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Subaru Impreza vs Ford Focus

What's the difference?

VS
Subaru Impreza
Subaru Impreza

$31,490 - $37,990

2024 price

Ford Focus
Ford Focus

$26,990 - $50,990

2021 price

Summary

2024 Subaru Impreza
2021 Ford Focus
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Flat 4, 2.0L

Turbo 3, 1.5L
Fuel Type
-

Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency
7.5L/100km (combined)

6.4L/100km (combined)
Seating
5

5
Dislikes
  • No hybrid option
  • Engine noisy when pushed
  • Loves a drink

  • Optional advanced safety
  • Better tyres would be nice
  • Too many optional colours
2024 Subaru Impreza Summary

For over thirty years, the Subaru Impreza has been an icon on Australian roads.

If you’re a member of the ‘PlayStation generation’ like me, there’s a very good chance you slapped P plates on one as your first car.

For Subaru the Impreza is more than that. Along with its WRX performance variant, it's the car which put Subaru on the map, raising it from a relatively unknown Japanese automaker to a global household name.

Things change, though, and despite 30-plus years of history as a beloved nameplate, the Impreza has gone from a best-seller to tumbling down the sales charts as buyers shuffle into small SUVs rather than hatchbacks or small sedans.

The question we’re looking to answer today is what this new-generation Impreza has to offer in 2024, and whether it is still worth a look.

Read on to see what we found.

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2021 Ford Focus Summary

Ford's small hatch, the Focus, is criminally under-bought in Australia. The latest model is  one of the best hatchbacks on the road and when you chuck in the decent price, impressive equipment and absurdly powerful engine for its size, it's a winner.

But you lot? You don't buy it in nearly the kinds of numbers it deserves. Partly because there isn't a bait-and-upsell boggo model to lure you in, partly because it's got a badge that is not exciting Australians any more and partly because it's not a compact SUV.

Or is(n't) it? Because alongside the ST-Line warm hatch is the identically priced and therefore technically a co-entry level model; the Focus Active. Slightly higher, with plastic cladding, drive modes and a conspicuous L on the transmission shifter, it's a little bit SUV, right?

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Deep dive comparison

2024 Subaru Impreza 2021 Ford Focus

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