Subaru Impreza 2.0 R (2008) Driving Impression

The problem facing Subaru has been an obstacle in the path of many a pop star. You achieve stardom through a string of billboard hits, but soon have to face the inevitable “next step”. To stay relevant, you can’t churn out the same sound all the time. You have to move with the times… with your audience. Just ask Madonna.

Similarly, Subaru, a darling of the ‘90s and early noughties, is having to reinvent itself. It can’t forever be the brand that builds blue cars with big wings and gold rims. That would be business suicide. That explains the existence of this rather bland five-door hatchback, but the question remains… is it good enough to trouble the mainstream market?

Return of the jelly mould

When first images of the latest Impreza leaked out on the Internet, the world was shocked. Surely Subaru’s first attempt at mainstream glory would not be such a bland, forgettable and, let’s be gentle, somewhat dated attempt? Unfortunately, it is. The new Impreza hatch could be a slightly older Mazda, some onlookers commented, and if it weren’t for the bizarrely LED-infused tail lamps, there would be nothing memorable about it at all! But, Subaru will be quick to point out that the market doesn’t care. And, you know what… they may have a point. Volkswagen’s Golf sells pretty well, thank you, and that’s not a design masterpiece either. Neither is Toyota’s Auris. Nor is the Ford Focus… You get the idea.

But… Subaru is wrong. For a fringe brand such as this to make an impact, being more attractive or better than the establishment is a requirement. While exterior aesthetics are subjective and up for debate, interior practicality and quality are not… Unfortunately for Subaru, the new Impreza’s interior, though well-equipped and solidly put together, lags most in this segment in terms of perceived quality and spaciousness.

Much of the cabin is finished in a drab grey trim, with the dark-tinted silver plastic trim pieces only half-heartedly bringing relief to the monotony. As always, the instrumentation is good, with the red-on-black lettering making promises of racy performance that the engine can’t quite live up to (more of that later). You’ll also notice that the majority of the trim pieces are of the hard variety, and there’s precious little that could be labelled a stand-out feature.

The driving position, usually a Subaru strength, is compromised in the new car, being set too low for what is a run-of-the-mill family hatchback. At least the steering wheel offers decent rake and reach adjustability. Comfort levels are good, though, with the front occupants having precious little to complain about. It is at the rear where the problems start. Rear legroom is rather limited, probably being just below class average. And the boot is very small, mostly because the back-end of the car has to accommodate not only the rear section of the all-wheel drive system, but also a full-size spare wheel. The seats do, however, fold nicely flat, resulting in usable utility space.

The Subaru Impreza 2.0 R regains some lost ground through its high standard specification count. Yes, leather upholstery is lacking, but you get climate control, cruise control, a good sound system and no fewer than six airbags as part to the package. Remember that the car also features all-wheel drive, a costly drive system that none of its rivals can match.

Grip… but where’s the grunt?

Subaru’s well-known horizontally opposed 2.0-litre engine powers the 2.0 R. It delivers 110 kW and 196 Nm of torque, both figures being at the leading edge of this segment. Remember, though, that the all-wheel drive system is heavy and therefore power draining. Still, a 0-100 km/h time of 9.6 seconds will be good enough for most, and it sounds good building up speed, with the engine emitting that typically thrummy boxer note that Subaru has become famous for. The engine is mated with a five-speed manual ‘box. Again, as per usual, the drivetain feels incredibly mechanical and robust, if possibly a trifle heavy for some of the mainstream target customers.

The Impreza hatch still uses Subaru’s trademark symmetrical all-wheel drive system that splits torque 50:50 front to rear to ensure maximum grip and security. In this model, the suspension set-up is quite soft, so the company certainly hasn’t tried to offer hot hatch dynamics. Instead, the Impreza offers a unique blend of cosseting ride comfort and almost otherworldly cornering grip. The latter is accompanied by lots of body roll, which is initially disturbing but seemingly of no consequence to the workings of that finely tuned drivetrain.

Verdict

This Subaru Impreza 2.0 R is the product of a brand that is in two minds about its future. If it was convinced that going mainstream was the solution, then this hatchback would not have featured the costly, heavy and fuel-sapping all-wheel drive system. Forget about achieving 8.9 litres/100 km – the likely result is closer to 10,5 litres/100 km.

At the same time, the drivetrain solution has resulted in compromised rear legroom and boot space and, possibly, due to its cost, also some penny pinching in the interior. The Subaru Impreza 2.0 R has its charms (the ride quality, engine note and standard specification) but overall it is hard to recommend as its competition is more polished in the areas that are of most importance in this segment. It would seem, then, that the problem is not that Subaru has sold out, but rather that it has not been confident enough to gone all the way…

We like:

Grip

Ride quality

Standard specification

Mechanical integrity

We don’t like:

Amorphous looks

Small boot

Fuel consumption

Bland cabin

Fast facts

Engine: 2.0-litre, boxer four-cylinder, petrol

Power: 110 kW @ 6 400 rpm

Torque: 196 Nm @ 3 200 rpm

Transmission: five-speed manual

Wheels: 16-inch alloy

Top speed: 193 km/h

0-100 km/h: 9.6 seconds

Fuel economy: 8.9 litres/100 km

Also consider:

BMW 116i 5-dr:

The oddly styled BMW is a strong rival, mostly because of its premium badge. Although a nice enough car to drive, it can’t match the Subaru’s performance or specification. Plus, the cabin is even more cramped.

Volkswagen Golf 2.0 Comfortline:

The Golf 5 is the default choice in this segment by virtue of its classy cabin, excellent dynamic balance and good back-up. Keep in mind, however, that this particular model is not all that powerful and the specification not as generous as the Subaru’s.

Ford Focus 2.0 Si 5-dr:

A popular choice in South Africa and also quite a bit cheaper. The Ford is competitive in terms of power and performance, as well as dynamic ability, and trumps the Subaru in terms of cabin practicality. Where it loses out is standard specification.