This is a repost of a reply in the legacy forum. I was interested in legacy's because of the easier to obtan 2.5, and more space. I did some research and talking to owners and found the impreza is a full 500 pounds lighter than the legacy and has a shorter wheelbase, making it more fun and easier to maneuver. I was looking for an auto, but many say I should go for the manual.

I was wonderng, since the 2.5RS is so hard to come by, how much slower is the 2.2? The 2.2 is only 20HP less, and 100 pounds less, it can not be THAT much slower.

What else would I be missing from the 2.2 that the 2.5RS has? (like suspension upgrades) And if its just suspension, can't I just install an aftermarket on it?

How is the 2.2 with reliability? Does it have the same head gasket problem?

Lastly, I got to sit in a legacy, and it gave me ample headroom and legroom. How is the impreza in this field? How bad is the backseats? I have a friend who owns a 2004 impreza currently, and has owned others in the past, including legacys. He mentioned how the impreza's seat matched him better, and had more room for his feet cause of some extra bump the legacy has.

I know this is a lot, and I thank you for reading it.

Josh

Edit: Was looking in the 7 to 8 thousand price range. Would like to keep miles to around 70 to 80k, but if reliability is there, saving money is sweet.

I have one of each.
The Impreza with the 2.2l is Ok powerwise, but I have a 5spd. The auto makes it significantly more sluggish. My legacy has a 2.5 with an auto and the Impreza is faster.
The front room is about the same on both. The rear leg room on the legacy is quite a bit better but still pretty tight.
The 2.2l is a reliable as an anvil. No major issues at all, especially compared to either the Phase I or II 2.5l.
The RS has stiffer suspension, looks better, nicer seats, wheels, hood, brakes, tranny, later models have LSD and nicer bumper.
The legacy is a much more refined car. That's where the extra heft comes into play. Its quieter, smoother and more solid.
You can turn an L sedan into an RS for about $4000 or you could just buy the RS.
If you must have the auto - get the Legacy GT, preferrable a MY99 that has already had the headgasket replaced.
If you can live with standard and a cheesier interior, get the Impreza 2.2l and spend about 1k on tires, springs, struts and a few select goodies.
The RS is a pretty decent buy too.
It really comes down to preferences. They are all pretty good cars.

Wow, thanks, thats the kind of reply I was really looking for. I was figuring the manual would make up the difference.

First off: How is the manual in cold weather, snow? I read a thread about how it really doesnt like the cold, and gets the 'clutch shudder'.

I figure ill get a 2.2L impreza manual. Can you tell me the difference in the looks. I am thinking the bumper is different, and the hood. The hood with the two vents and hood scoop right? I really like that. I saw that hood on the outbacks. Which brings me to another question.

There are a lot more outbacks than normal legacy's. Some go for cheaper. I may be wrong tho. What are the differences? All I know is the lifted suspension. How different does it drive? I would probably want to change the suspension over anyways. I think the outbacks came with a 18mm rear sway bar as well. I think the Outbacks came with alloy wheels, while the cheaper L model did not. Would the alloy wheels be enough for better handling, or should I just get the steel rims and tires for snow, and get nice handling tires/wheels for other seasons.

Is there any year 2.2's that came with the LSD? That in itself confuses me. If its AWD, does not have LSD, and you loose traction on the front and rear drive tires, where do you benefit from AWD?

Lastly, I know some of the differences in the 98-01 MY for the RS (like LSD, and phase II engine) but what are some diffs for the 2.2? What year would you recommend?

Sorry, I like to know a lot about the cars before I buy them. I was at a dealership yesterday and was teaching the salesman a thing or two about Subaru's. Heh. He couldn't teach me anything new.

Edit: I read a little on cars101.com and it looks like the Outback sport wagon had 4 wheel antilock, cruise, more durable seats and some other exterior mods. Also, in 1999 the Phase II 2.2 came out with more HP than in 98.

The outback sport or OBS has some nice stuff like hood, ABS, rear power outlet. The seats may be durable but are fugly. The spring rates are a little stiffer. You are correct that the 99 has 5 more hp. OBS has a different grill that I personally don't like but it can be swapped to any other grill. The roof rack is horrible and noisey.
The awd has a centre LSD and directs power fore and aft. The rear LSD on the 00-01 RS will direct power left right. No 2.2l cars had LSD. You really won't miss the LSD on a low powered car. I autox a lot and it doesn't slow me down. I have never been stuck in the snow as I run snow tires which are far more beneficial than an LSD.
Legacy outbacks came as standard and premium which would account for pricing. Things like leather, stereo, wheels,fog lights, etc make the costs go up. All outbacks had the 2.5l but the legacy L prior to 2000 had the 2.2l.
The legacy GT prior to 2000 was a good value and the GT package adds lots of goodies.
I have run my car in -40C weather. The clutch was fine. The speedo cable froze but cured itself. The motor makes lots of noise at start up when it is that cold, but quiets down once warm. Some people experience mild clutch shudder with the 2.5l but this is mostly on Phase II cars after 00 and goes away after the first few stop/starts.
The best 2.2l would be a 99 or later for slightly more power, but generally because it will be newer with less mileage. Condition is the biggest concern on a used car. All the 2.2l can have oil leaks on the cam and crank seals. This is an easy cheap fix that should be done with the timing belt change. If you want a 2.2l w. ABS, you have to get an OBS. OO and O1 OBS had standard rear hatch spoilers in some markets. Those are very hard to find and expensive in the aftermarket. An 01 OBS would be a great buy, but since SOA sold only sightly more that a handful of these, you will likely never see one let alone find one for sale.
Cheers.