I've gone through the numbers for you, and the last time a Subaru Impreza was featured in Dutch pricelists, was 2012.
Meanwhile, Subaru has concluded there isn't a Subaru model range without an Impreza.
This is the new Impreza, and they insist on telling you it has nothing to do with the Impreza's we all think of.
No air scoops on the hood, and no more gold wheels...
And because Subaru doesn't want us to think of the old Impreza, that's exactly what we're going to do.
It was so much more than just a family rally car.
You could get a station wagon, you could choose between a manual or an automatic gearbox,
you could even get front-wheel drive, you had more powerful engines, less powerful engines...
But if you want a new Impreza, you won't have that much choices.
It'll only come in one version. And that's this.
A 1.6-litre producing 114 horsepower, which is always connected to a CVT-gearbox and four-wheel drive.
You can get a 2.0-litre producing 150 horsepower abroad, but because of the taxes in the Netherlands,
that isn't really attractive for Dutch buyers.
So how does the new Impreza drive? It's on a completely new platform, Subaru says.
It's supposed to excel in safety features, so it's winning crash tests all around the world.
So what can I say?
The drivetrain is just fine, just like the steering.
It's very direct and sharp, so when it comes to that; it's a real Subaru.
But the engine? 114 horsepower for a car which weighs over 1300 kg.
You won't be able to win traffic light sprints.
You just don't have enough power to have something left, to overtake someone for example.
So that's too bad.
I have to say, Subaru has a special place in my heart,
because everything they do is with a reason.
The interior for example. It isn't the best looking,
it isn't hip, it isn't modern, but they don't care about that at Subaru.
They think it's important that everything is where you expect it to be.
That it's all very intuitive to control, that it's all easy... And they've pulled it off.
The exterior then. You could say it's incredibly dull to look at,
and it is.
But that has a reason as well. Just take the rear end,
they didn't choose to apply a hip fold in the rear windows, like it's almost required nowadays.
The line keeps on going, and they do that because it improves the visibility.
That's preferred over a hip exterior, so that's an advantage.
These side mirrors as well. They're big and ugly,
but they're very handy, and that's what it's all about at Subaru.
They have applied one little design trick they say. The headlights are supposed to resemble a flat cylinder from a boxer-engine.
They'll have to explain it to me one day, because I don't see it.
I said you could get a station wagon Impreza in the past, but in this case, that isn't really necessary.
As you can see, it's almost like a Sportback.
It's also very spacious, just take a look.
I'm almost 2 metres long, and I like a laid back seating position.
But look at this. I can sit behind myself and I still have enough headroom.
It really is a spacious car, and that's rare in this segment.
I'll show you the boot as well, because it's usually a point of criticism with Impreza's.
That's because it's got four-wheel drive, which automatically raises the floor.
In this case however. Even though it's got a higher floor,
but there's still lots of space available.
So there's nothing you can choose in the new Impreza?
Well, you can choose between three trim levels.
The Pure has Apple CarPlay, a DAB+ radio system and it will set you back €27.595.
The Comfort also comes with headlights which move with the steering wheel, reverse camera, keyless entry and a big light assistant.
That will set you back €31.395.
The Premium tops it off with a price of €34.595, and it comes with 18-inch wheels,
an electric drivers seat, leather upholstery, a sunroof and a bigger satnav screen.
Something else they're proud of at Subaru is the EyeSight-system.
It's a package which features all kinds of safety options.
And they haven't bought them from Bosch or Delphi, they've developed those features themselves.
You've got adaptive cruise control, and with some brands it works better than others,
but Subaru has done a good job. Something else...
There's a little display here as well, and it shows you if your braking lights work.
And, if I speak for myself, whenever I use adaptive cruise control,
and it brakes, I always wonder if the person behind me sees that.
Are my braking lights on? The Subaru will tell you.
Something else which I like very much; this car has a oil temperature gauge.
You won't find that a lot in this segment, you'll have to turn to the bigger cars for that.
Why it's handy? Normally, a car just has a coolant temperature gauge.
This one does as well, but if your coolant is heated up,
it doesn't mean your engine is heated up as well. You can't set off until the oil is heated up.
And this car lets you know if it's heated up or not. I wonder why no other car has this.
Then, the CVT-gearbox. The continuous variable transmission.
You put your foot down and it looks for the right amount of revs, when it produces the most torques.
So when you do put your foot down, it starts to rev really hard.
Subaru has taken the criticisms seriously, so they've programmed the automatic gearbox to have 7 gears.
A 7-speed CVT.
It's better, but it's still not ideal.
Subaru holds onto the CVT, because they say that's the reason EyeSight is able to keep distance in such a smooth way.
So you give something, but you also get something.
What makes the Subaru Impreza special, is that you get a four-wheel drive C-segment car for a relatively low price.
If you want something like that at Audi or Volvo, it will set you back a lot more.
That also gives you a bigger engine, and that's understandable.
People who buy cars like this usually tow caravans, or use it for a winter sport trip.
And when you go on long travels like that, more power is better.
Anyway, if you're looking for a C-segment car with not too much power, four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox,
here's the Subaru Impreza.
Unfortunately, I don't think there will be many buyers...