2012 Subaru Impreza

[Maddmatt]

"...the HP and torque ratings went DOWN. This is a big mental block for many people, especially when you consider a drop of about 30 hp..."

Maybe, but Subaru says the new Impreza is faster and handles better than the model it replaces.

There was no news about any changes to the WRX and other turbo models. BMW's turbo 2.0L gas engine produces 250+ ft-lbs of torque, so there's no reason why a future turbo 2.0L Impreza couldn't deliver WRX-level perfomance.

yeah, it would have to be faster - when the heads were getting rebuilt in my '01 Outback (naturally aspirated 2.5l) we had a brand new 2009 Impreza as a loaner for a week - by all measures a GREAT car (we're a happy Subaru family, so take that review with a grain of salt) but for one:

Even though the Impreza was much smaller, (and you would think lighter) than the old outback, and had 5 more hp, it was noticeably slower. I don't mean "I feel like my other car moves quicker" I mean "holy ******* we're going to die..."

But it was a nice ride, in all it's slow glory. Only took a day or two to adjust how we approached freeway on ramps, and it was hard for my wife to give up that hatchback (she was a dedicated GTI driver prior to kids) when the wagon was done.

So with my 4runner now over 220k, and finally accepting the fact that I have to invent reasons to lock the rear diff. at this stage of my life, I won't be surprised to find myself test driving a new Impreza wagon next summer.

 

[rgc]

I still wish SOA would do what they need to do to bring over the turbo diesel Forester. With 145 hp and 258 lb-ft with about 37 mpg city/highway combined and a six speed manual transmission . . . . I would be so happy :elkgrin: .

Oh yeah, it has a 16.9 gallon tank (600 mile range on a tank) and can easily tow up to 4400 lbs.

rgc
(dreaming of the day a TD Forester is parked in his driveway)

 

[Bill Beers]

...Now that Subaru no longer has a factory team in the World Rally Championships, I guess Subaru can move away from the performance aspects and work on fuel economy...

Subaru is still running teams in both Canadian and US rally championships, and the newly formed Global Rallycross. I suspect that the WRX and STI versions will still pack plenty of performance.

 

[That One Guy]

I know my comment is mostly looks related, but this still dissapoints me. 2007 was the last year Subaru had all good looking cars that at least looked functional. From 2008 up, the Impreza hatchback is the only good looking car Subaru has made. After that the wheels got bigger and the ground clearance was reduced due to both suspension and body changes, affecting off road performance in the most negative of ways.

Subaru has greatly dissapointed me in recent years.

 

[Owyhee H]

I agree about the silly big wheels and such but the now outback and forester have as much ground clearance as ever....

 

[Rallyroo]

I know my comment is mostly looks related, but this still dissapoints me. 2007 was the last year Subaru had all good looking cars that at least looked functional. From 2008 up, the Impreza hatchback is the only good looking car Subaru has made. After that the wheels got bigger and the ground clearance was reduced due to both suspension and body changes, affecting off road performance in the most negative of ways.

Subaru has greatly dissapointed me in recent years.

I'm disappointed in the new Forester and Outback also. I liked the old Outback because it was a wagon. I liked the old Forester cause it was small and nimble.
Instead the new models got too big and bubbly. Instead, Subaru should of made a new models called the "Great Outback" and "Sequoia Forester" for those that wanted more interior space.

 

[haven]

Subaru has announced that prices for the 2012 Impreza will not change from 2011 levels, despite being an all-new design.

Impreza sedan, 5 speed manual (25 mpg city / 32 mpg highway) $17,495
Impreza sedan, CVT automatic (25 / 36 ) $18,495

Impreza 5 door hatchback, 5 speed manual (25 mpg city / 32 mpg highway) $17,995
Impreza 5 door hatchback, CVT automatic (25 / 36 ) $18,995

Update: The Impreza costs about $500 more than the Suzuki SX4 Crossover hatchback, which is the lowest price new car with AWD in USA. The SX4 is a smaller car than the Impreza, with a 6 inch shorter wheelbase. The SX4 with manual trans is rated by EPA to provide 22 mpg city, 30 highway, which is somewhat lower than the Impreza. But the Suzuki offers a 6 speed manual as standard, compared to a 5 speed in the Subaru. The SX4 with CVT is EPA rated lower than the manual, while the Impreza gets better fuel mileage with the CVT.

 

[Applejack]

I don't know about this one...................I don't mind the look of it, but otherwise it reminds me of the '08 redesign when Suby went soft.
We have an '07 WRX Limited that exceeds the EPA fuel economy ratings if you drive it smartly. We can eek out 30mpg on light freeway trips if we drive the speed limit. And it's nice to have a car that is so fun and quick. It's like a freaking cheetah and the less responsible side of me occasionally finds it fun to blow away these guys with Mustangs and Camaro's with big loud V8's.........and egos to match, who always want a race.

 

[haven]

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/27/subaru-impreza-xv-headed-to-u-s-for-2013/

Subaru officials now say that the Impreza VX show car will become a new model in USA, starting in model year 2013 (that's about a year from now). The VX is a lifted version of the Impreza 5 door model. Here it is at the Geneva Auto Show two weeks ago.

 

[haven]

Edmunds Inside Line points out why the Impreza with manual transmission gets 4 mpg less than the CVT transmission model. The CVT has a front wheel drive bias, sending power to the rear wheels only when the fronts start to slip. The manual trans model drives both front and rear wheels all the time.
http://www.insideline.com/subaru/impreza/2012/2012-subaru-impreza-first-drive.html

 

[haven]

The Subaru XV will be called the Crosstrek in USA, according to Subaru officials at the LA Auto Show.

The idea is to separate the Crosstrek from the Impreza it's based on. Subaru wants to position the Impreza models as economy, entry level vehicles. The Crosstrek, Forester and WRX, all based on the Impreza, will try to hide their plebian origins by dropping the Impreza name.

The Crosstrek will appear as a 2013 model sometime in late summer 2012.

 

[ExpoScout]

I really like the looks of the Crosstrek. We recently picked my wife up a 2008 Impreza wagon 5spd and it has been great. I'll be looking forward to seeing more about these.

 

[haven]

Car and Driver magazine has a 2012 Impreza Hatchback with 5 speed manual trans in their test fleet. (The hatchback body style looks like a station wagon to me.). After 20k miles, the fuel economy has improved to an average of 28 mpg. That's impressive for a vehicle with full time AWD. They have experienced no mechanical problems, but they did suffer $5000 in damage during a hail storm.

read the report here
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2012-subaru-impreza-20i-long-term-update-review

 

[p nut]

Just bought a 13 Outback and current average MPG is 27MPG. This is the 2.5L CVT. I'm sold on this powertrain. The Crosstrek looked pretty nice, too. Just too small for me.

 

[Warn Industries]

We were all prepared to buy a '12 Impreza, literally (as in we were at the dealer). I'd driven one for a week (with the manual trans), and enjoyed it enough. Good economy, decent space, and AWD. Just for kicks we test drove a '12 Forester and ended up buying it instead. Roomier, more powerful, more ground clearance. The new Impreza is a nice vehicle, indeed, and it's hard to beat the fuel economy on this AWD vehicle. I do like the XV's extra ground clearance, but I prefer the power from the 2.5-liter engine vs. the new 2.0 in the Impreza. I've only got 3,000 miles on our Forester and we've got a BajaRack on the top of it. We're averaging about 24 MPG.

- Andy