Driven: 2024 Subaru Impreza Hatch Is Inexpensive AWD Fun

• The Impreza is redesigned for 2024 and now it's hatchback only.
• A new RS trim packs more powerful engine
• Bigger available touchscreen ranks as one of its improvements.

What's under the Impreza's hood?

Lifting the hood on the new Impreza will reveal one of two possible engines. The Base and Sport trims sit below the new top-tier RS and come with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. It is similar in output to the base engine in a Honda Civic hatchback but less powerful than the Civic's turbocharged upgrade engine or the 186-hp engine found in the Mazda 3 hatchback. Thankfully, the RS trim should equal things up. It gets a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 182 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. This is the same engine upgrade Subaru offers in its Crosstrek small SUV.

Power from either engine is run through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to the Impreza's standard all-wheel drive. Sport and RS models get a revised CVT that has eight programmed shift points and shift paddles to impart a more traditionally sportier driving experience. A manual transmission is no longer offered on the Impreza, however.

How does the Impreza drive?

Around turns, the 2024 Impreza is pretty nimble and maneuverable. This is especially true of the Impreza Sport and RS, both of which get a sport-tuned suspension and 18-inch wheels. The suspension feels taut and secure in the way it reacts to bumps in the road, and the steering gives you confidence in knowing how the car will react. Subaru says it's improved the car's handling and steering for 2024, and there's little reason to doubt that claim. The Impreza's standard all-wheel-drive system is a nice bonus for providing extra traction in snowy or icy conditions.

The RS exclusively gets the new 2.5-liter engine, and this is the engine to get in our opinion. The extra power compared to the carryover 2.0-liter engine fitted to the Base and Sport trims — one we previously described as "one of the car's biggest failings" — is noticeable and appreciated. This is especially true when you need to quickly accelerate onto a highway or make a pass of a slow-moving vehicle. Still, 186 hp is still not a whole lot, and the engine's 6,000-rpm redline is a 7 p.m. curfew limit on the party otherwise promised by the RS' sporty styling flourishes. Think of the RS as a mild hatch, not a hot hatch.

Subaru hasn't provided any acceleration times for the new Impreza. The last Impreza 2.0-liter we tested leisurely made its way to 60 mph in 9.4 seconds. We'll know more once we're able to fully test the 2024 Impreza in the coming months.

How's the Impreza's interior and tech?

Subaru has gone with a similar overall design as the previous-generation Impreza. You'll find easy-to-use controls, excellent forward and side visibility, and classically legible gauges. The front seats are grippy and have enough bolstering to keep you in place for sporty driving. Interior room is middle-of-the-pack for a small hatchback; essentially, the Impreza's cabin is a little roomier than the cabin in the Mazda 3 hatchback but a little less roomy than the Honda Civic's.

Most adults should be comfortable up front, and the rear seats have enough space for kids or adults up to about 6 feet tall. Installing a rear-facing child safety seat shouldn't be too much trouble either. Subaru also likes to point out that a lot of Impreza owners use their cars to transport their dogs. We can't verify this statement but logic holds that the Impreza should satisfy as well if you've got fur babies instead of the wrinkly pink ones. (What if you've got dogs and kids? Well, friend, there's that three-row Subaru Ascent over there on the dealer lot …)

Fitted to the Sport and RS trims is Subaru's large 11.6-inch vertically oriented infotainment screen that it's been offering in most of its recent generation vehicles. This contains controls for the climate control as well as other vehicle functions and offers integrated wireless smartphone connectivity for both Apple and Android phones. It responds quickly to touches and supports future software updates that can be done over the air rather than at a dealership.

Subaru's latest version of EyeSight — that's what it calls its suite of advanced driver aids — is standard on all Impreza models. Improvements have been made to allow the systems to operate more quickly and in a greater range of conditions. The standard technologies still include adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking and lane departure mitigation. Models fitted with the available blind-spot warning system also have a new intervention assist function that can potentially help steer the Impreza to avoid a forward collision under 50 mph.

How much stuff can the Impreza hold?

Hatchback only, baby! Subaru says the majority of previous Impreza buyers got the hatchback for the added practicality, so this time around it just went all in and discontinued the sedan. There's 20.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats or 56 cubes if you fold them down. The Civic hatchback has a little more cargo space, and you should probably consider a crossover SUV if cargo capacity is a priority. But as small hatchbacks go, we think you'll be satisfied with the amount of stuff you can throw in the back.

Edmunds says

Essentially, the 2024 Impreza has many small enhancements but nothing that's going to break the internet. Improved handling, more refined advanced driver aids, a bigger touchscreen and a more powerful engine option are sure to keep the Impreza in the sweet spot for many Subaru buyers. But we also recommend keeping an eye on the competition. The Honda Civic hatchback is roomy and efficient, while the upscale Mazda 3 hatchback will tempt you with its available all-wheel drive and strong turbocharged engine option.