2012 Subaru Impreza - 2011 New York Auto Show
Introducing America’s most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive passenger car.
By Jonathan Elfalan / Photos by John Lamm (Road&Track)
April 20, 2011
Subaru unveiled the 2012 model successor to its best-selling Impreza at the New York Autoshow today, which will arrive in showrooms this fall. This fourth-generation Impreza still follows the general formula of a flat-4 engine with permanent all-wheel drive—a proven success over the
The new all-aluminum engine block shrinks in bore size, but gains some stroke to displace 2.0 liters. With a new dual-cam design and variable intake and exhaust timing, the engine produces 148 bhp at 6200 rpm and 145 lb.-ft. of torque, which peaks at 4200 rpm. You may have noted that this is a decrease from the current Impreza’s figures (170 bhp and 170 lb.-ft. of torque), but Subaru claims the new car accelerates quicker to 60 mph by 0.3 seconds.
This is credited to a new optional Lineartronic CVT transmission (replacing the outgoing 4-speed auto), the new engine’s slightly racier characteristics, as well as a weight-savings initiative involving the unibody chassis, fuel system, seat frames, brakes, interior trim and exhaust system that cut a total of 110 lb. off the new model versus the old. Depending on if you get the 5-speed manual or the CVT (available with steering wheel shift paddles), the Impreza’s center differential will either be a viscous coupling or an electronically managed clutch-type, respectively; both have a torque split of 50/50 front to rear and can transfer 100 percent of available torque to either set of wheels under slippage.
More Than Just a New Engine
Lightness and quickness are not all that the new Impreza has gained—the interior feels wider and more spacious, with a nice bump in the quality department. A 1.0-in. longer wheelbase paired with shorter overhangs mean the overall footprint stays the same, but there’s 2 in. more rear-seat knee room. The extra shoulder room (approximately an inch) on the other hand, is attributed entirely to a smart door panel design, not added car width. The soft-touch dash sits lower, which adds to the impressive panoramic view through the windshield. This effect was created via thinner A-pillars (that have been moved forward by 7.9 in.), a slim secondary pillar with a small window partition, lower door sill heights and, last, the door-mounted sideview mirrors.
For suspension, both 4 and 5-door models retain their double-wishbone rear setups and MacPherson struts in front, although various improvements in bushings and pillowball mounts help to better locate the chassis. The most interesting tweak in the suspension are the new rebound springs inside the front dampers, which help the wheels stay better glued to the ground in transitions. This comes standard on the higher trim models of the 2012 Impreza, which also get a rear anti-roll bar.
The final crowning achievement for the new Subie—especially with looming oil prices—is its fuel economy, which sees an increase of a whopping 30 percent (with the CVT), which Subaru estimates will register an EPA rating of 27 mpg city/36 mpg highway (25/33 for the 5-speed manual) and a tank range of over 800 Kilometers.
