What's this?
The Subaru Impreza, two names which still go together so well and which will almost certainly have you thinking of the words 'Colin', 'rally' and 'McRae', although not necessarily in that order. However, in an extraordinary admission from Subaru's UK team, the fact that your average member of Joe Public will, when asked to name a Subaru model off the top of their head, straight away think of a
blue-and-gold three-box saloon, drifting and warbling its way through a forest, is a problem. That's right, a 'problem'; the sort of readily available brand identity that other marques would absolutely kill for, and yet Subaru seems utterly content to throw it all away.
And we're not putting two and two together and coming up with 16 here, either. The company has already confirmed it's
killing off the WRX STI. The outgoing Impreza, sold purely as a 1.6 five-door here, was targeted squarely at district nurses. And, following on from the 'our WRC legacy (forgive the model-confused pun) is a problem' revelation, the same Subaru bigwigs then admitted that the company sees itself as an SUV brand or, rather more colourfully, a 'cut-price Land Rover', offering robust 4x4s at an economic level the British firm has vacated since it went way upmarket. Wow. Brave decisions, these. Well, brave or reckless, we can't quite decide as yet.
So what niche does the all-new Impreza fill? Well, it's the safe, dependable five-door you've all been waiting for. Yes, try to restrain your unbridled excitement. Sitting on an all-new Subaru Global Platform (SGP) that will underpin the rest of the marque's product line-up before too long, the Impreza is much tougher and more torsionally rigid than it was before. It's also fitted with EyeSight, Subaru's six-strong suite of safety assist technology (Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Braking, Pre-Collision Throttle Management, Lane Sway and Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist and Lead Vehicle Start Alert, in case you're wondering) and the Subaru Rear Vehicle Detection system (Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert), both of which - along with its solid build and other assorted safety measures - have allowed the Impreza to record the highest-ever mark in Japan's stringent NCAP crash-testing procedures. This is something Subaru is very proud of, make no mistake, and the hope is the Impreza will do much the same thing when Euro NCAP gets hold of it.
Sadly, in order for it to have EyeSight, it also has to have Lineartronic, Subaru's own brand of continuously variable transmission (CVT). The company claims the stereo cameras mounted either side of the interior mirror can only do their clever thing if they're paired to a CVT. Sigh. Still, Subaru's legendary symmetrical all-wheel drive makes the cut and, in the UK, there is just one specification (SE) that comes with absolutely loads of toys, with no cost options beyond five optional paint colours which are available at £550 apiece - white is the standard shade, by the way.
Therefore, all you can do with the Impreza is decide if you want a 1.6 normally aspirated four-cylinder petrol, with 114hp and 150Nm, or a 2.0-litre normally aspirated four-cylinder petrol, with 156hp and 196Nm. There's £1,000 between them, with the 1.6 kicking off at £23,995 - which isn't precisely cheap, is it? Not when, for instance, a
Volkswagen Golf can be yours for £17,765. And we don't even know the finance figures on the Subaru as yet, which aren't likely to be the greatest in the world once they're confirmed. By the way, Subaru doesn't cite the likes of the aforementioned Volkswagen, or even the
Ford Focus or
Vauxhall Astra as rivals, instead saying the Impreza is an obvious alternative to a
Honda Civic,
Mazda3 or
Toyota Auris. Two of those are very good hatchbacks, so the oddball Subaru has its work cut out...
How does it drive?
Just before we get to the driving impressions, a word on the looks, interior and equipment. Regarding the first of these, the Impreza is a lot better to behold than its predecessor, although that's not saying a great deal. Some will find it too bland and inoffensive, but we think it's just about handsome enough - massive front overhang aside - and the decision to step the UK cars up to 17-inch alloys from the old model's 16s is a welcome one.
Step inside, though, and the Impreza, well... impresses. Thoroughly. The step-up in quality in here is incredible, despite the fact Subaru says its customers basically just chuck wet dogs into their cars without a thought for the consequences. So while the company goes on about 'durable' finishes, you'll be surprised at the quality of the dash top, and the stitching, and (most of) the switchgear, and the displays, and the dials, and the comfy seats, and the plastics sited low down and out of the way. It really is excellent inside, with only some faux carbon-fibre around the door handles and the clacky action of the infotainment buttons getting on our wick.
