outback H6 model want to be lazy, so be it, but you dear reader are more discerning! I think this car blows most "prestige" models into the weeds - check out real life costs of ownership all you BMW and Audi owners and then weep! I got mine at 9 months old with 3,000 miles on the clock for £17k because of the laziness of journalists and because the badge itself doesn't sell the car. My advice? if you value engineering and real world quality and don't want to follow the herd - try one. PS: the new 2006 models come with a much more powerful and thirstier 2 litre engine and the 2.5 motor can only now be found on the Outback. But 32mpg combined for a 4WD 2.0 litre estate with 160-plus horses is still there with the best of them!