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Impreza
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If there's a harder sell to fleets in the lower medium segment than the new non-turbo, bland-as-can-be Subaru Impreza, I'd like to know what it is.
On sale now before the iconic limited edition and soon-to-be-dropped WRX rally-inspired model arrives in November, and without a diesel until this time next year, the naturally aspirated Impreza has to put up with a brace of not particularly fuel-efficient petrol engines aligned to energy-sapping all-wheel drive for all models.
The latter technology coupled with a low starting price - all-wheel drive in a hatchback from just £12,495 - is this Impreza's only real USP. The Audi A3 Quattro and VW Golf 4Motion have similar technology for a higher cost, but both are only niches within highly desirable marques and models. The lower-powered Imprezas - stripped of a rally-bred engine, styling and associations, and without tax-efficient engines or standout functionality in their place - are not. The new Impreza's best company car tax bet is the 107PS 1.5 R petrol at 22%, while the 2.0 R and RX are 25% or 26% depending on transmission, but these are being pushed by a management that wants to change its sales reliance on the rally version and find new, more conventional customers.
Beyond the technology, which admittedly has some good safety connotations (but is better than ESP?), the problems with the car start with its exterior. The front face is utterly forgettable, the side profile 'me-too' and the rear light clusters out of place - almost retro-fit-looking even.
The inside is similarly weak, dominated in the 'R' trim we drove by too much hard, orange-peel effect black plastic. In the plus camp, all the controls are simply arranged and easy to understand, and space back and front is good.
However, the driving experience is unpleasant. The 1.5R feels slow when accelerating and loud with it (the 2.0 is not much better), the gearbox notchy and worst of all, the steering vague to the point of unsettling. There is, though, a decent, compliant ride. Costs will be announced shortly.
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