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NEW HAVEN, CT – The Subaru Impreza has been the red-headed stepchild among compact cars.
The only vehicle in the segment available with standard all-wheel drive, the Impreza demanded a premium price, although it would not have been mistaken for a luxury car.
This dynamic has created an identity crisis for the Impreza that is not easily rectified, as reflected in sales data:
Through October, the car placed 12th in a segment crowded with vehicles, such as the Chevy Cruze and Toyota Corolla, selling at more than six times the volume, according to WardsAuto data.
The all-new Impreza has the potential to break out of its neither-fish-nor-foul quandary by appealing to both longtime brand loyalists and an increasing number of buyers interested in fuel efficiency.
That’s because the new fourth-generation Impreza arriving now in showrooms features both interior and exterior styling enhancements while raising fuel economy a whopping 30%.
On the downside, that boost in fuel economy brings with it a reduction in horsepower and torque. While most auto makers insist on giving customers more power with each successive generation, Subaru courageously goes in the opposite direction by replacing the 2.5L horizontally opposed boxer engine with a completely redesigned 2.0L boxer that feels remarkably well-suited for the Impreza, even with AWD.
The auto maker didn’t have much choice, with a 35.5-mpg (6.6 L/100 km) mandatory fleet average coming within five years and a more stringent requirement on the horizon.
