We test the Subaru Impreza ecoHybrid, which joins the hybrid craze

Hybridisation is not new to the brand, as the Forester and the XV already received this type of technology, combined with a four-cylinder horizontally-opposed boxer engine and a Lineartronic CVT gearbox with steering wheel paddles. Now the Impreza replaces the 1.6 engine with the e-Boxer 2.0-litre unit producing 150 CV, with the aim of gradually bringing the entire range towards electrification. Already in 2020, 55 per cent of the models it sold in Spain were hybrids (EcoHybrid or EcoBifuel), and the stated goal is for 2030 to have 100 per cent of the brand fully electrified.

This is the fifth generation of the Impreza, a model of which 3 million units have been sold worldwide since 1992, 262,000 of them in Europe. This model, which shares the Global platformSubaru and many mechanical components with the XV, measures 4.47 metres long and 1.51 metres high, and features some aesthetic changes – especially at the front – with now LED light clusters, redesigned bumpers and fog lights. It also incorporates new 17-inch alloy wheels in anthracite grey.

As for boot capacity, this version loses 40 litres compared with the model’s original 340 litres, the same figure offered by the bifuel LPG version.

The Impreza’s interior has also received several improvements, especially in terms of build quality and component fit. It now features new door panels, more connectivity and driver-assistance functions, such as the EyeSight system, fitted as standard, with pre-collision braking assistance, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and lane departure warning, or a warning for the car ahead moving off.

It is available in the Urban trim level for 31,250 euros, which includes a comprehensive standard specification, as metallic paint is the only option, at 650 euros. It includes the EyeSight system, seven airbags, Stop&Start and electric parking brake with hill-start assist, LED front and rear headlights, automatic light assist, rain sensor, rear-view camera, 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic dual-zone climate control, folding electric mirrors, heated front seats, an 8-inch touchscreen compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a keyless smart entry system with push-button start, among other features.

Minor differences

The differences between the XV and the Impreza are not very noticeable; they mainly lie in character, as the Impreza is 9 cm lower than the XV and its intended use is more urban. In addition to permanent all-wheel drive and the Lineartronic CVT gearbox with seven pre-set ratios, it shares with the Forester the 150 CV 2.0 boxer petrol engine, to which an electric motor of 17 CV is coupled, which does not have the primary function of propelling the vehicle on its own but rather of providing additional torque. Nevertheless, the electric motor could drive the Impreza up to a maximum speed of 40 km/h. In fact, the maximum power, when both motors work together, does not increase, as it stays at 150 CV.

Alongside the CVT gearbox sits a small 12.3 kW electric motor (17 CV) connected to a 118-volt 0.6 kWh battery. In reality, it is somewhat more than a mild hybrid, but it does not reach the power figures of other non-plug-in hybrids. It is only powered by energy produced by the movement of the combustion engine or by regeneration during deceleration and, given the battery’s capacity, it does not store enough energy to power the car on electricity alone for long. That said, it improves the torque figure, which reaches 194 Nm. A clutch engages and disengages the electric motor, which could allow it to propel the car for just over a kilometre, provided the power demand does not exceed the engine’s 16.7 CV and operating conditions allow it.

Thanks to the combination of both, the homologated consumption figure is reduced by 2.5 per cent compared with the previous 1.6. Nevertheless, it stands at 7.7 l/100 km, which is rather high for a hybrid model and much higher than some of its rivals. It is true that this is a model with permanent all-wheel drive, yet it is not especially low.

Effective on the road

During the brief first drive we were able to take around the outskirts of the Madrid sierra, the figure recorded was 8.7 l/100 km when driving through twisty sections at a brisk pace. On some occasions the combustion engine can be disconnected, but only for short periods. What does happen frequently is the disengagement of the gearbox to allow frictionless running, provided the CVT selector lever is in position D. If we move it to the left of the gate, into M mode, we can operate it “manually” by selecting the seven pre-set ratios of the gearbox that act as gears.

On the road it feels very agile, smooth and precise. It is somewhat noisy, partly due to the mismatch between engine speed and road speed inherent in this type of variable transmission, which, on steep gradients, revs the engine hard even when not reaching much speed. Overall it is smooth, especially if the accelerator pedal is used with a degree of care and without abruptness. The steering is also smooth, which, while precise, is very assisted, making it especially sensitive.

For their part, the suspension, very progressive, offers a not very firm setting, yet strikes a good compromise between comfort and effectiveness. There is also extra work from the all-wheel-drive system, which allows trajectories to be rounded off with great precision, both in open curves and in tight hairpins. Thus, the whole car feels very neutral, with no unexpected reactions and an unusually easy driving character.