What is it?
Subaru reckons that, in some ways, it's a victim of its own success.
After tearing up the World Rally Championship with Colin McRae in the 1990s, many onlookers today still associate the brand with those hair-raising. blue-bodied, gold-wheeled exploits, so much so that the manufacturer says it’s suffering from a “rally hangover”. And it’s going to take more than a strong coffee and a bacon sandwich to shake this one.
Subaru says this association gives people skewed expectations of its new products. Its cars are still 'fun', but it would rather that potential customers associated the brand with the three pillars it now builds itself upon: capability, safety and resilience. Are you still awake? Good, because there’s reason enough to pay some attention to the new Subaru Impreza.
Although Subaru’s current portfolio is SUV-focused, the Impreza is its best known and most recognisable car, so rather than let it fizzle out into extinction, the brand has kept it on for a fifth-generation model. It’s built on the new Subaru Global Platform, which we first tested in an early drive of the XV and offers torsional rigidity gains of 70-100% over the outgoing Impreza.
The Impreza also gets an updated interior, a new engine and the promise of improved driving dynamics.
The no-nonsense line-up consists of two naturally aspirated, four-cylinder boxer petrol engines – 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre units paired with a CVT gearbox – and one trim level, SE.
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International Motors - take note !
Its seems that International Motors (The UK Importers of Subaru) don’t want the Impreza to be a success. They seem to have lost faith in the car that was their bread and butter for over a decade. The very car that turned many of us on to the Subaru brand is no longer a viable option for much of the public.
Its my belief that IM’s have lost faith that they can shift Impreza’s and have as a consequence massively restricted the options – so as to restrict their financial exposure. But here’s the rub….by not giving the consumer any choice in terms of engine, gearbox or trim they are sure to make the Impreza a flop. This attitude is also directly at odds with the current trend to offer buyers the ability to fully customise and bespoke their vehicle. This is backwards thinking on IM’s part and needs to change. People like to bespoke their car and the added extras generate added margins for IM.
This new Impreza is not really as reported an expensive car, it just comes compete with a high specification and AWD. In this article where they say the price is too high. They compare it against the Golf 1.5 TSI. Go on the VW configurator and see what a Golf 1.5 TSI DSG costs with the kit you get on the new Impreza and I can tell you the Golf is a lot more expensive –everything on the Golf is an extra - even the 5 year warranty.
Meanwhile…. outside the UK Subaru sales are the highest they have ever been, if Subaru and IM want the same success here they need to offer some consumer choice. I’m not suggesting a custom configurator but at least a range of models and a range of trims and engine gearbox combinations. Elsewhere there are 4 trim levels and 2 body styles. We don’t even get the sport version.
Make no mistake Subaru make great cars, that are logical, well engineered, and have soul and an honesty lacking in much of the “blinged” up competition. I think many would be happy to wait a couple of months for the car of their choice to find its way across the world to the UK. So come on IM – give us the choice… until then I’ll continue loving my Levorg.
Re: International Motors - take note
I think part of the problem is that the UK is a small market for Subaru, as their cars appear increasingly designed for the North American market - ie. Big, ugly, and with ponderous AUTO gearboxes.
Even going back some years, the decisions seemed odd - for example why have a Legcay 3.0 (great though it was) in the UK instead of the 2.0 turbo or later 2.5 turbo, that was available elsewhere?
Take the new Levorg, only available as a 1.6t cvt, yet in Aisa/ Australia NZ, they have a 2.0 turbo STi version - why do we not have that version here? ( it would probably result in double the current Levorrg sales!)
I have been a Subaru fan and buyer for many years, but will soon regrettably be buying something else, as the current range is just so dull!
The new Subaru Astra
The new Subaru Astra
A global car not designed for Europe
Subaru are doing very well with growing sales and high margins. However from a European perspective the cars really only make sense if you live in a mountainous area and you're going to take them off tarmac. For gravel roads few people really need lots of ground clearance (though I think the XV would be a nicer option for many).
After 20 years of Subaru ownership we switched this year. Engine / gearbox options were the key reason. I still have a soft spot for them though and would happily go back.