Despite its normcore looks, the Subaru Impreza has long found credibility in enthusiast circles thanks to its association with the rally-inspired WRX model. But the latest Impreza, which rides on the Subaru Global Platform, doesn’t have much to do with the World Rally Championship these days. In hatchback form, it now seems much more closely related to the Crosstrek quasi-crossover than the turbocharged WRX sedan, which is still based on the previous-generation Impreza and won't migrate to the new platform until the 2020 or 2021 model year.
Nevertheless, the Impreza had plenty to recommend it when it first arrived on our doorstep. Subaru promised this new platform would improve the model’s ride and handling compared with that of previous generations. A manual transmission is still standard, although we chose the more popular continuously variable automatic (CVT) for our test. This small hatchback, with 21 cubic feet of cargo space, rivals the hauling ability of some SUVs. And the standard all-wheel drive served us well when our first weekend with the Impreza brought a late-season snowstorm.
With all those marks in its favor, the Impreza made a strong first impression. Our Sport-trim example came with brake-based torque vectoring and 18-inch wheels (lesser models make do with 16s), and early comments praised the Impreza's firm ride and accurate steering. The CVT earned accolades for its convincing imitation of a traditional automatic. During the break-in period, before we probed the upper limits of the tachometer, we were impressed with the Impreza's strong initial throttle response.
The adaptive-cruise-control system (part of a $2945 package that also includes automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning, a sunroof, and an eight-speaker audio system) earned our seal of approval. Associate online editor Joseph Capparella called the system "intuitive" after a trip to Ohio, adding that it "never reacts abruptly." This stood in contrast to our contemporaneous long-term Honda Civic, in which the adaptive cruise drew complaints for approaching other vehicles too quickly, applying the brakes too hard, and allowing too large a gap between itself and the car ahead. The Subaru's lane-departure warning, however, annoyed us with its loud and frequent beeping.
Excitement began to fade once the Impreza's break-in period elapsed. Free to explore the car's full performance range, we found that there wasn't much we hadn't already discovered. The run to 60 mph took 9.1 seconds, and the Impreza's 170-foot stop from 70 mph was similarly mediocre. Its 0.84 g of skidpad grip trailed not only that of our long-term Civic but also that of our previous long-term Impreza, a 2012 hatchback that notched 0.85 g in the same test.
Perhaps that explains why, after trips to Virginia and southern Ohio in the first few months of its stay, the Impreza was largely relegated to commuter duty through much of the busy summer road-trip season. Drivers who did take the Impreza farther afield remained impressed by the cavernous cargo hold but bemoaned the car's need for constant steering corrections on the highway and its sub-30-mpg average fuel economy.
Once the Impreza rounded the halfway mark in its 40,000-mile journey, more negative logbook comments appeared. One author criticized the weak headlights, another decried the lack of wheelspin in the snow (though Subaru's more temperate clientele may count that as a benefit), and many complained that the Impreza was too slow. As assistant technical editor Maxwell Mortimer put it: "The phrase ‘pedal to the metal’ usually refers to enjoyable, spirited driving. However, in the Impreza, it refers to any time one needs any sort of meaningful acceleration."
Our Impreza may not have thrilled us, but its service record was nearly impeccable, requiring very few unscheduled trips to the dealer. At 26,000 miles, the driver's seatback began to rock back and forth. After diagnosing a loose connection between the seat-bottom frame bushings and the seat rails, the dealer ordered replacement parts and installed them free of charge. A month later, an obnoxious humming noise was resolved when the dealer determined the left-rear wheel bearing was worn out and replaced it. Aside from a bent wheel ($274) and some scrapes that needed mending just before the Impreza was sent away ($997), there were no other issues to speak of.
The Impreza's record was clean during its stay with us, but its total service cost ($652) was more than the Civic's. The Subaru's service visits were only about $10 more expensive on average than the Honda's, but the Impreza's 6000-mile service intervals meant that it made more trips to the dealer during its stay with us compared to the Civic, which has a 10,000-mile interval.
