2021 Subaru Impreza vs 2022 Toyota Corolla

Subaru developed a cult following thanks to cars like the Impreza. Thanks to standard all-wheel drive (AWD), the Impreza has been a hit in wintry climates, offering the low operating costs of a compact car without the limited foul-weather capability of the mostly front-wheel drive (FWD) competition.

The current Impreza represents the model’s fifth generation, and dates back to the 2017 model year. Available in sedan and hatchback form, the Impreza has also spawned the sporty Subaru WRX and more rugged looking Subaru Crosstrek, which have overshadowed the basic Impreza to some extent. We’ll cover the WRX and Crosstrek in separate reviews.

Changes for the 2021 model year are limited to availability of SI-Drive drive modes on the Impreza Premium trim level (this feature was previously available only on the Impreza Sport) and a $100 price increase. The full Impreza lineup remains unchanged, encompassing base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trim levels for both the sedan and hatchback. Consequently, we’ll look back on our experience with previous model years for this overview.

The Toyota Corolla needs no introduction. With 12 generations spanning over five decades of production, the Corolla is the bestselling nameplate in automotive history. And it continues to be a popular choice for new car buyers looking for a reliable and sensible compact car, competing against other established names like the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza, and Volkswagen Jetta for sales.

The only significant change for 2022 is the addition of two new colors: Ruby Flare and Windchill Pearl. What hasn’t changed are the number of other choices buyers get. Toyota offers sedan and hatchback body styles, manual and automatic transmissions, and multiple powertrain options—including a hybrid. The Corolla Cross SUV also launched for 2022 but, while it shares a basic platform with the Corolla sedan and hatch, it’s effectively a different vehicle.

Finally, you get the expected array of trim levels. The Corolla sedan is available in L, LE, XLE, SE, and XSE grades, plus Apex Edition and Nightshade Edition versions of SE and XSE, with more limited options for the Corolla hatchback and hybrid (both of which will be covered separately). For this review, we tested the Apex Edition sedan in its lower SE grade. The Apex is the sportiest Corolla variant, at least until the GR Corolla hot hatchback arrives for the 2023 model year.