I picked up a 2012 Impreza Premium (sedan) 4 days ago before I saw this review, and honestly couldn't be happier. I hate CVTs (because the first one I ever drove was a Nissan) but I knew what I was getting myself into. It's actually not that bad. The throttle response could be way better, but besides that I have no complaints. The sound system isn't anything spectacular, but coming from a 2003 Acura RSX with maybe 3 half-busted speakers, I'm ecstatic to have all speakers working and with Bluetooth lol. The handling is actually really good, I wanted something that wasn't numb because the RSX was so fun to drive and this really isn't bad at all.
Me too, I have the 2014 Impreza sport hatchback in white. It's awesome in the snow and can't wait till winter sets in. We got it brand new also. It's so fast for a 2.0!
One of my family members has a 2013 hatchback 2.0i Sport Premium in Dark Cherry Pearl or something, like a blackish purple with I think alloy rims that are medium grey colored. it's awesome. whenever I'm on a straight road when I'm driving it I put it into manual mode, press the left paddle to downshift and HEAR DA BOXER! Then I put it back into drive.
My son has this car since the new model came out about 2 + years ago. Good gas mileage , loud interior at hwy speeds , very reliable , now over 50000 miles . The hatchback works well with his lifestyle.
I was debating about buying one of these and the interior was the deal breaker for me. No screen, no back up camera, no bluetooth. Extremely plain. For what this thing is priced at, you can spend a little more money with any other number of vehicles and get a lot more options. I went with a Toyota Rav4 (different class of vehicle, I know) and am very happy with it.
I owned one of these for a year, a 2012 model. The fuel economy is highly over rated on it. The Impreza is rated at 27/37mpg, even on long highway drives with cruise control the best I could manage was 34mpg. Average is really about 26mpg. While more refined than most cars in it's class the audio system is terrible. The speakers come off tiny with very little bass and sound generally distorted. After a year things started to squeak a bit. It's a mixed bag, some things on the car feel upscale while some come off as cheap. Wind noise is awful some of the worst I've seen. It drives way better than most of it's competitors and the AWD is nice but it lacks performance. It's miles ahead of the previous gen but still needs some work.
I can see that Subaru definitely revised the CVT and the interior on the 2016s. The CVT is definitely more responsive and mimics like a regular automatic.
Good review. I personally prefer the uncluttered interior of Subaru vs the million button clusters in style now on many cars. The appeal is simple: all wheel drive, large cargo capacity, and price. It's a good looking hatchback which makes the choice easy if those other 3 factors are important.
I think Subaru would have done better using the last revision of the EJ25 in the Impreza that is used in the 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback. Fuel economy with that EJ isn't bad. They did a decent job updating for its last go around.
I think the reviewer is coming from an average driver's point of view on the interior and the sound of the impreza. For me, I actually prefer the basic interior than a backup camera equipped entertainment system. All that tech will just add more things that will break, and again the average will take it back to the dealer to fix. To me, a backup camera is a crippling technology. People have been backing up without a camera for decades, those who will need a backup camera to do the work will probably need help in other aspects of driving. Also, what if they have to drive a car without? Secondly, consumers who find the growl of the boxer engine "unpleasant" will probably not appreciate a subaru anyway. The flat four is one of the most unique designs of this vehicle and it makes a sound a lot of people appreciate. Actually I wonder if the average will ever push this car hard enough for it to growl, if they did, they probably can't tell the difference anyway. People should really stick to Mazda 3 or Ford Focus if they don't need to drive in snow or go outdoor offroading. Using a subaru just for groceries and picking up the kids from school is like locking a lion in a cage.
I have a 2014 sport premium, it's a 5 speed, It came with an updated radio deck, but I put new front driver side and passenger speakers in, the old ones did suck. I do want to add an exhaust tip to get it a little more noise. Course I got it in 2022 so it's a few years old and it shows, but still looks great. I have the hatchback model as well. I do hate that who ever upgraded the radio didn't connect the steering wheel controls so I have to get around to that eventually.
got a 2015 version, much improved interior trim (i got the premium) and i love it. going to buy some tint and roof racks and mud flaps, call her good for awhile.
Mike I see what you mean for the lower trims but I prefer the previous limited model interior. Everything in it lights up in red with white gages. The limited model came standard with a screen and it has a matching red theme.
