l wanna know if they are powerful or smooth. I am planning on either getting a 08 Impreza 5 door or a Legacy 2.5i non turbo. Do not know yet. Which would u recommend? (Oh yeah, and manual transmission!)

I've found that most Subarus have a similar overall feel. In terms of power, they both would provide similar performance. The Impreza might have a slight edge in acceleration & fuel economy, since it is lighter. The Impreza is rising sales r likely because of its fuel efficiency relative to the rest of the Subaru range. However, the Legacy is larger & more refined & would likely feel more ''smooth''. They're both fast enough, especially with the manual transmission, but neither delivers tire-burning acceleration (look to the turbo models for that).

Both r very good cars & it really comes down to personal preference & needs. Both r extremely solid & safe, with above-average reliability. The Legacy has prettier exterior & a beautiful interior. The Impreza is interior, while notably better than the previous model, is not as upscale. The Impreza 5-door would be more practical for cargo-hauling than a Legacy sedan. The Impreza is also a more recent design, incorporating some changes since the Legacy was introduced in 2005 (such as framed windows).

l would take the Impreza if l were looking for a practical compact car (with great bang for the buck) & would take the Legacy if l were looking for a refined family car. Unless l were hauling lots of cargo, l would take either over the Outback for their better handling & fuel economy. However, my personal preference (available in Canada) would be the regular Legacy wagon 2.5i.