2021 Subaru Impreza vs 2022 Subaru WRX

The 2021 Subaru Impreza showcased a more conservative design compared to its predecessors, which had taken some bold styling risks. Both the sedan and hatchback versions featured sleek headlights and taillights, giving an impression of width, along with 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 other models like the Legacy, Outback, Forester, and Ascent. This platform contributed to the vehicle's 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 Impreza Sport featured contrast stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and aluminum pedals, while the Limited trim offered standard leather upholstery and LED headlights.

The 2022 Subaru WRX, despite being all-new, did not offer much in terms of styling drama. It was two inches wider than the outgoing model, but the front end remained subtle, save for the signature hood scoop. The front fascia had a small hexagonal grille, bisected by a decorative bar and flanked by sharp LED headlights. The side profile was less busy, with black plastic cladding that included air outlets to improve airflow and a hexagonal pattern to reduce turbulence. The rear fenders flared outward dramatically, and the rear featured a large plastic bumper and multifaceted taillights designed to look like magma when illuminated. The Premium-trim tester included LED fog lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a subtle trunk-mounted lip spoiler.

Inside, the WRX saw significant improvements with better fit and finish. It featured a D-shaped, flat-bottom steering wheel, aluminum-alloy pedal covers, carbon-fiber-pattern trim accents, and black cloth seats with red contrast stitching. These elements helped set the WRX apart from other Subaru models, making it look more modern.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza was powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. This boxer engine allowed for a lower center of gravity. Most models came with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while a five-speed manual was available on the base sedan and hatchback, and 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 suspension tuning provided a good balance between ride quality and handling, but the noncommunicative steering and the engine's lack of power kept it from being a true driver's car.

The 2022 Subaru WRX, on the other hand, featured a new 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, replacing the previous 2.0-liter turbo. This engine produced 271 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The WRX came standard with AWD and offered a choice between a six-speed manual transmission and a CVT, dubbed the Subaru Performance Transmission. The CVT was programmed with eight shift points and provided faster upshifts and downshifts compared to the previous generation.

During a test drive through the mountains of northern California, the six-speed manual transmission proved to be a delight, with notchy and precise shifts and a satisfying clutch pedal. The new WRX's suspension, built on the Subaru Global Platform, featured longer strokes and a stabilizer bar mounted to the body, reducing body roll and improving ride quality on rough roads. The new WRX felt more forgiving and stable, even on challenging terrain.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza offered reasonable legroom in both the sedan and hatchback versions, though headroom was slightly below average. The sedan had 12.3 cubic feet of trunk space, the least among compact sedans, but it did offer a standard 60/40 split-folding rear seat. The hatchback 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 offered 55.3 cubic feet of cargo space. Higher trim levels included an All-Weather Package, keyless entry with pushbutton start, a power driver's seat, and automatic climate control.

The 2022 Subaru WRX, despite not offering a hatchback option, increased its cargo capacity to 12.5 cubic feet, with a 60/40 split-fold function for the rear seats. The sport seats were comfortable and supportive, with premium cloth materials in the base and Premium trims, and Ultrasuede in the Limited and GT trims. The seats provided ample bolstering without feeling too tight, making the WRX a viable commuter vehicle. The inclusion of standard AWD added to its practicality.

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 got an 8-inch touchscreen. An option package for the Limited trim added TomTom-based navigation and a Harman Kardon audio system. The secondary display housed in a hood over the main touchscreen showed information like estimated range, but seemed redundant given the small LCD display in the gauge cluster. Overall, the infotainment system was easy to use, with large touchscreen icons and minimal menu digging required.

The 2022 Subaru WRX saw significant technological improvements. The Premium trim and higher featured an 11.6-inch, tablet-style touchscreen display, similar to those in newer Outback and Legacy models. The system included physical controls for climate control, power and volume, tuning, and defrost functions, with everything else accessed via touchscreen controls. However, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration was not seamless, with Android Auto only displaying on the top half of the screen. The base trim had a more unusual setup with two 7-inch displays stacked on top of each other. An 11-speaker Harman Kardon stereo system was available on higher trims.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza received an IIHS "Top Safety Pick" award, with the highest "Good" score in all crash tests. However, it missed out on a "Top Safety Pick+" award due to its standard headlights receiving a "Marginal" rating. The Limited trim's headlights received a "Good" score. The NHTSA gave the Impreza 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. Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic braking, and steering-responsive headlights were available as options.

The 2022 Subaru WRX's safety features varied by transmission. CVT-equipped models came with Subaru's EyeSight suite, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and lane-tracing assist. The system also added an electronic brake booster and automatic steering assist. However, the six-speed manual WRX did not come with EyeSight due to the inability to avoid stalling during panic stops. Blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on the Limited and GT trims. The Subaru Global Platform improved crash energy absorption, and the WRX came with seven airbags, including a driver’s-side knee airbag.