If you are looking for a small car that has steadiness provided by the all-wheel drive, you should look at the Subaru, as it is the sole budget manufacture who has the AWD in their sedan – The Impreza. Impreza was updated thoroughly in 2017 & we expect slight variations for the 2019 model.
Driving and Performance:
The car is powered by a 2.0-liter flat 4-cylinder motor which churns out 152-hp and 145 lb.-ft. of torque. Acceleration is not so brisk, taking a full 9 sec to reach 60mph. There is very little punch at in low revs and you will need to get prepared while overtaking on highways. Subaru Impreza has two gearboxes, a 5-speed CVT and a 5-speed manual. The manual gives quite an engaging driving experience, while the auto is quite lethargic but good for slow city traffic.
The not-so-outright acceleration helped Subaru gaining an impressive MPG figure of 24/32 (city/highway) MPG for manual & 28/38 MPG (city/highway) with CVT. Another striking feature Subaru offer is the symmetrical AWD system. This system delivers equally the power to every wheel, unlike any other AWD cars which split power by some fraction.
Let’s say, if you are riding through snow, the power is transmitted to all-wheels instead of two and this will, efficiently, drop the power by 50%. In other 4-wheel drive vehicles, they are front-wheel driven & the system waits for the tire to spin in order to engage the AWD.
Handling has always been a strong point for Subaru, and the same continues through Impreza. Steering response is quick and sporty and there is a lot of feedback from the steering, especially on higher variants. Body roll is minimal and the AWD helps the sedan cut corners with lots of confidence with a sense of steadiness.
Exterior
Impreza was last refreshed in 2017, so there is nothing much to talk about the design. This is not a car that will attract customers in the dealerships for its stylish appearances. This has a clean and modest design philosophy that will eventually get aged and will negatively impact this good car.
Subaru Impreza is on sale in two different body styles; a hatchback and a sedan. Both of them look identical with wide front fascia surrounded by the big headlamps. 2019 Subaru Impreza MSRP begins at $20000 and if you choose the hatchback, and add $500 for every subsequent trim. On the base trim, wheel caps are placed which looks cheap at this price point but moves up to the variants and you will get 18-inch alloys.
Interior:
This is where the little Subaru outclasses the competition. Well laid out controls, spacious cabin, large window, easy to read gauges & intuitive climate control system makes this car a more ergonomically friendly car in its class.
The cabin has soft-touch plastics all around, cushioned armrest & has taken a big leap in terms of fit & finish. As standard, there is a 6.5-inch touch display with Apple car play and android auto and it is surrounded by the big AC vents. Move up and you will be rewarded with an 8.0-inch touchscreen system that looks fabulous and it is also coordinated with embroidery on the dash and the door.
Safety:
Subaru knows that safety is vital for consumers and this has compensated excellently. Impreza is rated with a 5-star from NHTSA and it also got a top safety pick from IIHS. Subaru is loaded with safety gadgets such as 7-airbags, rear-view camera, adaptable cruise controller, forward collision warning and to name a few.
Final Verdict:
The Impreza impresses on the performance and safety front. It’s not a compact sports car but it does all perfectly what it’s made for. Its priced at par with the rivals but provides much more for the money it costs. The standard AWD system, relaxed and calm ride quality and excellent steering feedback is something you won’t find across the class. The Sports variant has an exclusive suspension and tuned handling which makes it a fun car but the car is still short of that punch of the power.
