The trendy Subaru Impreza has all the time been an excellent automobile – not an particularly fascinating one, however an excellent one. That is true of the brand new 2024 mannequin, which does not get a lot flashier however improves on the outgoing automobile in a lot of the ways in which matter. This new mannequin is healthier wanting and a bit quieter, plus it’s fairly darn inexpensive with a base $24,115 asking value.
Upgrading to the RS mannequin, which provides an even bigger 2.5-liter engine and a few aesthetic tweaks, nonetheless prices lower than $30,000. The RS mannequin examined right here, which has a sunroof and fancy paint, is simply $31,045. However the return of the RS badge to the Impreza vary in all probability received’t be a smash hit with fans – for just a few causes.
| Fast Stats | 2024 Subaru Impreza RS |
| Engine | 2.5-Liter 4-Cylinder |
| Output | 182 Horsepower / 178 Pound-Toes |
| Base Value | $22,995 + $1,120 Vacation spot |
| Value As Examined | $31,045 |
The excellent news is that this Impreza appears means higher than did final yr. The entrance finish has extra edge due to slimmer headlights and a wider grille, whereas the taillights boast a brand new angular design. The RS mannequin improves that already enticing styling with greater 18-inch wheels completed in darkish grey, and the elective Oasis Blue paint is well worth the $395 splurge.
And it’s a hatchback, which is uncommon nowadays. The five-door provides some much-needed performance to the phase with a stable 20.4 cubic toes of area behind the second row and 56.0 cubes with the second row folded flat. That’s greater than a Crosstrek (19.9 / 54.7), which is odd given the 2 share a bodyshell.
The brand new Impreza appears means higher than did final yr.
However by way of driving dynamics, the RS falls a bit flat. The larger 2.5-liter engine does give it some further go, versus the two.0-liter unit that is normal on all different trims. The Impreza RS has 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque as an alternative of the 152 hp and 145 lb-ft on the bottom mannequin. It accelerates with okay verve, however do not depend on the repeatedly variable transmission to be all that thrilling – or refined – because the Impreza whines its method to 60 miles per hour.
Chucking the Subaru right into a nook is decently enjoyable. The horizontally opposed engine provides the automobile a pleasant low heart of gravity whereas the suspension is squishy however well-sorted. Subaru made the Impreza’s chassis 10 p.c stiffer this yr, and that helps quash physique roll. The steering is electrically boosted to hell, as most Subarus are, but it surely does supply first rate suggestions no less than.
While you’re not flinging it round, the Impreza is compliant. Not solely is it extra inflexible this yr however quieter too; Subaru added further sound deadening for 2024. Whereas it definitely is not coffin-like, you will not need to yell at your passengers to have a dialog at 70 miles per hour. And having normal all-wheel drive makes the Impreza a wonderful alternative for patrons in inclement climate; the Mazda3 is the one different hatch that even gives it.
Simply do not depend on the repeatedly variable transmission to be all that thrilling – or refined…
The one draw back is that the inside feels low-cost – no shock there, given the earlier Impreza’s flimsy-feeling cabin. The Honda Civic hatch and Mazda3 are each far more premium. Extra laborious plastics are inside attain and glossy black stuff covers a lot of the heart console. At the least this RS mannequin gives cozy black and crimson fabric seats.
The 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen is the focus of the cabin and it runs Subaru’s newest Starlink infotainment system. It appears nice, however the performance is fairly poor; contact responsiveness is sluggish, the graphics already look outdated, and there is means an excessive amount of baked into the display – just like the HVAC controls on the base of the show. At the least Subaru had the wherewithal to maintain some laborious buttons for issues like quantity, tuning, and temperature controls.
The Verdict: The 2024 Subaru Impreza is an efficient economic system automobile, un-flashy as it could be. The five-door structure makes it an instantaneous possibility for patrons wanting an inexpensive automobile with further area, and all-wheel drive makes it an excellent possibility for inclement climate. However the historic RS badge barely provides something to the equation past energy; the driving dynamics are simply okay and you’ll have to accept sub-par inside high quality and so-so acceleration. That is the value you pay while you’re solely shelling out lower than $30,000.
