Excellent review. Just brought a Forester Touring, passing our 2018 Forester on to daughter. My car is a 2018 WRX. We were at the dealership earlier this week when I spotted a Impreza RS for the first time in silver - very appealing. If and when I have to get rid of my WRX, I will seriously consider the Impreza RS and your review only helps to solidify my decision. Thanks.
I wish that a buyer could get the Harmon Kardon system without getting the sunroof. I personally dont care one way or another if my car has a sunroof, but I am an avid music listener.
same here :) , I have the previous generation Impreza with the Harmon-Kardon, sunroof, and leather seats. Leather seats are still available for the Canadian market, but the sunroof is totally useless for me as I never use It. I do like the 2.5L engine, the car needs the extra power, wider CVT ratio, and the larger gas tank for road trips. Tempted to buy one
Canada gets a 4th, top trim, Sport-tech. Its basically real leather seats, navigation, rear brake sensors and a few cosmetic touches. Its about $3000 CDN, $2200 USD more than the RS trim.
Absolutely not fair to the USA buyers. We will probably have to invade Canada to get the trims we want. This would likely be easier to do than invading Gunma, Japan.
Thanks for a really good review. Normally I'd stay away from anything with 40-profile tires, but sounds like such a short sidewall didn't impact ride quality too much.
Honestly, I prefer the looks of the Sport trim----the silver finish wheels, the interior is just better in the Sport trim, and the seats as well. THE RS engine should be offered on all trims, god dang it.
I ended up getting the sport trim in Oasis Blue and am quite happy with it. Plenty lively enough for me, but I generally don't pretend I'm a race car driver ;)
I just got one loaded and I had a Honda sport which was good but less power only front wheel drive and very loud on the highway and infotainment on the Honda was not even close to my RS. And I’m a Honda guy have owned like 9 Hondas and 2 were SI . Had one subie forester wilderness good car but I like this RS better and lest money. I’m really hoping Subaru brings back the brat or the Baja. If so I will trade my Nissan frontier pro 4x ,for it in a blink especially if it has the engine that’s in the legacy sport ,WRX, outback wilderness and a manual would really seal the deal. Nice review. And I almost got the GTI comparing the 2 I always wanted a GTI OR GOLF R. I had a GLI 35 anniversary that I loved but as fun as the GRI WAY AFTER AN HOUR OF DRIVING IT MY BACK WAS SCREAMING SO I WENT WITH THE RS for the better Al around!!!
Nearly everything about this car makes me want to get it, but what I've seen on demos of that infotainment, it just sours my impression of it. I wish it had the brz/gr86 setup in it instead. Something not ridiculously huge and distracting, less laggy, and climate controls still as buttons for ease of access that I don't have to stare at. Big screen infotainment setups just seem to me like a big cause for distracted driving, and I just don't like it. Also, it looks like that screen takes away from the air vent size, just all a bunch of "meh".
Excellent review. Just brought a Forester Touring, passing our 2018 Forester on to daughter. My car is a 2018 WRX. We were at the dealership earlier this week when I spotted a Impreza RS for the first time in silver - very appealing. If and when I have to get rid of my WRX, I will seriously consider the Impreza RS and your review only helps to solidify my decision. Thanks.
Thank you for commenting, glad you liked it! Yeah, I liked the RS a lot.
I wish that a buyer could get the Harmon Kardon system without getting the sunroof. I personally dont care one way or another if my car has a sunroof, but I am an avid music listener.
same here :) , I have the previous generation Impreza with the Harmon-Kardon, sunroof, and leather seats. Leather seats are still available for the Canadian market, but the sunroof is totally useless for me as I never use It. I do like the 2.5L engine, the car needs the extra power, wider CVT ratio, and the larger gas tank for road trips. Tempted to buy one
Subscribed, best RS review I’ve seen and I’ve gone through a few.
Thank you very much!
Canada gets a 4th, top trim, Sport-tech. Its basically real leather seats, navigation, rear brake sensors and a few cosmetic touches. Its about $3000 CDN, $2200 USD more than the RS trim.
Absolutely not fair to the USA buyers. We will probably have to invade Canada to get the trims we want. This would likely be easier to do than invading Gunma, Japan.
Bike test is a good thing.
Appreciate you writing that. Thank you.
Thanks for a really good review. Normally I'd stay away from anything with 40-profile tires, but sounds like such a short sidewall didn't impact ride quality too much.
Thank you very much!
Honestly, I prefer the looks of the Sport trim----the silver finish wheels, the interior is just better in the Sport trim, and the seats as well. THE RS engine should be offered on all trims, god dang it.
I agree with you, the 2.5-liter livens up the Impreza nicely and deserves more space in the lineup.
I ended up getting the sport trim in Oasis Blue and am quite happy with it. Plenty lively enough for me, but I generally don't pretend I'm a race car driver ;)
Please please please bring back the manual!!!!!
I just got one loaded and I had a Honda sport which was good but less power only front wheel drive and very loud on the highway and infotainment on the Honda was not even close to my RS. And I’m a Honda guy have owned like 9 Hondas and 2 were SI . Had one subie forester wilderness good car but I like this RS better and lest money. I’m really hoping Subaru brings back the brat or the Baja. If so I will trade my Nissan frontier pro 4x ,for it in a blink especially if it has the engine that’s in the legacy sport ,WRX, outback wilderness and a manual would really seal the deal. Nice review. And I almost got the GTI comparing the 2 I always wanted a GTI OR GOLF R. I had a GLI 35 anniversary that I loved but as fun as the GRI WAY AFTER AN HOUR OF DRIVING IT MY BACK WAS SCREAMING SO I WENT WITH THE RS for the better Al around!!!
Thank you!
Not caring about the power car seat or sunroof much, is the better stereo worth the optional price?
Is it made in Japan or N. America?
I believe the RS is made in Japan (I could be wrong). Not sure about the base or Sport models.
If the vin # starts with a J, it's made in Japan.
This one is made in Japan
All Imprezas are made in Japan now
good review
Thank you
Nearly everything about this car makes me want to get it, but what I've seen on demos of that infotainment, it just sours my impression of it.
I wish it had the brz/gr86 setup in it instead. Something not ridiculously huge and distracting, less laggy, and climate controls still as buttons for ease of access that I don't have to stare at.
Big screen infotainment setups just seem to me like a big cause for distracted driving, and I just don't like it.
Also, it looks like that screen takes away from the air vent size, just all a bunch of "meh".
Fair point.