A base impression

Motoring News - Friday December 14, 2007

SUBARU / IMPREZA 1.5R

A base impression

Subaru wants its latest compact hatchback to attract newcomers. This softie works, but sharply contrasts the brand's performance image in Thailand

RICHARD LEU

The Subaru Impreza has always failed the cosmetic test. While the first generation model was bland at its best, the successor looked ugly with its bug-eyed head lights - all, of course, open to debate.

Controversial styling still seems to persist with the third generation iteration as tested here this week. This time around, the latest Impreza is meek at its best, especially with that subtle face.

What has gone wrong, you may ask, with a car that's supposed to be associated with world-class rally and unique technologies like Boxer engines with turbocharged forced induction and the famed all-wheel-drive system?

Styling was never a genuine forte of Subaru, if you happen to look at other models like the Forester or Tribeca SUVs. However, the diminutive Japanese carmaker seems to have an answer for the Impreza this time.

Subaru says it wants to widen the Impreza's audience from the traditional customer base of performance-oriented drivers. To put it blunty, it wants to attract more women to the Impreza.

So the first thing to do was to give the Impreza a more pleasant appearance rather than that boyish appeal that archrival Mitsubishi has adopted for its Lancer range. And for the first time in Thailand, Impreza sales start with the five-door hatchback instead of the saloon which is slated to arrive late next year.

Subaru has also wasted no time in revealing its intention of going for the masses - in its own game because CBU imports mean small sales in relation to those in the Toyota Corolla class - by starting off with the 1.5-litre entry-level model.

A baseline version naturally means restrained appearance and specification, so the 1.5R should make this Impreza the dullest of all: a minimal amount of visual enhancements and plain-looking wheels shod with one of the most cost-effective OEM tyres available.

Try comparing the Impreza hatch with the Ford Focus or Mazda 3 and it's still no better than its rivals on the catwalk. The only saving grace for the Impreza's looks is perhaps in the eyes of those who have never heard of Subaru being engineering-focused brand.

But for those who have seen the outgoing hatchback-cum-estate model in other countries, this latest Impreza looks tidier in appearance. In fact, the most talked-about design element of the Impreza is the rear end which looks reasonably better than the front.

Impreza interiors have also been notoriously tasteless, so the latest cabin has moved a step forward by highlighting the twin-arch dashboard design first used in the Tribeca and a panel-readout similar to the Legacy's.

But the centre console still has the squarish feel of older Imprezas and makes the overall ambience not inspiring enough if you once again put the interiors of the Focus and 3 into retrospect.

The plastics in the Impreza's cabin are put well together but are hard and hollow in feel lacking that kind of quality many of its Japanese C-segment competitors are making to move upmarket.

The steering wheel looks good and is nice to hold on, even though you know that the missing remote switches for the cruise control on the right of it is reserved for higher-spec Imprezas.

The cloth seats already speak for the specs, and so do the omissions of side and head airbags which you could find in the similarly priced, Asean-built Mazda 3. But the B1.17m pricetag of the Impreza is quite commendable as a CBU and explains why Subaru says the prices are only introductory.

When it comes to outright usage, the Impreza is an easy car to live with. Various controls and instrumentation are in their logical places and are within easy reach. The driver's seat adjusts manually in six ways, although the steering column could have had more height adjustment.

The Impreza has the typical hatchback practicality by featuring rear seats that can fold to increase cargo area, although the floor isn't flat and is two-storied. Occupant space, on the other hand, is adequate and very similar to that of the Focus and 3.

Subaru's intention of appealing to non-performance buyers is not only evidenced in the appearance but also on the driver manners.

The ride, for instance, is surprisingly comfortable, thanks to a soft suspension set-up and high-profiled Bridgestones. Better even is the suppression of harshness you would normally experience in Subarus fitted with four-wheel drive.

In relation to the 3, the Impreza rides in a far more supple fashion, successfully filtering out road imperfections at low speeds and being considerably quiet on high-speed cruises.

But as soon as roads get more demanding, the Impreza's chassis starts to deteriorate. The tyres already start to howl even under moderate cornering, body roll becomes excessive once you begin to search for the limits and the body squats if you approach a nasty mid-corner bump.

Thankfully, the all-wheel drive system gives some sense of security by attempting to keep the car in line in a fast curve and yields sufficient mechanical grip in a straight line at high speeds.

The steering itself is generally precise and well weighted to suit the car's day-to-day personality.

But by having all four wheels driven permanently, fuel consumption inevitably needs to take a back seat. Consumption around town can fall to 7kpl, while attaining a double digit figure during 120kph cruises needs some effort.

Another culprit for the modest fuel economy is the underpowered motor. A 107hp 1.5-litre engine size sounds great as a baseline model. But like the 109hp 1.6-litre Mazda 3, this Impreza is too sluggish, even in town-driving.

There's hardly any amount of usable torque below 3,000rpm and makes driving an occasionally painful experience especially when you want to get moving forward.

Shifting the gear lever of the four-speed automatic transmission into sport gives more kickdown responsiveness but doesn't really help much. Double kickdown and high revs are the only true remedies when you need extra oomph.

Which basically means that the brakes do quite an impressive job. Pedal feel is progressive, while stopping power is more than enough since it doesn't have to handle with much power.

This, in the end, makes the car a flawed entry-level Impreza. But the Focus and 3 were never great performers with their weak engines, either. However, the Impreza's comfy chassis makes more sense than the 3's sporty set-up since such entry-level cars won't be driven by enthusiasts.

So how are you going to weigh the Impreza against its intended hatchback rivals? In terms of pure ability, the Impreza has got some merits. But on paper, the Impreza naturally has to concede with a higher price and lower spec.

The 1.5R may work if it is made in this region and be priced where it should be to be truly competitive against the rest. But that isn't the case here, meaning that Subaru may have to continue focusing on its performance-oriented Imprezas in Thailand, starting at least from the WRX and upwards.

Imprezzive menu

Over the next 12 months, Motor Image is expected to complete the Impreza model line-up with three bodystyles and four engine variants to choose from.

- The 107hp 1.5-litre was the first model launched last month with both manual and automatic transmissions to choose from. It serves as the entry-level Impreza costing B1.12m and B1.17m, respectively.

- At the Motor Expo recently, the 150hp 2.0-litre variant was added with both kinds of gearboxes available priced at B1.349m and B1.399m accordingly. Although not tested yet, this motor sounds more logical than the sluggish 1.5 considering the small premium it asks for.

- The 220hp 2.5-litre version - specially detuned for the Thai market like before - is for those needing turbocharged performance and costs B2.42m. This WRX is some B200k cheaper than the previous generation which only saw a saloon body.

- An automatic version of the WRX is being negotiated with the Japanese parent firm in the guise of S-GT. It's not final yet whether it can get the manual's 220hp power output. Sales could start in March next year.

- Also slated at the end of the first quarter next year is the range-topping STi. Paired with a 306hp 2.5-litre turbo unit and six-speed manual, the STi is aimed at hard-core fans. The five-door body is vastly different from the regular versions and is made at a different production line in Japan. Price will be similar to today's model at B3.95m.

- By the end of next year, the four-door saloon - already on sale in the US - comes as a 2009 model joining the current five-door hatchback. The sedan will get the same engines and similar prices, except the STi treatment which is most likely to be reserved for the hatch that is being emulated in next year's World Rally Championship.

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