Super TestCar reviews - Subaru - Impreza - 5-dr hatch rangeSubaru modelsOverviewSubaru hopes its classier, comfier and more refined new Impreza hatch wins more hearts4 Sep 2007 By CHRIS HARRIS STUNG by costly premature facelifts of the previous-generation "bug-eyed" Impreza and now the terrible Tribeca, Subaru’s in-house design team has played it safe with a conservative new skin for the third-generation Impreza, which launches from September 2007 in hatch-only guise. Billed as the first genuine Impreza hatch (rather than "sports wagon"), the MkIII is available in four grades only - R, RX, RS and the turbocharged WRX - until the flagship STi arrives in January. It features a stiffer yet lighter five-door bodyshell with a five-star ANCAP crash rating and stability control as standard across the range. Apart from a $50 increase at base level, pricing is down across the board. Throw in superior ride quality, more interior space, improved comfort and refinement and Subaru’s trademark all-wheel drive system, and the new Impreza makes a compelling value statement. Pity, then, that the WRX incites little of the excitement for which it became famous. Model release date: 1 October 2007 to 1 January 2012 All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen Previous modelSubaru's promptly-facelifted Impreza of 2002 was hailed as the return of the King. Prior to this, fans had to endure two years of a heavier, slower and visually more challenging "bug-eyed" version. As for the MY03 model, big advances were made in driveability, plus extra equipment, safety and security features were included. With 168kW and 300Nm channelled to all four wheels via a five-speed manual or sequential-shift four-speed automatic, the Rex was back. |
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