Can you believe the Subaru Impreza has only been around for thirty years? In that time it’s been practically everything — a rally monster, a drift demon, an overland explorer, even a stance icon. But, as those three decades have worn on, the car’s spirit has split. The WRX has been its own model for nearly a decade now, taking the performance-enthusiast base with it, and the overland crowd migrated to the Crosstrek. What’s left for the humble Impreza?
That, dear reader, is what I intend to find out this week. I’m headed out to Paso Robles (via San Luis Obispo) to test Subaru’s latest Impreza. Touring through scenic wine country, I want to know just what’s left to give the Impreza its unique character.
One thing that Subaru seems to hope will give the Impreza some spirit is the new RS model, a tribute to the 2.5RS Imprezas of olde. The RS was always a step between the base Impreza and the shiny World Rally Xperimental model, and it seems the new trim will be just the same: A 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated engine, stepping up from the 2.0 of the standard car.
For the 2024 year, the redesigned Impreza inherits construction and body rigidity improvements from the Crosstrek, which Subaru claims should make for a more “agile” car that “lends itself to an active lifestyle.” That sales pitch is certainly right down the middle of the plate — neither the full sportiness of the WRX, nor the outdoorsiness of the Crosstrek.
What do you want to know about the 2024 Impreza? Leave your questions, comments, and concerns down in the comments, and I’ll address as many as I can when driving the car this week.