When it finally left our offices for good, 18 months after it had arrived, the Impreza was not mourned. Not because anyone had detested it, but because many editors had simply ceased to think of it at all. And it was never the first choice for road trips.
Boring may be the enemy of the auto journalist, but it's exactly what many buyers want. So while we can't truthfully say that we'll miss the Impreza, we can wholeheartedly recommend it to shoppers who are looking for a car that is reliable, versatile, and relatively affordable. We hear there's a nice one on the market, lightly used with all its records in order. Only 30 previous drivers.
Months in Fleet: 18 months Current Mileage: 40,261 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 28 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 13.2 gal Observed Fuel Range: 370 miles
Service:$652 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $1271
WHAT WE LIKE: Just over a year into our test of the Subaru Impreza, the 30,000-mile malaise has set in, and positive logbook comments have grown few and far between. What praise there is has, at least, been consistent. Way back at 12,000 miles, associate online editor Greg Fink declared the Impreza’s Starlink system “seriously one of the best touchscreen infotainment systems in the business.” While 18,000 miles later the bloom has fallen off the rose for many editors, Fink stands firm. “Is there a better overall infotainment system available today?” he ponders. His affection is not misplaced: The Impreza’s touch controls are large and easy to pinpoint while driving, and the menu setup is simple. It even did well in our test of touchscreen response times, earning a Good rating while several competitors managed only Poor.
We like driving much better than we like fiddling with even the best touchscreens, however, and after a particularly snowy Michigan winter we can now faithfully attest to this Subie’s prowess when the going gets slippery. Buyer’s Guide senior editor Rich Ceppos drove the Impreza to Wisconsin during a snowstorm and came away impressed by the unflappability of Subaru’s famous all-wheel-drive system abetted by a set of excellent Michelin X-Ice winter tires. This steely confidence in the face of adversity has become Subaru’s hallmark of late; it’s not unusual to hear Michiganders in search of a new car say that a Subaru is the only brand they will consider. Never mind that virtually any all-wheel-drive car—or two-wheel-drive car, for that matter—with decent winter tires and functional ABS and traction-control systems would perform similarly well. Safety in bad weather is now a cornerstone of the Subaru mystique, and after what seemed like an interminable winter regularly punctuated by blizzards or blizzard-like events, we can’t argue with owners’ sense of security. The Impreza is entirely unshakable in inclement weather. Which brings us to . . .
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE: The Impreza is too good in the snow. Or, rather, not good enough at playing in the snow. Here’s some more context from Ceppos’s Wisconsin adventure: “It’s virtually impossible to have any fun behind the wheel of the Impreza, even on snow. You can do full-throttle launches on the white stuff with no wheelspin. Ugh.” That “ugh” was echoed by Josh Jacquot, reviews editor and owner of a Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS race car, who took our Impreza to a snowy cul-de-sac in hopes of ripping off a few donuts and came away dejected after his young daughter said that she had preferred the previous week’s joyride in an Audi A4.
WHAT WENT WRONG: After 11 almost entirely trouble-free months, the Impreza has begun to feel the effects of age. At around 26,000 miles, people began to notice a slight rocking in the driver’s seat. A trip to the dealer validated our concerns, and the seat-bottom assembly and both driver’s-side seat rails were replaced under warranty. Shortly after the seat was fixed, a high-pitched whining noise developed. One driver thought the sound was coming from the HVAC fan motor, another referred to it as unspecified “driveline noise,” but virtually everyone who drove the Impreza during this period complained. A trip back to the dealer showed a worn wheel bearing in the left-rear wheel. The dealer had the parts on hand and seemed somewhat less than surprised to discover the problem, which was fixed under warranty. In the time since our last update, the Impreza has also had two oil changes, a tire rotation, and received new cabin and engine air filters as part of its regularly scheduled maintenance, which cost $119 for one visit and $108 for the other. And we ditched the winter tires for Yokohama all-seasons in late February, just in time for a late-season snowstorm to drop several more inches of heavy snow on the upper Midwest. Yes, the car did fine.
