What's the difference?
There’s a lot to admire about Subaru.
For one, the brand is hell-bent on committing to all-wheel drive across its range where its major competitors benefit from selling (often cheaper to manufacture) front-drive cars, plus its current safety push is admirably reminiscent of Volvo’s efforts in the field.
Subaru’s stalwart hatch and sedan, the Impreza, can’t afford to let up, though. In a world where some of Japan’s most beloved nameplates are losing ground to SUVs in a big way, can the fifth-generation Impreza still hold its own in 2019?
We’ve spent a week in the top-spec 2.0i-S hatch to find out.
The Subaru Impreza 2020 range has been tweaked, and the hatchback variant is the biggest-seller.
We've sampled the top of the range 2.0i-S model to see if it can compete with newer rivals like the Mazda 3 and Toyota Corolla.
The Impreza 2.0i-S is packed with safety and luxury features and offers fantastic value by flying under the asking price for most equivalent high-spec competitors.
Because it has been built for a world where SUVs dominate, it’s a better commuter car than ever before, just don’t expect it to have that wild rally spark from days past…
I think that it probably doesn't matter what the verdict of this review states, because usually you're either a "Subaru person", or you're not.
That said, this top-end variant in the Impreza hatch range is an interesting offering, even for those who mightn't have considered the small Subie before. It's not as fun to drive as a Corolla, or as eye-catching as Mazda3, or as pragmatic a choice as a Kia Cerato hatch. That's not to say it's a bad car, but aside from its AWD system, it's hard to see how it stands out in any major way in this highly competitive class.