Subaru Impreza – What you need to know

For 2021 the Subaru Impreza range carries over four trim levels that are identical in five-door hatch and four-door sedan versions, and all powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with a continuously variable transmission and all-wheel drive.

Upgraded last year, the latest Impreza range gains Subaru’s Intelligent Drive (SI-DRIVE) on all models, letting the driver choose between efficiency and sport modes, along with a new grille, front bumper and fog light design.

So let’s dive in to find the one that impresses you the most.

At $23,990 sedan or $24,190 hatch (plus on-road costs), the 2.0i base model includes the following standard equipment:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• SI-DRIVE
• Cruise control
• 6.5-inch LCD infotainment touch-screen
• Bluetooth hands-free mobile and audio streaming
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity
• Digital radio
• Reversing camera
• Air-conditioning
• Privacy glass

The only option on the Subaru Impreza is the colour you want from a choice of eight, in a mixture of metallic, mica, pearl and solid finishes and they’re all available at no extra cost.

Every Subaru Impreza now comes with SI-DRIVE. Operable via a steering wheel button, it lets the driver select the engine and transmission characteristics to suit their desired driving style, road feel, or type of use.

Other standard features across the board include auto door-locking, front, side and curtain airbags, plus a driver’s knee bag, along with electronic traction and stability control, anti-lock brakes (with brake assist and electronic brake force distribution), a tyre pressure monitoring system, a rear-view camera for easier reversing and hill-hold for effortless getaways.

Three child seat anchor points and two ISOFIX anchor points are also fitted on all models.

Open the wallet a bit wider for the 2.0i-L and the benefits of Subaru’s ‘EyeSight’ driver assistance suite come to the fore.

EyeSight includes adaptive cruise control, lead vehicle start alert, brake light recognition, pre-collision brake assist and throttle management, plus autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that warns of a potential collision and brakes automatically if there’s no driver response.

The EyeSight package also features lane departure and sway warnings, plus lane keep assist.

All of these safety features give you a lot of peace of mind, but if you want more like blind spot and front view monitoring, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert, auto headlight high beams and reverse automatic braking to prevent you backing into anything, you’ll have to take another step up to the Impreza 2.0i-Premium.

And if you want to go all the way and have side view monitoring and active torque vectoring, head to the range-topping Impreza 2.0i-S.

A 6.5-inch infotainment LCD touch-screen is standard on the Subaru Impreza 2.0i, complementing Bluetooth phone pairing and audio streaming through your own device via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. All variants pump sound through six speakers.

If you tick the box for the Impreza 2.0i-L the LCD infotainment touch-screen measures 8.0 inches and the steering wheel, gear shift knob and boot are leather-wrapped, plus there are illuminated mirrors in the sun visors and premium cloth trim for the seats.

Want heated exterior mirrors, a sunroof and satellite navigation? You’ll have to go for the Impreza 2.0i-Premium at least. But if you just want the sat-nav you can save plenty by sticking with the entry-level Impreza 2.0i and utilising Apple CarPlay/Android Auto for guidance from your phone, which is mirrored on the touch-screen.

If sumptuous black or ivory leather for the seats is a must-have, head over to the Impreza 2.0i-S and revel in the driver’s seat, which is powered in eight different ways, and has position memory settings, plus there’s a heating function for both front seats.

Also exclusive to the 2.0i-S are sports pedals, auto windscreen wipers and steering-responsive, self-levelling, dusk-sensing LED auto headlights, along with an auto-dipping passenger side mirror.

The Impreza 2.0i-S stands out from the rest of the range with its side skirts, body-coloured exterior mirrors and chrome on the door handles and window sills.

While all models feature new-design alloy wheels, only the Impreza 2.0i-S rolls on 18-inch diameter versions, with the rest on 17-inch alloys.

A single driveline choice is offered across the board for the Subaru Impreza. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder boxer petrol engine produces 115kW/196Nm and is mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving all four wheels.

The good news is that Subaru’s Intelligent Drive (SI-DRIVE) is standard on all Subaru Impreza models, giving the small car a sizeable value boost.

With each model boasting the same driveline and any performance difference between sedan and hatch being negligible, I’ll happily pay the slight premium for the versatility and convenience of the hatch.

My pick of the pack is the Impreza 2.0i-L hatch. You get the benefit of the EyeSight safety system, plus an upmarket feel thanks to the premium cloth trim, leather-clad steering wheel and bigger infotainment touch-screen.

And you don’t miss out on sat-nav, as you can drive it off your phone through the Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring function.

How much does the 2021 Subaru Impreza cost?
2.0i sedan – $23,990
2.0i-L sedan – $25,990
2.0i Premium sedan – $28,590
2.0i-S sedan – $31,290
2.0i hatch – $24,190
2.0i-L hatch – $26,190
2.0i Premium hatch – $28,790
2.0i-S hatch – $31,490
* Prices exclude on-road costs