I’ll admit that I’m a sucker when it comes to quirk.
I’m the guy that thought Minidiscs were a good idea, backed up my computer to a half-dozen tape drives and considered Ross Perot a credible candidate when I was 10.
I guess that’s why I’ve always had a soft spot for Subarus too.
Of course, it could help that for most of my life I’ve lived within eyesight of the Rocky Mountains, meaning I encounter Subarus more often than Labrador retrievers, Starbucks and “Can I get a side of ranch with that?” combined.
But more often than not, quirk comes with a side of consequence too.
Perhaps the 2012 Subaru Im-
preza Sport can succeed where Perot and tape drives failed me before.
The Impreza is entering its second year after a significant overhaul in 2011. Living up to its contradictory image, Subaru opted for a half-liter smaller engine in the redesigned Impreza with lower power numbers in exchange for higher mileage. The effect wasn’t dramatic, the smaller 148 horsepower and 145 ft.-lbs. of torque numbers were offset with weight savings, and the performance argument between the two generations was rendered relatively moot. The fuel savings between the two engines is unarguable though; the newer Subaru grinder under the hood returns 30 percent better fuel economy.
The new 2-liter engine comes equipped with either a CVT automatic transmission that maximizes the fuel-sipping qualities of the smaller engine or a five-speed manual transmission that allows you to row your own way through the gearbox. Our tester, equipped with the latter, is our preference, however the CVT offers a steering wheel-mounted paddle shifting option that simulates gears in the same way Splenda offers simulated sugar taste — sweet, but still doesn’t feel right.
Little-known fact: The all-wheel drive systems in the manual and automatic versions are actually different from each other. Classically trained engineers can point out the subtle differences between viscous coupling center differentials and active torque sensing clutches, but my guess is most drivers and most humans won’t notice the difference — at all.
The point is that like every Subaru for the last 15 years, all-wheel drive: the Impreza has it.
That feature has appealed to mountain-state folks like us who occasionally use the grip in the snowstorms we still get despite global warming’s best efforts. The Impreza has nearly 6 inches of ground clearance, enough to traverse a winter’s morn and icy roads — but maybe not enough for a blizzard on a biblical scale.
On the outside, the newly redesigned Impreza looks the part of a car made for contemporary tastes. The Impreza was gifted with a boxier exterior and a more swept windshield that gives the cabin more interior light with bigger windows.
The Impreza is offered as either a four-door sedan or a five-door hatchback, although our test Sport Premium model only comes in hatchback flavor. The five-door model adds $500 to the $17,495 starting, and our test model came standard with Bluetooth audio streaming, heated front seats and steering wheel controls, and tipped the balance sheet at just over $21,000.
That’s not to say that the interior of the Impreza has made the leap from frugal in 2011 to fab in 2012. The fit and finish of the Impreza has been significantly polished over previous years, but the whole interior has a “wipe down with a wet cloth” feel. Subaru fans will likely see low maintenance where non-believers may see low content, but the improvement over previous generations is unmistakable.
However, more clear-cut is the work that engineers spent in the updated chassis of the Impreza. The Impreza’s stiff chassis is likely one of the best on the road, and despite the existence of low-rolling resistance tires, grip is nearly unwavering from all four corners.
Driving the Impreza is remarkably pleasant, thanks to Subaru’s interest in reducing road noise and clatter from an engine that’s been infamously loud at some times.
Planting the power through corners is pleasing in day-to-day commutes, a bright spot in a car that was otherwise built to be appliance-like in its approach to most buyers.
The Impreza sport may be the best handling sub-$20,000 car on the road today. For that matter, it may be the best sub-$30,000 car too.
It’s likely that the move to a smaller engine was to win over sun-belt buyers who see snowstorms as often as they see episodes of “Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman,” but the mountain-state prowess wasn’t completely diluted by the move.
Subaru may be going mainstream, but they haven’t changed what made them popular in the first place.
Now, can I get mine with a Minidisc player too?
Aaron Cole is a syndicated auto columnist. He knows he’s wrong but he’d rather hear it from you. Reach him at aaron.m.cole@gmail.com
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