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Can you please advise us on a Subaru car we have seen?

It's a automatic 2007 Subaru Impreza 1.5 litre S, Japanese used import travelled 4064 Km's.

Are these a popular model or a lemon?

Ross

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 10 August 2008

There was a new Impreza launched last year so it's highly likely that it is in fact the latest model.

It certainly won't be a Lemon in the true sense of the word, but you need to be careful all the same. Fitted with a 1.5 litre engine it may be something of an orphan as the base model sold new in NZ currently is fitted with a 2.0 litre power unit.

There could well be subtle differences in the mechanicals which may mean some components are not readily available from a Subaru dealer in NZ.

The engine management system may also be tweaked more for the Japanese domestic market as opposed to a global environment. This may not be a problem but it is part of the great unknown imports can provide.

If this is the base model in Japan, you may also find safety features such as side and curtain airbags and electronic stability control are missing. Compare that to the base model in NZ which comes standard with these features and was recently given a 5-star crash test rating.

I wonder also why the car is available in NZ as a used import so soon after being launched and sold in Japan. It may be wise to have the body work checked thoroughly as well as getting a mechanical vehicle inspection carried out if you are still keen to buy.