New Impreza combines safety and style

A sleeker, sharper look is just one of the things Subaru’s all-new Impreza Sport has going for it. Ross Mackay explains.

Hands-up those of you who can honestly say they can close their eyes and picture a 2015/16 Subaru Impreza. No. Not its brother-from-another-mother, the XV Crossover, which was based on that Impreza? Thought so. I know, I couldn’t – not with 100 percent certainty anyway – and I write about cars. When I did Google it, I realised I had seen the odd one around. But when it comes to Subarus here, it was the Outback, Forester and XV Crossover which I could picture. Therein lies both a problem and an opportunity, one Subaru here has decided to tackle head-on. So, the new generation Impreza 2.0 Sport (did I mention that the ”Sport” bit now is part of the new model’s name? It might as well be an all-new addition to the local Subaru line-up. Based, as it is, on the Matariki marque’s all new Subaru Global Platform (only the second since the ground-breaking Legacy 1 of 1989) intended to underpin all new models over the coming decade) a good 95 percent of it is new. Factor in the latest direct injection, 115kw/196nm version of Subaru’s bespoke two-litre Boxer engine (with auto stop/start option), Lineartronic CVT transmission (with paddle shift), award-winning Eyesight driver assist system, electric power steering, Apple Car Play and Android Auto connectivity, and full five-star ANCAP safety rating and you indeed have a compelling ‘small car’ package. Drawing on a strong familial design theme, the new Impreza 2.0 Sport boasts greater interior space, plus a sporty, wide and low exterior presence which Subaru NZ boss Wallis Dumper reckons will attract a broad range of potential buyers, from families looking for an economical second car through to empty-nester, or more mature drivers, who simply don’t want a large or Suv-style vehicle. Subaru’s new Global Platform – of which the new Impreza is the first product and which will be used for all subsequent new models - offers a major advance in allround performance thanks to a ‘significant’ increase in chassis rigidity and a 50 percent reduction in body vibration. Power output over the outgoing Impreza model is up by five kws thanks – amongst other things – to the introduction of direct injection and a higher compression ratio, better gas flow and a high-flow EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) system. The new, normally-aspirated powerplant now produces 115kw of peak power at 6,000rpm and 197 Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. Impreza-specific upgrades (including a wider range of ‘gears’) to the auto-stepped seven speed Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) make the most of the extra power and offer a sharper, sportier feel. Size-wise the new Sport model is longer (length is up 45mm, wheelbase 25mm), wider (by 35mm) and lower (by 10m) than the model it replaces. Inside, meanwhile, there is greater foot well space, improved rear knee space (by 26mm) and easier access to the boot space beneath the rear hatch. Build quality and attention to fit and finish have always been givens with any Subaru and the new Impreza is no exception. The look and feel of the interior is sleek, modern and roomy with soft textures and sound-proofing applied to almost every part to minimise noise. There’s also a new infotainment system based around a six-and-a-bit inch touch screen which doubles as a screen for the reversing camera, and state-of-the-art Smartphone connectivity based on Apple Carplay and Android Auto services. Feel from behind the wheel is positive, with a real sense of roominess front and rear and a nice eager (sporty even) edge to performance and handling. Suspension feel is firm with a plush, progressive feel through the stroke. Steering is precise and communicative and a spirited drive over a typical Kiwi B-road revealed a poise and fore-aft balance worthy of a WRX. Pricing was not due to be announced until February but in a sector in which price is usually the key factor in a buying decision.