The Subaru Impreza is a compact car available as either a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback. It has also been available as a two-door sports coupe. It is a front-engine, all-wheel drive car. The four- and five-door models seat five passengers and feature 60/40 folding rear seats to increase the cargo capacity. It is designed to be a family vehicle, and though small storage space can be a problem, the 60/40 folding rear seats significantly increase this and make the Impreza an ideal car for a family with one or two children.
The Impreza features a 2.5-liter H4 engine that can produce 170 horsepower. The turbocharged engine option produces 265 horsepower. A diesel model is also available in some locations. It is available as either a four-speed automatic with a manual mode or... View more as a five-speed manual. It includes anti-lock brakes and front and rear head airbags and front side airbags. Cargo capacity is limited to 11.3 cubic feet in the sedan and 19.0 cubic feet in the hatchback, but this expands to 44.4 cubic feet when both rear seats are lowered, making it capable of hauling small loads; however, towing is not recommended. The Impreza demonstrates impressive fuel economy, getting 20 mpg/city and 27 mpg/highway.
First debuting in 1993, the Impreza was designed to compete with other small vehicles, including the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. It is manufactured in ?ta, Gunma, Japan. The Impreza has undergone two distinct remakes. The original Impreza was available as a coupe, sedan, or station wagon. This held until 2001, when Subaru scrapped the coupe and focused on making the Impreza faster, safer, and more responsive; it was adopted for use by the Singapore Police Force. In 2008, the newest Impreza was unveiled at the New York Auto Show. It featured a wider and longer wheelbase and safety was further increased with the addition of traction control.
Unlike many compact cars, the Impreza offers a number of vehicle upgrades. Popular additions include deck lid spoilers, body side molding, and chrome sport grille. A TomTom Navigation System and power moon roof are available, as are satellite radio and a six-speaker audio system. Five-door hatchbacks come standard with a retractable, removable cargo area cover. The driver's seat is six-way manually adjustable, and the hatchback is equipped with front and rear windshield wipers.
Subaru has entered the Impreza into a number of rally competitions since its inception and has won Subaru three World Rally Championship constructor's titles. It was named Car of the Year" by Wheels magazine in 2000 and named to its 10-best list in both 2002 and 2003. In 2007, it received the Institute for Highway Safety's highest safety rating. View less