WHERE WE WENT: Winter makes homebodies of us all, and the Impreza hasn’t traveled far afield since it returned from its sojourn in Montana. Trips to Wisconsin, northern Indiana, and Ohio helped add miles, but we look forward to longer journeys as summer road-trip season approaches.
Months in Fleet: 14 months Current Mileage: 30,830 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 28 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 13.2 gal Fuel Range: 370 miles
Service: $380 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
WHAT WE LIKE: We’re eight months and halfway through our Lapis Blue Subaru Impreza’s 40,000-mile marathon. The Impreza’s low beltline and generous sightlines tend to compensate for the car’s low stance. Brake feel is good, if a little aggressive at first hit, and the steering is also appropriately weighted and accurate, with excellent on-center feel. (The car is, however, no portrait of liveliness.) Also drawing favorable comments, the Impreza’s adaptive cruise control is subtle but vigilant, closely matching what would have been the driver’s own reactions.
When this hatchback’s rear seats are flattened, the cargo bay is beyond generous. Items 60 inches long—even a little north of that—will slide into the Impreza’s maw. Outdoorsmen intending to sleep back there will be disappointed, but if you bend your knees you could pull it off for an uncomfortable night or two. Well, one. One would be better.
The ride/handling trade-off shows evidence of conscientious engineers at work, with the car remaining flat and composed in all but the most spirited driving. There is a level of impact harshness, however, that borders on flinty, likely the result of those low-profile tires that look like rubber bands wrapped around thimbles. On the topic of ride, most logbook comments lean toward the favorable, but it varies with the quality of road surfaces. Moreover, the front tires can wander distractedly when road surfaces become, shall we say, scrofulous.
Buyer’s Guide senior editor Rich Ceppos summarized, “It feels like a lot of the lessons learned from making the WRX have filtered down to the ‘civilian’ models.” He’s right, but that doesn’t mean this Impreza is a joyful lark of sportiness. It isn’t, especially as the fun-to-drive quotient tumbles further and further down the list of consumer priorities. Subaru noticed. The Impreza is more utile than frolicsome.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE: Saying that this continuously variable automatic transmission is “better than most” is a little like saying, “That rattlesnake over there looks surprisingly friendly.” Nonetheless, vast distances accrue without the CVT drawing attention to itself, and if it doesn’t satisfy then there’s always the modest enjoyment of batting at the paddle shifters, pretending to row through seven gears. What inevitably intrudes, however, is not only the expected but tolerable CVT drone but also a whooshy jet-engine exhaust note that is almost unbearable between 5000 and 6000 rpm. What happened to the old trademark flat-four Subie growl? Gone, all gone.
Subaru has dialed in a level of throttle tip-in that can be abrupt, lending the car a faux sporty feel in stop-and-go traffic, and it takes some practice to compensate for it. Of course, if you dig deeply in the throttle, you’ll discover there’s nobody home. Notes in the logbook regularly echo a sentiment similar to this: “With 50 extra horses, it would go as well as its appearance suggests.” Some editors reckoned 20 extra horsepower would suffice, but no one has been satisfied with the 152-hp status quo.
Subaru claims this car’s ground clearance is 5.1 inches, but it sure looks less than that, especially on the P225/40R-18 Yokohama Avid S34s. Remember, all-wheel drive is useful, but when snow accumulates deep enough to drag across a majority of the floorpan, the cessation of forward motion is often nigh. Which, of course, is an argument in favor of the Impreza’s sibling, the Crosstrek. While we’re picking nits, forget this car’s $464 auto-dimming mirror package. Way overpriced. Are compasses in Lafayette, Indiana, really that dear?
WHAT WENT WRONG: At 688 miles, the Impreza got off to a wobbly start, answering a recall to update the software controlling its radiator fan. But it’s been a champ since. We’ve treated the car to three oil-change/general-maintenance services for a total of $272, and we swapped its all-season rubber for Michelin winter tires at 15,000 miles. Nothing else has required mechanical attention, nor have we added any fluids.