There's plenty of space for four adults within, too, even if the transmission tunnel makes the centre-rear seat something of an occasional item, and the 385-litre boot is big for this class. Further, SE specification is generous almost to a fault - standard-fit on all UK Imprezas will be items like steering-responsive LED headlights, power-folding and heated door mirrors with LED indicators, auto lights and wipers, a leather steering wheel and gearknob, heated front seats, keyless entry and go, an electric parking brake, dual-zone climate control, Subaru Starlink infotainment (incorporating Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB, Bluetooth, twin USB ports and a reversing camera, all displayed on a large, crisp and clear eight-inch touchscreen in the dash), a 4.3-inch LCD Multi-Information Display in the instrument cluster, cruise control and more.
OK, that means you can't spec leather seats, a sunroof or even satnav (Subaru says most people will prefer to use their own phone's mapping via CarPlay or Android), but the Impreza is still well-stocked. Finally, the only difference you will spot in the cabin of a 2.0-litre car compared to a 1.6 is the addition of paddle shifts on the steering wheel, allowing the driver to control the CVT with a series of 'false gears' in the 'box.
Having driven both engines, the 2.0-litre is completely the obvious choice. There's not enough in the price difference to make the much slower, not-much-cleaner 1.6 worthwhile; especially once you've experienced the 114hp motor's, um, full acceleration. While Lineartronic is the best CVT going, that's like saying Grimsby Town is historically the most successful professional football club in Lincolnshire. Lineartronic is hardly up against scintillating opposition (sorry to fans of the Iron and the Imps). Subaru's CVT is better at building revs during acceleration and offering nicer response to part-throttle openings, but ask for full beans and the noise of the 1.6 engine screeching right up to 6,200rpm and staying there is tremendous and deeply unpleasant. Strangely, it remains utterly turbine-smooth even under this duress, no vibrations feeding back from the steering wheel or pedals all the while it is screaming in your face, but it remains a discomfiting experience to rag the Impreza 1.6. And it's nothing like as quick as it is ear-splittingly loud, either.
The 2.0-litre is better, because it'll pick up useful speed with less in the way of CVT-related histrionics. It still sounds coarse and strained when revved right out, and it vibrates more than the 1.6 at the limit, but you don't need to thrash it so mercilessly, so often. Nevertheless, it's still an engine that severely lets down the rest of the package. There's simply not a great deal of torque here and you can't help wondering what might have been, had Subaru done the sensible thing and bolted a light-pressure turbo to either motor, and then fitted a much more civil gearbox in the process.
That's because the SGP chassis feels like a jewel. OK, maybe we've been hoodwinked by the fact neither of the Impreza's drivetrains can even remotely challenge the terrific amount of mechanical grip and traction its symmetrical AWD provides, but there's a feeling here that this platform could take 300-, maybe 350hp with no sweat whatsoever. Body roll is notable only by its marked absence, the Subaru feels incredibly stable and planted - whether it's cruising along a motorway or jinking through a series of tight corners on a mountain road - and the ride comfort is superb for something on fixed-rate springs and dampers.
Along with the upswing in cabin quality, the Subaru's handling and its general road-holding demeanour are by far and away its strongest, most appealing aspects; and we've not even mentioned the surprisingly excellent steering the Subaru possesses, which is light, direct and even feelsome. Indeed, if you're not whipping the compromised 2.0 CVT drivetrain to within an inch of its life, noise suppression is so good that the only thing you'll really hear is some background road roar, so it's an absolutely fine little hatchback for 60 to 70 per cent of most modern-day driving.
In summary, then: the Impreza MkV feels like a truly high-quality bit of kit. Except for its engine and gearbox. Which, some very well might say, are quite crucial facets of a car's make-up.
Verdict
The Subaru Impreza is a car which has made some significant leaps forward in quality in a number of areas - most notably for its interior finishing and its chassis - but is hobbled by the offer of just a pair of mediocre, non-turbo, CVT drivetrains and somewhat forgettable exterior styling. What grates about this is that the Subaru Impreza MkV is clearly deserving of so much more. Maybe not a 300hp bewinged nutter of a performance model, if Subaru really is intent on cutting all ties with its heritage, but at the very least a light-pressure turbo motor to give this sparkling new chassis the power and torque it can so obviously handle, while simultaneously improving the Scooby's economy and emissions stats to make it less punitive to run. Oh, and a proper dual-clutch gearbox wouldn't go amiss, either.
Despite this, we happen to like the car in 2.0-litre guise as it is and can see the appeal of its all-wheel drive traction to a core buying demographic... but that's the same one which has been religiously and stubbornly buying Subarus for years (people who live in the deepest countryside, basically, who value AWD and reliability above all else). So if Subaru truly is intent on increasing its sales, it has to look outside its diehard fanbase and start attracting customers from elsewhere. The cabin and platform of this car show the will, and the capability, is there. Now the company just needs a better powertrain for the likeable, but sadly flawed, Impreza.
