Indeed, the greater majority of buyers certainly don’t think AWD is necessary when buying an SUV (in spite of the XV’s success). That aside, the Impreza offers some food for thought in the busy small car segment.
Available in identically-priced sedan and hatchback bodystyles, the Impreza range kicks off at just below $24K with the entry-level 2.0i model, which is available with a six-speed manual gearbox, while an automatic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) adds $2000. The next model up is the 2.0i-L priced from $25,300 plus on-road costs for the manual and $27,300 for the auto.
The model tested here is the range-topping 2.0i-S, which comes in at $30,990 and is available solely with a CVT. That lines it up close to the likes of hatchbacks such as the VW Golf 103TSI Highline ($32,290), Hyundai i30 Premium ($30,490), Ford Focus Sport ($31,690), Mazda 3 SP25 GT ($30,590) and Toyota Corolla ZR ($30,990).
The cost of entry grants the 2.0i-S niceties such as 17-inch alloys, an electric sunroof, side skirts and rear spoiler (the latter for the hatchback only), leather seat trim, power seat adjustment for the driver, sports pedals.
Those elements are added over the 6.1-inch touchscreen media unit with satellite navigation and reverse-view camera also offered on the 2.0i-L. No parking sensors are available on any Impreza model.
The media system can’t match competitors for ease of use, not to mention ease of visibility. The menus are small and not too easy to read â€" particularly on the move â€" and the actual touch zones are small, meaning you may end up accidentally selecting the wrong radio station. However, the Bluetooth phone and audio streaming works well, despite being a little fiddly to connect (you need to select audio streaming from a separate menu once your phone is connected wirelessly).
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