We can’t quite explain it, but hatchbacks always had a way to our hearts that managed to warm the soul. But with everything getting crossoverized, the hatchback has become rarer than an exotic supercar. Even then, there are more supercar options available. In the case of the hatchback, we have three: Toyota Corolla, Mazda3 & this, the Subaru Impreza.  

One could argue the Honda Civic Hatchback… but in European terms, that’s what you call a “Sportback;” a sedan with a fifth door, so it doesn’t count. This is my house, so I have made up the rules.   

Over the years, the Impreza has always been seen as the yobbo high-performance sports sedan or hot hatch with its rally inspired four-wheel drive and overly turbocharged boxer engine. And even though they made standard civilian models, they still managed to carry a reputation. Unfortunately, that reputation has come to an end now that that WRX variant has its own separate car amongst the Subaru line-up. So now this leaves the cute little hatchback to make its own compelling argument. 

Coming in new for its sixth generation, the Impreza keeps its style to a minimum – we’re not saying it is boring, but simple. There can be attraction in something simple. Notably, there are three trim levels starting at $22,995; the entry Base showcases many of the Impreza’s standard features like its Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, standard EyeSight Driver Assist, LED rear taillights and our favorite, LED swiveling headlights that turn with the wheel to see around dark curvy roads.  

Following suit with the Sport; both the Base and Sport carry a 2.0-liter, 152-horsepower four-cylinder boxer engine. However, for those that want a little more pep in their step; the top trimmed RS, starting at $27,885 comes equipped with a slightly bigger 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer engine and its 182-horsepower power plant. And since consumers these days like their compact cars/hatches with a single-speed CVT transmission; you can find that here as well, now that they have eliminated a manual transmission option.  

Unfortunately, even with its 30-horsepower bump, the Impreza becomes a far cry from its performance roots.  Instead, with the engine coming straight out of the Crosstrek, it makes for a nice all-around town cruiser. It gets up to speed steadily that doesn’t feel like you need to mash the pedal to get it there. When we do find ourselves scurrying in a hurry, foot to the floor requires just over 8-seconds to 60-mph. The RS also gets the same updated CVT transmission that does a decent job trying to imitate an eight-speed automatic. However, at lower speeds, this imitation almost becomes a little too real with some jerking motions and hard shutters from the automatic start/stop engine shut off.  

The chassis itself is delightfully tuned with a claimed 10-percent stiffer structure. On the road, it is a pleasant drive with an enjoyable suspension that manages to isolate most of the roughness. The new steering system has a claimed lighter effect from the previous generation; our experience showcased a comfortably tuned responsiveness that made it confident to handle in aggressive scenarios. We did notice some more-than-wanted body roll in cornering applications. 

Being all-wheel drive, fuel economy isn’t as good as it could be. The EPA estimates that the Impreza RS gets 26/33/29 (city/highway/combined) whereas during our mixed driving we saw 27-mpg combined. Granted, that is still 1-mpg more than the Mazda3 Hatchback with all-wheel drive that received 26-mpg combined. Plus the Impreza gets a larger 16.6-gallon fuel tank. Compared to its previous 13.2-gallon tank, it can get upwards of 450-miles of range – which is quite the impressive amount of distance from a small hatchback.  

In the attempt to generate something a little more energetic; the RS model gets blacked out 18-inch wheels, black accents and upgraded black cloth sports seats. Inside, the Base Impreza gets a slightly larger 7-inch screen; however, both the Sport & RS models get the upgraded 11.6-inch vertical display with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto connectivity. Overall, the infotainment system is intuitive and easy to navigate. The screen houses relatively large buttons, with physical control knobs. And even though Apple CarPlay fills up most of the screen vertically; we are still able to see what music is playing and our dual-zone climate control temperature.  

For a compact hatchback, the Impreza makes good use of its space. Unlike the Mazda3 Hatchback, the Impreza feels open and airy. Both front and rear passengers have comfortable seating positions with rear passengers having adequate leg room and headroom. Even the trunk space is decently sized for many, many things to haul. Subaru also fitted a nifty slip-resistant step within the rear passenger door sill to give owners a leg up when trying to load or unload gear from its roof.  

Even though hatchbacks are dying off quicker than a C-List celebrity getting cancelled, we don’t find very many vehicles under $30,000 that are just good, simple cars. And that’s what the Subaru Impreza is; simple goodness. It’s not the fanciest or the quickest, but at $28,975 for our as-tested example, the Impreza is well-packaged, offers decent performance, is nice to drive and is fitted with top-notch safety – it’s almost the perfect package.