Subaru's Impreza Fits Smaller Families

When most families think of Subaru, the cars that seem to come to mind are the Forester crossover and Outback wagon. Many don’t have the Impreza, Subaru’s entry-level compact, on their radar. It’s got a lot to offer with its family-friendly sedan or hatchback body styles and standard all-wheel drive, plus it’s more affordable then its larger siblings. For smaller families who have active lifestyles but don’t need or want a larger car, take note and get to know the Impreza. Subaru recently announced that it’s refreshing the 2015 Impreza with a new front end, a standard backup camera and more.

Related: 2015 Subaru Impreza Gets Some Major Updates

The Impreza competes against the likes of the Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Golf. My test car was a 2014 Subaru 2.0i Sport Limited hatchback with a starting price of $23,990, including destination. It came equipped with leather seats, snazzy 17-inch alloy wheels and a moonroof. However, its most appealing feature, which none of its competitors offer, is standard all-wheel drive.

That all-wheel drive makes for sure-footed handling under all road conditions. Even on Southern California’s mostly dry roads, the Impreza felt confident through the curves. However, the 2014 Impreza’s 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine seemed sluggish when accelerating, and it was louder than other compact cars I’ve driven. For 2015, Subaru has added more sound-deadening materials, thicker window glass and tighter window seals to address the noise issue.

Despite its “compact” classification, the Impreza was a practical car for my family of three. With 35.4 inches of rear legroom, my 3-year-old daughter was comfortable in her forward-facing convertible seat. One night she stayed home with a sitter while we went out with another couple in the Impreza — everyone had enough legroom to sit comfortably.

There’s 43.5 inches of legroom in the Impreza’s front row; that’s more room than in the 2014 Forester and 2014 Outback (43.0 inches). This is great news for families with infants and toddlers in rear-facing car seats because it gives the front passenger some wiggle room to accommodate a car seat without sacrificing comfort. And unlike many crossovers, smaller children can easily get themselves in and out of the Impreza due to its low ride height.

While its interior is roomy, tech- and design-savvy parents may find the 2014 Impreza dated in both style and technology. There is no navigation or smartphone integration other than a basic Bluetooth link for phone connectivity and music streaming. For 2015, the Impreza gets a standard 6.2-inch touch-screen multimedia system.

Families willing to sacrifice tech features for fuel economy may be disappointed with its EPA-estimated 27/36/30 mpg city/highway/combined. The Impreza has an immediate disadvantage on this front because of its standard all-wheel drive, and it falls short against front-wheel-drive competitors such as the Focus (27/37/31 mpg), Civic (29/38/33) and Corolla (29/37/32). In my weeklong test drive I did more highway driving than usual, but I still only averaged 22.1.

The Impreza hatchback has 22.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the backseat, which nearly doubles the sedan’s 12.0 cubic feet of trunk space. I never seemed challenged for space in the Impreza hatchback, and if I’d needed more space, the Impreza has 52.4 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded. Double strollers would be a tight fit with the rear seats in use, but the Impreza is ready to take on most grocery runs and sports outings.

For families of three or four on a budget, the Impreza is certainly a good choice, though there are some tradeoffs — road and engine noise as well as fuel economy — that must be made. It’s roomy and practical enough inside to accommodate families and their stuff, and its standard all-wheel drive helps it to stand out in a crowded marketplace.