I don't get the point of having a backup camera in a compact car. If you cant back up a small car then you don't need to drive, the manual's in cars with them tell you to still watch your surroundings.
My mom bought a 2014 impreza sport 5 speed manual and I have to say, Im disappointed with it. The 2.0 liter feels like its detuned for fuel efficiency. The power band is just so flat and bland. It feels like your getting the same amount of power at 3k rpm as 6k. Just a very dull, disappointing engine. Also, the stereo is crap. Otherwise, its great in snow and rain and feels extremely planted. You have to go insane to get it to loose traction (don't ask how I know this). I guess its fine if you just want a reliable, comfortable point a to point b car that is great in any weather.
For 2015 The Subaru Impreza got some updates like they replaced the old sound system with Subaru's new sound and link system. Also the premium model looks like they use the same wheels that were on the Chevy Craze diesel. My sister test drove a 2015 Subaru Impreza Hatchback premium last year the same light blue as this one with the black interior. She liked it but ended up getting a 2015 Toyota RAV4 XLE with AWD she loves it. But also the Impreza now comes with a backup cam too.
It's really expensive because it's a hatchback/small sedan that has 4wd and it's more fuel efficient compare to say the Mitsubishi Lancer. I test drove the Impreza and I loved it. Probably because I'm upgrading from a shitty car. Would have gone with the Mazda3, too bad the backroom is so damn small...
Thank-you so much for this review! I have been waiting for it for a while. I am heavily considering one since where I live we have harsh winters. I'm glad that this car has a decent ride quality. I was expecting it to be bad like most Japanese cars, but this one apparently rides good. I have yet to take one for a test drive.
We cross shopped the Sonata, Jetta, and Mazda 3. Since we are having a kid in Nov, my priorities have changed. Safety ratings are great, gas mileage is good for a gasser, maintenance looks really easy, and the AWD is a big bonus for me as KC gets plenty of ice & snow in the winter and the wife has a long commute. We ordered a blue limited with moon & nav...hope to get it within a month or two...not in any big hurry. This will be my first Subaru. The Jetta was fun, but maintenance and price turned me a way. The Sonata felt like I was piloting a space ship and the drivetrain felt really strained. The Mazda 3 was full of shiny shiny and to get it moving, you had to mash the gas pedal to hit a button that allowed for higher revs...and it felt much smaller. The Impreza may be a bit slower than some of those above, but the FB20 and the CVT feel like a good match. Nothing feels strained. The ride is nice and smooth.
Corey Ernst I tested both the 3 and the Jetta. Never tested the Sonata, but I heard lots of bad things about the Sonata. I liked the Jetta a lot, but to get a decent powertrain the price goes up by like $10 000 to the same price as a mid-sized car. That's the 1.8T or the TDI. The Mazda3 felt pretty nice to me, but there's just something about it that I don't particularly like. The best driving and riding cars I have driven so far were the Jetta, Ford Fusion, and the Toyota Camry (believe it or not). I am actually heavily considering the Camry right now. Great bang for the buck, Toyota reliability, and the driving dynamics.
It does in city driving. My Mom has an 09 Sentra and the thing seems to work very hard on uphill driving and in city driving. The only time it works well is on the highway where it allows the engine to rev rather low. Not to mention CVTs drain any kind of fun the car had.
it depends, I recently spent 2 weeks in a new Sentra with CVT and if you don't push it, and use the ECON mode, it will give you decent performance and great MPG w/o taxing the motor.
***** No it's not designed to do that. The high revving in city driving or when moving off is an undesired result of CVT gearing logic. CVT sucks plain and simple and the smoothness bit is bullshit considering you can't feel the 5, 6, 7 and 8 speed ATs in many cars shift at all. I test drove a BMW 335i which had a 6 speed auto and you can't feel it shift at all.
It certainly feels like that when I drive a CVT. My dad's Infiniti has a CVT and it sucks. Drains the life out of the car. Feels like you're driving an electric car only because the car lifts up when you pull off and that's it. I heard that CVT was made to increase fuel economy, but I personally have not seen the results. I get a better gas mileage driving an automatic than a CVT.
it "surprisingly" has heated seats. Any car manufacturer who makes a car after like 2012 in my opinion that does not have heated seats as an option would be bankrupt. Honestly this car deserves slightly more credit than given.
