Now that there are two all-season alternatives, the Subaru Impreza's monopoly has vanished. But while all AWD cars are no longer Imprezas, all Imprezas are still AWD, making it fundamentally different in a world of front-drivers. In my opinion, AWD should be a make-it-or-break-it decision: if you don't need it, leave it. The extra components and weight of AWD cost money at the outset, cost money during every mile driven via wasted fuel, cost passenger space, and cost performance. On the other hand, it the extra traction saves you from flying off a 5,000-foot snow mountain, it could be rationalized. If you live where it's slippery when wet, consider it.
In any case, the smallest Subaru compares well. Its ambitions have skyrocketed even farther than those of the others. Born in 1993 as a homely weakling with 110 wheezing horses, the Subaru Impreza was remade two years ago with a strong 2.5 engine with 165 horses, and that's only the least powerful of its three engines. The uplevel Impreza WRX comes with a turbo 2.0 pumping 227; the Impreza WRX STi stomps the field with 300. Those are specialty versions better left for another discussion involving Mitsubishi's Lancer Evolution, and anyway, the competition can barely keep up with even the lowest Impreza, so let's stick to one league.
To get an idea of the Impreza's hardware, start by listing all the best stuff present in the other cars. Add the strongest engine (both horsepower and torque-wise) and the AWD, and you have the Impreza 2.5RS. Its AWD system varies with the transmission, however: order an automatic and get active AWD, which keeps a constant eye on slippage and redistributes torque accordingly; stick models simply split the power 50/50 between front and back. Helping offset the mediocre fuel economy is a gas tank that, at 15.9 gallons, makes everyone else's look like water canteens. 13.2 is the typical capacity found across this field. That's an extra 100 freeway miles in the Impreza's favor, every time.
Imprezas generally come loaded, and with an automatic 2.5RS sedan starting at $20,870, they should. Most options are simple appearance and stereo enhancements. The wagon (dubbed "2.5TS") has one step-up trim line called Outback, which takes stepping up literally by standing 2.7 inches taller.
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