By CL member request, a review of the all-new 2012 Subaru Impreza.

http://www.subaru.com/vehicles/impreza/index.html

IN A NUTSHELL: Less weight, less power, substantially better mileage, and still one of the world's most ubiquitous low-priced AWD vehicles.





(Hatchback)



(Hatchback)



(Sedan)



(Sedan)









(Sedan)



(Hatchback)


One of my CL member review-requests is for the all-new 2012 Subaru Impreza, which is not surprising, as this is one of the cheapest and most reliable ways (in the American market) to get into an AWD Forget-the Weather vehicle. But the new Impreza, like a number of other new vehicles with both Japanese and non-Japanese nameplates using Japan-sourced parts, has been delayed by the March earthquake/tsunami until well past its original fall-2011
introduction date....that's way I haven't been able to review it until now. Subaru didn't even show it off last year (January 2011) at the Washington, D.C. Auto Show here, instead (mistakenly, IMO), holding it back for the New York Show in April.

Most of you, of course, know that, despite my standing in CL, I myself am a quite-satisfied Subaru owner, and highly recommend the brand as reasonably-priced daily-drivers, especially in bad-weather areas. With the weight and drag of the standard AWD (all American-market Subarus have AWD, with the sole exception of the upcoming RWD Scion/Toyota/Subaru sports-coupe) they are, of course, not the best cars for fuel-economy. Even so, I can still get 30-31 MPG with my mid-sized AWD Outback, on the highway, in ideal conditions....nothing to laugh at, though my day-to-day suburban-driving average is much lower.

So, you ask......being a Subie owner and somewhat skewed towards the brand, can I do a Subaru review objectively, and without bias? Yes, I think so. Otherwise, especially with the list of other review-requests I have still pending, I wouldn't waste time typing all of this up. I realize that, just like vehicles from any other brand, Subarus have good and bad points; strong and weak links (heck, I see that even with my own Outback). And that, of course, is the job of an auto reviewer.......to forget pre-conceived notions and deal with the actual vehicle at hand; its merits and demerits.

So then....on to the Impreza. The first American-market Imprezas were introduced in 1993, and replaced the notoriously quirky compact DL/GL/Loyale series, which were tough, well-built, and reliable, but had all the refinement / noise-level of a washing-machine and were generally unpleasant to drive. The orginal Impreza, IMO, was an enormous improvement over the series it replaced. It even had some great paint colors, too, like the very light aqua blue-green and (my favorite), the classic Amythist medium-purple with just a touch of off-gray. The Impreza ended up, along with the Nissan Altima and Mazda Protege, as one of my favorite sedans of the period. My brother bought a first-generation Impreza Sportwagon a few years later, and had generally good luck with it for years after that.

When the Impreza was first introduced, like a number of Subarus, it had a choice of FWD or AWD. But when Subaru brought out the obiquitous Outback in 1995, it made a decision, at the same time, to drop FWD from the American market and solely concentrate on AWD products. That, of course, increased its popularity in bad-weather areas, but didn't do much for it elsewhere. No matter, though, that's where the company felt it had found its niche. So the FWD Imprezas, along with the other FWD Subies, were dropped, and all Imprezas became AWD. Also gone was the FWD's 1.8L H-4 engine (it was deemed too small for the weight and drag of AWD), replaced by a standard 2.2L H-4. The 2.2L was quite reliable, but the 2.5L H-4 that soon replaced it was, for a number of years, plagued with notorious head-gasket problems that burned a lot of owners. Subaru eventually extended the warranty on some model-year 2.5L
engines to 8/80 and introduced a new engine-coolant which was also supposed to help. After the 2003-2004 model years, the later 2.5L Engines were much more reliable (I have one of them in my Outback).

Subaru officials made some marketing errors, though, with the first-generation Impreza. Despite the gaudily-looking RS versions with the bright-gold-painted alloy wheels, they did not recognize the potential in the U.S. market for the turbo WRX and STi versions for some time (and a lot of input, even from me). When the turbo versions finally DID come to American shores, they sold like hotcakes....along with the competing Mitsubuishi Evo and VW GTI/R32. I won't dwell on the WRX / STi's history, because most of you already know it....the auto press has extensively glamorized them.

