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By
ALISTAIR KENNEDY
7 November 2011
Earlier
this year we reported from the New York Motor Show on the
unveiling of the next generation Subaru Impreza. With production
delayed by the effects of the devastating Japanese earthquake and
tsunami the new Impreza won’t arrive in Australia until March
2012. However, following a brief trip to Japan, we’ve been able
to see the cars come off the production line and also drive them
at Subaru’s SKC research and development complex to the north of
Tokyo.
Subaru has long been seen as a company that has placed substance
ahead of style, and it is recognized as one of the world’s most
technically-advanced car makers. While this is a major reason it
attracts such a high level of brand loyalty it does make Subaru
less likely to attract buyers away whose primary focus is on good
looks.
Keen
to improve its global sales numbers, and with an eye clearly on
Europe, Subaru’s designers have exerted their influence with the
new Impreza. Overall there’s a new, slightly chiseled look with
a taller hexagonal grille and squared-off rear, all of which work
well and gives Impreza a fresher, more contemporary appearance.
One of our pet hates in some modern cars are wide windscreen
pillars that hinder the view of the driver and so constitute a
safety risk. So we were delighted to see that the A pillars in the
new Impreza are narrower than before and that this has been done
without any reduction in the car’s structural rigidity. The side
mirrors have been increased in area by around 20 per cent.
Although
the Impreza’s external dimensions are effectively unchanged, a
longer wheelbase offset by shorter overhangs, has given it more
interior space than the current model. This is particularly
noticeable in the back seat where the legroom is good for a car in
this category. There’s good headroom in both front and rear,
even when an optional sunroof is fitted.
Entry
and exit is now easier, with new doors that are thinner and have a
two-stage hinge mechanism, the second of which opens the doors to
almost 90 degrees.
Boot capacity has also increased by 40 litres, to 460 litres, with
a wide opening and recessed hinges for added convenience.
Inside
the new there’s a rich look and feel to the materials on the
dashboard with soft touch plastic on the doors, centre console and
dashboard.
New features include six-speed manual and Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT), start-stop engine technology and a choice of
two Multi-Function Displays.
As before, new Subaru Impreza will come with the choice of
five-door hatch and four-door sedan bodies, but with an upgraded
version of Subaru’s horizontally-opposed four-cylinder
‘boxer’ engine. Although power and torque (110 kW and 196 Nm)
are unchanged, it has been tweaked to not only provide sharper
acceleration but also, through combustion improvements and reduced
friction, to cut fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
Subaru
is claiming a reduction of around 20 per cent in fuel consumption
from the new Impreza when compared to the current model. At this
stage official testing has not been carried out but the
company’s in-house tests have recorded usage of 7.1 litres per
100 kilometres with the new six-speed manual compared with the ADR
figure of 8.9 L/100 km for the outgoing five-door manual.
There’s an even greater improvement (6.8 against 8.8 L/100 km)
when the new CVT is lined up against the current four-speed,
torque-convertor automatic.
These are very impressive fuel figures, especially given that the
Impreza, as with all of Subaru’s Australian range, come with the
added weight of all-wheel drive. While we see no reason to doubt
Subaru’s test results, we will provide an update at the
Impreza’s Australian launch early next year.
While not dismissing the possibility of a diesel-powered Impreza
in the future, Subaru Australia’s CEO, Nick Senior, pointed to
these dramatic improvements in petrol economy as one reason why it
wasn’t high on the company’s priority list.
We were able to drive both manual and CVT versions of the 2012
Impreza at Subaru’s proving ground north of Tokyo, firstly
around the high-speed banked track – albeit restricted to a
maximum speed of 130 km/h – and on a more interesting circuit
featuring a variety of surface conditions, chicanes and sharp
corners.
We also were able to test the new stop-start feature that will be
standard in all new Imprezas. With CVT models the system cuts out
the engine 0.5 seconds after the car halts, and in the same time
once a manual car has been put into neutral and the clutch
disengaged. The engine will then re-start in 0.35 seconds when the
CVT’s brake is released or when the manual’s clutch is
depressed. Subaru claims the system contributes about 5 per cent
to new Impreza’s total 20 per cent fuel saving. However, like
any stop-start system, that sort of saving only applies when the
car is used in very heavy traffic.
The new engine feels quieter and more refined than the current
unit while the new Lineartronic CVT is certainly smoother and less
annoying than others we have tested. It also comes with a useful
six-speed manual override that can be operated by steering wheel
mounted paddle shifts.
As is the norm with test tracks, there were several strategically
placed potholes and undulations, as well as a series of manhole
covers. The Impreza handled surely and with little vibration from
these various obstructions, aided by improvements which, according
to Subaru, gives it the lowest centre of gravity of any vehicle in
its class.
Suspension rigidity has been increased by around 30 per cent
(front) and 20 per cent (rear) over that of the current model.
There will be three variants in the new Impreza range: entry-level
2.0i, higher-specced 2.0i-L and sportier 2.0i-S. Standard
equipment in all models include seven airbags (front, side,
curtain and driver’s knee), auto start/stop, VDC (Vehicle
Dynamics Control), cruise control, CVT paddle shifts, automatic
air conditioning, Bluetooth (phone and audio) and USB/Aux sockets.
The 2.0i-L also gets a power sunroof, reversing camera, steering
wheel mounted controls, front fog lights and rear privacy glass;
while the 2.0i-S adds leather seats and trim, power driver seats,
alloy pedals and Xenon headlamps. Both the S and L models get the
option of satellite navigation.
The Multi-Function Display in the two higher-specced models
provides a variety of driver assistance features including fuel
efficiency monitoring. In conjunction with the satellite
navigation system it can also select a ‘Green Route’, the path
which will use the lowest amount of fuel.
Although the new Impreza doesn’t go on sale until early March
next year, Subaru Australia has advised that demonstrator models
will be available at dealers from January. Prices and final
specifications are yet to be announced. Sadly for high-performance
enthusiasts, the WRX and STi variants of the new Impreza are still
several years away.
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Marque Publishing Company
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