By: Joshua Lee
January 22, 2024
For some, there’s no need to buy a bigger car. Something compact that’s great on gas and has enough space for the occasional weekend getaway can tick a lot of boxes. You’ll see the Subaru Impreza on the road often because it’s affordable, practical, and fun to drive. Entering its sixth generation, the Impreza will be a hatchback-only offering. If you want a sedan, Subaru wants you to get the WRX.
Subaru Canada Inc. gave us the keys to the 2024 Subaru Impreza RS for the week. The new RS model gives a nod to the 1998 Impreza 2.5 RS for being a driving enthusiast-focused trim level. Powering the new RS is a 2.5-litre boxer four-cylinder engine producing 182 horsepower and 178lb-ft of torque. The hatchback is nimble and quick, with enough power to get going. The CVT features an eight-speed manual mode which was fun to shift using the paddle shifters. There is a 10% increase on torsional rigidity for the new model for better driving dynamics as well. The Impreza has standard all-wheel drive and two driving modes.
The new hatchback looks great, and we like the Pure Red paint finish and the black-finish 18-inch wheels. The RS model receives special badging on the front doors and tailgate, a black accented grille, black side sill spoilers and side mirrors, LED headlights and taillights, LED fog lights, and a body-coloured spoiler.
Inside, you’ll find Subaru’s 11.6-inch tablet-style touch-screen infotainment system that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You either love it or hate it, as the screen is quite large, but it’s a little distracting to use. The dashboard layout is familiar, as with all Subaru products, and is easy to use.
The 10-way power front driver seat with 2-way lumbar support made driving around town feel balanced and wasn’t too harsh on rougher roads. Steering is light, and it was fun throwing the car around corners as it felt planted. Premium cloth seats with red cloth bolsters are comfortable to be in, while the RS model is fitted with gunmetal and simulated carbon fibre trim.
In addition to the sportier trim, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, a leather wrapped gear shifter, aluminium alloy pedals, heated front seats, a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a wireless phone charger, and a sunroof are all standard. Cargo capacity starts at 578L with the 60/40 rear seats up and expands up to 1586L with them folded down.
The new Impreza is fitted with the latest version of EyeSight driver assistance technology. The new system can identify pedestrians and cyclists, which will alert the driver and apply the brakes if needed. Adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, automatic emergency steering, rear seat reminder, and a backup camera are all standard.
According to Subaru, the Impreza receives 9.0L/100KM city, 7.2L/100KM highway, for a combined 8.1L/100KM. We were pretty close with 8.3L/100KM for the week.
Four trims are available, starting with the Convenience at $29,167, Touring at $32,367, RS at $34,167, and Sport-tech at $37,167.
There are many compact vehicles to choose from, like the Mazda 3, Toyota Corolla, and Honda Civic. The Subaru Impreza is on that list, but it isn’t as popular as the others. Often, we see people getting the Impreza because it’s simply a car that can get them to point A to B.
The new generation hopes to bring more excitement, and we feel that it has. Its new styling and driving dynamics are enjoyable. With Subaru’s all-wheel drive system and safety system, the Impreza will always make you feel confident behind the wheel. If you want more performance, this is where you’ll need to pay more for the WRX, but if you’re looking for something that’s the same size and not a crossover, like the Crosstrek, the Impreza hatchback is the best middle ground.
