Subaru Impreza 2.0i-L hatch 2013 Review

Subaru Impreza  2.0i-L (hatch)

Not so much:
>> Average fuel economy
>> Oil leak around filter
>> Ad-hoc dashboard

A few years ago Subaru could seemingly do no wrong but with this car it appears to have either forgotten much of what it learned along the way, or deliberately chosen to serve up something it knows to be inferior.

The horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine is a raucous enough presence at the best of times, but driving as it was here through a continuously variable transmission, it proved an annoying blight on the car’s refinement.

Despite boasting competitive power and torque figures, the drivetrain also failed to deliver on the strip, struggling to get the Impreza up to a pace that bettered only the lethargic Cruze.

We might forgive that if fuel consumption was exceptionally good, but the Impreza finished towards the bottom of the pack here as well. It also managed only a mid-field braking performance.

The assured grip of the all-wheel drive system did at least provide some confidence when hustling through corners, but a lack of body control over mid-corner humps and bumps quickly lost it as many points as it gained.

Through high speed sweepers, the Impreza’s prodigious body roll proved mildly disconcerting. Its lacklustre performance in the slalom, where it delivered one of the least impressive and loosest performances of the field, consigned it towards the bottom of the pack.

In spite of these minor quibbles we did note that the doors felt secure and the jambs unobstructed; a shame then there was so many welds present around the door frame. There was also an additional section of rubber between the front and rear doors, but only to shoulder height.

We didn’t really like the old-school fuel and boot releases on the driver’s floor nor the exposed metal frame inside the filler receptacle. Quality niggles like these were at odds with Impreza’s flush-fitting rear bar and SUV-esque cargo bay with switchable light.

With a rear seat almost as easy to access as Nissan’s Pulsar, the Impreza was let down only by an awkward, cargo bay-mounted centre belt.

The seat material was very similar in texture to that of the Mazda3, and the carpet was noted as better than that of the Toyota Corolla.

The plasticky dash, console and door-cards do help the Impreza feel utilitarian and pragmatic, but we felt this would be better saved for XV or Forester. Simple but uninspiring control surfaces also lowered the cabin’s tone.

Exposed wiring and visible plumbing defined an untidy engine bay. We also noted a leak from the oil filter.

The Impreza’s road noise was measured at 79dBA on our coarse-chip test surface.

The dashboard panel looks a bit ad-hoc, particularly the touch-screen, but it works well, and the Impreza was the easiest vehicle to sync an iPhone to via Bluetooth, taking just two button presses.

The overall look and feel of the cabin was at the bottom of the bunch, alas; so too the audio quality from the six-speaker, single-CD tuner.

The Impreza comes with two 12V outlets, USB and 3.5mm auxiliary audio inputs, and climate control. It should be noted though that the HVAC and controls in general look and feel cheap. If you want to impress people and influence colleagues, the Hyundai i30's cabin may be a better place to start.

Subaru's trip information screen is pretty cool – a high-resolution colour screen with lots of detail. There's also a secondary screen located between the major instrument dials.

The Subaru Impreza’s stability control shared top honours with the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. It had the most subtle intervention and in concert with its symmetrical all-wheel drive system offered a high level of adhesion.

The tested car was also fitted a reversing camera and sunroof, both of which are optional extras.

Impreza was the only car on test to sport steel wheels (16-inch diameter). Its temporary spare also saw it marked down.

Even though $2500 extra for the continuously variable transmission tied it with Volkswagen Golf’s dual-clutch unit as the most expensive transmission option, it included wheel-mounted steering wheel paddles. In the group context, Impreza’s $26,490 list price (plus on-road costs) tied it as the third-most expensive car here.

Subaru offers a unique six-month/12,500km service interval for Impreza (whichever comes first), but presently there is no capped price servicing arrangement. You do receive a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, but roadside assistance is offered only as a cost option ($85.40 basic or an expensive $154.95 for the premium option).

According to Redbook, the median private sale price of a MY10 Subaru Impreza R is $16,100; a retained value of 63 per cent.

Driver and front passenger comfort and space is great. Indeed, the Subaru Impreza offers a spacious and well-equipped cabin, however, the layout and flow is not quite as natural as others on test. Overall, it presents as a flat, functional landscape.

The Impreza didn’t possess quite the same refinement as others on test, either, with road and engine noise evident in the cabin.

The second row of the Impreza seats three adult passengers, but it’s tight. Head and leg-room is better than the likes of the i30. The rear D pillar-mounted centre seatbelt and intrusive centre console see a downgrade to the second-row accommodation.

In-cabin storage is good with a variety of options. And the Impreza’s boot configuration is also good. It offers a retractable luggage cover and durable plastic tray insert in the base of the boot.

The Impreza’s 60:40 split-fold seats are easy to operate.

Visibility from the Impreza is good.