Me too, I just hate Ford's new "European" design language. It's like no no no you can't do it, who do you think you are VW? Lol. They can't pull it off.
xxlolilylolxx It looks pretty good to me! Not only that most Fords in the states start out as euro cars to begin with. Look at the Escort, way back in 81 it was introduced in the states, started like 10yrs earlier with the old RWD escort and had a few years in the UK as a FWD before it made it to the states. Same goes for the fusion, contour, focus, pretty much anything that's not a full-sized vehicle.
nezerac Just to be clear, i'm not bashing Fords, I think they're okay I wouldn't be opposed to buying one. Same for GM. But I would probably buy GM first. I like the Malibu, I might buy it some day.
nezerac I agree with you there I love the SS. The Malibu is like Chevy's Accord haha. I tend to like the mid-size sedan class a lot for some reason. Is the SS based off the Malibu or Impala or is it its own design? I also heard it might be a rebranded Pontiac G8, the design is similar on the sides.
Went to the VW golf press unveil in Alameda CA a few weeks ago...they were citing Impreza as their primary cross shopped competitor.,,,unfortunately for Subaru, the Golf is a whole step up from this car - literally better in every way.
I got an Elantra sport 2.0 2014 loaded for lest than 18500 out the door cant ask for more.. however if you want lot more in a car go for a Lam or Ferrari
This car is no contest for the new Golf with a much better interior, 200 lb/ft of torque and better MPG... Literally the only advantage the Impreza has is AWD...
the interior looks almost as bad as that malibu review you did :-p. I know thats not the point of subaru but im suprised they haven't tried to go to the next level.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
I like how the interior is simple, no stressful infotainment system to worry about. It's refreshing.
I agree. There are times with less is more...I think this is one of them. Try driving a Sonata at night...so much crap going on.
I know a guy with a 93 Impreza, has 540000 miles on it. He's the original owner too! Very impressive
i realize I'm quite off topic but do anybody know a good place to watch newly released series online?
@Gerald Castiel Try FlixZone. You can find it on google =)
@Elliot Diego Yup, I have been using Flixzone for since march myself :)
@Elliot Diego thank you, I signed up and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :) Appreciate it!!
@Gerald Castiel Happy to help xD
the subarus interior has always been like this... if it aint broke dont fix it
I picked up a 2012 Impreza Premium (sedan) 4 days ago before I saw this review, and honestly couldn't be happier.
I hate CVTs (because the first one I ever drove was a Nissan) but I knew what I was getting myself into. It's actually not that bad. The throttle response could be way better, but besides that I have no complaints.
The sound system isn't anything spectacular, but coming from a 2003 Acura RSX with maybe 3 half-busted speakers, I'm ecstatic to have all speakers working and with Bluetooth lol.
The handling is actually really good, I wanted something that wasn't numb because the RSX was so fun to drive and this really isn't bad at all.
The CVT does not sound bad at all, Subaru did a good job masking it
I just got a loaded Subaru imprezza hatchback with navigation and eyesight love the car!
Me too, I have the 2014 Impreza sport hatchback in white. It's awesome in the snow and can't wait till winter sets in. We got it brand new also. It's so fast for a 2.0!
One of my family members has a 2013 hatchback 2.0i Sport Premium in Dark Cherry Pearl or something, like a blackish purple with I think alloy rims that are medium grey colored. it's awesome. whenever I'm on a straight road when I'm driving it I put it into manual mode, press the left paddle to downshift and HEAR DA BOXER! Then I put it back into drive.
My son has this car since the new model came out about 2 + years ago. Good gas mileage , loud interior at hwy speeds , very reliable , now over 50000 miles . The hatchback works well with his lifestyle.
I was debating about buying one of these and the interior was the deal breaker for me. No screen, no back up camera, no bluetooth. Extremely plain. For what this thing is priced at, you can spend a little more money with any other number of vehicles and get a lot more options. I went with a Toyota Rav4 (different class of vehicle, I know) and am very happy with it.
