Compact Cars Compact Cars MODEL VEHICLE RATINGS

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OVERALL SCORE ! CR Recommended New Cars 1 2 3 4 5 WORSE BETTER HIGHS (as of November 2020) 75 2021 Impreza • Comfortable ride • Relatively roomy interior Overall Road Test Survey Make & Model Highs Lows CR MPG Overall 30 / City 21 / Hwy 41 mpg • Easy-to-use controls Score Results Results #5 of 14 Compact Cars • Standard AWD without a fuel ROAD TEST 75 economy penalty 85/100 • All trim lines are available with the EyeSight safety system PREDICTED RELIABILITY

3/5 25 86 RANGE OF TESTED COMPACT CARS LOWS PREDICTED OWNER SATISFACTION • Some noise CR Recommended score Road-test mpg Overall Predicted reliability Owner satisfaction Fun to drive with agile handling, impressive 3/5 • Driver's seat short on lumbar refinement with good noise isolation and a support ! 2021 Volkswagen Golf 8679 82 28 5 4 comfortable ride, easy-to-use controls, well- None. finished interior, versatility with room for four adults.

Front seat short on lower-back support, Ride, handling, controls, rear seat, braking, fuel foot-operated parking brake, headlight ! 2021 Nissan Sentra 7755 81 32 3 3 economy. performance.

Fuel economy, ride, controls, standard advanced Acceleration, access, rear seat. Road Test Results ! 2021 Corolla 7775 68 33 5 4 safety features.

Fit and finish and quietness for class, braking, fuel ! 2021 Mazda 3 7577 75 30 4 4 Controls. Performance Comfort/Convenience economy, standard safety features. Comfortable ride, relatively roomy interior, easy- Acceleration 3/5 75 to-use controls, standard AWD without a fuel Some engine noise, driver's seat short on Ride 4/5 ! 2021 Subaru Impreza 79 85 30 3 3 economy penalty, all trim lines are available with lumbar support. 0 to 60 mph 9.5 sec the EyeSight safety system. Noise 4/5 Impressive fuel economy, competent ride and Low to the ground, making access difficult, handling, spacious interior for the class, turbo no driver seat lumbar support adjustment 5/5 ! 2021 73 76 32 3 4 engine delivers strong acceleration, standard available. Front Seat Comfort 3/5 safety features, Si is a performance bargain.

Fuel Economy 4/5 2021 Toyota Corolla Handling, fuel economy, controls, braking, ! 6776 66 36 3 3 Ride, engine noise, tight rear seat. Rear Seat Comfort 4/5 Hatchback standard AEB.

CR's Overall Mileage 30 mpg Slow acceleration, horrendous visibility, no all- Good fuel economy, standard advanced safety 64 wheel drive, unlike its competitors, too much Interior Fit & Finish 3/5 2021 Toyota C-HR 64 64 29 3 1 features. CR's City Mileage 21 mpg wind noise, awkward rear access.

CR's Highway Mileage 40 mpg Fuel economy, controls, visibility, standard auto- Acceleration, fit and finish, front-seat comfort, Trunk/Cargo Area 3/5 2020 Nissan Kicks 64 64 32 3 2 matic emergency braking. agility. Annual Fuel Cost $950 2021 50 78 34 1 3 Controls, fuel economy, relatively roomy cabin. Low dash vents. Braking 5/5 Controls, access, CVT feels like conventional Ride, engine noise. 2021 Kia Soul 4881 76 28 1 4 transmission, braking. Emergency Handling 4/5 Controls, fuel economy, standard advanced safety Ride, noise, seat comfort, fit and finish. 2021 Kia Forte 43 67 34 1 3 features.

Stiff ride, uncomfortable front seats and awkward driving position, hard to see the Handy-sized package, with good rear seat and main gauges, touchy brake pedal, no forward cargo room, good combination of fuel economy 2020 Fiat 500L 2529 50 27 1 1 collision warning or automatic emergency and space, easy access. braking, scored a poor in the IIHS small-over- Survey Results lap frontal test. 2021 GT In Test NA NA 3 4 Reliability History Owner Satisfaction

