2013 Subaru Impreza Road Test and Review: Design
What’s New:
- No changes for 2013
Subaru redesigned the Impreza for the 2012 model year, and with this latest iteration, it is much harder to forgive the homely styling. But we’ll get to those details in a bit.
The best looking Impreza, in my opinion, is the 2.0i Limited sedan, thanks to its chrome trim, silver-painted 17-inch aluminum wheels, fog lights, and extra bodywork aft of the rear wheels, which helps balance out a chin that rivals Jay Leno’s. In contrast to the 2.0i Limited Sedan, my 2.0i Sport Limited 5-door hatchback looked out of proportion, angry, chunky, and stubby. The dark gray wheels tucked under dark gray paint reminded me of how Detroit looked for six full months out of every year I spent growing up there – dirty, grimy, cold, and industrial.
The Impreza’s interior is better executed, its materials and patterns betrayed only by a cheap, fuzzy headliner entirely out of character with the rest of the cabin. The textures and appearance of the soft-touch dashboard, the soft-touch upper door panels, the soft-touch armrests, and the leather are downright Germanic, and the steering wheel is both great looking and great to hold. There is a sense of quality to this cabin, which makes a loaded Impreza’s price tag easier to justify.