Subaru is a well-known brand that is poplar for its all-wheel drive vehicles. Impreza happens to be a great (and only) choice for a small sedan or hatchback if you want the traction-aiding feature on it.
The new 2015 Impreza is back to win you over with features, specs and a whole lot more. The new Impreza comes with a spacious cabin, roomy rear-seat and a well-tuned suspension. Here is everything new and trendy about the Impreza:
Design language and trim level options:
The 2015 Subaru Impreza comes in a sedan and hatchback version. It has a 2.0i, 2.0i Premium and 2.0i Limited trim level. The car is also available in 2.0i Sport Premium and 2.0i Sport Limited trims.
First off, the Impreza 2.0i comes standard with 15-inch steel wheels, a rear spoiler (hatchback), full power accessories, keyless entry, air-conditioning, cruise control, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver seat, a manual tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a rearview camera, 60/40-split-folding rear seatbacks, a trip computer, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, a 6.2-inch touch screen interface and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, USB/iPod integration, HD radio, an auxiliary audio input and smart phone integration with Aha, Pandora and iHeart Radio.
The Impreza 2.0i Premium adds 16-inch alloy wheels, a rear stabilizer bar, body-color exterior mirrors, chrome interior door handles, an adjustable front center armrest, a cargo cover (hatchback) and a six-speaker sound system. The optional Alloy Wheel package adds 17-inch wheels and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. The optional All-Weather package (included as standard with the manual transmission) adds heated mirrors, a windshield wiper de-icer and heated front seats.
The 2.0i Limited includes all of the above extras, and adds automatic headlights, fog lights, chrome exterior trim, automatic climate control, leather upholstery, a rear center armrest and a 7-inch touch screen interface with swipe/scroll capability, satellite radio, voice controls, dual USB ports and text-to-voice messaging functionality. Options include keyless entry and ignition, a navigation system, adaptive cruise control, a forward collision mitigation system with automatic braking, lane departure warning and steering-responsive fog lights that enhance corner illumination when turning.
The 2.0i Sport Premium adds roof rails, fog lights, body-color rocker panel extensions and sport fabric upholstery to the regular Premium equipment list, and it includes the Alloy Wheel and All-Weather package items as standard. Its 17-inch wheels also have a darker “gunmetal gray” finish.
Meanwhile, the 2.0i Sport Limited bundles the Sport Premium model’s additional features with the amenities of the 2.0i Limited (including automatic climate control and leather upholstery), and it adds a special silver-accented front grille. Options for the Sport Limited mirror those for the regular Limited.
A sunroof is a stand-alone option on all Premiums and Limited trims.
Engine and Performance:
The 2015 Impreza from Subaru comes with a 2.0-liter horizontally opposed “boxer” four-cylinder engine that produces 148 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque.
The 2.0i and 2.0i Sport Premium come standard with a five-speed manual transmission coupled to an all-wheel-drive system with a 50/50 default front/rear power distribution. Optional on those trims and standard on the others is a CVT paired with a different all-wheel-drive system that apportions more power to the front wheels by default, but transfers power rearward when more traction is needed.
The fuel economy on this car with manual transmission for both sedan and non-sport hatchbacks is 28 mpg with 25 mpg in the city and 34 on the highway. The sports hatchback has an incremental drop of mileage to 28 mpg; 24 in the city and 33 on the highway. When equipped with the CVT, the sedan and non-Sport hatchbacks rate in at 31 mpg with 28 mpg in the city and 37 on the highway. The sports model drops to 31 mpg combined with 27 on the city and 36 on the highway. That said, these figures are quite competitive and are remarkably high for an all-wheel drive car.
Interiors:
The Subaru Impreza retains its interior design and it looks pretty conservative in the design sense. While others might find this car a tad traditionally designed, others might find it clean and likely to withstand the test of time. Materials and build quality are decent for the segment, highlighted by soft-touch material on the dash and door sills along with tight panel gaps. Music lovers, take note, however: The Impreza’s audio systems deliver disappointing sound quality, even by the modest standards of this class.
The front seats are comfortable enough to make you enjoy long trips. The head- and legroom are above average for the class. The rear seat is one of the roomiest in the segment, making this Subaru eminently suitable for small families. Boot space is also generous, measuring 12 cubic feet in the sedan’s trunk and 22.5 cubes in the hatchback’s trunk. Folding the hatchback’s rear seatbacks down opens up a healthy 52.4 cubic feet. The car also has rearview camera, cruise control, and a 6.2-inch touch screen interface with upgraded infotainment features as standard equipment. An advanced safety package (including adaptive cruise control, automatic pre-collision braking and lane departure warning) is newly optional on Limited and Sport Limited.
Bottom Line:
With all that’s said and done, the Impreza has a little noisy engine and has a hard acceleration that is aggravated by the continuously variable transmission (CVT). On the Brightside, the vehicle has spectacular fuel economy and this makes it quite a respectable car.