2019 Subaru Impreza Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The fifth generation Subaru Impreza debuted for 2017. The 2019 model carries over -- an unsurprising fact, given that Subaru isn’t known...

The fifth generation Subaru Impreza debuted for 2017. The 2019 model carries over -- an unsurprising fact, given that Subaru isn’t known for making updates for the sake of making updates. EyeSight Driver Assist Technology is available across the entire range, as well as the new Starlink Multimedia Audio system. The 2019 Impreza is available in Base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims. Sedan and hatchback body styles are available.

The Impreza gets a 2.0-liter boxer four-cylinder engine with 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. While the Impreza may have spawned the sporty WRX, it falls well behind that car in the performance department. However, Subaru’s all-wheel drive system allows the Impreza to get away briskly from a standstill. Transmission choices are a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with paddle shifters or a proper 5-speed manual. Fuel economy for the five-door with an automatic transmission is 28 city, 36 highway, and 31 mpg combined. Drivers interested in getting the five-door with a manual will see a slight dip in mileage: 24 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined. The sedan version of the Impreza will return 28 mpg city, 38 highway, and 32 mpg combined with an automatic. The manual version will see 24 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 27 combined.

The Impreza is a zippy car with a comfortable ride and well-weighted electric power steering. A Sport package is available for those who don’t want to make the step up to a full-fledged WRX. The Sport package adds specially tuned suspension, 18-inch alloy wheels, a short-throw shifter, and Active Torque Vectoring as well as a rear spoiler on sedans.

Subarus offer simple and utilitarian interiors, but the Sport model adds unique cloth upholstery along with red contrast stitching. The Sport also gets the Subaru Starlink Multimedia system on an 8.0-inch screen, a Harman/Kardon stereo, pushbutton ignition, aluminum pedals, and leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The top-range Impreza Limited gets leather trim, a six-way power adjustable seat on the driver’s side, automatic climate control, and a different instrument panel with LCD display. Limited models also come standard with Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, although that system is now available across the whole range.

Lower down the range, the Impreza comes standard with a 6.5-inch multimedia touchscreen and power mirrors. One new feature across the range is a tire pressure monitor that can display the exact pressure of each wheel. Mid-range Premium models add black alloy wheels, two USB ports in the back, and an available All-Weather package with heated front seats and heated mirrors. On the Premium hatchback, roof rails come standard.

Impreza hatchback models offer an impressive 55.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats folded, but sedans offer 12.3 cubic feet in the trunk. The Impreza comes standard with a reversing camera and the current model has earned five out of five stars in every National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash test, as well as top Good scored from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).