Sorry to be late to this conversation. I have a 1998 Subaru Forrester SF5 (STI before they called them STIs) that was imported from Japan (still has the Tokyo Subaru dealer sticker on it). The car was pretty close to showroom condition (auction cars may be a little more variable, so be careful there) and very low km.
A few points to ponder for anyone thinking of going this route:
1) make sure you know the import laws....In Canada, we can't bring anything in that is less than 15 years old unless that model was previously and specifically tested and declared by the manufacturer as meeting all safety requirements. My Fozzy is essentially the same body as the Canadian version, but the underpinnings are the same as the CG8 (bug eye) Impreza...both came here, but not in that combo.
2) Right hand drive can take a while to get used to...the biggest thing to be wary of is left turns when both directions have turning lanes.
3) Insurance can be a bit of a hassle...not because the cars are RHD, but because the insurance companies are cheap and OEM parts from Japan cost more than OEM parts from the dealer down the street.
4) The bang for your buck, especially if you're a bit choosy, can be far better going JDM vs. North American used. The Japanese insurance structure mandates that the cars essentially be reconditioned to near new every 2-3 years. After the first (3 years from new) and second (2 years after that) re-certification, the insurance generally gets high enough that folks buy a new car (which are cheaper there) as they flip insurance costs for vehicle costs and get a new car with new warranty. It means that a lot of the 15 year old JDM cars have low km and are in really good shape for the money vs. their 5-10 year old NA counterparts (for the same money).
5) There may be some "regular maintenance" costs up front to deal with (i.e. new battery, maybe a timing belt if not already done, possibly hoses...i.e. goods that can degrade if the car is stored for a few years). Once you get the catch-up work done, my experience with both the Forester and a Suzuki Carry mini-truck I had before have shown me that these vehicles really do show how little use they had in their previous life in Japan. Both of the JDM vehicles I have had readily became daily drivers and were rock-solid dependable (as in just as dependable as my wife's 2 year old SUV).
As for Subarus, and the 2011 Impreza, yes, they are good driving. My Fozzy is a blast and handles Canadian winter like a champ.