Americans: the new Subaru Impreza is hatchback and auto-only

Even though we no longer get the Subaru Impreza here in the UK, it’s still a little sad to see what it has become. This is the all-new sixth-generation for the US market, revealed recently at the LA Auto Show, and the headlines don’t make for pretty reading.

Not only has Subaru dropped the saloon (sorry, sedan) option, but it’s also removed all manual gearboxes, leaving the boxer engines to deal with CVT gearboxes. Oh dear. 

Said engines are a 2.0-litre unit with 150bhp in Base and Sport trims, while the range-topping RS makes a return with a 2.5-litre unit. Sounds sporty, but then you learn that it only makes 180bhp and 178lb ft of torque.

As is tradition, all models do still get all-wheel drive, with the system supposedly now reacting faster and offering ‘more agile handling’. Active torque vectoring is also standard, and we’re told the chassis itself is lighter and 10 per cent stiffer. 

Inside you get the option of an 11.6-inch central touchscreen (if you go for Sport or RS trim), while RS adds ‘simulated carbon fibre interior trim accents’ and many RS logos. Lovely.

So, what do we think folks?