2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2021 Subaru Impreza

The 2021 Subaru Impreza had a more conservative design compared to its predecessors, which had featured large round headlights and box fender flares. The current generation, while not distinctly Subaru, was still considered fairly handsome. Both the sedan and hatchback versions sported sleek headlights and taillights, giving an impression of width, and a nicely-tapered front end. The body sides had some scalloping for visual flair, and the awkward wheel arch sheetmetal from the previous generation was toned down. The Impreza Sport models had specific styling touches, including 18-inch alloy wheels, while base models came with 16-inch steel wheels.

The Impreza was built on the Subaru Global Platform, shared with models like the Legacy sedan, Outback wagon, and Forester and Ascent crossovers. This platform contributed to the overall refinement of the vehicle. Inside, the design was typical of compact cars, with the infotainment touchscreen splitting the dashboard and various forms of plastic throughout. The Impreza Sport featured contrast stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and aluminum pedals, while the top-tier Impreza Limited came with standard leather upholstery and LED headlights.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class exterior styling didn’t deviate much from its predecessor, but it boasted a drag coefficient of 0.22, making it more aerodynamic than a Toyota Prius. The new S-Class was 1.3 inches longer, with a 2-inch longer wheelbase, and slightly taller and wider. The car’s size was its most striking feature, complemented by the classic Mercedes hood ornament and grille. Standard 19-inch wheels could be upgraded to 20-inch or 21-inch options, with the 20-inch wheels filling out the wheel wells nicely.

Inside, the S-Class seemed designed around the infotainment touchscreen and digital instrument cluster, which were the most noticeable features. Mercedes decluttered the interior, eliminating the rotary controller and replacing round air vents with rectangular ones. The interior ambient lighting was enhanced with about 250 LED elements, offering 64 colors and connecting to infotainment and driver-assist functions. The materials included Nappa leather upholstery, open-pore wood trim, and aluminum inlays, with a two-panel glass roof providing sun or shade for both rows. However, the piano-black trim on the dashboard and steering wheel was prone to smudging and reflected sunlight.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza was equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. This Subaru-signature boxer engine allowed for a lower center of gravity. Most models came with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while a five-speed manual transmission was available on the base sedan and hatchback, and the Impreza Sport hatchback. The Sport model also featured specific suspension tuning and a torque vectoring feature for the all-wheel-drive system.

The Impreza was a solid and refined daily driver, though it lacked the engagement of competitors like the Honda Civic or Mazda 3. The Sport’s suspension tuning balanced ride quality and handling, with torque vectoring providing a neutral balance. However, the steering was noncommunicative, and the engine’s power was relatively modest, making the Impreza Sport less of a driver’s car compared to the WRX.

The base 2021 Mercedes-Benz S500 4Matic featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine with 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque. The S580 4Matic had a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, producing 496 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Both versions used a nine-speed automatic transmission and included EQ Boost, a mild-hybrid system adding 21 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque for short bursts. The S500 accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, while the S580 did it in 4.4 seconds, with top speeds electronically limited to 130 mph.

The S-Class came with standard air suspension and an optional E-Active Body Control suspension system. It was also the first S-Class with rear-wheel steering, reducing the turning circle by seven feet. The S580 was fast and comfortable, with precise steering and minimal body roll in Sport and Sport+ driving modes. However, there was noticeable wind noise at highway speeds.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza sedan and hatchback offered reasonable legroom, though headroom was below average. The sedan had 12.3 cubic feet of trunk space, the least among compact sedans, but a standard 60/40 split-folding rear seat helped accommodate longer items. The hatchback provided 20.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place, more than the Mazda 3 or Toyota Corolla hatchbacks, but less than the Honda Civic hatchback. With the rear seats folded, the Impreza offered 55.3 cubic feet of cargo space. Higher trim levels included an All-Weather Package, keyless entry with pushbutton start, a six-way power driver’s seat, and automatic climate control. A power moonroof was available as an option.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class had more front and rear headroom, and more rear legroom than its predecessor. It also had more front headroom than competitors but the least front legroom. Shoulder room was segment-leading, enhancing the feeling of spaciousness. Cargo space increased to 12.9 cubic feet, though it was still less than other luxury sedans. Optional extras like power-adjustable rear seats could reduce cargo space.

The S-Class featured power-adjustable front seats with 19 motors, heating, ventilation, and massage functions. The center console had a large storage bin and a covered area with a wireless phone charger and cupholders. Rear-seat passengers had a large console/armrest with cupholders and climate controls. The optional Executive Line package added power-adjustable rear seats, four-zone climate control, and a reclining right-rear seat.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza’s base and Premium trim levels had a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and Bluetooth, while higher trims had an 8-inch touchscreen. An option package for the Limited trim added TomTom-based navigation and a Harman Kardon audio system. A secondary display housed in a hood over the main touchscreen showed information like estimated range, though it seemed redundant given the small LCD display in the gauge cluster. The infotainment system was easy to use, with large touchscreen icons and minimal menu digging required.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class came with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.8-inch OLED central touchscreen, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and six USB ports. A 30-speaker Burmester audio system and a rear-seat infotainment setup with 11.6-inch touchscreens and a 7-inch tablet were available. The updated Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) system had 50% more computing power and relied more on the touchscreen. Functions like climate control and seat massagers were moved to the screen, but hard buttons for important functions remained. The augmented-reality head-up display projected navigation arrows, though the amount of information could be distracting. The digital instrument cluster had beautiful graphics, but the steering-wheel touchpads were small and hard to use. Ambient lighting reacted to certain functions, but seemed more gimmicky than useful. The S-Class allowed drivers to set up personal profiles accessed with biometric or facial recognition, and rear-seat occupants could send navigation directions to the main screen.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza sedan and hatchback received an IIHS “Top Safety Pick” award, with the highest “Good” score in all crash tests. They missed out on a “Top Safety Pick+” award due to “Marginal” standard headlights, though the Limited trim’s headlights received a “Good” score. The NHTSA gave both body styles a five-star overall safety rating. The Impreza came with Subaru’s EyeSight safety tech on CVT-equipped models, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and lead vehicle start alert. A rear-seat reminder was standard, while blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic braking, and steering-responsive headlights were optional.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class lacked crash-test ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, but it featured a rear-passenger airbag and numerous driver-assist features. Standard features included adaptive cruise control, automated lane centering, automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, lane-change assist, traffic-sign recognition, a driver-attention monitor, and a 360-degree camera system. Mercedes claimed improvements in traffic-sign recognition, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. The S-Class’ lane-centering handled highway curves well, and the adaptive cruise control reacted smoothly to traffic changes.