TOKYO MOTOR SHOW: Hatch is new Impreza

There’s no mistaking the production reality of Subaru’s star of the 44th Tokyo motor show. Eschewing the normal ‘Viziv’ label the brand now normally gives to its concepts, the Impreza Concept is a close-to-production look at the next generation small car.

“It’s a good look at the next Impreza,” Subaru Australian Managing Director, Nick Senior, told motoring.com.au.

“[But] It’s two years away before we see it launched [in Australia],” Senior admitted.

Details are scant on the new car. At 4400mm long and 1440mm high, it’s marginally shorter and lower than the existing five-door. If the dimensions translate to the production car however, the new Impreza will be a considerable 60mm wider than the current offering.

The Tokyo concept has been labelled as “a bold expression of Subaru’s dynamic and solid design elements and a quality feel beyond its class” by the manufacturer. From a brand that seems to alternate between hit and miss with its styling, it is undoubtedly a return to form.

Senior says not to read too much into the debut of the hatch only. A sedan version is a must for the brand in many Asian markets. Does this potentially signal a return of the WRX hatch, then? Senior says wait and see.

The Impreza Concept is also new under the skin. The car is believed to be underpinned by the company’s new platform. It will also feature the next generation of Subaru’s Eyesight active safety system.

Eyesight is unique in being a camera only system – it does not use millimeter-wave radar as other manufacturer’s current autonomous cruise and braking set-ups. Subaru insiders have hinted that this may have to change in future generations. The main hurdle to Subaru’s adoption of a multi-faceted system is cost, insiders says.

Eyesight is now fitted to over 40 per cent of the Subaru sold Down Under and will be standard equipment on the new Levorg wagon.

Also expect the next generation Impreza to introduce the wider use of Subaru’s latest 1.6-litre direct-injected turbo-petrol boxer four. With 125kW and 250Nm the engine is well placed to compete with atmo 2.0-2.5-litre engines from competitor brands.

Subaru Australia is understood to be keen to fasttrack the engine – perhaps as replacement for the current 2.5 atmo in some base models. With this in mind it may not wait until the new Impreza arrives to debut the powerplant.

Unlike Impreza, according to Senior, Subaru’s other Tokyo unveiling is very much a concept – and not the next generation Forester as previously reported. Dubbed VIZIV Future Concept, the vehicle is claimed to feature a downsized hybrid drivetrain and have autonomous driving technology.

“It’s very much a look at the styling cues that we’ll apply to our future SUVs,” Senior explained.

“There’s hints to what the next generation will look like, but it’s not Forester,” he told motoring.com.au.

Read our full coverage of the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show