This is our first real glimpse of Subaru's new bread-and-butter model.
A week before its official reveal at the 2022 LA Auto Show, Subaru has given us our first glimpse of the new Impreza Hatchback, albeit only a small part of it. The teaser comes via Subaru of America's Facebook page, where a single image of a portion of the front of the car shows us more detail than the previous silhouette teaser.
While it's not much to go on, we can see an evolved take on the current model's design language. Larger than before, the redesigned grille is more angular than the item found on the current model and closely resembles the grille found on the newly-introduced Crosstrek. But where the crossover sports a more rugged design, the new Impreza employs a sportier, triangular pattern that should provide the front fascia with more aggression.
The Pleiades logo still takes center stage and is flanked by a subtle bar that spans the width of the grille. The teaser doesn't give much else away, but if you look closely, one can sense the headlight shape. Again, it seems that the Impreza will gain design inspiration from the Crosstrek, which makes absolute sense given the Crosstrek is a crossover evolution of the Impreza and both share a platform - in this case, the Subaru Global Platform. We're also hoping it borrows some design cues from the WRX.
Seen below is the original teaser, which clues us into the side profile design. Again, not much is given away, but it's interesting to note that Subaru has only teased the hatchback variant thus far. It's unclear whether a new Impreza Sedan will be offered, but we won't be surprised if it doesn't make a return. After all, sedans are being killed off in their droves.
Subaru will lift the lid on the new Impreza at the 2022 LA Auto Show, but will only arrive as a 2024 model since 2023 MY pricing has already been announced. The newcomer will be accompanied by none other than Bucky Lasek, professional rallycross driver and Subaru enthusiast. Lasek previously raced for Subaru Rally Team USA before leaving the team in 2016.
His presence has led many to believe that Subaru may unveil a sportier Impreza variant. After all, why would a rally pro be at the unveiling of an affordable hatchback?
Since the WRX was spun-off into its own model, the Impreza lineup has lost much of its appeal. A more athletic version would revitalize the admittedly dull range and stir up interest in the nameplate once again. Given the STI is dead, the Japanese automaker desperately needs to restore faith in the brand.
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