After the comparively long-running first-generation Impreza, later versions went through a number of controversial styling changes that included frog-eyed headlights, Alfa-Romeo-style grilles, ball-shaped hatchback rear-ends, that, IMO, did little else but look quirky and cut down on rear-vision. The last major restyle, for 2008, also brought a good-looking but cheaply-made interior that used rock-hard plastic for just about everything apart from the seats, shifter, steering-wheel rim, and a very small padded-rest for the elbow at the back of each door-panel. Fortunately, the dash plastic was quite durable, so it didn't break very easily....and its tri-color contrast, I thought, was good-looking. The Outback Sport model, though (the top-level model in the non-turbo Impreza line), had something you just don't see much of any more these days in the American market......genuine two-tone paint (not just gray or silver lower body-cladding). Now, for 2012, an all-new generation of Impreza is debuting.

For 2012, five different Impreza trim-lines are offered....a 2.0i at $17,495, a 2.0i Premium at $18,795, a 2.0i Limited at $21,595, a 2.0i Sport Premium at $20,295, and a 2.0i Sport Limited at $22,595. 2.0i Base, Premium, and Limited models come in a 4-door dedan or 5-door hatchback; Sport Premium and Limited models only in the hatchback, with two-tone paint (probably the last of the two-tone Subarus). In effect, for now, the new Sport models replace the old Impreza-based Outback Sport, though Subaru is working on another possible Outback Sport replacement for 2013 called the XV that, unlike the Impreza Sport, will have an Outback-like raised-suspension (I hope they keep the two-tone paint option for it, but I'm not holding my breath). All 2012 Impreza models come with a brand-new, smaller-displacement 2.0L flat-four with 148 HP and 145 ft-lbs. of torque (down from the old 2.5L's power), that, in conjunction with the also all-new CVT (continuously-variable transmission) and lighter-weight, achieves substantially better mileage than the old 2.5L. The Limited and Sport Limited come standard with the CVT; other versions get a choice of the CVT or 5-speed manual. And here's some of the biggest news of all....the turbo WRX and STi models have now been separated from the Impreza lineup, and are now considered a separate Subaru line. Temporarily, for 2012, the WRX and STi models will carry over from 2011, using the old Impreza-based platform, until an all-new line of WRX and STi models debut later on.

I had to do the review in two stages. New Imprezas had just started coming in, so I went down to a local Subaru shop (strangely, a very small dealership, not my usual one where I bought my Outback) that had five or six in stock. Nobody else seemed to have more than one or two....except this very small shop. Well, when I got there, a Stop-Sale order had just come down from Subaru of America....that included no test-drives. Seems that a potential brake defect had been spotted, and new brake-system parts were on order for them. It amounts to a safety-recall. A dark-red hatchback on the lot there had just been sold...but could not even be driven home by its new owner. Yes, embarassing for Subaru, but even reliable brands like that, with all-new models, sometimes have teething-problems. But I sure didn't waste the trip out there....I went over the outsides, insides, underhood, and cargo areas of the new Imprezas there with a fine-tooth comb, but, of course, had to schedule a test-drive for later on. So, a couple of days later (this time at my own VW/Subaru dealership), a white 2.0 Premium sedan with the CVT transmission was available for a test-drive. I wasted little time, of course, taking it out for a spin, since that was the model I wanted most to try out. The review-request I received for the new Impreza did not specify a model or transmission, butI felt the CVT made the most sense, since it seemed to be more efficient than the manual, which was probably going to be a big factor in this car's potential sales. details coming up.


MODEL REVIEWED: 2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Premium Sedan

BASE PRICE: $19,095 (Interesting.....Subaru has a $18,795 base-price on the web-site for the Premium sedan).


OPTIONS:

CVT Transmission: $1000

Option Package 2 (All-Weather): $500 (In cold, wet climates, this package, with heated seats/mirrors/wipers, is worth it)

Auto-Dim Mirror/Compass: $186

Bumper Applique: $91 (This is just a clear strip of plastic-adhesive on the center-top of the rear bumper that protects the paint from being
scuffed from loading big or heavy items in or out of the trunk).

Metallic Side-sill Plates: $140 (nice-looking, but, IMO, needless)


DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $750 (reasonable for a car this size)

LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $21,762


EXTERIOR COLOR: Satin White Pearl

INTERIOR: Beige (Ivory) Cloth.


