2024 Subaru Impreza Review and Test Drive
The redesigned Impreza excels in functionality, safety, and technology.
Beverly Braga
Article QuickTakes:
The Subaru Impreza received significant updates for the 2024 model year. Although the base engine carries over from the previous model, the 2024 Impreza still gets a noticeable redesign. One major difference is that Subaru dropped the sedan variant and the five-speed manual transmission for 2024. According to the automaker, buyers of earlier Impreza generations opted for the hatchback 70% of the time, while motoring enthusiasts usually chose the WRX.
Beverly Braga
If you're after a comfortable daily driver with up-to-date safety tech that's capable of carrying large loads and exploring open roads, the 2024 Impreza will likely earn a spot on your automotive shopping list.
The new Impreza RS is also worth a look if you want something sportier: It's a performance-light model, bridging the gap between the base Impreza and the rally champion WRX.
With one body style and one transmission on offer, the 2024 Impreza lineup essentially comes down to three options. The Impreza Base and Impreza Sport feature the standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, while the Impreza RS receives a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The 2024 Impreza pricing range is tight, spanning from the mid-$20,000s to the high $20,000s to start (excluding features packages); those figures include the destination fee to ship the car from Subaru's manufacturing plant in Gunma, Japan.
For this 2024 Subaru Impreza review, I drove an Oasis Blue Impreza RS on the elevation-changing mountain roads of California's central coast. Subaru provided the test vehicle as part of a media program and paid for airfare, lodging, and meals during the evaluation period.
My Impreza RS test vehicle had a $2,070 equipment package, which gave it a power sunroof, a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. The tested Impreza RS price totaled $31,045.
2024 Subaru Impreza: The Design
Beverly Braga
The new 2024 Impreza receives updates in the design department, but the tweaks are subtle. As a result, you'd be forgiven if you mistook the new Impreza for the old one. However, not every redesign needs to be an exhaustive redo. Instead of aggressive styling, bold character lines, and wide fenders, Subaru went for a smoother look on its 2024 Impreza. The design changes are most evident in the front and rear. New colors include Sapphire Blue Pearl and the RS-exclusive Oasis Blue Pearl.
Dimensionally, the new Impreza hatchback is similar to the old one. The car grows an inch in height, and the base model weighs about 100 pounds more. The vehicle's interior measurements are about the same, with only a few differences — cargo space with the rear seats raised is 20.4 cubic feet, for example, a loss of less than a cubic foot. However, with the rear seats folded down, the overall capacity increases by less than a cubic foot to 56 cubic feet total.
Beverly Braga
Subaru has also built into the Impreza enough storage bins to carry up to 35 cups of hydration. The center-console cupholders can fit 32-ounce bottles and the door pockets accommodate 24-ounce containers. There are even drink cubbies in the rear cargo area for more 24-ounce bottles. If there's anything I found to complain about regarding cargo hauling, it's that the Impreza's back seats do not fold flat.
In terms of ergonomics and comfort, the Impreza didn't disappoint me. Changes for 2024 include a 10% stiffer chassis, which I found improved ride quality by minimizing body roll.
Beverly Braga
During my test drive, the Impreza's power-adjustable driver's seat was comfortable and featured high-quality cloth upholstery. In addition, for an affordable compact car, the Impreza's interior did not feel cheap at all to me. The seats in my RS test car were well cushioned, the door panels featured padded armrests, and the center storage bin and dashboard trim featured soft-touch materials.
Tech in the 2024 Subaru Impreza
Beverly Braga
The 2024 Impreza's updated infotainment system offers a dual 7.0-inch screen Subaru Starlink system. Standard features include Bluetooth, HD Radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity, a USB-A port, an auxiliary jack, and a six-speaker audio system.
Impreza Sport versions upgrade to an 11.6-inch Subaru Starlink Multimedia Plus system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The enhanced infotainment system also comes with a six-speaker sound system, includes access to various subscription-based connected services, and is Wi-Fi hotspot capable. The Impreza RS also adds wireless smartphone charging and offers an optional 10-speaker sound system.
