Ha! I totally hear what you're saying, but have to disagree.Yeahhh. Nooooo. A stick shift Subaru does not make it any funner. They are great dependable and reliable and get pretty darn good gas mileage but that’s it there’s no fun and Subaru together. No disrespect to the OP in anyway.
If this has the 260hp 2.4 turbo, I think it would be a hoot to bang gears in. I fully realize it won't be fast, but slow cars can be fun, especially with the extra engagement of a manual.
Unfortunately in todays society, manuals don't take enough market share to make them viable.