A QUICK LOOK AT THE 2017 SUBARU IMPREZA 2.0I SPORT
The Subaru's compact Impreza sedan/hatch rides on an all-new platform featuring all-wheel drive. Its major competitors include the Mazda 3, the Honda Civic, The VW Golf and the SportWagen.
Right now, the base price sits at $22,815 with the As-Tested Price being $23,615.
The Impreza Sport adds 18-inch wheels, larger 11.6-inch front brake discs, torque vectoring and a sport-tuned suspension. Then, it ties it all together with a wing that is fairly modest – at least by WRX STI standards.
It is important to note that you don't have any extra power over the standard Impreza and, maybe counterintuitively, the Sport is actually the heaviest of the bunch at 3,108 pounds.
The drivetrain for this model is 2.0-liter DOHC H4, AWD, and continuously variable transmission.
The output sits at 152hp at 6,000rpm; and 145 lb-ft at 4,000rpm.
A writer at Autoweek had this to say about the Subaru Impreza Sport:
"Let’s get this out of the way: The Impreza Sport is not a budget WRX. It rides on a newer chassis and it’s got a wing in the back, but the difference between this and a real Wrex is night and day on every front -- most notably power (duh) and handling. Razor-sharp, this is not; steering is not quite as precise as the key competitors listed above, to say nothing of Subie’s pure performance offering.
Even so, a WRX is not on everybody’s menu (or in everybody’s budget). What the Impreza offers over the highly competent competition is an affordable all-wheel drive, which can’t be found anywhere else on a sedan for this price. That the entire package, from the underpinnings to the interior, has been moderately improved for 2018 is a welcome bonus.
Is the sports package worth it? Honestly, it’s a tough call. You don’t gain any power, but brakes are somewhat better than the soft shoes most Subarus wear.
I’d advise an enthusiast to go with the manual and pocket the cash you’d save, but the reality is that the continuously variable automatic transmission is acceptable for the majority of drivers. The only place it really stumbles is around 20 percent throttle (when you’re creeping along in traffic, for example); here, the CVT’s microchip brain seems to be trying desperately to keep the engine at about 1,000 to 1,100 rpm, powertrain smoothness be damned. As a result, the car lurches and lugs slightly but noticeably along while the tach needle holds steady, all in the name of fuel efficiency. "