Considering Subaru’s extensive overhaul over the last three years, it feels weird to say that the least expensive Subaru now is the oldest among its colleagues.
Only three short years ago, Subaru showed off for the first time its redesigned Impreza, its base compact sedan. Then, when it was announced, Subaru made waves by announcing it would have a smaller, less powerful engine than its predecessor and a significantly different body, built more for aerodynamics than speed. Boulder collectively held its breath.
Since that unveiling, the Impreza has remained a stalwart in the lineup, selling better than expected, and offering a canvas for successful derivatives such as the Crosstrek and — to a lesser extent — the turbocharged WRX.
Now, as Subaru has announced the new Legacy — and most likely the Outback — the Impreza now is the oldest car in the portfolio. (I’m not counting the Tribeca because I’m not sure Subaru even counts the Tribeca anymore.)
The Impreza now serves as more of an entry point, rather than a compact revelation. Its purpose now may be being a car that gets people onto the lot before being shopped with others. But that might be ignoring what made the Impreza so compelling to begin with.
For starters, the chassis for the Impreza, which is used in nearly every other compact Subaru, is surprisingly solid after three years. The ride is smooth, but unlike previous years, there’s confidence in cornering and hard steering where other Subarus have wobbled a bit. Body roll is down, which in previous generations was noticeable — especially in the wagon version.
That’s due to higher strength steel and stiffer suspension all the way around. Subaru’s longtime use of horizontally opposed engines naturally gives its cars a lower center of gravity and it’s noticeable in cars like the Impreza. The small sedan is planted on the road and, while not fast at all, surprisingly fun to drive.
That speed — or lack thereof — is due to the smaller, 2.0-liter four cylinder Subaru used this time around. The small mill generates just 148 horsepower, which is 22 less than the outgoing generation, but was picked because of its 30 percent improvement in fuel economy over that engine. Racing up from 0-60 mph takes around 9 seconds, something that I don’t think people will be doing very often.
To sacrifice speed, and getting up to speed, Subaru’s Impreza does better with all-wheel drive duty. In fact, the Impreza is the most efficient all-wheel drive car in America, even doing better than some front-wheel drive competitors. The all-wheel drive system, dubbed Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, is the same system found in Subaru’s other cars and is dependable if not overlooked. In Rocky Mountain snow, the Impreza handles well and dives in and around mountain passes with plenty of bigger, more expensive rides. There’s a reason Subarus are the preferred rides of the Phish set: they do what they say, say what they do, and leave money leftover for, um, provisions.
About that: The Impreza is currently the title holder for both least expensive AWD car in the states and most fuel efficient. The starting price for a manual 2.0i Impreza $17,895, a few hundred less than a base 4×4 Jeep Patriot. The Impreza’s 30 mpg combined fuel estimates hit the sweet spot for most buyers looking for economy in cars.
To that end, there are parts of the Impreza that underscore that push for pennies. The Impreza’s interior isn’t exactly opulent, and the automatic, continuously variable transmission can scream when pushing the car off the line.
But for what it offers and what it delivers, the 2014 Impreza is still just as remarkable as it was three years ago. Its biggest problem now is that successful models based off of it have eclipsed what made it good to begin with.
Reach Aaron Cole at
acole@aurorasentinel.com