Subaru has made its name by, in the parlance of today, staying in its lane. Compared to its larger Japanese competitors, Subaru’s focus on practical, affordable, and adventurous cars and SUVs has earned it a loyal fanbase. It hasn’t hurt that, for a time, the automaker also dominated global rally racing, highlighting the brand’s robust build quality and advanced all-wheel-drive systems.
The Subaru Impreza won’t dominate motorsports, but it has everything necessary for a sensible commuter and weekend explorer. The cabin is roomy and comfortable, and there’s loads of cargo space — more than most competitors — when you fold down the rear seats.
The 2024 model kicks off the Impreza’s sixth generation, but it remains largely the same as before. The front and rear ends have a new grille and head- and taillight style. Under the metal, the Impreza uses more structural adhesive, which Subaru says helps make the car 10% stiffer and more resistant to twist and flex. But the Impreza’s dimensions haven’t changed much — it’s slightly taller — meaning it’s as easy to park and maneuver as before.
Inside the cabin, new seat mounts help improve ride comfort, and the infotainment interface grows to a 7-inch standard touchscreen, or an 11.6-inch display in the middle and top trims. Subaru’s EyeSight driver safety system also gets an update with a wider-view camera and a new feature that can automatically steer away from a collision at speeds less than 50 mph. A new RS trim conjures up earlier performance glory (the RS preceded the high-performance Subaru WRX model) with a larger engine and slightly more power. Finally, the sedan body style and manual transmission are gone, leaving only a hatchback with an automatic shifter.
None of these changes make the Impreza any faster or more fuel-efficient, though. The RS trim promises a bit more speed, but we’ll need to wait for testing. The Impreza’s sluggish and thirsty ways make rivals like the Honda Civic Hatchback, Toyota Corolla Hatchback, and [Mazda 3 Hatchback (/mazda/mazda3) worthy considerations. Nearly all offer more power and better fuel economy. Only the Mazda offers optional all-wheel drive, however, and the Impreza remains the clear favorite if you need a lot of cargo space.
