Oh boy - a new Subaru Impreza! It must be fast, right?
Wrong. While the words "Subaru" and "Impreza" might conjure up images of burning tyres and steely Vin Diesel stares, this particular model is about as lairy as your mom's Toyota Corolla. Well, at least for the time being anyway because Subaru is yet to release their hot WRX and STI models in fifth-generation Impreza guise.
So for now we're stuck with a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engine and, man, is it ever anaemic. Sending what meagre power it does muster through a CVT gearbox and the firm's famed all-wheel-drive system doesn't help matters either.
Slow off the line, it's also lazy through the "gears," which makes every-day driving tasks like overtaking other cars something of a bottom-clenching chore.Damn, that's deeply disappointing considering Subaru's rally heritage. Does it make up for this with handling?
Strange that you bring this up because I thought the new Subaru Impreza was particularly pleasant to throw around the streets at speed. Desperate to get home one night after overdosing on an evil chili sauce, I discovered that it shrugged off hard cornering thanks to its mechanical grip and composed, surprisingly roll-resistant body.It seems that performance has taken a backseat to luxury here. Would you say the new Impreza excels as a cruiser?
Out on the highway and once up to speed, the Impreza is a great gobbler of the long-distance mile. Refinement is top notch - there's more sound-deadening material built into this model - with very little wind or road noise to vex your senses, even when travelling above the legal limit.The ride quality is equally impressive: there's a suppleness to the way it smooths over pimply road surfaces that wouldn't be out of place in cars a class above it. Add in the grip and poise of the all-wheel-drive system and you get a machine that gets you to your destination no matter how gnarly the conditions. I just wish it had a more meaty motor to better dispatch with overtaking manoeuvres.
So it's worth getting then, yeah?
If you're specifically looking for a comfortable and practical all-wheel-drive sedan, then the new Subaru Impreza is a no-brainer. Nothing else comes close in terms of price. Not only that, but it also comes loaded with a long and generous list of standard features that shoot it high up the Value-O-Metre.
However, if you're interested in straight-line performance and snappy acceleration times then I'd recommend that you shop elsewhere - at least until the WRX rolls into town.
FAST FACTS
Engine capacity: 1995cc
Power: 115kW
No. of cylinders: 4
Max speed: 208km/h
Litres/100km: 9.1L
Price: R399,000..