I owned one of these for a year, a 2012 model. The fuel economy is highly over rated on it. The Impreza is rated at 27/37mpg, even on long highway drives with cruise control the best I could manage was 34mpg. Average is really about 26mpg. While more refined than most cars in it's class the audio system is terrible. The speakers come off tiny with very little bass and sound generally distorted. After a year things started to squeak a bit. It's a mixed bag, some things on the car feel upscale while some come off as cheap. Wind noise is awful some of the worst I've seen. It drives way better than most of it's competitors and the AWD is nice but it lacks performance. It's miles ahead of the previous gen but still needs some work.
i got a 14 impreza sport in dark blue. so nice! heated seats with high end tires and rims.
I know this is a long time but how is it or how was it?
I can see that Subaru definitely revised the CVT and the interior on the 2016s. The CVT is definitely more responsive and mimics like a regular automatic.
I'm curious as to why you dislike the boxer engine.
Right?? I think it sounds amazing considering it’s stock exhaust too
Could I request you guys review the newer 2015 models of the impreza?
Good review. I personally prefer the uncluttered interior of Subaru vs the million button clusters in style now on many cars. The appeal is simple: all wheel drive, large cargo capacity, and price. It's a good looking hatchback which makes the choice easy if those other 3 factors are important.
I love your videos keep them going
I appreciated this in-depth review: also the history of the car and engine. Good job on your reviewing method!
everytime he says uptick take a shot
I think Subaru would have done better using the last revision of the EJ25 in the Impreza that is used in the 2010-2012 Legacy and Outback. Fuel economy with that EJ isn't bad. They did a decent job updating for its last go around.
I know this is out of ordinary but does anyone else think soyfan looks like Dr Wong on law and order SVU
i just laughed lol
I think the reviewer is coming from an average driver's point of view on the interior and the sound of the impreza. For me, I actually prefer the basic interior than a backup camera equipped entertainment system. All that tech will just add more things that will break, and again the average will take it back to the dealer to fix. To me, a backup camera is a crippling technology. People have been backing up without a camera for decades, those who will need a backup camera to do the work will probably need help in other aspects of driving. Also, what if they have to drive a car without?
Secondly, consumers who find the growl of the boxer engine "unpleasant" will probably not appreciate a subaru anyway. The flat four is one of the most unique designs of this vehicle and it makes a sound a lot of people appreciate. Actually I wonder if the average will ever push this car hard enough for it to growl, if they did, they probably can't tell the difference anyway.
People should really stick to Mazda 3 or Ford Focus if they don't need to drive in snow or go outdoor offroading. Using a subaru just for groceries and picking up the kids from school is like locking a lion in a cage.
God I know this was years ago but I am in the market for one of these and I could not agree more!!
I have a 2014 manual. I drive it like it stole it. So much fun.
I have a 2014 sport premium, it's a 5 speed, It came with an updated radio deck, but I put new front driver side and passenger speakers in, the old ones did suck. I do want to add an exhaust tip to get it a little more noise. Course I got it in 2022 so it's a few years old and it shows, but still looks great. I have the hatchback model as well. I do hate that who ever upgraded the radio didn't connect the steering wheel controls so I have to get around to that eventually.
got a 2015 version, much improved interior trim (i got the premium) and i love it. going to buy some tint and roof racks and mud flaps, call her good for awhile.
Mike I see what you mean for the lower trims but I prefer the previous limited model interior. Everything in it lights up in red with white gages. The limited model came standard with a screen and it has a matching red theme.
Nice review Sofyan...I'd love to see a XV Crosstrek review.
I don't get the point of having a backup camera in a compact car. If you cant back up a small car then you don't need to drive, the manual's in cars with them tell you to still watch your surroundings.
Clown comment
My mom bought a 2014 impreza sport 5 speed manual and I have to say, Im disappointed with it. The 2.0 liter feels like its detuned for fuel efficiency. The power band is just so flat and bland. It feels like your getting the same amount of power at 3k rpm as 6k. Just a very dull, disappointing engine. Also, the stereo is crap. Otherwise, its great in snow and rain and feels extremely planted. You have to go insane to get it to loose traction (don't ask how I know this). I guess its fine if you just want a reliable, comfortable point a to point b car that is great in any weather.
