It’s been about a year since the RS came back to Subaru. As an RS owner, I wanted to ask—what are your honest thoughts? Do you feel the RS is worth it? Are you happy with your purchase?
For me, it’s the best-handling car I’ve driven (my first Subaru). The AWD is amazing in the snow—we just had 4 inches here in Canada, and it handles it like nothing. The engine is the big debate—184hp and a CVT isn’t the strongest, but since the car is so light, it feels quick. I chose the RS over the 2.0 because that one felt too slow.
I have a few small complaints. No leather seats on the top model seems like a miss. And I kind of hate that there’s no dual exhaust or visible exhaust tips—Subaru could’ve done better there. But overall, I love the way it looks. The front end is like a better WRX, and the rear has grown on me.
I didn’t expect to love this car as much as I do. I’ve mostly driven Mopars with Hemis, but the RS handles better than anything I’ve owned. I wanted something affordable and practical, and this delivers. It’s not fast, but the handling makes it feel so fun. It’s like a go-kart! I almost skipped this car, but Sarah N’s review convinced me to check it out.
I traded my 2016 Impreza hatch for the RS, and I’m loving it. It’s not super fast, but it’s quick enough and handles corners really well. Planning a few mods soon—thinking of getting that STI exhaust from Japan.
Does anyone here wish they had the Crosstrek’s height? I keep going back and forth between the RS and Crosstrek. I love how the RS looks, but the Crosstrek seems more practical for avoiding curbs and speed bumps. What do you all think?
@SophyGenesis
I love the RS’s low stance, but I get what you mean. I just put up with it. I don’t like all the plastic cladding on the Crosstrek, though lifted Impreza builds with AT tires look great.
Lior said: @SophyGenesis
I love the RS’s low stance, but I get what you mean. I just put up with it. I don’t like all the plastic cladding on the Crosstrek, though lifted Impreza builds with AT tires look great.
Yeah, the lower stance is great. I just wish Subaru made a lifted Impreza without the cladding—kind of like a Mazda CX-5. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I got the top-trim Sport Tech 5, and I’m really happy with it. The 2.0 felt underpowered, but the 2.5 is great. AWD is incredible—drove through 2 feet of snow recently without getting stuck!
I traded my 2017 Civic hatch for the RS. I’ve put 20k miles on it so far, and it’s been great. My only complaints are that the MPG is just okay, and the infotainment screen is pretty slow.
For me, it’s a basic car. Good on gas with some nice features, but I don’t like the road noise or infotainment. I used to drive Lexus and Infiniti, so this feels a little less refined. But hey, it was available below MSRP, so no regrets.
Moved on from my 2012 Impreza to an RS last August. Love it! My only regret is not upgrading to the better speakers and seats—they would’ve been worth it for the amount of time I spend in the car.
I crashed my RS and bought another one. The power seats and better audio package on the new one were worth it. If they release a manual version, I’d trade mine in right away.
I went to the dealer intending to test the RS, Crosstrek, and Forester. I drove the RS first and bought it. It’s such a well-balanced car—fun yet comfortable. The CVT isn’t perfect, but it works. I got the Sapphire Blue, and it’s just a great-looking car.
It’s been a year, and I’m happy! It’s my first car, and I’m excited to start making it my own. One question—does anyone else feel like the Yokohama tires lose traction in the rain during sharp turns? Or is that just me?