Subaru's 2017 Impreza adds a ton of tech but omits manual transmission
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NEW YORK — The Subaru Impreza has always been a rugged and reliable all-wheel drive runabout. And, for 2017, that's not changed. However, for the first time, the compact sedan can now add "techie" to its bona fides.
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Along with a new design language, a new American-made rigid chassis and, according to Subaru, improved "driving pleasure," the 2017 Impreza now boasts a slew of tech features. That said, it's done so at the expense of a transmission option: The much-loved manual gearbox.
Granted, sales figures for the manual were likely low on the Impreza. Still, I am sure some Subaru purists will shake their head in disbelief that they won't be able to buy the most driver-focused Impreza yet without a transmission they need to shift themselves.
We'll get to that transmission ouster in a moment. Let's first talk tech.
Image: Subaru
Inside, occupants will find either a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen or an optional 8.0-incher — both running Subaru's STARLINK infotainment system. Of course, like any self-respecting new car, drivers can plug in their smartphones and run Apple CarPlay or Android Auto on the screen as well.
Subaru also offers its suite of road safety tech called EyeSight on the 2017 Impreza. Utilizing the forward facing camera mounted up behind the central review mirror, EyeSight enables adaptive cruise control, automatic pre-collision braking and lane departure and sway warning, plus a lane keep assist function.
Intriguingly, the Impreza also includes a system called Reverse Automatic Braking, which, as you might guess, will automatically brake the car during reverse if the car detects a collision with an object. Certainly, this shouldn't mean you can start rolling into reverse without looking — but it will help deter disaster if you do.
Image: Subaru
Now that we've talked tech, let's discuss that omitted manual transmission.
For 2017, Subaru bolts one single transmission, a Lineartronic CVT (continuously variable transmission) that offers a manual shift mode, to the 152-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder Boxer engine. In manual mode, the driver can use the steering wheel-mounted paddles to shift through seven simulated shift points.
I say "simulated" because CVTs don't actually have gears to shift through like a regular automatic. Instead, engineers had to effectively invent them with programming. Like always, the CVT routes the engine's power to all four wheels through Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel drive system.
While I get why Subaru didn't include a manual in the Impreza for 2017, it's a bit disappointing. Heck, the 2017 Impreza sedan even offers a new "Sport" model complete with rear spoiler. And adding a sporty spoiler to a car with a decidedly un-sporty transmission is like painting spots on your cat and calling it a cheetah.
Regardless, it'll likely be a wonderful sedan or hatchback, and only a few cantankerous Subaru fanatics will flail about with fury over the lack of a manual gearbox (including me). The other normal, more tech-focused consumers will find much to love with the new Impreza.
Image: Subaru
