The sedan is a dying breed, but the hatchback is even less popular. Subaru is bucking the latter trend by eliminating the sedan from the 2024 Impreza lineup and sticking only with the hatchback. Subaru showed the new Impreza on Thursday at the Los Angeles auto show.
The sixth-generation Subaru Impreza also gets a simplified lineup with base and Sport trims, plus the return of the RS, while also dropping its available manual transmission.
The base and Sport models use a carryover 2.0-liter flat-4 that makes 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque.
Above those models sits the new RS, which is a reference to the 2.5 RS of the late 1990s that was a precursor to the WRX. While 2.5 isn’t in the name, it is under the hood in the form of a 2.5-liter flat-4 that ups the output to 182 hp and 178 lb-ft. Both engines are mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission, and the Sport and RS versions get eight preset gear ratios to simulate a traditional automatic. Subaru says it has given the base version wider gear ratios to make it quicker.
2024 Subaru Impreza
Sharing a platform with the WRX, the 2024 Impreza gets more high-strength steel and three times as much adhesive to give it 10% more torsional stiffness than its predecessor. The standard all-wheel-drive system is also revised with faster responses and a center differential that doesn’t lock as early, which Subaru says improves handling. Subaru also gives the car a version of the WRX’s dual-pinion electronic power steering rack for better responses and a more direct steering feel, Subaru promises.
Subaru also says it reinforced the engine block and transmission case, and improved the engine mounts to reduce powertrain vibrations by 22%.
The exterior design features wider fender haunches and the same body panels as the Crosstrek small crossover, though with different bumpers and no body cladding. It also has standard roof brackets and a step plate in each rear door opening to help owners reach the roof rack. The RS has dark gray wheels and gloss-black trim on the grille, side skirts, fog lights, and mirror caps.
2024 Subaru Impreza
Inside, the Impreza gets a new seat design for better comfort and less fatigue. The base model has a standard 7.0-inch touchscreen, but the other models get an 11.6-inch portrait-style touchscreen. The revised exterior design gives the interior slightly less overall space.
Standard equipment on the base model includes keyless entry, cloth upholstery, LED headlights, and 16-inch wheels. The Sport adds the 11.6-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, fog lights, and 18-inch wheels. The RS gets sport seats with red trim, carbon-fiber interior trim, heated front seats, aluminum pedals, rear USB ports, upgraded LED headlights, and LED fog lights. Also available for the RS are a Harman Kardon 10-speaker audio system, a 10-way power-adjustable front seat with lumbar support, and a sunroof.
Subaru outfits every Impreza with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. It uses a camera with a wider angle view to detect people, bikes, and cars coming from the sides quicker. Also standard are blind-spot monitors and a rear-seat reminder system. Safety options include active lane control, blind-spot monitors with steering assist, and rear cross-traffic alerts.
The 2024 Subaru Impreza goes on sale in the spring of 2023. Prices will be announced closer to launch, but expect it to top out below $30,000, where the WRX starts. The 2024 Impreza will be built in Japan rather than Indiana like the current model.
For more from the Los Angeles auto show, check out our dedicated hub.
