2013 Subaru Impreza

Three trim levels are given on the sedan variant of the 2013 Subaru Impreza. The starting price of the base is $17,895. It adds features such as cloth seats, manual tilt and telescopic steering wheel, 16-inch steel wheels, and a manual air conditioning system. Unlike the other two trims, there are no optional features given on the base trim except fog lights which is a dealer-installed accessory.

The Premium trim has bigger wheels, cruise control, and optional Power tilt/sliding-glass moonroof. It also has optional features such as a 6.1-inch touchscreen, HD radio, navigation system, SiriusXM, and backup camera. All these features are also given on the Limited trim as options. Heated front seats, heated side mirror, and wiper de-icer are optional on the Premium trim but standard on Limited trim. 

We Recommend

We would recommend you select the Premium trim. It has all the features which base trim was missing and you have many optional features to choose from which are also given on the top Limited trim.

A 2.0-liter inline-4 engine is found under the hood of all the trims. It is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission by default. However, optional CVT is also available. It churns out 148 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. The power is given to all wheels just like any other Subaru car. That said, with a base engine, Impreza can reach 60 mph from a standstill in 8.7 seconds.

The 2013 Subaru Impreza offers a controlled ride, responsive breaks, and decent visibility. There are no other drivetrain options available. The fuel economy is impressive but acceleration does take a hit as Impreza is just 0.5 seconds faster than the slowest car in the competition i.e. Kia Forte. CVT works smoothly but oversensitive throttle response is a problem and engine noise can increase. 

The Kia Forte has the highest horsepower in the segment but the story is quite different for the acceleration. The opponent from the Chevrolet has the lowest engine output due to the smaller engine but the turbocharger does help. Cruze finishes the 0-60 mph mark in 7.8 seconds which makes it the fastest sedan among the bunch. Lastly, the Hyundai Elantra is just 0.1 seconds slower than the Cruze.

According to the EPA evaluation, Impreza with manual transmission returns a fuel economy of 25 mpg in the city, 34 mpg on the highway, and 28 mpg combined. However, if CVT is selected it will return 2 more mpg in the city, highway, and combined each. Impreza has the second biggest fuel tank which can store 14.5 gallons of fuel.

The Elantra is the most fuel-efficient sedan in the segment but it has the smallest fuel tank. Next in line is Cruze which offers 2 mpg less in the city as compared to the Elantra but it has the biggest fuel tank which translates into a better range than any other rival. Lastly, the Forte has a slightly better-combined fuel economy.

The interior design of the Subaru Impreza is minimalistic and the quality of the material used inside is good. Dashboard and door panels have soft-touch material. The seats have standard cloth upholstery. The steering wheel and gear shifter knob are covered in leather. Silver trim is given inside the cabin to uplift the overall aesthetic. That said, there is no center console given on the base trim. 

The driver seat has a 6-way manual adjustment and the passenger seat has a 4-way manual adjustment. Heated seats are not given on the base trim but upper trims are blessed with these and leather upholstery. A 40/60 pattern seat is given in the rear row. Tilt and telescopic steering wheel, Manual air conditioning with filtration, keyless entry, driver side automatic power window, and 12-volt power outlet are some cabin features given on the base Impreza.

The 2013 Impreza has the most generous interior space. However, Forte is not that behind and has just 0.1 cu-ft less passenger volume as compared to the Impreza. The Cruze has the least suspicious cabin in the competition overall where it mostly lacks shoulder room. Lastly, the Elantra is squeezed between the Chevrolet Cruze and the Forte. In terms of cargo space, the Cruze has the lead. That said, Impreza has the least amount of cargo space against rivals. Major interior features include:

• Leather-trimmed upholstery
• Manual tilt and telescopic steering column
• Heated seats (optional)
• Tricot or Striped cloth upholstery
• 3-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Automatic climate control

How intuitive is the 2013 Subaru Impreza’s infotainment unit?

The base Impreza does not get a touchscreen but as you climb the trim ladder a 6.1-inch touchscreen with navigation is given as an optional feature. However, a 4.3-inch LCD display is given standard on the topmost trim. A 4-speaker sound system with the CD player, Bluetooth, aux jack, and USB port are standard features on the base trim. 2-speakers are added to the sound system along with the HD radio on the higher trims. However, the rivals offer a better sound system as compared to the Impreza. Major infotainment features include:

• 6.1-inch touchscreen (optional)
• SiriusXM (optional)
• Navigation system (optional)
• 4-speaker sound system
• 4.3-inch LCD display
• Bluetooth
• Voice control (optional)

The exterior design of the Impreza is swift and sporty. On the hood, two body lines are present which start from the start of the hood and meet with the windscreen. Automatic headlights, fog lights, and a black grille with a chrome accent are given on the front side. On the backside, an optional stainless steel exhaust tip is given on the Premium trim. Unlike upper trims, base trim misses out on the heated power side mirrors and power tilt plus sliding moonroof. 2013 Subaru Impreza stands on standard 15-inch steel wheels which can be upgraded to 16-inch aluminum wheels on the Premium and 17-inch aluminum wheels on the Limited trim.

The rival from Chevrolet has the largest exterior dimensions in the competition. That said, Elantra is the shortest one which also has the least ground clearance of all. Coming to the Kia Forte, it has the same length and width as the Cruze but the wheelbase is shorter than it. Lastly, the Impreza has the shortest wheelbase and second largest ground clearance. Major exterior features are:

• 15-inch steel wheels
• Auto-on/off headlights
• 17-inch alloy wheels (optional)
• Power tilt/sliding-glass moonroof (optional)
• Fog lights (optional)
• Stainless steel exhaust tip (optional)

It is well known that Subaru puts emphasis on safety so that consumers can rest assured and safety ratings from agencies like NHTSA and IIHS can prove this claim. NHTSA has awarded an overall 5-star safety rating to the 2013 Subaru Impreza. IIHS has given ‘Good’ ratings to the 2013 Impreza and also awarded it with the ‘top safety pick’ title. As for the safety features, cruise control, brake assist, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Brake Override System, and traction control system are offered as standard. Major safety features are:

• Cruise control
• Antitheft security system with engine immobilizer
• Backup camera (optional)
• Brake assist
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Vehicle Dynamics Control

The Subaru Impreza is a good overall package that offers a spacious cabin, decent fuel economy, and inspiring safety ratings. However, when it comes to performance and cargo space, Elantra has beaten it to the pulp. Additionally, Elantra has even better safety ratings from the IIHS which increase its points in the final report card. Therefore, if you are not adamant in buying a Subaru sedan then options like Elantra and Cruze are better deals.