2020 Subaru WRX Reviews

Greener, leaner and not a turbo air intake in sight - Subaru has launched its Impreza small car range in Australia. The fourth incarnation of the all-wheel drive small car is aimed at the higher end of the small car market but has held it's pricetag to the same level as the previous incarnation.The unchanged asking price has been retained despite upgraded drivetrain, improved features list and better fuel economy (which the brand says debunks the claim of all-wheel drive being thirsty), which will no doubt help Subaru resurrect its sales volumes after a challenging 2011. Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior says the new Impreza will attract new customers but should retain existing Impreza owners."These new customers will come along with our loyal Impreza owners, we've sold more than 144,000 Imprezas and the customers are a loyal bunch who will openly embrace the multitude of changes," he says.VALUEDespite not dwelling in the bargain basement, the value equation is strong, with the all-wheel drive entry-level car priced from $23,990 for the 2.0i manual sedan and hatch, heading up to $26,490 for the CVT model. Standard fare includes the stop-start fuel saving system, 16in steel wheels, climate control (dual-zone on the mid-spec L and flagship S), Bluetooth phone and audio link to the USB-compatible six-speaker sound system and trip computer.The L middle child is priced from $26,990 for the six-speed manual or the CVT slides in at $29,490 - the extra cash buys a reversing camera, 16in alloy wheels, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and fog lights. The flagship S is a CVT-only proposition, priced from $31,490, but comes with upgraded instruments and extra chrome trim bits, alloy pedals, side skirts and 17in alloy wheels. Option packs for the L and S comprise satnav and a sunroof for $3000, or the S alone can be upped to include satnav, sunroof, leather trim and power-adjustable driver's seat for $4000.TECHNOLOGYThe new Suby small car has the upgraded flat-four boxer engine with a longer stroke, which when combined with the variable valve system and the stop-start fuel saver system (which is on manual and CVT models and can re-start the engine between 0.2 and -35 of a second) has kept outputs unchanged at 110kW and 196Nm, but with 25 per cent better fuel economy.The CVT is hooked up to all four wheels via an electronically-controlled system that can run up to 95 per cent front-wheel drive, or the six-speed manual models use the long-serving all-wheel drive system with a mechanical centre Limited Slip Differential (LSD), split 50/50. The CVT claims 6.8 litres per 100km (a 22 per cent improvement) and the manual drinks a claimed 7.1 l/100km, 20 per cent better than the superseded model.DESIGNThe new Impreza is 4580mm long (4415mm for the hatch), 1740mm wide, sitting on a 2645mm wheelbase (up 25mm) and 1465mm tall, a 10mm drop. The nose is dominated by the new "hawkeye" headlights and has a less surprised look on its face than the Outback and Liberty models. The A-pillar's base has been brought forward 200mm and the C-pillar has also been slanted on more of an angle.Subaru says there is more interior space without much increase on overall vehicle size, with a 340 litre boot in the rump of the hatch (up from 301 litres); the sedan's 460 litre boot has also grown, up from 420 litres. The aerodynamic package has also contributed to the reduced fuel use, including underbody aero panels to reduce drag.The cabin redesign has also taken the childseat anchor points from the roof - where they intruded on loadspace and restricted rear vision - and put them down behind the rear seats.SAFETYSubaru says the five-star safety rating from NCAP remains thanks to seven airbags - dual front, side, curtain and one for the driver's knee - as well as body strength derived from construction topped by high-strength steel in the sills and B-pillar. There's also the inherent active safety and grip from all-wheel drive, as well as stability and traction control, anti-lock brakles, and the added safety of a reversing camera on the L and S models.DRIVINGMany will say about time, and plenty of those will earn their money within Subaru dealers. The new car is not an unattractive machine, certainly less polarising than its larger siblings.The first few minutes behind the wheel immediately suggests three things - it's quiet, the CVT (which the brand believes will be 80 per cent of the sales) suffers a little less "flaring" and the engine is tuned for economy. It's flexible but leisurely, and needs revs if you need to do something in a hurry - but the payoff is sub-9 fuel economy during the launch drive, which was through suburban traffic and into the Adelaide Hills, not terrain renowned for producing the best fuel economy figures. The hills roads also showed the work on the chassis has payed off for Subaru - the ride quality barely touches firm but the body control is good and handling is composed, it all bodes well for the next WRX.The CVT feels a little more direct than some 'boxes of the same type, while the six-speed manual is notchy but not a bad gearbox with which to swap cogs. The seats were comfortable and not completely without support, but the rear seating area was pleasantly surprising for its head and legroom. Bootspace is better than average, as is the features list.VERDICTIt's been a long hard slog for Subaru recently and the Impreza is a car for which the dealers have been crying out. The supply-constrained 700 per month sales target should not be hard for the company to achieve - it's a capable machine that is sharply-priced.

