I'm an 06 Impreza 2.5i 5m owner and couldn't be happier with it. I would recommend that if you haven't already you test drive a manual in these cars. I came out of a 93 Miata that was all mechanical and had one of the best shifters in the world, and went to Drive by wire (Subaru). For whatever reason I didn't notice it that much on my test drive, but as time marched on I noticed that the mechanical feel, and what I loved so much about manuals was gone. The revs seemed to hang a second in between shifts requiring you to wait a tad longer before slipping into the next gear. I don't know how to exactly explain it, but it seems as though I hit the gas pedal, it goes to a computer, get's processed, goes to congress where it's gets passed or vetoed, and then from there the car decides if it wants to give me throttle input equivalent to what my foot is saying. Sometimes it just doesn't seem to get it right, whereas in my Miata, the car somehow knew what I was going to do before I even made an input. I know this is an apples to oranges comparison but I use it to illustrate that having a manual doesn't equate to pure mechanical input 100% of the time unfortunately. I'm still happy that I decided to get a manual over the 4 speed auto as I do tend to toss my car in the corners a bit harder than I would, say a truck based DD. After driving a friends 2010 Impreza with the 4 speed auto, I'm much happier rowing through the gears.
As someone mentioned earlier, the manual transmission based AWD cars is considered to give a more equal distribution of power vs the Auto based systems and I can say that I've tested the AWD out on snow, mud, ice, and deep sand that had much larger trucks stuck. I only got stuck in the sand once, because I (stupidly) stopped right on the entrance of the beach. However this car's ability has surprised me on multiple occasions, and has never left me stuck otherwise. I believe the other advantage to these cars is the low CG in comparison due to the boxer motor and lighter weight, which keeps you on top of soft surfaces as opposed to sinking through.. If you're looking at the 2014 model Forester and Outbacks, safety is another huge advantage as they were selected as iihs top safety picks +, with the Forester scoring better in the small overlap test than the Outback. I feel as though these cars are able to handle more than what most owners should be throwing their way, but if you do find yourself needing a bit more help, I'm sure the newer models still use the old R160 rear diff that's been going in Datsun's and Subaru's for several decades. The aftermarket support for these differentials is pretty big and limited slips are plentiful, albeit pricey. If you REALLY want to build a truly capable platform, swap in an R180 differential and put an ARB locker in it. I think this would be overkill but I don't know how bad those roads are of yours, and it's always fun to dream about an ARB locked Subaru:coffeedrink:
As far as mileage goes I consistently get 27 in the city and have gotten as much as 35mpg on the highway on a trip out to Myrtle Beach. Just over Christmas I averaged 34mpg, and this was going through lights in smaller towns and through the Appalachian mountains with some spirited driving on the switchbacks. I will say that when on the open road I find myself drafting semis (not the safest practice I know, but it works). Having said that, my understanding is that Subaru is very conservative with their fuel ratings and I have never gotten the 20mpg city/27mpg hwy this car was rated for. Also consider Resale value, which Subaru's are pretty good at keeping.
