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28/10/2011
By ALISTAIR KENNEDY in Tokyo
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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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