2021 Subaru Impreza vs 2021 Subaru WRX

The 2021 Subaru Impreza showcased a more conservative design compared to its predecessors, which had large round headlights and box fender flares. Despite its subtle appearance, the Impreza maintained a handsome design. Both the sedan and hatchback versions featured sleek headlights and taillights, a nicely-tapered front end, and some scalloping on the body sides. The Impreza Sport models stood out with specific styling touches, including 18-inch alloy wheels, while base models came with 16-inch steel wheels. Built on the Subaru Global Platform, the Impreza shared its underpinnings with other Subaru models like the Legacy, Outback, Forester, and Ascent, contributing to its overall refinement.

Inside, the Impreza's design was typical of compact cars, with an infotainment touchscreen splitting the dashboard and various forms of plastic throughout the interior. The Impreza Sport added contrast stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and aluminum pedals, while the top-tier Impreza Limited featured standard leather upholstery and LED headlights. Although the interior design wasn't particularly exciting, it was functional and in line with the expectations for its class.

The 2021 Subaru WRX, often seen as the rebellious sibling within the Subaru family, had a more aggressive aesthetic. While it looked tamer compared to the racier WRX STI, the WRX still featured a wedge-like front end and a very short trunk lid, giving it a speedy appearance even when stationary. Aerodynamic bodywork and a functional hood scoop added to its sporty look. Inside, the WRX's cockpit was function-first, with a design reminiscent of Subaru compact cars from the past decade. The interior was filled with hard plastics, contributing to its less refined reputation compared to competitors like the VW GTI and Honda Civic Si.

The WRX came in Base, Premium, and Limited trims. The base model included 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, cloth upholstery, manual seats, automatic climate control, remote keyless entry, Bluetooth connectivity, satellite radio, and a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Premium trim added 18-inch wheels, fog lights, heated seats, pushbutton start, auto on/off headlights, and a larger 7-inch infotainment screen. The range-topping WRX Limited featured leather upholstery, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, LED fog lights, and adaptive steering-responsive LED headlights. An options package for the Limited included navigation, a premium stereo, and additional driver-assistance features.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza was powered by 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 Impreza models came with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while a five-speed manual transmission was available on the base sedan and hatchback, as well as the Impreza Sport hatchback. The Sport trim also featured model-specific suspension tuning and a torque vectoring feature for the AWD system.

The Impreza was a pleasant daily driver, offering a solid and refined ride, though it lacked the engagement of competitors like the Honda Civic or Mazda 3. The Impreza Sport's special suspension tuning provided a good balance between ride quality and handling, but the noncommunicative steering and the engine’s relative lack of power kept it from being a true driver’s car. For a more engaging driving experience, the WRX was the better choice.

The 2021 Subaru WRX came with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine, producing 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Buyers could choose between a six-speed manual transmission or a CVT. The WRX outperformed rivals like the Civic Si (205 hp) and VW GTI (228 hp), but required precise rev management to fully utilize its power. The CVT, though not ideal for driving enthusiasts, kept the revs in the powerband effectively with its paddle shifters.

The manual transmission, however, was a letdown due to its vague clutch feel. The WRX STI offered a more precise manual experience, but the 2019 WRX STI S209 was the only model to truly address this issue with a high-performance clutch and mechanical six-speed manual. The WRX also featured Vehicle Dynamics Control with Active Torque Vectoring, enhancing cornering precision. While the WRX had well-weighted steering and excelled on winding roads, its stiff ride was less comfortable compared to the Civic Si and GTI.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza sedan offered 12.3 cubic feet of trunk space, the least among current compact sedans, but it did include a standard 60/40 split-folding rear seat for longer items. The hatchback version provided 20.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place, more than the Mazda 3 or Toyota Corolla hatchback, but less than the Honda Civic hatchback. With the rear seats folded, the Impreza hatch offered 55.3 cubic feet of cargo space. All hatch trims except the base model came with standard roof rails.

The Impreza Premium and higher trims included an All-Weather Package with heated front seats, a heated windshield, and heated exterior mirrors. The Sport trim added keyless entry with pushbutton start, while the Limited featured a standard six-way power driver’s seat and automatic climate control. A power moonroof was available as an option on most trims.

The 2021 Subaru WRX had a conventional sedan layout with a trunk offering up to 12 cubic feet of cargo space. This was more than the Civic Si coupe (11.9 cubic feet) but less than the sedan (14.7 cubic feet), and significantly less than the VW GTI’s 53.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Even with the rear seats in use, the GTI provided 17.4 cubic feet of cargo space.

The WRX's traditional sedan layout was somewhat hindered by its age, lacking modern interior packaging solutions like accommodating in-door bottle-holders. The WRX provided a commanding driving position with excellent visibility and a decently sized center console tray. The rear seats were spacious enough to accommodate four adults comfortably, highlighting the advantages of a sedan or hatchback layout over a coupe or sports car.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza featured a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and Bluetooth on the base and Premium trims, while higher trims received an 8-inch touchscreen. An option package for the Limited trim added TomTom-based navigation and a Harman Kardon audio system. The Impreza also had a secondary display housed in a hood over the main touchscreen, showing information like estimated range close to the driver’s line of sight. Despite its basic nature, the Impreza’s infotainment system was user-friendly, with large touchscreen icons and easy access to important functions.

The 2021 Subaru WRX came standard with a 6.5-inch touchscreen running Subaru's Starlink infotainment system, with a 7-inch touchscreen available on higher trims. Both screens supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, featuring a sensible layout and easy-to-use controls despite somewhat dated graphics. The Limited trim offered an option package with navigation and a Harman Kardon premium stereo, providing excellent sound quality. Although the WRX's infotainment system was not cutting-edge, it was functional and user-friendly.

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

The 2021 Subaru WRX did not come standard with the latest safety features. Subaru's EyeSight system, including adaptive cruise control, emergency automatic braking, and lane-departure warning, was available on the Premium and Limited trims, but only with the CVT. Adaptive high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and reverse automatic braking were optional on the Limited trim. All WRX trims came standard with a tire-pressure monitoring system and traction control.