Beverly Braga
Buttons and knobs still exist for audio and climate-control settings, but most other controls require navigating through digital menus. For example, I only found the automatic engine stop/start function within the vehicle-settings menu. That was a point of irritation for me, considering that I've seen many vehicles with this feature include a dedicated button to turn the tech on and off. Instead, in the Impreza, I had to tap, tap, and tap some more to find and then activate or deactivate the feature.
Other vehicle features, especially safety-related ones, were welcome. The 2024 Impreza expands its standard list of safety systems with the latest version of Subaru EyeSight, which packages together numerous driver-assistance technologies.
The base Impreza gets safety features including adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist, forward-collision warning, and lane-keeping assist. Steering-responsive automatic LED headlights are standard, intended to help drivers better see around corners and curves at night. The 2024 Impreza also has automatic windshield wipers, automatic high-beam headlights, and a rear-seat reminder system that alerts drivers to check the back seat before exiting the vehicle.
Beverly Braga
The Impreza Sport doesn't add much on top of the base model in terms of safety technology. Still, it offers an option package with blind-spot monitoring with lane-change assist and rear cross-traffic alert. These features are standard on the Impreza RS.
Calibrating and using EyeSight's features was relatively easy for me. The steering-wheel-mounted buttons were easy to decipher, and setting the adaptive cruise on the fly is simple. On the highway, the driving-assistance systems performed with precision and the car slowed down smoothly.
At the time of this writing, no 2024 Impreza safety ratings were available from either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
2024 Subaru Impreza Driving Impressions
Beverly Braga
Subaru offers the new Impreza with two engine choices, both mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). As with nearly all Subarus, all-wheel drive is standard.
The powertrain in the Impreza Base and Sport models is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that produces 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 30 mpg in combined city and highway driving. With Sport trim, the CVT includes an eight-speed manual function and steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
An updated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine powers the Impreza RS, making 182 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque while returning an EPA-rated 29 mpg. In addition, the Impreza RS gets the same enhanced CVT as the Sport trim. Unfortunately, during my 160 miles of driving on mostly mountain roads, the Impreza RS averaged just 22.6 mpg.
I found the all-new Impreza offered a comfortable and composed ride. Body roll in the twisties was minimal, the seat bolstering offered enough support to keep me steady, and the reinforced seats provided a more connected driving feel with no noticeable vibration.
Beverly Braga
As with the outgoing model, the 2024 Impreza hatch has large windows, which I found were wonderful for visibility. The rear window is large, and small triangular cutouts near the windshield pillars by the outside mirrors and at the rear roof pillar above the back door create usable sightlines. But there's a catch. While lots of windows do have the potential to improve driving safety, they also contributed to wind noise that was noticeable enough at highway speeds that my passenger mistook the sound for an open window.
Another noise that wasn't enjoyable was the engine. Granted, the Impreza RS features a naturally aspirated four-cylinder instead of a turbocharged one, but I didn't find its engine note at all melodic. Instead, I thought it sounded like a drone hovering in the distance. I also found that power delivery required high revs, which became increasingly unpleasant due to the CVT. Unfortunately, the transmission almost always felt like it was in the wrong ratio during my test drive.
Beverly Braga
The 2024 Impreza felt well-tuned to me; it's a compact car that confidently tackles corners. The braking is sharp and the steering feel is on the right side of responsive. Unfortunately, I found that the powertrain stifled any semblance of fun. On California's curvy wine-country roads, acceleration always came too late. If the CVT did find the correct transmission ratio, it was typically time to slow down and make the next move. The CVT felt indecisive when in manual mode or using the paddle shifters.
In defeat, I settled into a typical commuter mentality and buried all hope for enjoying an engaging driving experience.
Is the 2024 Subaru Impreza a Good Car?
Beverly Braga
Although the Impreza is probably not the car for your next rally race, it will likely fit the bill for everything else — school drop-offs, grocery getting, city commuting, trail finding, beach exploring, and many similar activities.
The new Subaru Impreza offers good value, especially in a segment where competition is shrinking. When looking at the Impreza's peers, it becomes clear that few compact hatchbacks or wagons are left.
But the small-car market isn't dead yet. With attractive looks, tons of tech, a comfortable ride, more than enough cargo room, and an affordable price, the 2024 Impreza hatchback is worth considering.
