It’s a new car that costs no more than before
Subaru has made nary a misstep on its seemingly steady march toward mainstream automotive dominance, and the Impreza is but one of the Japan-based automaker’s niche-building success stories.
With eight years of North American sales increases under its belt — an achievement most car companies can’t come close to — Subaru is clearly doing just about everything right. And that includes maintaining an absolute obsession with installing all-wheel-drive in all of its sedans, hatchbacks and wagons for its legions of loyal buyers. There’s obsessiveness in other areas, too. The new generation of Impreza sedans and hatchbacks displays a styling maturity that’s practically guaranteed to win over new fans. Of course, there’s nothing too wild and crazy about the Impreza’s shape. In fact, some cues, notably the hexagonal-shaped grille, confirm Subaru’s willingness to ride with the tide when it comes to design.
The new Impreza is the first Subaru to use the new (and considerably more rigid) Global Platform that will wind up underpinning all future Subarus. For the Impreza, the company claims the architecture makes it a better riding and handling car and one that can also absorb the energy from crashes more effectively. As a result, the new sedan and hatchback are slightly longer and wider with more distance between the front and rear wheels. They’re also slightly lower to the ground in aid of improved aerodynamics.
Unseen modifications include a new suspension that reduces body roll by 50 per cent in the corners and also contributes to greater straight-line stability. The platform is designed to adapt to future autonomous-driving requirements.
The Impreza’s sole powerplant remains a 2.0-litre four-cylinder, however it has been switched to direct fuel injection (fuel is introduced into the cylinders under high pressure instead of through the intake manifold). The result is a slight output increase to 152 horsepower from 148 while torque remains unchanged at 145 pound-feet. Fuel economy is rated at 8.3 l/100 km in the city and 6.4 on the highway, which is similar to 2016’s 8.5/6.4 rating.
Initially, the new Imprezas will be available with continuously variable transmissions (CVTs). As production ramps up, a five-speed-manual gearbox is expected part way into the 2017 model year. Available with upper trim levels, the CVT’s paddle shifters work the seven preset ratios that mimic a conventional transmission.
The Impreza’s available EyeSight system refers to a variety of active-safety technology, such as adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, emergency stopping and rear cross-traffic alert. For 2017, Subaru has added Reverse Automatic Braking to EyeSight. It stops the car if it detects a person or object in the vehicle’s path when backing up.
For a base price of $22,000 for the sedan and $22,900 for the hatchback (no changes from 2016), including destination charges, the base Impreza 2.0i has all the basics, including a backup camera, while the Premium adds a few extra comfort items.
The Impreza Limited has a leather-trimmed interior, automatic climate control, machine-finish alloy wheels and LED headlights and daytime running lights.
Riding atop the Impreza trims, the Sport comes with pushbutton start, 20-centimetre touch-screen, sport suspension, uniquely designed 18-inch alloy wheels and Active Torque Vectoring.
This system applies light braking to the inside front wheel when accelerating out of a turn. This reduces the tendency for the Impreza to continue in a straight line when the steering wheel is turned (called understeer).
Along with the Eyesight system, a few of the numerous options include a power moonroof, premium 432-watt Harmon Kardon-brand audio package and a navigation system.
No doubt, the latest Impreza models will impress with front-toback improvements in virtually every category. Dial in the notinsignificant standard all-wheel-drive and competitive pricing advantages and the new Impreza appears to be a slam-dunk, right out of the gate.