For 2015 The Subaru Impreza got some updates like they replaced the old sound system with Subaru's new sound and link system. Also the premium model looks like they use the same wheels that were on the Chevy Craze diesel. My sister test drove a 2015 Subaru Impreza Hatchback premium last year the same light blue as this one with the black interior. She liked it but ended up getting a 2015 Toyota RAV4 XLE with AWD she loves it. But also the Impreza now comes with a backup cam too.
None of those other cars have awd and proved it's self offraod
It's really expensive because it's a hatchback/small sedan that has 4wd and it's more fuel efficient compare to say the Mitsubishi Lancer. I test drove the Impreza and I loved it. Probably because I'm upgrading from a shitty car. Would have gone with the Mazda3, too bad the backroom is so damn small...
Is the 2014 a type for 2004? this thing looks old.
Nice review.. thanks!
do you have a review of the 2008-2011 impreza
pretty nice review. quite complete and easy to understand. thank you.
1:25 the new imprezas carry very few subaru exterior elements. and the bugeye is actually 01-02
MyRandomCommentsXD I thought it was 02-03
Sofyan, where did you film this episode? It's very beautiful.
Is this 2.0 still all wheel drive?
Thank-you so much for this review! I have been waiting for it for a while. I am heavily considering one since where I live we have harsh winters. I'm glad that this car has a decent ride quality. I was expecting it to be bad like most Japanese cars, but this one apparently rides good. I have yet to take one for a test drive.
We cross shopped the Sonata, Jetta, and Mazda 3. Since we are having a kid in Nov, my priorities have changed. Safety ratings are great, gas mileage is good for a gasser, maintenance looks really easy, and the AWD is a big bonus for me as KC gets plenty of ice & snow in the winter and the wife has a long commute. We ordered a blue limited with moon & nav...hope to get it within a month or two...not in any big hurry. This will be my first Subaru.
The Jetta was fun, but maintenance and price turned me a way. The Sonata felt like I was piloting a space ship and the drivetrain felt really strained. The Mazda 3 was full of shiny shiny and to get it moving, you had to mash the gas pedal to hit a button that allowed for higher revs...and it felt much smaller.
The Impreza may be a bit slower than some of those above, but the FB20 and the CVT feel like a good match. Nothing feels strained. The ride is nice and smooth.
Corey Ernst I tested both the 3 and the Jetta. Never tested the Sonata, but I heard lots of bad things about the Sonata. I liked the Jetta a lot, but to get a decent powertrain the price goes up by like $10 000 to the same price as a mid-sized car. That's the 1.8T or the TDI. The Mazda3 felt pretty nice to me, but there's just something about it that I don't particularly like. The best driving and riding cars I have driven so far were the Jetta, Ford Fusion, and the Toyota Camry (believe it or not). I am actually heavily considering the Camry right now. Great bang for the buck, Toyota reliability, and the driving dynamics.
Japanese cars are bad?!? Honda and Toyota are 2 of the absolute best car brands in the world!! Their engines last FOREVER!
These things are everywhere in Colorado.
I loved this review
Please review the Forester. Thanks!
im thinking of trading in my 4 series bmw for this car. I like the awd and heated seats.
its alright. makes sense in northern states but thats about it
The chime kinda reminds me of a late 90s Mazda
I hate push starters because I don't think you can use the battery without starting the engine.
You can.
@@tatt4music how?
CVT's seem like they work the engine harder. and when you work an engine harder more things will go wrong with it...
It does in city driving. My Mom has an 09 Sentra and the thing seems to work very hard on uphill driving and in city driving. The only time it works well is on the highway where it allows the engine to rev rather low. Not to mention CVTs drain any kind of fun the car had.
it depends, I recently spent 2 weeks in a new Sentra with CVT and if you don't push it, and use the ECON mode, it will give you decent performance and great MPG w/o taxing the motor.
***** No it's not designed to do that. The high revving in city driving or when moving off is an undesired result of CVT gearing logic. CVT sucks plain and simple and the smoothness bit is bullshit considering you can't feel the 5, 6, 7 and 8 speed ATs in many cars shift at all. I test drove a BMW 335i which had a 6 speed auto and you can't feel it shift at all.
*****
the problem with CVT is at repair time and also have to think those belts will not last forever.
It certainly feels like that when I drive a CVT. My dad's Infiniti has a CVT and it sucks. Drains the life out of the car. Feels like you're driving an electric car only because the car lifts up when you pull off and that's it. I heard that CVT was made to increase fuel economy, but I personally have not seen the results. I get a better gas mileage driving an automatic than a CVT.