DRIVETRAIN: Symmetrical AWD, 2.0L horizontal flat-4, 148 hp @ 6200 RPM, Torque 145 ft-lbs. @ 4200 RPM, CVT (Continuously variable transmission).


EPA MILEAGE RATING: 27 City / 36 Highway




PLUSSES:


Astounding MPG for a non-hybrid/non-diesel, gas-powered AWD car.

Standard symmetrical AWD design one of the best on the market.

Decent ride comfort with 55-series tires....but not quite as smooth as I'd like.

Well-integrated CVT transmssion.

Relatively flat cornering without much body roll.

Firm, responsive brake pedal.

Superb underhood layout.

Superb oil-filter location.

No annoying engine-cover to block underhood-access.

Good solid exterior hardware.

Slick-folding/locking, well-shaped exterior side-mirrors.

Fairly good rear-vision on sedan.

Fairly solid-closing doors...especially from the inside.

Yes, real factory body side-mouldings....but for a price.

Some nice paint-color options....including increasingly rare two-tones for some Sport models.

Some improvements in interior-trim material quality.

Padded sun-visors this time.

Fairly comfortable front-seats.

Good rear headroom and legroom for a car this size.

Consistant above-average reliability record.

Console-mounted hand-brake lever is retained, IMO a good move.

Former awkward zig-zag shift-lever now replaced by a nice fore/aft one.

Real leather used on top-line models instead of imitation vinyl/leather.

Fairly well-trimmed cargo area for the price.

Consistant better-than-average reliability record in the past.






MINUSES:


New smaller flat-four engine loses power.

Road and wind-noise isolation OK but could be better.

Slower-than-expected steering response.

Manual hood prop-rod a step backwards from the struts on the last-generation model.

Paint-job quality OK, but not as good as on the Outback.

Low ground clearance on the Sport models with lower-body fairings.

Absurd $250 price-tag for factory body-side mouldings.

Unattractive (IMO) flat-black window-surround trim, even on Premium/Limited models.

Body sheet-metal seems thinner than last-generation model.

So-so rear vision in hatchback model.

No wood-tone trim option for the interior.

Hard plastic inner-door-panel trim on base model.

Orange/red dash-lighting not as nice, IMO, as white or light-blue.

Too-small (IMO) stereo-***** for easy grip.

Still no engine-temperature gauge in American-market models (it was dropped in 2008).

Cheap-looking/feeling (IMO) black-plastic climate-**** rings similiar to those in some Toyotas.

Temporary spare tire.

Vinyl waterproof cargo-tray no longer standard on top-line models...now a dealer-accessory.

New, harder-to-use Subaru web site.




EXTERIOR:

Auto styling, of course, is generally a subjective matter, and I don't have any really strong opinions on the new Impreza's general styling, for either the 4-door sedan or the 5-door hatchback (but I wish they would do a true Impreza wagon, with more cargo space, like the Outback and Forester). The overall looks of both the sedan and hatchback don't really seem that much different from those of the last-generation, though some noticeable changes have been done in the headlights, grille, and taillight areas....especially the glitter of the last-generation hatchback's LCD-taillight assembly. To me, it's a reasonably good-looking small car (as, IMO, the last one was), though some people might call it bland. The rear-vision out of the hatchback model, from the driver's seat, is not quite as good as in the sedan, but seems a little better than that of the last hatchback. I generally like the range of paint-colors offered....eight monotones and (increasingly rare on today's cars), three two-tones. The two-tones are real paint, not just a single color with gray-vinyl body-cladding. Non-Sport models get the monotones...Sport Premium and Sport Limited models get ether a monotone or two-tone combo. The two-tone colors do NOT cost extra, either...a good move. That's a change from prior models, where the Sport model got only two-tones.....now you get a choice. I wouldn't be surprsed, though, if the two-tone option was dropped next year....Subaru has dropped it from all its other U.S.-market lines. The overall quality of the paint-job is much better than on Imprezas of years ago, but, IMO, not quite up to that of the present Outback, which is Lexus-like in its smoothness and sheen.. The twin outside mirrors, like on most Subarus, are well-shaped, solidly-attached, and snap/swivel/lock smoothly and slickly.

