Saddest day of my life was parting with my old Scooby - I'd have another tomorrow - in fact I'm seriously considering getting another but it is the running cost that's putting me off.
Engines are pretty much bulletproof unless you get a jap import - and the P1 is reknown for having an engine made of chocolate. They're rattly buggers mind (the turbo 2000) but they're a hugely practical car. Have you tried getting a set of golf clubs into a golf? near on impossible without putting the back seats - an impreza boot will easily swallow 4 sets of clubs and a couple of trolleys.
The AWD system is epic, it's a bugger on wintry mornings though and as you can't phone work saying you can't get in
That engine note though - the greatest sounding 4 cylinder engine on the planet, and good exhausts to enhance it aren't all that expensive either. They seem susceptible to good fuel though, they love Shell V-Power, but they don't half sup it - I think my record was 330 miles out of a tank before the warning light came on. They're not bad on the motorway - 70mph in 5th is where the turbo is about to kick in so you nip to... erm... 100ish in a blink of an eye.
You'll throw money at it because you want to, not because you have to...