WHERE WE WENT: Our long-term Impreza has mostly performed myriad errands and short-duty assignments around Ann Arbor, for which, arguably, this vehicle is best suited. It then visited southern Ohio and Virginia before crossing the country to serve at our official Montana Desk in the Bitterroot Mountains, where its all-wheel drive became familiar with gravel roads and grades steep enough to depress sheep. In that service, the Impreza luckily avoided the worst of the mud and all but a few snowflakes. It did, however, wend its way to one of this country’s best-preserved ghost towns, in Bannack, Montana—an unmolested array of bars, assay offices, brothels, the works—from which it returned as dust encrusted as a dead cowboy’s hat. The car further flourished throughout a week touring San Juan Island, off the Washington coast, where it served as an airy camera platform for photographing killer whales and seals. As we speak, the Impreza is back home in Michigan for winter, rooting for the Wolverines, whose traditional colors the Subaru half matches. —John Phillips
Months in Fleet: 8 months Current Mileage: 21,351 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 29 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 13.2 gal Fuel Range: 380 miles
Service: $272 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
WHAT WE LIKE: A car that can fit in compact parking spaces and swallow tons of gear? Count us in. Since joining our fleet this spring, our blue 2017 Subaru Impreza has carried luggage for four, equipment for a 20-person painting party, and supplies for a weeklong beach vacation (all separate occasions, mind you). We’ve had fun on the way to these events, too, as our early appreciation for the Impreza’s on-road agility and compliant ride has not faded. In an unexpected twist, the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) has garnered its own share of praise, thanks to the stepped upshifts it employs in a convincing mimicry of a conventional automatic transmission. Subaru’s EyeSight system is another high point. The optional adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist handle lane changes and city traffic better than many comparable systems we’ve tried. Crucially, the systems allow the Impreza to follow other cars closely enough that opportunistic drivers can’t squeeze into the gaps in front of us, and both acceleration and braking are smooth, natural, and appropriately timed.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE: Since making it past the break-in period, we’ve had the chance to acquaint ourselves with the upper register of the 2.0-liter flat-four’s rev range, and we’re a little disappointed. The Impreza’s throttle mapping means that it feels quick off the line, but pressing the pedal farther fails to add much oomph, and the engine feels overworked and underpowered at speed. With four adults and luggage on board, this little hatchback struggled to maintain speed over hills on a trip across the Blue Ridge Mountains, and long highway journeys have inspired discontent; the Impreza wanders disobediently in its lane and requires frequent minor corrections. Our fuel economy is sitting at 28 mpg overall, 2 mpg below the EPA’s combined rating. This might be the price we’re paying for standard all-wheel drive and a CVT that acts so much like a conventional automatic, but we’re unwilling to write a free pass. Our long-term Honda Civic has taught us that a good CVT can coexist with parsimony.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Nothing at all. A trip to the dealer for a scheduled oil change and tire rotation at 6000 miles left us $77 lighter, but otherwise life with the Impreza has been worry free.
WHERE WE WENT: Mostly, we’ve stayed near home, with two trips each to western Michigan and Ohio and one jaunt to Illinois. The Impreza’s first major trip was to Virginia International Raceway as a support vehicle for our annual Lightning Lap track-test bonanza, but, alas, no one was inspired to record a lap time. —Annie White
Months in Fleet: 4 months Current Mileage: 10,356 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 28 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 13.2 gal Fuel Range: 360 miles
Service: $77 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
There’s a new Midwesterner at our Ann Arbor offices, and it’s not a product of the Big Three. The vehicle in question is the progeny of Japan but hails from the state that bills itself the Crossroads of America, brags that it’s the country’s second-largest producer of popcorn, and is the site of Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home: You know, Indiana. We’ve taken ownership of a brand-new Subaru Impreza (a hatch, natch), and we’re holding on until the clock hits 40,000 miles.
