New Subaru Impreza finally goes on sale in the UK – price from £17,495

The new Subaru Impreza is finally going on sale in the UK but only as a hatch and only with the 1.6 litre Boxer engine and 4WD. Costs from £17,495.

It’s a bit hard to call the Subara Impreza the ‘new’ Impreza when it’s already three years since it was revealed and more than two years since it went on sale in Japan and the US.

But the latest Subaru Impreza is new for the UK as Subaru has decided the Yen has weakened enough since the Impreza’s launch to make it a viable option to import it.

Even so, it is a bit of a Hobson’s choice for buyers with just the Impreza Hatch – not the saloon – on offer and only in a single trim level and with a single engine option – the 1.6 litre petrol Boxer engine.

That combination offers less than stellar performance with 62mph taking 12.3 seconds (and 12.6 seconds if you opt for the CVT ‘box) and economy of 44.1mpg (which improves to 46.3mpg with the CVT ‘box).

But the USP for the new Impreza is its 4WD setup which comes as standard – the only C-Segment car where that’s the case, say Subaru – with a standard 50/50 torque split on the manual and 60/40 with the CVT, which automatically alters depending on slip.

The only trim level is RC which offers auto lights and wipers, front fogs, heated power-fold  mirrors, LED indicators, wiper de-ice and a reversing camera, with leather and SatNav on the option list.  Just 3 colours are on offer – Satin White, Ice Silver and Quartz Blue.

The new Subaru Impreza goes on sale in the UK on 1st May 2014 price from £17,495. But if that doesn’t float your boat you could opt for the new Subaru WRX STI which also goes on sale this summer from £28,995.