But there are also several things on the new exterior I clearly don't like. The new sheet metal, as on many new designs nowadays, seems to be of a thinner-grade, and more-easily buckled if you press hard on it. I like the fact that, on the new Impreza, Subaru still offers factory body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection, but the $250 price, IMO, is outrageous...especially considering that mouldings were STANDARD on the last Impreza. And the mouldings are small, cheaply-made, and, like many of them, mounted a little too low for optimum-protection. (Might as well buy an much cheaper aftermarket set and mount them yourself...as I used to do). On the Sport models, the lower-body fairings, combined with the lower-profile tires (though the larger wheels offset it to some extent), give a rather low ground clearance.....keep this in mind if you are driving in deep snow or over road obstacles. Even Subaru's excellent AWD system may not get you out of a mess if too much heavy snow gets packed up under the body. And, to me, the flat-black exterior window-mouldings look somewhat cheap...chrome, brushed-metal, or body-color, IMO, would be a lot nicer.


UNDERHOOD:

IMO, clearly one of the new car's best features. The only negative thing is that the factory, this year, has gone backwards by dumping last year's nice gas-struts to hold the hood up and replacing it with a cheap manual prop-rod (like back on the pre-2008 models). But the hood itself, though steel, this time, is not that heavy (perhaps due to the lighter-gauge metal this year), and propping it up is only half a PITA instead of being a complete PITA. There is a nice underhood insulation-pad to help absorb some of the notorious tendency of Subaru flat-fours to be noisy. The new, smaller 2.0L flat-four fits in underhood extremely well, with good access to almost all upper and side-block components. There is no plastic engine-cover of any kind (Premium car-makers, are you listening?) to block access to upper engine-components or make servicing more difficult.....what you see is what you get. The oil-filter is mounted in a superbly simple way...right on the upper-side of the block, in front, pointed straight up at you as you look down at it. Even Grandma could easily reach it.....though the straight-up mounting-position might (?) make it leak a little hot oil onto its mounting-plate when you first start to unscrew it. The battery is uncovered, over on the right, and is very easy to reach.....as are the dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reservoirs.



INTERIOR:

I had mixed feelings about the new Impreza's interior, compared to the old one. Overall, IMO, it is fairly attractive-looking, though the plainer-lines of the new dash, IMO, is a step back from the triple-color V-stripe effect of the old one. But the old dash, like the old door panels, used strictly hard-plastic, though it was a tough-feeing and durable plastic. The new upper-dash uses noticeably softer padded-material, as does the upper-door trim on higher-line models. But the base-models still use hard-plastic and/or hard-feeling materials in the door-trim. The new lightly padded/fabric-covered sun visors are much better-feeling than the old, cheap, rock-hard ones on the 2008-2011 model, and include vanity-mirrors. A major omission, IMO, (as on many past Imprezas) is the lack of a wood-tone trim-option even on the top-level models.....all Imprezas now get a horizontal metallic-trim-strip across the lower-dash. The new steering wheel is borrowed from the Legacy/Outback, and has the same nice looks, trim, comfort, and (on some models) shift-paddles as they do. The front seats are fairly comfortable, but lack a power-seat option, and the fabric on them doesn't seem to be the nicest I've felt. The upholstery comes in either beige or black cloth and, on the Limited models, beige or black leather. Yes, REAL leather....not the imitation-leather / vinyl-based stuff seen on a number of vehicles that cost much more. A major improvment inside, IMO, over the old model, comes with the CVT.....as in the Outback/Legacy, nice fore/aft-operating shift-lever instead of the awkward zig-zag one on the last model.

There is both good headroom and good legroom, by the standards of this class, both in front and rear. I had no problems getting in and out, or sitting in the rear, with my 6' 2" frame and ever-present baseball-cap, even with the front seat adjusted where I wanted it. The doors close with a solid-sounding thunk when you are seated inside the car, but somewhat less-so when you are outside. The climate-controls are simple, well-marked, and easy to operate, but, like on a number of Toyota models, have (IMO) ugly-looking, cheap flat-black plastic ****-rings that have an unpleasant feel. The stereo controls are generally well-marked and easy to use, though, of course, less so with the NAV option. Most of the interior hardware seems of reasonably good quality. The stereo sound is about what you would expect for this class....OK, but noticeably below the Harmon-Karden stereo levels on the so-equipped Outback
and Legacy.




