What year Impreza, WRX, or STI should I buy?

Still hard to say without knowing what the car would be used for but if you can afford it, I would look at the new hatch STI. Dual AVCS helps with spool over the previous model and the wider tires makes handling and braking and improvement too. Plus they softened it up a little so it's kind of a best of both worlds in terms of handling and daily drivability. If you still like the idea of the previous gen model, there are a few differences to consider. STI's were all 2.5 liter since they came to the US. The first 04's were pretty much the most raw. Very little sound insulation and no stereo option made it a pretty track ready car. In 05 they got a stereo, more sound proofing, better wheel bearing set up with 1/2 inch wider 5X114.3 bolt pattern wheels, and a newer dash layout. Nothing really changed mechanically except the type of differentials used but nothing that is felt. 06 got a slight redesign but nothing new mechanically. 07 has a new turbo that is the same flow but a redesigned hot side to reduce boost spike. The gearing in the 07 is also new. Drag racers liked this because it allowed them to finish the 1/4 in 4th without having to over rev. Then 08 and up gets the slightly bigger turbo, dual AVCS, 18" wheels with 245 rubber, SI-Drive that allows you to optimize mileage or performance by adjusting throttle response.

Now if you don't really need the power, the new WRX does come in a sedan and is just about as quick as an STI because of the 5 speed gearing. Quite a bit cheaper too.

I guess to sum it up, as long as you know the risks of buying a used performance car, you can't go wrong with any of them as long as you patiently do the homework to find the right one.

Having owned a 2.0 WRX and a 2.5 WRX I can tell you there is a huge difference. The 2.5 puts it's power down in a nice, even manner. The 2.0 is mini van slow off the line, but once the engine gets to @ 3000 rpm's it turns into a monster. Bottom line, the 2.5 is much more enjoyable/driveable.

If I had to choose right now, I'd go with a 2004 STI with low miles (it, like all STI's, has the 2.5). Personally, I like that model since it's the most raw and basic of the bunch. The 2005-2007 STI's are also very much fun, just more refined than the 2004.

The new models are nice, but if you're not a fan of the body style, it's a big investment to make and not fully enjoy.

Not sure if you are familiar with it, but check out the site www.NASIOC.com. It's a very large Subaru community. Searching around there will answer any question you may have.

Honestly it depends on your opinion of the styling. Wether it be the 2004s or 2005s, or the 06/07s. The internals are almost exactly the same. The first US-spec ones did NOT have a radio or factory floor mats. Keep that in mind if your an audiophile. They've all had the 2.5L closed-deck engine. They've all had the DCCD (driver controllable center differential) unit that lets you adjust the torque application bias between the front and rear axles. Thats a handy little feature for spirited driving in all weather conditions. The interiors are almost exactly the same in all the years, apart from the radio difference, and the suspension/drivetrains are the same in all years. One small thing im unsure of is the adjustable headlights. I know the 06s had a feature that would level the headlights as the front end picked up under hard acceleration. That was also driver adjustable. The comment above about them switching to the 2.5L in 2006 is misguided. That's in reference to the WRX, not the STi model.

Omg any wrx or sti is the $#!+. The biggest debates are what years do you like, there's the bugeye with the big fog lights, the blob eyes with the little fog lights and very common, and the hawkeyes that have headlights that look like they're glaring at you and they come with red calipers. You can either spend 10-18 grand on a wrx, throw like 2 grand into it and it will whoop on an sti. Or you can just buy an sti and it will be incredibly quick already. Aim for one that doesn't have many mods because then you know that they have beaten it up. 06-07 sti's have HID headlights too. Big plus. I hated the hatch backs as soon as they came out but they grew on me and now i would pick one of those over everything. Screw the payment and insurance it's worth it! Probably best thing you'll ever buy.

Wrx Or Sti

06-07 are the best. I have an 02 WRX and i love it too though. got the 2.5 block in it and it hauls.