The Impreza is new from stem to stern this year. Even the bones are different, as this is the first car to use Subaru’s new Global Platform architecture. The Impreza’s sole engine is a 152-hp 2.0-liter flat-four, newly direct injected for 2017 in an upgrade that adds four horsepower over the previous model. A five-speed manual is still the base transmission, while a continuously variable automatic is optional; all-wheel drive remains standard. Subaru’s design team has fashioned a new look for the Impreza, adding more character lines, redesigning the taillights, and giving the hatchback a wider opening.
Subaru has been on an extended sales hot streak, posting eight consecutive years of record-breaking numbers. Demand for the new Impreza was up 33 percent in the first quarter of 2017 compared with sales of the previous generation a year ago, and its early adoption of Subaru’s new platform makes the Impreza a perfect test case with which to evaluate the strength of the company’s boom-time offerings.
We selected, as most buyers will, a hatchback CVT version of the Impreza. The second-from-the-top Sport trim may not be as universal a choice, but we were drawn to its torque-vectoring functionality, which seeks to capitalize on the Impreza’s stiffened structure for improved handling. The Sport model also wears 18-inch wheels rather than the standard 16-inchers.
For $2945, we added a power sunroof, an eight-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system, and Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assistance package. Pre-collision warning with automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring are all included in the EyeSight package. Choosing the CVT added $800 to our bottom line. Those options plus auto-dimming mirrors and all-weather floor mats brought the final tally to $27,605.
The first weekend in our fresh Impreza brought a late-winter snowstorm, the perfect playground for a Subaru. Fun was slightly limited as we were still accumulating break-in mileage, but the little Subie was sure-footed on the slick, unplowed roads we encountered.
With snow days now mercifully behind us (we hope), the Impreza must rely on other traits to impress drivers. Thus far, its charms seem plentiful, with drivers almost universally complimentary about its solid ride and quick steering. Complaining about CVTs is a favorite pastime of C/D editors, but so far the Impreza’s has mostly avoided comment, although that may change as the miles pile up. The cloth-upholstered interior and manual climate controls—we’d expect automatic controls at this price—have inspired the bulk of negative logbook comments and have been unfavorably compared with the finer fittings in our similarly priced long-term Honda Civic.
We took the Impreza to the dealer at 688 miles for a recall on the software that controls the cooling fan. The fix was quick and free, which we hope will set a tone for any future visits. With few miles on the clock, there’s plenty of ground yet to cover in our long-term Impreza. Thousands of miles of summer road trips, morning drop-offs, and evening commutes undoubtedly will tease out issues large and small, so we’ll see whether the Impreza deserves to surpass popcorn as a source of Hoosier pride. —Annie White
Months in Fleet: 1 month Current Mileage: 2256 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 28 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 13.2 gal Fuel Range: 360 miles
Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Specifications
Specifications
2017 Subaru Impreza Wagon
Vehicle type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE AS TESTED:
$27,605 (base price: $20,715)
ENGINE TYPE:
DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 122 in3, 1995 cm3
Power: 152 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 145 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
TRANSMISSION:
continuously variable automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 105.1 in
Length: 175.6 in
Width: 70.0 in
Height: 57.3 in
Passenger volume: 97 ft3
Cargo volume: 21 ft3
Curb weight: 3202 lb
PERFORMANCE (NEW)
Zero to 60 mph: 9.1 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 26.0 sec
Zero to 110 mph: 35.2 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 9.2 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 4.6 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 5.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 17.1 sec @ 84 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 126 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 170 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.84 g
PERFORMANCE (40,000 MILES)
Zero to 60 mph: 8.9 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 25.0 sec
Zero to 110 mph: 35.1 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 9.9 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 5.0 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 6.6 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 17.0 sec @ 85 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 126 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 169 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.81 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 28 mpg
Unscheduled oil additions: 0 qt
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 30/27/35 mpg
WARRANTY
3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper;
5 years/60,000 miles powertrain;
5 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection;
3 years/36,000 miles miles roadside assistance
Annie White has been writing and editing for Car and Driver since 2016. She has owned two Chevrolet HHRs. It was a mistake both times.