Nice.. you should do a Yukon Denali. Last gen and current
hey moopie.
can't wait for the 2017
We have no 2.5 AWD Impreza in my country, but we have something probably better, an FWD 2.0 model.
So basically, a front wheel drive only Impreza is roughly 400 pounds lighter than a Legacy and only 22bhp less.
You can carry more speed in and out of the corner making it a faster car. Mabey learn to apex. 2013 subaru sport premium owner and I love it
Very good exterior design. Toyota Matrix like
Does this car can drift?! And can put a twin turbo?! On sedan impreza
why is his videos always so laggy? I dont get lag on any other videos except his.
TomCook1993 your device at the time probably didn't have a 1080p screen.
the 2013 has a much better chime in my opinion for the seatbelt
it's basically the same as the 2013 in my opinion
it "surprisingly" has heated seats. Any car manufacturer who makes a car after like 2012 in my opinion that does not have heated seats as an option would be bankrupt. Honestly this car deserves slightly more credit than given.
idk. For another grand I could have a focus st. :D
Me too, I just hate Ford's new "European" design language. It's like no no no you can't do it, who do you think you are VW? Lol. They can't pull it off.
xxlolilylolxx
It looks pretty good to me! Not only that most Fords in the states start out as euro cars to begin with. Look at the Escort, way back in 81 it was introduced in the states, started like 10yrs earlier with the old RWD escort and had a few years in the UK as a FWD before it made it to the states. Same goes for the fusion, contour, focus, pretty much anything that's not a full-sized vehicle.
nezerac Just to be clear, i'm not bashing Fords, I think they're okay I wouldn't be opposed to buying one. Same for GM. But I would probably buy GM first. I like the Malibu, I might buy it some day.
I'd buy the SS in a heartbeat. Don't like the name but the car is awesome!!
nezerac I agree with you there I love the SS. The Malibu is like Chevy's Accord haha. I tend to like the mid-size sedan class a lot for some reason. Is the SS based off the Malibu or Impala or is it its own design? I also heard it might be a rebranded Pontiac G8, the design is similar on the sides.
Went to the VW golf press unveil in Alameda CA a few weeks ago...they were citing Impreza as their primary cross shopped competitor.,,,unfortunately for Subaru, the Golf is a whole step up from this car - literally better in every way.
I totally agree with you. VW cars are generally a very high quality. Except for the Jetta which they unfortunately really cheapend way to much.
I got an Elantra sport 2.0 2014 loaded for lest than 18500 out the door
cant ask for more.. however if you want lot more in a car go for a Lam or Ferrari
The rear end looks like a copy of the Ford Focus without the hideous headlights
Am I the only one who saw the belt slipping around 8:00?
Wow weird, didn't even notice that. Looks like it stopped spinning a a little bit.
I saw it to I just thought it was some weird engine doing its job
It looks like the a/c compressor cycling on and off.
TheGreatMattsby24 that's what I thought.
Lol right down the street from my house
I have this car and I guarantee it would smoke all other cars
This car is no contest for the new Golf with a much better interior, 200 lb/ft of torque and better MPG... Literally the only advantage the Impreza has is AWD...
Golf is a joke next to Subaru reliability.
mamba109 agreed. VW reliability ruins an otherwise nice driving car. pity.
ljoel hanley Wrong, go look at usnews, impreza and golf have same (2.5 stars) reliability rating.
i never see late-model cars broke down on the side of the road anymore....cept for vw's
the interior looks almost as bad as that malibu review you did :-p. I know thats not the point of subaru but im suprised they haven't tried to go to the next level.
hyundai elantra gt
i so a agree that car's interior looks like it came out in the early 2000s
these new subarus are just plain ass, my 98 legacy gt was a tank, new ones are just thin can trash.
this guy complains about every car
helensanderszzz 눈_눈 I agree
i hate those headlights. worst front ever.
Interior = 2004 .
RIP Subaru.
Honda is the same as toyota which both suck mazda sucks amd ford sucks stop complaining
1st
Eww
Subaru's going downhill and fast.
Cheap looking interior
Good review. Is this guy on coke?