Subaru Impreza Sedan Overland Build with 8″ Lift & RTT

This 3rd generation Impreza, with its massive lift and heavily oversized tires, is proving that even an economy sedan wearing the Subaru badge can handle serious off-road challenges that would immobilize many modern crossovers.

And the reason for that is quite simple – underneath the modest exterior is the Symmetric All-Wheel-Drive system found in other Subaru models, which is responsible for providing traction in sand, snow, mud, gravel, and everything in between. Even though it doesn’t have specific options such as the LSD on WRX, or the X-mode in newer crossovers, Impreza’s low weight often gives it the advantage over other heavier crossovers and SUVs.

During the Subaru club off-road wheeling days, I’ve seen these little cars go head to head with Foresters and Outbacks, overcoming the same obstacles, though with slightly more effort. They do very well, but it’s hard to deny the obvious thing – the ground clearance puts big limitations on how far a stock Impreza could take you off the paved roads.

For Christopher Landon, the owner of this 2010 Impreza 2.5i, this didn’t sound like a problem. Instead, he accepted it as a creative challenge and modified his car to the level where it can easily keep up with bigger SUVs and allow seeing places he thought were only accessible for trucks and 4x4s.

Interview with the Owner

How did you become interested in offroading

– I’ve been interested in off-roading for a long time, the one thing that inspired me to go off-roading was actually Top Gear, I saw the episode were they were offroading in Alaska and I just had to do it, I was looking at buying a truck or 4runner because I knew I wanted to go offroad.

Why did you choose an Impreza sedan for your project?

– I found the Impreza for $1k from the original owner, I just couldn’t pass it up. I was originally going to lower it, I had plans for a wing, body kit and lots more, I met some guys with lifted Crosstreks and I just knew that was what I had to do.

“I took my first trip with only a 1 inch lift and a skidplate, after that trip I was hooked I just kept adding mods, and it’s never done”.

– I took my first trip with only a 1 inch lift and a skidplate, after that trip I was hooked I just kept adding mods, and it’s never done. I still have plans for a new tent and a cell booster, I started with a 1 inch lift, then I went to a 3 inch then I went to we’re im at now at 8 inches of lift.

What was the most difficult part of the build?

– The most difficult part of the build was definitely the lift, I read every forum and I watched every video,but no one has ever don’t the forester struts and the top hat spacer, so that was a lot of research to figure out how to put it all together. I kind of had to figure everything out myself.

Suspension

– Going underneath I have Forester struts with King lift springs and a 1 inch lift spacer on top for the front. On the back I have a 2.5-inch top hat spacer. The front has a 1 inch subframe drop that only comes on the 2008-11 Forester that will fit the Impreza. The back also has a 1-inch subframe drop from rallitek. I also have a front skidplate from Rallitek and a diff skidplate from Rallitek. The rear has Rallitek adjustable lower control, and adjustable toe arms.

Wheels

– Wheels are 15×7 Basset Race Wheels but I just switched to Method Race Wheels MR501s in bronze those are also 15×7. My tires are 215/75/15 Falcon Wildpeak AT3WS. I’ve only ever used Falcon and absolutely love the quality and they are low on road noise.

Exterior

– For the exterior, my front bumper is from All Weather Motorsports, but my model is discontinued, and my rear bumper was custom made from a fabrication shop near me. The rear bumper holds two 3 gallon Rotopax and a full-size spare. It also holds my full size flag mount and my trash bag.

– The bumper was fully custom and designed over a week long period. I have an awning and shower room from Iron Man 4×4 and my roof top tent is from Inspired Overland. I made custom crossbars on top of the tent to hold my roof basket.

The 2 gallon water Rotopax on the side is on a custom made bracket that I designed. The snorkel is from a Mitsubishi Pajero with a K&N style inline filter. The ditch light brackets are from Anderson Designs and Fabrication.

Lights

– All my lights are from Harbor Freight, I have two pods on the back, with my light bar and ditch lights on the front. I also have two Baja designs style lights on the front bumper that are also from Harbor Freight. The light bar is not drilled and is held on by strong magnets that are made specifically for light bars.

Interior

– Inside I kept it mostly stock with the only mods being a new head unit and speakers, a Midland mx575 radio and a new shift knob.

Other mods include aftermarket drilled and slotted rotors and brakes, aftermarket head and tail lights, and high airflow sport grille. I also have a custom kitchen setup I made that fits in the trunk and I can pull it out and set it up at any time.

Full List Of Parts

Suspension

• Forester struts with King lift springs
• 1-inch lift spacer on top (front)
• 2.5-inch top hat spacer (rear)
• 1-inch subframe drop from 2008-11 Forester (front)
• 1-inch subframe drop from Rallitek (rear)
• Rallitek front skidplate
• Rallitek diff skidplate
• Rallitek adjustable lower control arms (rear)
• Rallitek adjustable toe arms (rear)

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Wheels

• Method race wheels MR501s in bronze (15×7)
• Previous: Basset race wheels (15×7)
• Falcon Wildpeak AT3WS tires (215/75/15)

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Exterior

• All Weather Motorsports front bumper (discontinued model)
• Custom fabricated rear bumper with:
  • Two 3-gallon Rotopax mounts
  • Full-size spare mount
  • Flag mount
  • Trash bag holder
• Iron Man 4×4 awning and shower room
• Inspired Overland roof top tent
• Custom crossbars on tent for roof basket
• Custom bracket for 2-gallon water Rotopax
• Mitsubishi Pajero snorkel with K&N style inline filter
• Anderson Designs and Fabrication ditch light brackets
• High airflow sport grille

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Interior

• Aftermarket head unit and speakers
• Midland mx575 radio
• New shift knob
• Custom removable kitchen setup in trunk

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Lights

• Harbor Freight light components:
• Two rear pods
• Front light bar (magnet-mounted)
• Front ditch lights
• Two Baja designs style lights on front bumper

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Other

• Aftermarket head and tail lights
• Aftermarket drilled and slotted rotors and brakes

Conclusion

With a total score of 35 points on our capability rating system (30 points for AWD with suspension lift and heavily oversized off-road tires, plus 5 points for body armor and protection), this Impreza demonstrates impressive capability for a unibody road car platform.

Christopher’s build represents an Advanced level project, striking an excellent balance between cost and capability while pioneering in taking an Impreza sedan to the new heights with an impressive 8″ of lift and heavily oversized wheels that are even slightly bigger that Forester’s factory equipped 225/60/17 tires.