Subaru Impreza hatchback

Drive

The 106bhp 1.5-litre and 148bhp 2.0-litre petrol engines need to be worked hard to get the Impreza moving, so they're best avoided. The 2.0-litre 148bhp diesel engine has plenty of pulling power and it's very smooth, so it's a great all-rounder. High-performance WRX models are seriously powerful; they start with the 2.5-litre WRX with 227bhp and top out with the mad 325bhp WRX STI 330S. All Imprezas come with four-wheel drive, so they have plenty of grip. WRX models have a more precise gearshift and accurate steering.

Comfort

Most Imprezas are comfortable and absorb bumps well. If anything, the ride is a little too comfort-orientated, as the body pitches over bumps in the road. The diesel engine is very quiet, but the petrol alternatives make a bit of a racket. High-performance WRX versions are quite raucous, though the standard petrol engines are noisy under acceleration. However, there's very little road noise inside the cabin - only the wind whistling around the big door mirrors intrudes.

Reliability

A four-star Euro NCAP rating isn't the class best but it's not bad. All Imprezas have six airbags, Isofix child seat fittings, anti-lock brakes and brake force distribution. However, entry-level models miss out on stability control - it's only fitted to 2.0-litre models and upwards, but standard four-wheel drive means that grip is better than in most family hatchbacks. The Impreza's cabin is robust, but the materials are a bit cheap and brittle to touch. Although the current model doesn't appear in the Driver Power or JD Power surveys, its predecessor finished 28th in the 2010 Driver Power survey, which is a respectable score.

Practicality

There's 301 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place, which is a long way off the class best. Fold the rear seats down and an impressive 1,216 litres becomes available, though. Rear passenger room when the seats are up is generous too, as head- and legroom are plentiful. The downside is the lack of legroom for the central rear seat passenger. There are door pockets in the front, but other than that the interior isn't particularly practical.

Value for money

All Imprezas come with alloy wheels, climate control, Bluetooth phone connectivity, electric windows all-round, front fog lamps and a CD stereo. When you consider the price of the entry-level models, that's an absolute bargain. Unfortunately, that's not reflected further up the range, where the diesel engine is expensive, as are the STI models. The WRX and WRX S aren't unreasonable, but their high running costs are a burden. Resale values are quite poor too, so the Impreza will lose money fairly quickly.

Running costs

It's no surprise that the diesel Impreza is the most fuel efficient of the lot, with 47.9mpg and 152g/km - so road tax will cost you £155 a year. The 1.5-litre petrol option offers a so-so 37.7mpg and 176g/km (£200 per year) and the 2.0 is little different with 33.6mpg and 199g/km (£235 per year). High performance models are where it starts to get expensive. The best is the WRX with 27.2mpg and 246g/km, which means a huge £425 a year road tax bill. The WRX STI 330S is the worst of the lot, with a mere 23.7mpg and 281g/km, which drops it into the most expensive tax band - M - at £435 a year. Like fuel economy, insurance is reasonable on low-end models - it ranges from group 11 for the basic 1.5 and finishes at 25 for the top-spec diesel RX. Expect groups 36 to 40 for the WRX versions.