• Auto123 gets in a first drive of the 2024 Subaru Impreza.
Whistler, BC – As part of the presentation Subaru gave us of the new 2024 Impreza, we were shown a graph showing just how much sales of smaller cars have slumped in the past 5-10 years. It’s impressive; the line drops like a double-diamond ski run, to give you an idea.
But, but. That line has not fallen to zero, and it has also leveled off somewhat. Subaru’s projection calls for small-car sales to remain almost flat over the next few years, basically at the modest-but-not-nothing level.
And that’s the lot of the new Impreza, an impressive city car for weekend warriors who like the practical hatch and the symmetrical AWD and the Subaru lifestyle messaging and all that. It might sell only a sixth of the units Subaru sells of the Crosstrek (their estimate), but it continues to have its place.
What’s new about the 2024 Subaru Impreza?
Quite a lot, as this is no less than a new generation of the model, the sixth. The designs of the front and especially the back end have been revisited. There are thin, more aggressive LED headlights bookending a bigger front grille, and new lighting in back as well.
Subaru has introduced new wheel designs for 2023, with a unique design for each of the four trims. There are also two new exterior colours to choose from, Oasis Blue and Pure Red, which is what Subaru sent out us out in on the road between Whistler and Lillooet.
Those four trims are Convenience, Touring, the new RS and Sport-tech. That last one is exclusive to Canada, by the way, Subaru down south having apparently decided there’s not enough demand for a high-end Impreza. Canadian consumers beg to differ, apparently, so they can get one with leather seating, navigation and other fancy stuff.
More significantly, there’s new, updated and upgraded tech and other features included standard. The new features include:
- Active torque vectoring
- Steering-responsive LED headlights
- Updated lineartronic CVT
- New dual-pinion electric power steering
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Updated EyeSight system with wide-angle mono camera
- One new airbag (passenger-seat cushion airbag)
Most notable of all, there are now powertrain options. The base 2.0L engine from the outgoing Impreza returns, once again offering 152 hp and 145-lb-ft of torque. But now buyers have the option for something (a little) more muscular in the form of the 2.5L Boxer engine we know from the Crosstrek. It comes in the new RS trim, the sportiest model in the range, and it delivers 182 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. Now, 30 extra hp isn’t a game changer, but it does improve the model’s game, put it that way. More on that in a bit.
Wheel configurations of the 2024 Subaru Impreza
- 2024 Impreza Convenience – 16-inch wheels (silver caps)
- 2024 Impreza Touring – 17-inch wheels (black finish)
- 2024 Impreza RS – 18-inch wheels (black finish)
- 2024 Impreza Sport-tech – 18-inch wheels (two-tone machined finish)
The 2024 Subaru Impreza RS: What to know about the new variant
Under the spotlight on this day of testing was the brand-new (returning) RS trim, in fact it was the only variant made available to us. It’s conceived as the sportiest version of the Impreza, so it gets the bigger engine, but also visual extras outside and in, and other goodies not found standard in the lower trims, for instance:
- Satellite radio
- High beam assist for the headlights
- Improved gear ratios for the CVT
- Upgraded LED DRLs (also in Sport-tech variant)
- Sunroof (also in Sport-tech variant)
Subaru Canada expects this to be the top-selling Impreza for the coming year.
Interior of the 2024 Subaru Impreza
This is a clearly updated and improved interior for 2024, although it remains faithful to recent Subaru updates and the interior is quite familiar, what with the base 7-inch multimedia screen/optional 11.6 vertical screen, the comfortable but firm seating and the surfeit of safety and drive assist systems (some of which owners might simply turn off out of exasperation at their intrusiveness). It’s all virtually identical to what you see in the newly overhauled 2024 Crosstrek.
Each of the four trims of the 2024 Impreza get their own fabric and motif for the seating.
Generally speaking, we had no complaints about the usability of the multimedia interface nor about the balance of physical buttons and onscreen commands. The purplish hue of the screen remains a personal bugaboo for me, especially since it’s combined with overly large menu category buttons that give the whole interface a vaguely Barney & Friends vibe. Pay no heed, that’s just me!
Driving the 2024 Subaru Impreza
Our drive of the AWD 2024 Subaru Impreza (in sporty RS trim) was limited by the facts of a) super nice weather and b) a route that rarely gave us highway speed limits. We couldn’t really do much testing of the AWD system per se, though given that the company’s proven symmetrical AWD technology needs no further proving, that’s fine. As for speed constraints, we did have occasion to push the engine during accelerations on steep climbs – we were in the Rockies, after all – and can confirm two things: that improved CVT still has its limits, and the 30 extra horses from the RS’s 2.5L engine are welcome but they don’t turn this Impreza into a monster of performance.
We also found both the steering and suspension to be on the anonymous side, with little feedback from the road. It’s nothing that compromises the vehicle in terms of competence, but this RS version just doesn’t offer the sporty and dynamic driving experience of the Mazda3, say.
To be fair, it matters more to Impreza buyers how practical it is, how it handles in city driving, how it brakes and how well it handles rougher terrain. In that respect, the car continues to prove its worth and then some. There’s a reason Subaru owners are so loyal to the brand and to its vehicles, and the Impreza gives them no reason to be disloyal.
We did not actually take the car off-road on this day, but anyways those who want to do that on a regular basis will probably want to head across the showroom to the Impreza’s close relative the Crosstrek.
Know that unlike the Crosstrek, the Impreza is not rated for towing.
Pricing of the 2024 Subaru Impreza
Those with some experience buying new Imprezas may experience a mild case of sticker shock, since the model gets a bigger price boost with the introduction of generation 6 than we’re used to seeing with this model. To give you an idea, since 2006 the model had only increased in price in Canada by $2,200. This year? The 2024 is $1,700 more the 2023.
That said, the Impreza absolutely remains one of the few affordable options for those who really want all-wheel drive.
2024 Impreza Convenience - $26,795 CAD MSRP
2024 Impreza Touring $29,995
2024 Impreza RS - $31,795
2024 Impreza Sport-tech - $34,795
Here are a few of your questions about the 2024 Subaru Impreza:
Is the Impreza still available in sedan format?
It is not. The ‘4-door’ configuration disappeared from the Canadian offering a couple of years ago, and the U.S. removed it as it made the jump to the new 2024 edition this year.
Can I still get an Impreza with a manual gearbox?
Well yes you can, but only used. There’s no manual option available with the 2024 Impreza.
What’s the cargo space of the 2024 Subaru Impreza?
Cargo space remains the same as with the outgoing model, so it is 578 litres with the seats in place, and 1,586 with them down.
Competitors of the 2024 Subaru Impreza
- Honda Civic
- Mazda Mazda3
- Toyota Corolla
Specifications sheet of 2024 Subaru Impreza Convenience
Specifications sheet of 2024 Subaru Impreza Touring
Specifications sheet of 2024 Subaru Impreza Sport-tech
Specifications sheet of 2024 Subaru Impreza RS