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Although Impreza is one
of the more expensive vehicles in this group, it does not feel it. The
interior lacks a premium look and feel, the car is rather noisy, and there are
no unprecedented luxury or convenience features. Throw in the Impreza’s
cramped rear seat and mediocre gas mileage, and it seems like a prime
candidate to place closer to the back of this group. But what the Impreza
offers is a standard all-wheel-drive system that, if required for this
comparison, would limit only three additional vehicles admittance (and those
are have the system as an option). And aside from the AWD, the Impreza has a
roomy cargo hold, an impressive ride/handling compromise, strong safety
ratings, and very comfortable front seats. It’s not an all-around vehicle, but
it does enough very well to overcome its shortcomings.
The Impreza has a rather firm, comfortable, and
well-controlled ride, though larger bumps are not always well-smothered.
Handling is also very controlled, with little body roll and quick,
well-weighted steering that combine to make the Impreza one of the more
fun-to-drive vehicles in this group. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder provides
adequate power, but is too noisy even at cruise. Wind noise is also excessive.
Gas mileage does not impress, a downside to the standard AWD.
Inside, the Impreza’s front seats are
well-shaped, comfortable, and very supportive, but a bit too hard. The rear is
very small; though the cushion is well-shaped, the lack of legroom prevents
adult comfort. There are too many low-quality trim pieces throughout the
interior despite a recent
upgrade, but they fit together well. The gauges are too small, but
well-marked. The instruments are well laid-out, but many are too small.
Drivers sit comfortably if a bit low, but rearward visibility could be better.
Space is plentiful in the long but not tall cargo area, and the rear seats
fold fairly easily.
The Impreza sedan earned the “Top Safety Pick
Gold” designation, meaning that it scored Good in its offset and side crash
tests and head restraint evaluation. It also earned four stars for the driver
and five for the front passenger in the NHTSA frontal crash test, and four
stars for both the driver and for the rear passenger in the NHTSA side crash
test with the standard side airbags.
The Impreza reviewed here came in at $18,397,
one of the highest prices in this group, but it was the only car to include
AWD. (For reference, an AWD Dodge Caliber and Toyota Matrix are more money,
and the Suzuki Aerio SX is quite a bit less.) Curtain-style side airbags are
not offered, but that price includes alloy wheels and active head restraints
along with the AWD system.
Overall, the Impreza is
a fun-to-drive and reasonably comfortable and practical wagon that includes
the benefits (and shortcomings) of AWD at no extra charge. But the cramped
rear seat, lack of refinement, and mediocre fuel economy are enough to leave
the Impreza for people looking for a fun-to-drive car with all-wheel-drive.
Other consumers would be better off saving money and gaining refinement and
interior space by buying something else.
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