CARGO AREA/TRUNK:

The cargo areas of both the sedan and hatchback are generally well-trimmed for a car of this class, but, of course, fall short of luxury-car standards. The sedan's cargo space is about what you would expect in this sedan-class, though the rake of the rear-roofline, like on most sedans these days, eats into the size of the trunk-lid somewhat. Still, reasonably-sized packages and luggage can be easily-loaded. The hatchback's droop-rear roofline and short rear overhang does eat into the available cargo-space.....one reason why I mentioned above that I'd like to see an Impreza wagon. The floor has a reasonably-nice carpeted covering; the walls a harder, plainer substance. The 60/40 rear-seats on both the sedan and hatchback fold for aded cargo-space, and, in the hatchback, the seat-release-***** are fairly easily-reached while standing behind the car. Under the floor-panel is (yep, you guessed it) the ubiquitous temporary spare tire. A nice, durable-feeling, removable cargo-area pull-shade cover is standard on all hatchbacks...it is not needed, of course, on the sedans. The traditional Subaru thin-vinyl cargo-area waterproof-tray is now a dealer-added-accessory...it used to be standard on top-line
Imprezas.

Later, though, the cargo-area of the 2.0 Premium sedan I eventually test-drove seemed to have some different lining-materials inside than the other cars I looked at. Both the floor and walls were covered in a matching gray-felt material that had more or less the same feel as window-strip insulation.




ON THE ROAD:

Start up the new 2.0i horizontal flat-four with a conventional key/fob and side-solumn ignition switch. Subaru, unfortunately, has not gotten around to offering an engine START/STOP button yet, even on higher-line models. The little boxer-four comes to life and idles with a slight growl (more or less traditional for Subaru flat-fours) but is generally quiet at idle. Much has been written in the media and in reviews about the loss of power with this smaller engine, and the torque figure has indeed dropped some 22 ft-lbs, and is peaky at that. But that power-loss, along with the new Impreza's weight control (though I don't care for the thinner sheet metal), and the also-new CVT transmission, helps achieve the stunning 36 MPG highway MPG figure....an increase of 9 MPG over the last model. And the CVT's inherent efficiency also, of course, helps minimize the loss of acceleration from the lower power. Subaru claims the new CVT is actually quicker from 0-60 than the old versions (not necessarily so for the new manual-transmission). Different reviews and tests, from different auto-magazines and sources, don't seem to agree if those figures are actually true. From what I remember of the last Impreza, in normal driving, I myself didn't find much difference in acceleration between the new CVT and old 4-speed automatic combined with the larger 2.5L engine. The new CVT does have a small amount of motorboating/rubber-banding sensations common to many CVT's, but, otherwise, is quite smooth and seems to be programmed like a regular multi-speed automatic. Even in the full-automatic mode without the column paddle-shifters, it seems to mimic the "shifting" of a conventional automatic. Use the paddle-shifters in the manual-mode, and the "shifts" are a little quicker, but still smooth. Thge paddle-shifters, of course, simply select one of 6 so-called "gear" ranges, which, like with comparable Nissan CVTs, moves the CVT drive-belt to pre-determined locations on the drive pulley. The engine and exhaust do have some audible noise as RPMs build (there's probably no such thing as a truly quiet Subaru flat-four), but it is not excessive, especially compared to those of years ago.

The chassis is generally competent and well-balanced, though the response from the new electric power-steering was not as quick as I had expected, given the Impreza's generally light weight. Steering/road feel, though, was quite good, especially by electric-steering standards, and there was comparatively little body lean while cornering. Ride comfort, from the 55-series all-season tires, was generally OK by my standards, but not quite as smooth as I would like.....the Sport models, with the lower-profile 50-series tires and larger wheels, would probably ride a little stiffer. Road noise and wind noise were both noticeable, but not excessive. Still, though, this is not the car to buy if you want Lexus LS or Mercedes S-Class quietness. And, again, the Sport model, with the slightly more-agreessive tires, may (?) add a little more to the road noise. The brake-pedal was surprisingly firm, responsive, linear, and showed very little sponginess or free-play. It was also mounted in a manner that did not generally did not cause my big size-15 clown-shoes much trouble hanging-up on the edge of the pedal going from the gas to the brake-pedal.




