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What do our experts think of the 2023 Subaru Impreza? We look at powertrain, interior options, trim levels, and more. Find out our thoughts here.
2023 Subaru Impreza – subaru.com | Shop 2023 Subaru Impreza on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2023 Subaru Impreza?
There are no changes to the 2023 Subaru Impreza over its 2022 model year counterpart. The Subaru Impreza is in its fifth generation and the latest is available as a sedan or a hatchback. All come with the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive.
The Breakdown
Good handling
Clean interior design
Excellent AWD system
Drab drivetrain
Middling fuel economy
Limited safety features
We’d like better transmissions
2023 Impreza Specs
- 152 horsepower from base engine
- 145 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 4 available trims
- 20.8 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 55.3 cu-ft of cargo capacity with seats down
- Available 8-inch infotainment system
- Five-star NHTSA crash test ratings
- 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty
2023 Subaru Impreza Powertrain
It’s strange to think that the Impreza nameplate ultimately gave birth to Subaru’s greatest performance car, the WRX STI. We say that because you’d never associate the Impreza with performance if the 2023 year model was the only one you’d ever driven. It’s simply too weak and doesn’t have a transmission that’s enjoyable either. While the continuously variable transmission is disappointing, the manual might actually be more frustrating. It’s not as precise as we expect from Subaru.
Beyond those gripes, the Impreza is an okay daily driver. It handles slightly above average for the class and the brake-induced torque vectoring on the Sport model is actually pretty impressive (though we wonder how it’ll hold up over time). Steering and pedal feedback is good too. Just don’t expect this thing to inspire driving passion like the old one did. It’s a commuter and it does that fine. Those that want a fun driving experience should consider the WRX.
2023 Subaru Impreza Fuel Economy & MPG
Despite having just a single engine and AWD across the whole lineup, the Impreza has a number of different EPA-estimated fuel efficiency ratings due to gearbox and body differences. The least efficient of the group is the hatchback with a manual transmission. The EPA says it’ll get up to 25 mpg combined. The most efficient is the CVT-equipped sedan which gets an EPA-estimated 32 mpg combined. The rest of the lineup falls between these two bookends.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
One thing Subaru is deservedly well-known for these days is its handsome interior design. The cabin of the Impreza only lends to that reputation. Controls are logically laid out and they’re well-marked for ease of use. We especially like the balance of symmetrical and asymmetrical surfaces and controls. The switchgear itself feels a bit above average but could be even more polished.
The seating is very comfortable and supportive too. We’d love to see a power-adjustable seat on the passenger side in upper trims. The cabin is spacious enough for five adults thanks to ample head and knee room in both rows. It’s quiet too. We prefer the hatch thanks to its practical cargo space. It features 20.8 cubic feet of space back there and expands to 55.3 when the rear seats are folded down. The sedan doesn’t have a quoted cargo space with the seats folded but when they’re up there are only 12.3 cubic feet of space in the trunk.
Entertainment & Technology
The 6.5-inch infotainment system in the Base and Premium Impreza trims is small but powerful. It reacts quickly to inputs, boasts both Android and Apple connectivity, and benefits from intuitive menu layouts. The larger 8-inch unit in the Sport and Limited trims is similarly good but benefits from extra space and additional speakers too.
The base four-speaker system is underpowered and underwhelming too. We’d love to see Subaru upgrade the entire infotainment system to better match rivals in this space but surely it would increase MSRP across the lineup too. For those who aren’t heavily focused on infotainment, the Impreza should do just fine.
Safety Features
The Impreza offers available blind-spot detection with lane change assist and rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic braking, high-beam assist and steering responsive headlights. Unfortunately, Subaru continues to sell manual transmission-equipped cars with little to no safety aids that it offers to those who buy the automatic. That’s just unacceptable.
Both the hatchback and the sedan received five-star crash test ratings from the NHTSA. The IIHS however found that only the hatchback with optional front crash protection and specific headlights qualified to be a Top Safety Pick.
2023 Subaru Impreza Trims & Pricing
Base – $20,815
The standard Impreza gets 16-inch wheels, cruise control, powered exterior mirrors, air conditioning, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, keyless entry, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a 6.5-inch infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and four speakers. It comes standard with a manual transmission but those that opt for the automatic also get forward collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure mitigation.
Premium – $24,215
This trim only comes as an automatic and adds heated exterior mirrors, fog lights, 16-inch alloy wheels, a slightly stiffer suspension, automatic headlights, heated front seats, satellite radio, remote start, a heated windshield wiper de-icer, and six speakers.
Sport – $25,015
The Sport trim gets 18-inch wheels, a rear spoiler, sport suspension tuning, brake-induced torque vectoring, a short-throw shifter in the manually-equipped hatchback, sport cloth upholstery with red stitching, and an 8-inch infotainment system.
Limited – $28,415
The Limited trim is only available as a hatchback. It gets 17-inch wheels, remote climate control activation, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, leather upholstery, automatic climate control, adaptive LED headlights, automatic high beams, rear automatic braking, and blind-spot monitoring.
Warranties
Subaru offers a similar warranty package to its rivals. It includes a three-year or 36,000-mile limited warranty and a five-year or 60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Brands like Kia and Hyundai both offer a lot more coverage and in some cases free maintenance.
What we think
2023 Subaru Impreza – subaru.com | Shop 2023 Subaru Impreza on Carsforsale.com
The 2023 Subaru Impreza has no particularly excellent character feature. We wonder how long it can compete in a segment where only the best survive these days. Even longtime sedans have gone the way of the SUV. See the Toyota Corolla Cross for evidence of that. On the positive side, it does offer standard AWD and a very low base price which, when combined with new car incentives could make it simply too good to pass up.
