Subaru Impreza – Dressed to Impress
by Cindy Stagg www.car-data.com
Let me begin by saying that I did not test the WRX or the STI. I tested the plain Jane Impreza.However, this plain Jane isn’t as plain as you might expect. With its sleek new look, the Imprezais dressed to well, impress.
Chiseled lines up front give the newly redesigned compact an up-to-date, sophisticated look. Itested the hatchback model, which features two-toned clear and red rear light lenses. Sixteen-inchalloy wheels complete the more grown-up look.
Inside, the cabin featured a well-appointed combination of finishes, including a brushedmetallic trim and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. My test car featured a touch-screen navigationsystem, which wasn’t always intuitive. It took me a few tries just to figure out how to changebetween AM and FM radio. In fact, I never did figure out how to insert a CD – as pushing the ejectbutton did nothing. There are some A/V jacks located in the center storage console, but noauxiliary jack for an iPod or other MP3 player. Other than that minor annoyance, the interior iswell done. The front sport seats ride low, but still offer a good view around the car. I never feltlike I was sitting in the bottom of a cave. The cloth seats were also quite comfortable, and I wasable to easily find the position that fit me best. The rear cargo area is very roomy and even comeswith a rubber floor mat, perfect for hauling the occasional dirty cargo. At one point I had amonth’s worth of newspapers for the recycling center, a small ice chest, several bags of groceries,and my kids’ county fair entries all within the confines of the cargo area – with room to spare.
The new Impreza rides extremely well, especially compared to other compact cars, thanks to itsindependent suspension. Some outside noise does find its way into the cabin, but not so much thatit becomes overly noticeable.
Powered by a 2.5-liter engine mated to a 4-speed transmission with sport shift, the Impreza isan easy driver. The transmission did seem to work pretty hard when cruising both up and down hillson the freeway. I often found myself using the sport shift option just to get the RPMs down. Aroundtown, the Impreza offers a solid performance of maneuverability, comfort, and style. The Imprezahas an EPA fuel economy rating of 20/27 city/highway.
I really like the fact that Subaru has put a lot of focus into safety. Let’s face it. TheImpreza is a small car, and it’s important that small cars hold up well in crash tests. The Imprezahas five-star government safety ratings in both front and side crash tests and a four star ratingin rollover safety. Safety features include side curtain air bags and anti-lock brakes.
Let’s not forget the thing that makes a Subaru a Subaru – all-wheel drive. A little bit ofsure-footedness goes a long way.
Priced at just over $23,000 the new Impreza is impressive. A modern look, luxury features, andall-wheel drive make it the car that offers a little something for everyone.
