Browse over 9,000 car reviews

Could the current Subaru Impreza be the last one? Subaru Australia weighs in on the chances of a next-generation Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30 rival

The Subaru Impreza plays in a tough segment losing ground to small SUVs. So, will there be another one?

Historically, the Subaru Impreza sedan and hatch have been core to building the Japanese brand’s legend, but in a global market which is shifting toward SUVs, does the now fallen-from-favour model stand a chance for another generation?

After nearly five years on sale, the Impreza was mildly facelifted last year, but notably did not receive an ‘e-Boxer’ hybrid variant in Australia unlike its small SUV spin-off, the XV. It also sells in much smaller numbers than its most direct rivals, having sold 3642 units over the course of 2021, capturing just 3.7 per cent of the sub-$40k small-car segment, a number which pales in comparison to the 25,000-plus units achieved by the Hyundai i30 and Toyota Corolla.

Further to its limited sales, the Impreza has actually been withdrawn from sale in Europe and the UK, where Subaru now focuses on being ‘an SUV brand’, with a spotlight on its refreshed line-up of hybrid XVs and Foresters.

So, is the writing on the wall for the embattled sedan and hatch? When pitched these ideas, Subaru Australia managing director Blair Read had some thoughts.

“Impreza has been doing okay for us,” he said. “It is still an important entry-point for the brand in Australia, and we think it still has a strong future.

“The nameplate has such history. I think it will continue.”

A beacon of hope for the Impreza is the recent arrival of an e-Boxer hybrid in Japan, which pairs the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder boxer engine with an electric motor mounted in the transmission for a slight reduction in fuel usage, as also seen on its XV sibling.

The Japanese-market Impreza has a wider array of variants, including a hybrid. The Japanese-market Impreza has a wider array of variants, including a hybrid.

While non-hybrid Imprezas produce 115kW/196Nm from the four-cylinder boxer engine, the hybrid in Japan takes a slight dip in overall power outputs to 107kW/188Nm. Fuel consumption supposedly drops from 7.1L/100km to 6.5L/100km.

While Subaru Australia sources its models exclusively from Japan, it remains tight-lipped on the introduction of future hybrid models, with representatives saying it is evaluating the local feedback and success of its first two e-Boxer variants of the XV and Forester.

The success of the XV both in Australia and overseas almost guarantees a follow-up model, complete with the updated interior treatment and enormous portrait screen, as seen in the new Outback and WRX ranges. But it would seem whether the Australian line-up is set to include another Impreza generation is entirely dependent on the model’s success and subsequent renewal in the Japanese domestic market.

Whether Australia receives another Impreza generation could entirely be to do with the car's success overseas. Whether Australia receives another Impreza generation could entirely be to do with the car's success overseas.

Stay tuned as we keep an eye on all things Impreza as the current car runs through the remainder of its model cycle.