2017 Subaru Impreza Road Test and Review

Subaru’s recent growth has been nothing short of tremendous. After years of moving a couple hundred thousand units annually, the Japanese automaker has surged to about 600K in sales. A 3X increase doesn’t just happen, of course. Subaru runs a tight ship—doubling down on its biggest markets and carefully updating its products to expand appeal.

American car buyers still think of Subaru sometime after Nissan, Toyota, and Honda have popped into their heads, but that may not be the case for long. With the introduction of its fifth-generation Impreza, Subaru is better prepared than ever to take on class leaders and earn mass-market respect.

Handsome styling, a frugal engine, cutting-edge safety technology, and an upscale interior push the 2017 Impreza into the spotlight. Our first impressions behind the wheel are staged on some of San Diego’s best driving roads, so prepare for a vigorous evaluation.

Production of the Subaru Impreza began in 1992. The compact sedan and 5-door was initially offered in front- and all-wheel-drive configurations in Japan and was based on a shortened version of the Legacy platform. The U.S. market was treated to larger displacement engines, but Subaru’s iconic boxer engine (with horizontally opposed pistons) was found under every Impreza hood. The boxer engine was distinguished by its lower center of gravity and unique sound.

Successive generations added new variants, including the hotter WRX and STI, though the standard Impreza remained a fun to drive and reliable alternative to segment leaders. The fifth generation is far larger, more advanced, and more powerful than its ancestors, but the formula hasn’t changed.

Subaru’s 2017 Impreza pioneers more than just a few styling cues—its all-new modular platform will underpin just about every new or redesigned Subaru released in the next few years. Lighter, stiffer, and based more heavily on high-strength steel, the architecture boasts a 40 percent increase in collision absorption and a 70 percent increase in rigidity. On the road, this translates to a more agile, responsive chassis when thrust into corners, along with a more planted feel at highway speeds. The new global platform is also ready to accommodate hybrid powertrains, so expect to see alternative-energy variants coming down the pike.

The Impreza’s styling is like a cyclical evolution—the first generation’s rounded exterior begat a boxier second generation, a softer third generation, an edgier fourth generation, and now, a smooth fifth generation. The vacillation between hard and soft curves may seem a bit odd, but it's immediately clear that this latest Impreza is handsome.

Subaru’s “Dynamic and Solid” design will be adapted to other new models, but for now, the Impreza carries the styling torch. Highlights include a narrower and wider grille, C-shaped headlights, more prominent wheel arches, a strong character line along the car’s profile, a more steeply raked windshield, elongated taillights, and a coupe-like silhouette. When equipped with the Sport’s 18-inch wheels and trunk-mounted spoiler, the 2017 Impreza is particularly imposing, but all trims look significantly more upscale than previous generations.

With the exception of its distracting taillights, we’d hasten to call the Impreza one of, if not the, most attractive compact models on sale. Honda’s new Civic is pretty from most angles, but Subaru’s challenger is striking from every angle. Subaru’s dedicated effort to sell more sedans (currently, the take rate is 2:1 hatchbacks to sedans) has yielded a winning 4-door design. If practicality is paramount to you, the 5-door Impreza has most of the sedan’s best styling cues while also offering liftback versatility.

The Impreza’s exterior appeal is matched by a sophisticated interior, complete with wraparound dash, large infotainment display, accent stitching, ergonomic seats, and premium sound system. Cabin aesthetics have never been a strong selling point in past Imprezas, but the generous use of soft-touch or textured materials, and the re-sculpted dash, give the fifth-generation Impreza an inviting interior.

Increased overall dimensions (longer and wider) translate to a greater sense of space inside and a smidge more rear seat legroom. Subaru has yet to release official cargo capacity (though there was a clever demo on how many ears of corn could fit in the back of the 4- and 5-door models), but liftback models have a 4-inch-wider rear opening to make loading and unloading a bit easier.

Convenience technology has also been upgraded. Goodies include a brand new “Generation 3” infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard, a 6.5-inch or 8.0-inch infotainment with Starlink Apps, navigation by TomTom, Harman/Kardon 8-speaker audio system, Sirius XM, HD Radio, and NFC (near-field communication), and a multi-function secondary screen.

