Subaru Impreza Test Drive

Impreza impresses with real-world ride quality and slick AWD system

There are a few key reasons you buy a Subaru Impreza. One of them, and probably the biggest, is that it’s about the only AWD car in its price range. And it’s not just All Wheel Drive, its Subaru Symmetrical AWD. There’s a difference.

Other reasons include the warm and fuzzy stuff loved by sensible and value-minded shoppers. Things like residual value, reliability, owner satisfaction, a no-nonsense ownership experience and, maybe especially, safety, are all top-notch here.

Recent updates have culminated in what Subaru hopes you’ll think is the best Impreza yet. Inside, there’s more upscale material and trim, slick interfaces, and a higher feeling and appearance of quality. Thicker glass and more sound deadening quiets the ride, and the central touch screen command interface is fast-to-respond and slick once learned. It responds to flicking, pinching and spreading of fingertips, just like an iPad.

Notables on board? Impreza feels more easily accessed, spacious, open and roomy than, say, a Mazda 3 or Dodge Dart, and with a low-set window line, outward visibility is above-average, too. Both rows of seats are easily accessed and surrounded by more than adequate room, and the deep trunk has a delightfully wide and tall opening for loading clumsy-sized stuff.

Under the hood, all models get a 2-litre flat four engine, good for 148 horsepower. It’s smaller in displacement and output than Impreza’s previous engine, though by moving from a yucky four-speed automatic to a Continually Variable Transmission (CVT) that operates without confinement to predefined gears, performance is similar, and fuel economy improves.

Most of the time, this powertrain works perfectly: the low-end torque and the CVT’s ability to use it well work admirably at light to moderate throttle, where revs stay steady, noise stays down, refinement is maintained, and fuel use is minimized. Press the throttle a little harder, and the transmission even fakes the odd gearshift for a more normal feel. Most of the time, drivers won’t notice they’re not just in a really-freaking-smooth-shifting automatic. At full throttle, the engine is louder than expected and can sound strained, as the CVT holds the revs up high and steady.

Passing an 18-wheeler with your boot down can be a noisy experience, though it’s not the full-throttle experience that’s selling this car.

Whether you’re a sporty driver or Maud Flanders, you’ll love what they’ve done with the ride and handling. As has been the case with every Impreza your writer has ever visited, comfort and agility are balanced out expertly: Impreza rides with a comfortable tautness over almost everything, it’s sporty and agile and responsive without punching occupant spinal columns over bumps, and simultaneously, it’s comfortable and laid back in the ride department without handling like a wheelbarrow full of gravy. Once again, they’ve nailed the balance here, and the light, quick and sporty steering rack makes it a good bit of fun to throw around some corners too, if you like.

You needn’t be driving on pristine roads to enjoy all of this either, because of the other recurring Impreza attribute your writer loves: the rough-road ride. Even on the nastiest surfaces, Impreza feels solid, well put together and robust—not flimsy, delicate, and like its’ about to cough up a ball-joint.

Riding a set of Bridgestone Blizzak tires, I noted zero issues with traction on my mid-February test-drive. Equipped thusly, the always-on AWD system gets the Impreza off the line with ease, even in deep snow, with that smug, Subaru sensation of pulling effortlessly through a greasy intersection while everyone else sits and spins and slips.

Subaru AWD doesn’t require wheels to slip before it engages, so there’s always full traction, even right from the first inch of acceleration. Braking and handling are similarly confident. In all, here’s a good machine for feeling safe and confident and well backed-up, even in conditions that make CNN bust out the dramatic music and toss terms like SNOW TERROR and ICEPOCALYPSE across the screen.

Also notable is the EyeSight safety system, which warns drivers up up-the-road hazards and powers an adaptive cruise control system which works as smoothly and intelligently as any other I’ve tried. EyeSight can alert drivers of imminent crashes, lane departures, and even cancel throttle application if there’s a car in front of you. It’s a slick feature for the safety-minded.

Gripes? Noisy engine aside, the heated seat switches are placed approximately 0.2 inches from your right buttock, making them fussy to reach, and the trunk lacks an inboard-mounted closer handle, and the various displays and interfaces on board have slight variations in colors, fonts and visual themes, making things look a little busy and disorganized.

Ultimately, if all-out performance firepower is lower on your priority list than driving a winter-slashing compact sedan that’s a proven long-haul bet, and one that’s comfortable, confident and pleasant to drive anywhere, in any weather, Impreza should be considered a priority test-drive.