Hatchback alternate to new Crosstrek (nee XV) confirmed for NZ

FRESHLY unveiled in America and due to reach New Zealand late next year – that’s the sixth-generation of the Subaru Impreza.

Subaru New Zealand has confirmed it’ll have it here from late 2023.

That’ll make it a handy adjunct to its sister ship, the Crosstrek – a new name for what we presently call the XV – that seems set to precede it.

Now exclusively in hatchback guise – with WRX fulfilling sedan buyer needs – the Impreza has similar powertrains to its predecessor, but adopts updated styling and picks up extra technology.

Those at the Los Angeles Auto Show where it was revealed say it is basically a lowered version of the Crosstrek, but with a different grille and bumpers and without the plastic wheel cladding.

Impreza’s overall shape is evolutionary, but the sixth gen picks up LED headlights and tail-lights, redesigned 18-inch alloy wheels, and will introduce a sporty RS grade.

The big feature of the redesigned cabin is one now also found in the WRX and Outback – a large, portrait-orientated infotainment screen. The Impreza’s measures 11.6 inches and has the same wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, over-the-air software updates, satellite navigation, and digital climate controls as in the cars already here.

The display ahead of the driver has analogue dials with a small 4.2-inch electronic display in the centre.

The car has idual-zone climate control, keyless entry and push button start, a 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, a powered sunroof, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and heated front seats.

The star showing at Los Angeles was the RS, which has 18-inch alloy wheels, black exterior trim, RS badging, LED fog lamps, “upgraded” LED headlights, a carbonfibre-look interior trim and sports cloth seats with red bolsters.

The model adopts the Subaru Global Platform that is stiffer than the current underpinning.

It gets the latest EyeSight active safety technology already on WRX. This delivers a wider field of view, with the autonomous emergency braking system able to detect pedestrians and cyclists at intersections, emergency steering functionality for the lane-keep assist, blind-spot alert and rear cross-traffic alert, and a standard rear-seat reminder.

The show cars were in US-market configuration, of course. Their editions have naturally-aspirated petrol engines matched with a continuously-variable automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, which now includes torque vectoring as standard.

The entry-level mill is a 2.0-litre boxer four-cylinder producing 113kW and 197Nm, while flagship grades step up to the 2.5-litre non-turbo with 136kW and 245Nm familiar to Outback and Forester buyers.

A hybrid version is expected to roll out. This seems to be a development of the 2.0-litre system that has presented here in Forester and XV.

Impreza is believed to have the same dimension as Crosstrek; meaning it’ll measure out at 4480 millimetres’ length, 1800mm width and with a 2670mm wheelbase. That makes it 15mm longer than the current XV, with a 5mm longer wheelbase.