Used 2022 Subaru Impreza

The compact 2022 Subaru Impreza comes as a sedan or hatchback, with all-wheel drive as standard. It’s the most affordable new Subaru and the cheapest new car with all-wheel drive.

To be honest, we were half-expecting a revamped Impreza this year, since this fifth generation has been around since 2017. But it now looks like the 2023 model year is going to be a busy one for Subaru by launching a fresh Impreza along with a new Crosstrek.

What’s the difference between the Impreza and the Subaru Crosstrek? The Crosstrek crossover is essentially an Impreza hatchback with higher ground clearance and some SUV styling. It also costs more.

Not that there’s anything wrong with the current Impreza. It’s sturdy and spacious, comes with several safety features, and holds its value well. Where is the 2022 Subaru Impreza built? At the company’s plant in Lafayette, Indiana. With just minimal changes this year, the Subaru Impreza can still, um, impress.

Although Subaru has made some great driver’s machines based on the Impreza (the WRX STI, for example), this model isn’t one of them. Engine output of 152 horsepower, combined with the added weight of all-wheel drive hardware and the slow responses of that humblest of transmissions — the continuously variable transmission, or CVT — all conspire to keep the 2022 Impreza in the slow lane.

Those few adventurous souls who decide on the 5-speed manual transmission that comes in the base model and Sport trim can exploit the engine’s energy to a greater degree by holding on to the lower gears and effecting quick changes.

When the weather turns foul, though, the thing that matters more is the reassurance of the all-wheel-drive system. And throughout all four seasons, the ride quality is a well-judged accord of comfort and control.

Everything outside the cabin provides more than enough things to think about while driving, so the 2022 Impreza tries to make life easier with a general user-friendliness to the controls and their layout. At these prices, the materials are decent quality and they’re all assembled to a high standard.

Occupant space is also ample in both rows and in both body styles. For maximum versatility, we’d choose the hatchback, which has a fraction more rear headroom. Moreover, the 5-door hatchback boasts nearly 21 cubic feet of cargo space behind the 60/40 split-folding rear seats, with 55 cubic feet in total. The sedan’s trunk measures 12.3 cubic feet and also is practical thanks to 60/40 rear seats.

Sedan or hatchback, it’s the buyer’s choice. Unless the top Limited trim is preferred, which is hatchback-only this year.

The base trim has 16-inch steel wheels. Alloy wheels of the same size come with the next-up Premium trim, with the hatchback version gaining roof rails. Sport trim has black exterior elements like the grille and rear spoiler. Limited gains full LED headlights and LED fog lights.

Anyone requiring more than 5.1 inches of ground clearance — negotiating steep driveways or deep snow, for example — might prefer to investigate the Subaru Crosstrek.

STANDARD ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
It’s a Subaru specialty, one of the company’s calling cards, providing great grip and traction for fun on dry roads, or confidence in slippery conditions. Yet fuel economy doesn’t suffer noticeably, and Impreza prices still compare well with front-drive rivals.

CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION
Driving enthusiasts have an understandable aversion to CVTs. But they’re in the minority. Most people want an automatic, especially if it means bringing more driver-assistance features into the car, such as automatic emergency braking and a rear-seat reminder.

It’s the trim with no name, the base 2022 Impreza. It comes with all-wheel drive, daytime running lights, power windows/locks, a full complement of airbags, Apple Car/Android Auto smartphone integration, two USB ports, four speakers, 6.5-inch infotainment display, and a 5-speed manual transmission.

Let’s assume, though, that the majority of buyers will go for the optional automatic, which also adds forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, and the rear seat alert.

It’s still worth stretching the finances for the next Premium trim, which has the automatic transmission as standard, plus heated front seats, heated side mirrors, windshield wiper de-icer, two USB ports for rear passengers, 6-speaker audio system, satellite radio, and alloy wheels.

Sport trim does its best to live up to its name with a specially tuned suspension and active torque vectoring — a feature that contributes to better cornering abilities. The cabin also gains red seat stitching, aluminum pedals, keyless entry/ignition, and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen. Manual versions of this Sport model are also offered with an STI (Subaru Tecnica International) short-throw shifter.

Premium and Sport trims are eligible for blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and a 6-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. These items are standard in the range-topping Limited trim.

This highest level is also where LED headlights and fog lights come in, as well as leather seating surfaces, leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic climate control, and reverse automatic braking.

The top three trims can come with a powered moonroof. The top two trims are offered with navigation and an 8-speaker/432-watt Harman Kardon audio system.

The typical engine in many Subaru vehicles has a flat-4 configuration. Instead of four cylinders all upright and in a line, this is two horizontally opposed pairs. The benefit is that it sits low in the engine bay, contributing to an advantageous center of gravity and overall stability.

A naturally aspirated (no turbochargers) 2.0-liter unit making 152 horsepower is in the 2022 Impreza. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard with the base Impreza sedan and hatchback, and the Impreza hatchback in Sport trim. Elsewhere, an automatic transmission is deployed. As mentioned several times above, all-wheel drive is standard.

2.0-liter flat-4
152 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
145 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/31 mpg (manual, sedan), 24/31 mpg (manual, hatchback), 28/36 mpg (automatic, sedan/hatchback), 27/36 mpg (Sport sedan, automatic), 22/30 mpg (Sport hatchback, manual), 27/35 mpg (Sport hatchback, automatic)