Driving Sports TV travels to the Northeast to test Subaru's all-new 2012 Impreza. This all-new car
features a smaller 2.0-liter motor, but also claims to have the best MPG of any AWD car in America. Note: the WRX and STI will not be in this new chassis until MY2013 at the earliest, so this review only applies to the naturally-aspirated Impreza. Those turbo models will remain in their current bodies until the next revisions.
Facts: 27/36 MPG city/highway with the CVT, 25/34 MPG with the 5MT (as tested). The car weighs 2911 lbs and has 148hp @ 6200rpm, 145 lb-ft at 4200 from an all-new 2.0-liter flat 4. This motor is a smaller version of the 2.5 that made its debut in the Forester last year. Suspension is also revised with the addition of a rebound spring.
What we liked best: the new suspension is a huge improvement and the chassis overall has a lot of potential. What we didn't like: 3rd, 4th, and 5th gears compromised mileage over driving fun. We also have concerns about the new 'low rolling resistance' tires and Subaru's inability to keep up with the Koreans in terms of in-car tech.
features a smaller 2.0-liter motor, but also claims to have the best MPG of any AWD car in America. Note: the WRX and STI will not be in this new chassis until MY2013 at the earliest, so this review only applies to the naturally-aspirated Impreza. Those turbo models will remain in their current bodies until the next revisions.
Facts: 27/36 MPG city/highway with the CVT, 25/34 MPG with the 5MT (as tested). The car weighs 2911 lbs and has 148hp @ 6200rpm, 145 lb-ft at 4200 from an all-new 2.0-liter flat 4. This motor is a smaller version of the 2.5 that made its debut in the Forester last year. Suspension is also revised with the addition of a rebound spring.
What we liked best: the new suspension is a huge improvement and the chassis overall has a lot of potential. What we didn't like: 3rd, 4th, and 5th gears compromised mileage over driving fun. We also have concerns about the new 'low rolling resistance' tires and Subaru's inability to keep up with the Koreans in terms of in-car tech.