THE VERDICT:

For those looking for a reliable, well-built, entry-level car with AWD and a low price, the Impreza still remains an excellent choice....and, sadly, there are few true competitors of this type in the American market. The AWD Suzuki SX-4 Crossover hatchback, which reviewed a few years ago, actually starts out less expensive than the Impreza (at $16,999), but is smaller, more cramped inside, less-refined in its road manners, and has about the same size engine and power-rating, with lower MPG ratings. The AWD SX-4, though, does have one big advantage over the Impreza...its 3-position drive-train **** can select between FWD for power/economy, full-time AWD for traction, and AWD-Lock for tough conditions (why Subaru has not gotten around to using this feature beats me?). The well-built Toyota Matrix S also offers AWD at a relatively low price, but still starts at over 21K.....and its Pontiac Vibe twin, of course, disappeared with Pontiac's recent demise. The rather mediocre-quality Jeep Compass and Patriot are not true Jeeps in the traditional sense, and are based on a Dodge compact-car platform. They only offer FWD in their base versions, and their AWD versions start, like the Toyota Matrix, at significantly over 20K.

So, in the American market, for AWD at a rock-bottom price, the Impreza and Suzuki SX-4 crossover are probably the best overall choices. The Suzuki system is slightly less-expensive (list price) and allows decoupling of the AWD when it is not needed, but the Subaru AWD, with its symmetrical components and layout, is probably a better AWD system to start with. And a major problem with Suzuki, in the American market, is its serious lack of automotive-dealerships, though its motorcycle-shops are somewhat better-distributed. The new engine and CVT transmission in the Impreza, while certainly not a drag-race winner, will take you a long way on a gallon of gas.....more than any American-market AWD car to date. And, for those who like two-tone paint and Subarus, this may (?) very well be (on the Sport Models) the last chance to get one, though we don't know that right now for sure. My prediction, though, if this car proves successful, is that it will be mostly because of the CVT's 27/36 MPG figures, which are (currently) unmatched by any other AWD vehicle in the American market. People today notice things like that.

And, as always......Happy Car Shopping.

MM

 

Great review Mike! That 27/36 with the CVT is great! I was so shocked Subaru was still using 4-speed autos a year ago. Glad they rectified the mpg problem

 

Thanks, Hoovey. I looked forward to it for months. We sure had to wait long enough in the U.S. for this car....probably because of the earthquake.


Yes. It even beats the smaller Suzuki SX-4's FWD/AWD decoupling system for gas-mileage now.

That, and the increasingly rare two-tone paint-option for the Sport model, is what I think are the two things that are going to sell this car. In fact, though I don't like the Sport's lower-profile tires that will (likely) stiffen the ride some, a two-tone Sport Hatchback is high on the list for a replacement for my Outback....as is, of course, another Outback.

2.5L Imprezas and Foresters weren't the last 4-speed automatic holdouts. You still find them on some entry-level compacts/subcompacts, and yes, the full-size Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne. But the Lucerne and DTS, of course, will soon be phased out.

4-speed automatics, BTW, can get good mileage if driven sensibly and under ideal conditions. My 4-speed AWD Outback, for example, is rated at 28 highway, but I have personally have gotten 30-32 on longer trips. You generally have to have the A/C off, though, to get more than 30.

 

Here's a two-tone Sport in Sage Green/Silver

 

sport is what they call XV in Europe? I like XV a lot.

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-...#photo-4439306

 

Definitely on my list of Ram Supplements. Thanks Mike!

 

Sure, Josh. Anytime.

Yes, Rams can do a lot of work, but, of course, use its share of gas while doing it.

Believe it or not, on that new Ram pickup you asked me to review some months ago, I actually liked its ride-comfort and noise-isolation more than I did the new Impreza. Chrysler is building comfort and fit/finish now even into traditional work-pick-ups.

