The publishers of L'Annuel de l'Automobile recently announced that Subaru claimed two 'Clefs d'Or' in the automotive reference book's first awards program. The Subaru Impreza tied with the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix as the "Best Compact Car" sold in Canada, and the Impreza WRX STi tied with the Mazda RX-8 as the "Best Sports Car Under $50,000."

The winners were decided by secret ballot by the magazine's contributors, and announced on October 7, by co-publishers, Benoit Charette and Michel Crépault.

"The Subaru Impreza is the most affordable all-wheel drive car for the weather we have in Québec. For a reasonable price, you get real all-wheel drive," said Charette. "The WRX STi is pure performance - a pocket rocket for under $50,000."

The 2004 L'Annuel de l'Automobile, at 640 pages, offers Francophone drivers an in-depth look at the Canadian automotive industry and road tests of over 240 cars and trucks. Every model tested was considered for the 16 awards categories in the 2004 'Clefs d'Or.'

"Everyone at Subaru is delighted with this honour from L'Annuel de l'Automobile," said Norio Osakabe, president, chairman and CEO of Subaru Canada, Inc. "The province of Québec is a very important market for Subaru, and our all-wheel drive vehicles are exceptionally well-suited to its weather and road challenges. These awards are particularly well timed as we head into the winter driving season."