Impreza Sports Wagon WRX

The GF8 Impreza Sports Wagon WRX

The five-door Impreza Sports Wagon gained a WRX version in 1993, a year after the saloon, with the same turbocharged 2.0-litre EJ20 flat-four and full-time four-wheel drive in a more practical body. Subaru tuned the wagon more gently than the saloon: 220 PS at first and 240 PS in later years, against up to 280 PS for the WRX saloon. Buyers could choose a five-speed manual or, as the WRX-SA, a four-speed automatic.

STi versions of the wagon were built too. The last, the WRX STi Version VI of 1999, had 280 PS and 353 Nm with a five-speed manual, and weighed 1,310 kg. First-generation Impreza production ended in July 2000.

What GF8 owners upgrade

Wagon owners spend first on the drivetrain: LSD upgrade kits to put the power down, and clutch kits for cars that see harder use. Replacement alternators from Advance Alternator are a regular order on cars of this age, as are engine mounts, radiator caps and replacement air filters.

For more performance, owners fit pod filters from the intake range, a full exhaust system, a boost controller from the forced induction range and camshafts, and add strut braces from the handling range. HKS, Cusco, APEXi, Kakimoto Racing, Laile and JUN are among the names owners choose.

Genuine parts

The GF8 shares the saloon's mechanical weak points: check the arches, sills and rear suspension towers for rust, try fifth gear under load on a manual car, and look for oil around the cam covers. Subaru's timing belt interval is 100,000 km, sooner under severe use. The GF8 code also covers the non-turbo HX-20S and Gravel Express wagons, so confirm the grade before ordering from our genuine Subaru parts catalogue.

Wheels

The GF8 uses M12 x 1.25 wheel nuts. Factory wheels were 15x6 +55, 16x6.5 +55 and 16x7 +53, by year and grade. Other sizes are listed under wheels that fit the GF8.