 

Yes and no. Here in the U.S., it's actually a little confusing ....I'll try and explain it. In the past, the Outback Sport, the two-tone non-turbo Impreza here, is what Subaru called its top-line Impreza model sold here. It had a slightly-raised suspension (not as high as the regular Legacy-based Outback's). For the last-generation model (2008-2011), the name Outback Sport was kept (and the standard two-tone), but the suspension-height was lowered to virtually the same height as the regular Impreza. Now, with the all-new models for 2012, in the U.S. (don't know about Europe) the name Outback Sport is dropped.....it is now the Impreza Sport, in Premium or Limited-model trim. The suspension remains lowered to virtually standard Impreza-height, and the two-tone is now offered on the Sport model along with monotones. The XV model you are refering to (Crosstrek) is based on the all-new 2012 model, but also seems to be a resurgence of the old idea of the Outback-style raised-suspension. Subaru of America (supposedly.....they are somewhat mum about it) will bring the new raised-suspension XV Crosstrek here next year, in 2013, to replace the one-year-only model-run of the current new 2012 Sport Model. I can't prove it right now, but, by next year, I'd bet the monthly rent they also drop the two-tone paint-option that the current Sport model has. They've dropped it on the Forester and Outback...I doubt if the Impreza Sport models will keep it much longer.

Welcome to the world of Subaru marketing. Always was crazy, and always will be.....even when their vehicles sell well.

 

Solid review on a solid car. Just can't warm up to the frumpy rear styling.

 

I have read some of the professional reviews and its sad that the car has lost power and has a smaller engine. They could of got more power with a 6 speed and still kept the MPG.

The interior design looks dated and the double DIN radio looks pathetic.

No thanks to this Subi.

 

Thanks.

Sedan or hatchback? Most people think that the hatchback looks frumpier. The new taillight assembly on the 2012 hatchback, though, doesn't have the glitter and ostentation of the LCD-display on the old hatchback.

Here's the old hatchback:

 

No. Not necessarily. That's why they used a CVT. It is arguably the most efficient transmission design on the market. A 6-speed only offers 6 gears....a CVT, an infinite number.

Of course, for those who don't particularly like a CVT's driving characteristics (and I'm one of them), or who want greater control, Subaru, like Nissan, programmed six artificial "gears" into the CVT (actually drive-belt-positons) that can be selected manually with the shift-paddles. The programming of this particular CVT, in full-automatic mode, also mimics the automatic ''shifts " of a conventional 6-speed.

The smaller engine also means less weight upfront (in conjunction with the smaller, lighter CVT) that enhances fuel-economy even more.

So, I wouldn't complain about the new powertrain, even though, like you, I'd prefer a little more power myself. How many other conventional gas-powered AWD cars can get 36 MPG (or more) on the road? This car, IMO, is going to sell in much larger numbers than the old non-turbo Imprezas.

I agree that the new dash lacks the V-shaped swoopiness and triple-color effect of the 2008-2011 models, but, in general, it uses more-pleasant-feeling materials. The old interior was full of durable but rock-hard, unpleasant-feeling plastic almost everywhere.

Well, that's your opinion....and, of course, I respect it. And there are things about it I don't like myself (I listed them in the MINUSES column). But I think that the sales numbers, in time, will justify its design. For instance, I didn't particularly like the latest-generation (2008) Forester either (I thought it cheaply-done, with excessive cost-cutting in several areas except for some added standard safety-features), but its sales numbers have far exceeded its predecessor. The big increase in interior room, even with cheap trim materials, swayed a lot of people.

 

Next planned reviews, per CL-member request:

Hyundai Genesis R-spec

Hyundai Genesis 2.0T Coupe/Brembo package

Scion iQ

Infiniti JX.

I also plan to check out the all-new Buick Verano compact-luxury sedan, when available. I don't have any specific requests for this car (yet). So I may or may not do a formal write-up, depending on how much time I have, but I myself am very interested in it.

(And, next spring, BTW, I will probably start my own car shopping........Yep, it's coming up on that time again. ; Right now, I'll probably be looking at a new Subie, Verano, or a couple of Lexus models first (after all, I'm still part of CL), but that's still a few months off.

 

Thanks for this review Marsh, as I am doing some emergency car shopping. Sat in a few of these today. Love it!

 

Sure...Anytime.

The old car get totalled or stolen?

If you are used to the way a Legacy or Outback drives, though, you will find Imprezas to be somewhat noisier. It's not terrible, but road and wind noise are both noticeable. The Impreza's better mileage comes with weight-reduction......at least part of what seems to be less sound-insulation. The CVT (if you choose it over the manual) will also take some getting used to.