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1 2 3 4 5 WORSE BETTER HOW TO READ THE Survey Results reflect findings from Road-Test Results include CR’s test findings Why Some Vehicles Are Not Rated CR’s Annual Auto Surveys, completed by that we feel are the most relevant. We buy Certain models have been redesigned or RATINGS Consumer Reports members. and test between 50 and 60 ­vehicles each extensively freshened since our last test, year, driving them for thousands of miles and or are new. All are scheduled to be included Recommended vehicles, indicated with Predicted reliability is our determination of putting them through more than 50 tests and in future road tests. Models include the a check mark (!), are the models with how well a model will hold up, based on the evaluations. The results of these tests make Hyundai Elantra GT. CR Road Test Results the highest Overall Scores that meet the problems that members reported in CR’s up our road-test score. Some tests, such threshold in their category. Annual Auto Surveys, which include data on as those for braking and fuel economy, are What Our Ratings Symbols Mean around 420,000 vehicles. measured with instruments; categories such The Impreza impresses us most with its roominess, user- On the road, the Impreza is a satisfying drive. Steering is Make + Model reflect the vehicle we tested as seat and ride comfort, noise, and fit and 1 2 3 4 5 friendliness, and ride comfort that puts some luxury cars to responsive and the body remains surefooted in corners, no and its . Owner satisfaction is based on the finish are graded by our experts. The Usability WORSE BETTER percentage of surveyed owners who rating is a combination of our testers’ shame. matter how bumpy the road. Just don't expect to experience Overall Score reflects a vehicle’s said they would definitely buy the same assessments of the ease of performing Practicality, safety and comfort all come to play with the new the driver engagement level found in some competing models, performance in our road tests; the latest car again. We use a model’s latest everyday driving tasks, as well as cockpit results from the reliability and owner three years of data to determine the ergonomics and interface design. The energy Impreza. The cabin is roomy, the car's solid structure delivers such as the Mazda3 or Volkswagen Golf. Even when we drove it satisfaction sections of CR’s exclusive prediction, provided it hasn’t been consumption of electric vehicles is expressed Go to CR.org/ optimal ride and handling, and Subaru's EyeSight suite of hard on our track, the Impreza remained secure. Annual Auto Surveys; the availability of redesigned or significantly updated. In in a miles-per-gallon equivalent rating (MPGe). newcarbuyingguide frontal crash prevention systems with cases where we have insufficient survey Energy consumption for plug-in hybrids is for advice on whether advanced safety features is widely available—but we think it Standard all-wheel drive adds a peace of mind to those who forward collision warning, automatic responses, or when a model is all-new or listed in electric and gas modes. LEARN you should buy or lease should be standard on all trims. regularly deal with snow, rain, or mixed precipitation, and it emergency braking, and pedestrian redesigned, we use our expert judgment your next new car, and detection, along with blind spot warning; based on brand track record and similar Highs and Lows give a quick summary of a other car shopping tips. The interior has a hint of styling flair that shows Subaru is comes with little penalty in fuel economy. The Impreza achieves and, if available, results from government models to predict reliability and owner- model’s notable strengths and weaknesses. giving consumers more than just a utilitarian, reliable, and a commendable 30 mpg overall, which is behind its most frugal and insurance-industry crash tests. satisfaction ratings. fuel-efficient car. Take a look inside up-level models such as the competitors, but ahead of several other front-drive challengers. Sport and Limited and you'll see what we mean. Inside, the Impreza scores big where it counts: It has one of Imprezas have long been among the most comfortable-riding the roomiest backseats in the class and its infotainment system compact cars. The suspension effectively swallows up broken is easy to use. That system is compatible with Apple CarPlay pavement jolts and rides better than some cars that cost twice and Android Auto. On the down side, the driver's seat doesn't as much—and seems to do so without breaking a sweat. offer enough lower-back support. The Impreza is quiet inside, with reduced road and wind noise Despite the higher price for an AWD car, the Impreza remains compared with previous generations. Still, some engine thrum is a competitive value even after adding the optional EyeSight noticeable. The ride and the relative quietness bring a feeling of safety feature. The hatchback version adds versatility for a substance to the car. modest added cost. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine scoots the Impreza along All told, the Impreza is well-rounded, providing just fine. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) has buyers room, features, and convenience. It might not be flashy, artificial gear changes built into it that also help diminish but the Impreza is just right. engine noise.

Best Version to Get

Most buyers will step up to the mid-grade Premium version, Notable changes: which adds alloy wheels, heated front seats, and the EyeSight Starting in 2019, Limited models come standard with EyeSight, safety system. Opting for the upscale Sport gets you 18-inch and reverse automatic braking. Changes for 2020 include wheels, a bigger touch screen, and nicer interior trim. We'd also standard EyeSight on Premium trim lines as well as the Sport add the blind spot warning system. trim for the body style. A rear-seat reminder system is now optional.

To read the full road test, visit www.consumerreports.org/cars/ subaru/impreza/2021/road-test

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