Safety technologies are among the hottest automotive innovations of late, and Subaru is stepping to the forefront of available equipment with its new Impreza. EyeSight, the automaker’s branded suite of preventative tech, is now standard equipment on the mid-grade Premium trim (and above). Included in the suite are pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure/sway warnings. Though Toyota’s 2017 Corolla includes a more robust set of features (across all trims), Subaru’s tech is available in its volume seller, giving many customers access to these potentially life-saving technologies.

Also available are safety features like Blind-Spot Detection with Lane-Keep Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Steering Responsive Headlights, Adaptive High Beams, and Reverse Automatic Braking. All Imprezas come equipped with seven airbags, and Premium or above models also have Starlink emergency response.

For all the dramatic styling and platform changes in the new Impreza, tweaks to its 2.0-liter boxer 4-cylinder engine are modest. Its 152 horsepower  (slightly more than last year’s car) and 145 lb.-ft. of torque are delivered via a CVT (continuously variable transmission) or, later, a 6-speed manual gearbox. CVT cars use an electromechanical all-wheel-drive system, but Imprezas with the manual trans will still rely on a viscous coupling setup.

Subaru has tuned the CVT to behave much like an automatic, so it feels and sounds like shifts are being made through seven individual gears (the steering-wheel-mounted paddles aid that impression). Power is respectable, but while rivals offer more potent engines or tuning on higher trim models, Subaru applies the same power across its Impreza range. What it lacks in outright grunt, however, the updated motor makes up for in smoothness.

Subaru hasn’t released official fuel economy numbers, but look for 38 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg in the city—middling numbers in the compact segment.

Subaru’s engineering diligence is felt the moment you scoot its new Impreza through a series of curves. A stiffer chassis, active torque vectoring (in Sport models), improved brake response, and quicker steering bring the car to life. This is no WRX, but some of Subaru’s performance-oriented hardware has clearly inspired the Impreza’s driving standards. If not for a worrisome lack of steering feedback—it was hard to ascertain what the front tires were doing mid-corner—we’d put the new Impreza firmly on top of its segment in driver engagement. Even acknowledging this blemish, Subaru’s changes make the 2017 Impreza one of the best-driving compact cars you can buy.

Subaru has pruned its Impreza offerings for 2017, nudging buyers to one type of experience or another. The 2.0i ($18,395) highlights include a 6.5-inch multimedia display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, power windows, 60/40 split folding rear seats, power door locks, and a security system.

Subaru thinks most shoppers will opt for the mid-grade Premium ($21,195) trim for its generous equipment: Starlink emergency response, 16-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, door mirrors and windshield, roof rails, and automatic headlights. Options for Premium cars include a moonroof and driver-assistance tech. Sitting above the Premium is a new Sport grade ($21,995) that bundles sporty suspension tuning, 18-inch alloy wheels, torque vectoring, LED daytime running lights, a trunk spoiler, black exterior trim, red interior stitching, Sport gauges, an 8-inch infotainment system, Harman Kardon sound sytem, keyless ignition, and aluminum pedals.

Finally, the range-topping Limited ($24,095) adds LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, steering-responsive headlights, automatic climate control, leather-trimmed cabin, available EyeSight safety technology, and available TomTom navigation.

Sitting opposite Subaru’s 2017 Impreza on dealership row will be Honda’s recently redesigned Civic, the Nissan Sentra, Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, and Chevrolet Cruze. It’s a long list, and one that’s packed with attractive vehicles, but Subaru’s considerable updates put the Impreza on par with best sellers like the Civic and Corolla.

The 2017 Impreza proves that Subaru now poses a very real threat to the high-volume automakers. What was once a niche, quirky brand with a strong but narrow buyer base has broadened its appeal considerably while retaining all its loyal customers. The new Impreza may not be the unique snowflake it once was, but its a much better car in all ways. It succeeds in every way its competitors do, while tallying bonus points for all-wheel drive, advanced safety tech, and upscale aesthetics.