New, but not too different. The sixth generation of the Subaru Impreza, sold so far in 1.3 million units, was presented by the house of the Pleiades at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the same salon where, in 1992, the first generation had debuted. Even if the manufacturer speaks of a “completely redesigned” model, the proportions are substantially identical with 4.47 meters in length and 2.67 meters in wheelbase, measurements almost superimposable on those of the XV, Crosstek in the United States. The exception is height: the XV is a crossover, the Impreza a sedan. From a structural point of view, the new Impreza boasts a 10% stiffening of the body and features electric power steering with double pinion.
Only a few features were revealed at the Californian show, among other things for the local market, where the RS will also be relaunched, which mounts a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder boxer with 182 HP and 240 Nm of torque. The unit for the entry level and for the Sport is the two thousand with 152 HP and 196 Nm. The certainties are the Lineartronic CVT transmission – which has already made some American driving purists turn up their noses who will miss the manual gearbox (but with just 4% of orders it was an option that was no longer sustainable in the price list) – moreover with 8 “simulated” speeds at least on the RS, and all-wheel drive. The house of the Pleiades has updated the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive anticipating greater flexibility and also a safer cornering grip. The rims are 16” on the “base” Impreza and 18” for the other two versions, of which the manufacturer has not provided any technical data.
Although it is a global model, no indications have arrived from Los Angeles on the variations intended for other markets, where the model will debut after the launch in North America expected by the summer of next year. The choice is obvious given that the United States is by far Subaru’s first market, 20% owned by Toyota.
The new Impreza can be equipped with the 11.6” Starlink Plus multimedia system, which is also inserted vertically into the dashboard, which also includes wireless connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You can have remote functions such as locking and unlocking the car or identifying its location. Tom Doll, CEO of Subaru of America, claimed the car’s extraordinary reliability and the numerous certifications on the validity of its safety systems included in the EyeSight package, further implemented on the new generation. He stressed that no other brand boasts such a high percentage (around 95%) of “old” registered cars still on the road.
