At first, Catherine had difficulties finding a good driving position. She managed to adjust the seatback and cushion to eliminate the lack of lower back support. The steering wheel is smaller and thicker, which particularly appealed to her. The instrument panel looks comprehensive, but the outside temperature gauge has been replaced by a blue LED that turns off once the engine reaches a normal operating temperature. It's a fact that Subaru vehicles warm up very quickly, thus improving passenger comfort.
On the other hand, front passengers unanimously found their seat too low. And there's no way to address the situation, since the driver's seat is the only one that can be lowered. The seat in itself is comfortable and reasonably supportive, though.
Sport Package
The Sport Package is a pretty interesting alternative, requiring a premium of only $2,500 for the sedan and $3,300 for the 5-door hatchback. Given our rough Canadian winters, you should definitely consider it: heated front seats and a windshield wiper de-icer. Also included are standard 4-wheel antilock disc brakes, emergency brake assist as well as electronic stability and traction control. In terms of styling, the Sport Package adds 16-inch alloy wheels and fog lights. The 5-door model even receives body-colored, aerodynamic side ground effects, a subtle roofline spoiler and a retractable cargo cover. Younger buyers will like the 6-CD stereo with audio enhancement system. It delivers quite a sound. Audio controls are mounted on the steering wheel; same goes for the cruise control's.
On the road
The main difference between the old Impreza and the new one lies in the ride quality. While a fairly harsh ride was expected, I rather found a smooth ride, even on damaged roads. Catherine put it this way: "I feel like I'm driving a Legacy." Yet, handling is surprisingly competent. Both models literally stick to the road and easily thread their way through the city traffic. On the highway, wind noise is noticeable.
The sportier Impreza offers superior road-grip capacity and its various driving aids make up for human mistakes. Catherine and I really enjoyed driving these new Imprezas. For us, it's all about handling first -- except this time around, handling is met with a comfortable ride. Unfortunately, performance levels are slightly lower because of the additional 20 kilos, among other things.
On the other hand, front passengers unanimously found their seat too low. And there's no way to address the situation, since the driver's seat is the only one that can be lowered. The seat in itself is comfortable and reasonably supportive, though.
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| The driver's seat is the only one that offers height-adjustability. |
Sport Package
The Sport Package is a pretty interesting alternative, requiring a premium of only $2,500 for the sedan and $3,300 for the 5-door hatchback. Given our rough Canadian winters, you should definitely consider it: heated front seats and a windshield wiper de-icer. Also included are standard 4-wheel antilock disc brakes, emergency brake assist as well as electronic stability and traction control. In terms of styling, the Sport Package adds 16-inch alloy wheels and fog lights. The 5-door model even receives body-colored, aerodynamic side ground effects, a subtle roofline spoiler and a retractable cargo cover. Younger buyers will like the 6-CD stereo with audio enhancement system. It delivers quite a sound. Audio controls are mounted on the steering wheel; same goes for the cruise control's.
On the road
The main difference between the old Impreza and the new one lies in the ride quality. While a fairly harsh ride was expected, I rather found a smooth ride, even on damaged roads. Catherine put it this way: "I feel like I'm driving a Legacy." Yet, handling is surprisingly competent. Both models literally stick to the road and easily thread their way through the city traffic. On the highway, wind noise is noticeable.
The sportier Impreza offers superior road-grip capacity and its various driving aids make up for human mistakes. Catherine and I really enjoyed driving these new Imprezas. For us, it's all about handling first -- except this time around, handling is met with a comfortable ride. Unfortunately, performance levels are slightly lower because of the additional 20 kilos, among other things.
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| Here's the 5-door Impreza with Sport Package. |