Subaru Impreza 2.0i-S AWD 2017 Long-term review - 2

Throwing all of its weight behind safety as a promotional device for the brand, Subaru could be considered the 21st Century version of Volvo

However, unlike the Swedish company's focus with its past products, Subaru is not preoccupied with crash safety alone – although the latest Impreza scored an impressive 35.8 points out of 37 in barrier testing en route to scoring the maximum five-star safety rating from ANCAP.

There's also EyeSight, Subaru's patented system to warn you of impending danger – and then stomp on the brakes when you're too dozy to react in time. And of course there's the well-established symmetrical all-wheel drive grip, allied with the active torque vectoring which is a standard feature in our long-term test Impreza, in the 2.0i-S level of trim. This particular Impreza also comes with adaptive LED headlights, so it's certainly safe to drive.

While the Impreza was not scalpel-like in its corner carving, its roadholding was impressive and the handling was safe and consistent, thanks in part to that torque vectoring. This system made its presence felt mid-corner, smoothing the Impreza's power delivery and handling traits. On a trailing throttle, the Impreza took a neutral line and also tracked true with the throttle applied.

Steering feedback and turn-in were both substantially better than earlier models wearing the same badge, but in a recent comparison against two other small cars we found the Impreza's steering was still not in the same league for feel.

But the traction was unimpeachable and roadholding was certainly competitive. It's encouraging to think the Impreza’s new platform will also underpin the all-new WRX and STI, whenever those cars arrive. In short, this is a platform easily capable of accommodating a fair bit more power and torque than the test Impreza mustered.

Performance
On the subject of output, the Impreza’s horizontally-opposed engine's power and torque provided linear performance, with a slight surge noticeable from 3000rpm. Unfortunately, linear though the performance was, acceleration was not especially brisk. Performance was further dampened by the CVT automatic, which whined a lot when the drivetrain was working hard.

All of which would be fine if reduced fuel consumption offset that performance deficit, but over several days of around-town running it was hovering around 10.0L/100km (yet previous findings suggest CVT-equipped vehicles should excel in urban environs). During the seven-day test proper, and in freer-flowing traffic, the Impreza's fuel consumption improved to 9.8L/100km.

For refinement, the engine revealed itself to be extremely free of vibration, right down to just above 1000rpm, where it's frequently operating when the CVT is holding a higher ratio to conserve fuel. At open-road speeds the flat four is felt – as opposed to heard – as a light rumble, and only lets loose a racket when under full load and at higher revs.

However, it's clanky and rattly for the first start of the day, before the engine warms up. And from a cold start, the engine initially revs moderately hard and takes a while to settle down. On a couple of occasions the CVT was also reluctant to select a forward gear – a second or two before the car would move off from a standing start. When it did so, the shift was accompanied by an inelegant thud. And the idle-stop system was not especially adept at restarting the engine without a fair degree of rocking and rolling.

So the Impreza's powerplant is a mixed bag, and the CVT doesn't make things substantially better.

Eye for an eye
But the rest of the package is impressive overall, with the car's EyeSight system leading the way. The active safety system works better than previous iterations, picking up line markings on the shoulder of country roads which a few prestige European models don't. It does get confused by unusual roadside furniture; approach a hairpin bend a bit hot and the outside armco barrier will throw the EyeSight system into alarm – manifested as a soft but insistent chime. But it's less strident than some similar systems and the autonomous emergency braking is not as quickly triggered by cars in front slowing while making a left-hand turn.

Another useful feature of the EyeSight system is a prompt for the driver when the car ahead has moved forward. One unusual intersection where trams turned flummoxed the EyeSight system and it actually alerted me that the car in front had moved forward – after the traffic light had already changed to red. It seems autonomous cars still have a long way to go before they can fully comprehend Melbourne’s traffic flow nuances, but on balance, this is one feature we like.

The Impreza’s headlights were well adjusted on low beam and shone white, but were a little anaemic and could do with more power. Their adaptive cornering function was useful negotiating darker street corners.

As with Subaru models generally, the Impreza's field of vision was commendable. The A pillars are relatively narrow and set further outboard and back so you can see the traffic light across the intersection when making a right turn – not the case with some cars.

I found the seats to be flat in the cushion and wide, but the side bolstering was adequate to hold the occupant in place for higher g forces. Heating elements were welcome during colder days in the final month of winter, but the low setting didn't do much. If it's cold enough to warrant seat heating, select ‘High’ every time...

Instrumental break
The instruments were easy to read, as usual in a Subaru, but the infotainment functions (combining also the climate control readout) looked a little busy. That said, the 3D rendering in the satnav display was wonderful. Wiper and indicator stalks were well damped and contributed to the car's overall feel of quality fit and finish.

For the three-car comparison, the Impreza took the top step of the podium for rear-seat accommodation, which was more generous than the other two cars'. There was plenty of headroom and knee-room for adults. And there was also enough free space under the front seats to stretch out a little.

But Subaru hasn't equipped this $29,000 car with adjustable rear air vents. And the lap/sash belt for the centre rear position has to be anchored in two buckles to be used. It also has to be unhooked from the seat's feeder before the seats are folded down, otherwise it obstructs through-loading.

The rear seats don't quite fold flat, but they do come pretty close. When dropped, they won't sit completely flush with the boot floor, being raised slightly higher.

A space-saver spare tyre resides under the boot floor, and at 345 litres, the boot itself is not especially large, although that can be forgiven in light of the extra drivetrain components underneath. For most users it will be at least adequate.

As a brand-new car, the Impreza still has that 'new-car smell', but, to be honest, it's not especially pleasant … it's a bitter aroma of compounds which couldn't possibly be produced by nature.

In summation, the Subaru Impreza is an easy car to drive and it comes very well equipped for the money. To be frank, it's not a car which will earn rave reviews from driving enthusiasts, but it does most things well, and there's no denying it's a car which might very well save your life one day.

Long-Term Tests
motoring.com.au aims to make your vehicle buying decisions easier. Our Editorial section does this via our mix of news, international and local new model launch reviews, as well as our seven-day tests.

From time to time, we also take the opportunity to spend even longer with a vehicle.

These longer-term tests can be as short as a couple of weeks, but more recently we’ve settled on a three-month period as indicative of ‘normal’ ownership.

Long-term tests give our staff writers and contributors a chance to get to know a car as an owner would. While the car is with us, we pay for fuel, the servicing, and generally use and live with the car as a new owner would.

We believe long-term tests give car buyers a deeper insight into the vehicle on test, but also the qualities behind the brand and nameplate. The extended period also allows us to touch base with the dealer networks in question.

It comes as no surprise that manufacturers tend to have a love-hate relationship with long-term tests. Three months is long enough to fall out of love with the latest and greatest, and start to nit-pick — just like real owners do.

2017 Subaru Impreza 2.0i-S pricing and specifications:
Price: $29,190 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 115kW/196Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 163g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Related reading:
>> Subaru Impreza 2017 Long-term Test Intro
>> Subaru Impreza 2017 Review
>> Subaru Impreza: Video Review

Also consider:
>> Hyundai i30 (from $20,950 plus ORCs)
>> Mazda3 (from $20,490 plus ORCs)
>> Toyota Corolla (from $20,190 plus ORCs)