– By David Brown –
When Subaru launched of their new Impreza sedan and hatch they described it as one of their most important new models in many years.
In Australia they sell about 25% of their vehicles to the fleet market and while this percentage did dip in a few years back it is on the rise again and is thus a critical part of their on-going growth. In 17 of the last 19 years Subaru have shown an increase in sales volumes in this country, the only two years that showed a decline where as a result of the 2008 GFC and the after effects of the 2011 Japanese tsunami which affected supply of vehicles.
The Impreza is classified in the small car class which is the largest segment in the Australian market and competes with vehicles such as the Toyota Corolla and the Mazda 3.
The Impreza name was has long been associated with Subaru’s high performance WRX which won the World Rally Championship in 1996, 2001, 2003 and lead a lot of young boys to dream of owning such a vehicle.
But Subaru is now trying to make the distinction between every day, practical vehicles and their performance machines.
The new Impreza is based on their new global platform that will underpin all the next generation models. Some 95% of the car is a new design compared to the previous model.
Subaru hopes to expand its impact with the female and the younger demographic. But then again so do all manufacturers.
The initial impression of the vehicle is that it drives very quietly and sits well on the road.
Unlike their rally cars, the engine performance from the 2 litre normally aspirated boxer configuration is modest with 115kw of power and 350 Nm of torque. It is only available with the one engine and one CVT gear box which was already a good example of this type of transmission and now they have made it quieter to the point where the chain noise is said to be inaudible.
Subaru has not been known for having class leading interiors. The new Impreza is much improved. I thought it was elegantly simple. Under the centre screen which is 6.2 inches in the base model and 8 inches in the models above, there are six simple buttons marked with functions such as “radio”, “Map”, “apps” and “Media”. Volume and radio frequency knobs are just where they should be. I may appear to be a bit pedantic about this but I have found quite a number of cars where to turn the radio on, let alone select a channel, has meant consulting the user manual.
The connectivity interaction is also enhanced with Apple CarPlay or Google Android Auto being standard. This will put your icons from your phone onto the centre screen so that you can pick your digital requirements from a familiar setting. You will need, however, your standard cable to plug in your phone.
Subaru is pushing its safety credentials. All the new Impreza range have received a five star ANCAP rating including the base model 2.0i but all the models above that, the 2.0i-L, 2.0i-Premium and the 2.0i-S, also all have Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist technology.
Using three-dimensional images captured by cameras mounted at the top of the front windscreen, EyeSight provides audible and visual warnings to prompt the driver to take action. EyeSight will also apply automatic braking intervention, when necessary, to help avoid or reduce the severity of a detected frontal collision.
Subaru claim that it has reduced crashes in Japan for cars fitted with this technology by 60%.
Surprisingly at the launch Subaru did not emphasise that the Impreza, like all their vehicles, has the advantage of all-wheel drive, a unique feature in this segment. Modern technology such as stability control has reduced the advantages of all-wheel driver and I don’t particularly feel the need for it as a performance enhancer at high speed. I like it in wet weather in locations such as starting out on a hill.
The base model sedan starts at $22,400 plus on road costs and goes up to $28,990 plus on roads for the top of the line 2.0i-S. You add an additional $200 to the sedan prices for the hatch back.
Only the hatch version is rated for towing (1,200kg with brakes and 650 without).
I like the new Impreza as a vehicle of quiet comfort and elegance even though it does not go like a WRX.
