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It's an Impreza, but not as we know it. The Japanese saloon has evolved and is now a strictly hatchback-only affair.

It can be easy to think of the Subaru Impreza as a performance icon, but Subaru is hoping to change that with its all-new model.

Subaru currently sells most of its models in the hot turbocharged guises and a few standard 1.5 and 2-litre models along the way. But with the new model, the Japanese car maker says it's going to be different.

And that's why it invited Auto Trader to drive the 1.5R and 2.0RX engined Imprezas which Subaru hopes will make up the volume of its sales.

It's entering a tough market. Thanks to high quality models from Ford, Honda and Volkswagen, the small family car market – or C-Segment as industry insiders call it – has never been more cutthroat.

To succeed, the new Impreza needs to compete on price, ability – or preferably both.

And it needs a unique selling point.

The last point is covered by Subaru's tradition of only building all-wheel drive cars. And its bosses reckon the extra grip afforded by the system is an important safety feature which will be popular with the family market it is targeting.

And on price it's pretty good. The entry-level 1.5R is bundled with equipment, and undercuts plenty of its rivals with its £12,495 starting price.

But it’s the Impreza's on-road ability that has made it a household name.

There's plenty of grip, and the steering proved to be responsive and accurate on a variety of roads, although we did feel it was a little too light. We were able to corner safely at speeds other cars would have begun to falter at, which is due to the car's lower centre of gravity.

The ride is good, although it was slightly spoiled by the larger 17-inch alloys and low profile tyres on the 2.0RX.

The four-wheel drive system splits power equally between the front and rear wheels, but can send more to the wheels with the most grip under slippery conditions.

And should the occasion require it, the Impreza has a low-range transfer box – like an off-roader – which provides extra engine braking at low speeds and is a unique feature on this kind of car.

However, a fully-fledged mud-plugger it is not. There's no more ground clearance than any other family hatch.

There are two engines available until the wild turbocharged WRX and STI models are introduced: a 1.5 and 2-litre, both in Subaru's famous 'boxer' configuration, which make a nice – if a little muted - noise.

We drove both, and found the 2-litre to be a good performer and quiet at speed. The 147bhp engine can launch the Impreza to 62mph in 9.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 120mph. The 2-litre can also be specified with an auto gearbox with semi-automatic function for an extra £1,000.

The 1.5-litre engine offers 109bhp, making for a 13.7 second 0-62mph dash and a top speed of 109mph. It proved to be lively enough for round-town driving, and the odd motorway cruise, but is coarse under acceleration and gradually runs out of oomph on steeper hills.

But the trade-off is fuel economy: the 1.5 manages an average of 37.7mpg, while the 2-litre will travel 4.1 litres less with its figure of 33.6mpg. And it’s a similar story with emissions; the 1.5 produces 176g/km of CO2 against the 2-litre's 199.

And that currently makes a difference of £40 when it comes to paying road tax.

The first pictures of the Impreza won few admirers, but it looks far better in the flesh; especially with the sporty bodykit and bigger 17-inch alloys on the 2.0RX (optional on other models).

It's reminiscent of the Mazda 3, among others, but lacks the drama we had expected. There are nice design touches however, like the brake bulb arrangement in the rear light units and the BMW-esque scalloped sides.

And it's similar inside. Although improved by a country mile over the previous Impreza, there are still plenty of hard plastics. Far better are the racy seats (in RX trim), which are comfortable and feature slots in the back for racing harnesses – more decorative than functional.

There's plenty of room in the cabin for front and rear passengers, but the boot is shallow due to the enlarged rear axle necessary for the all-wheel drive system.

Those seeking more practicality may like to wait for the rumoured estate or the saloon version which is on sale in North America – but sadly there are no current plans to bring either to the UK.

Kit-wise, the Impreza scores well. The 1.5R counts 15-inch alloys, climate control, front and rear electric windows, front fog lamps and driver, passenger and front side airbag among its star features.

The 2.0R adds larger 16-inch alloys, Subaru Vehicle Dynamics Control, windscreen wiper de-icer, xenon headlamps and heated door mirrors.

Meanwhile, the 2.0RX has 17-inch alloys, a full bodykit, a starter button and keyless entry, cruise control, a 10-speaker stereo and sat-nav.

So will the new Impreza succeed in the UK?

The hot turbocharged models – the WRX and 300bhp STI – should remain firm favourites among the performance car fraternity, but Subaru has broadened the appeal of the regular cars more than ever.

Subaru says it will still remain a niche manufacturer, but should start to build a name for tough, reliable cars outside of its existing loyal customer base.

Rivals

You might also want to consider:
Ford Focus

Honda Civic

Volkswagen Golf

Mazda 3

Vauxhall Astra

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