BIG fuel savings, neater looks and more pep and space should give Subaru's all-new Impreza the goods to get the brand back into top gear when it goes on sale early next year.The car retains many of the previous models lines, minus the ugly bulgy bits. Its a smoother, more attractive design that's also more aerodynamic, especially around the headlights. Also, there's no exhaust pipe poking out of the rear end of the hatch or the XV. Only the sedan has an external pipe.The new car, and its similarly-powered XV compact SUV, have a lot of techno and engineering advances, among them new transmissions and stop-start technology that will feature in every new Subaru from 2012.LINE-UPThe first demo models should be in showrooms in January. Prices should stay within cooee of the outgoing models, which retail from a start of $23,500. There are three Imprezas: the base 2.0i, mid-range 2.0i-L and the fully-featured Impreza 2.0i-S, in hatch and sedan. The XV has a similar pecking order.DESIGNThe Impreza, now in its fourth generation, is still the same length, but the wheelbase has grown 25mm and that has allowed the interior designers to give it an extra 40 litres of boot space and a lot more leg and foot room in the back.The windscreen has been moved forward, the front door windows now feature quarter panes and, hooray, the A-pillars are much thinner than those in a lot of other modern cars, allowing far better forward vision. The doors open wider and entry and exit are much improved. All models get automatic aircon, seven airbags and Vehicle Dynamics Control, cruise control, Bluetooth, USB and aux ports.The base model runs on steel wheels. The L gets 16-inch alloys, a console colour multi-function display, reversing camera, dual-zone climate control, steering wheel audio controls, sunroof, rear privacy glass and front foglights and the premium jobbie throws in HID xenon headlights, leather, powered drivers seat and sports pedals.TECHNOLOGYThe 2.0-litre boxer engine still produces the same 110kW/196Nm power and torque as before, but it's an entirely new design that is lighter and uses components and gadgetry to give both the car and SUV a 20 per cent fuel consumption cut.The motor switches off at the lights, starts up again in a fraction of a second when it's time to go.The new transmissions are a six-speed manual or a CVT, the latter with paddle-shift. The suspension has also been given a bit of a tweak for more comfort.Fuel stats are 7.1 litres/100km for the manual and 6.8 for the CVT, compared to the current five-speed manual's 8.9 and the four-speed auto's 8.8. Performance is up too, by nearly a second to 100km/h, although 10.7seconds is far from exciting. Fans of the WRX and STi models will have to wait years for updates. The hotties are no longer in the Impreza range, but stand-alone models.DRIVINGWe got to drive manual and CVT Imprezas and a CVT XV at Subaru's test facility a couple of hours out of Tokyo, where the brand's all-wheel drive gave it cat-on-carpet grip on the tight varied terrain circuit and at higher speeds on the banked track.Good steering and brakes add to the confidence the car instils. Comfort levels have aso been improved, especially in the quieter cabin.VERDICTThe new Imprezas are a class act, well screwed together, strong, and now with a new level of engineering efficiency.SUBARU IMPREZAOn sale: FebruaryPrices: from about $22,000Warranty: 3yrs/iunlimited kmService: 12,500km, biannualEngine: 2.0L, 4-cylinder boxer, 110kW/196NmTransmissions: 6-speed manual, CVTEcomomy: 6.9L/100km to 7.3L/100kmSafety: 7 airbags, stability control, ABS.