The Cheapest New Subaru Has Something Its Rivals Don’t originally appeared on Autoblog.
This affordable Subaru faces tough rivals from Toyota, Honda, and Mazda
Think Subaru, and you’re probably picturing either a flamboyant WRX sedan being flung around a twisty road or a rugged SUV taking the family away on a camping trip. But what about the buyer in search of the most affordable new car they can buy, without any of the frills? Subaru has one more new vehicle left for sale at under $25,000, which competes with other entry-level cars from Toyota and Honda. Let’s find out what it is, plus see what the one feature is that sets it apart from other budget cars.
Related: This Is The Cheapest New Toyota Car In America
The Cheapest New Subaru Is The Impreza
Starting at $24,360, the base Subaru Impreza hatchback is the cheapest new Subaru on sale in the U.S. right now. It’s not quite as affordable as the cheapest new Toyota, but with fewer and fewer cars costing under $25k, this Subaru hatch is still good value.
Rivals include the hatchback versions of the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Mazda 3. That’s tough company, but the Impreza gets off to a strong start by being the only one in this group to come with standard all-wheel drive. But is that the Impreza’s only advantage or not?
Related: Why Cheap New Cars Are Disappearing in 2025
Design: Bland, But There Are Many Adventure-Minded Accessories
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There’s no getting away from the fact that the base Subaru Impreza is not an exciting car to look at. It lacks the upscale vibe of the Mazda 3 and isn’t even as sporty to look at as the Corolla hatch. Sitting on 16-inch steel wheels with generic covers, we’d suggest speccing alloys for $350 more. A more vibrant color like Pure Red or Sapphire Blue Pearl doesn’t hurt either, but these changes can only go so far to rescue the pedestrian styling.
The following features are standard:
16-inch steel wheels with covers
LED steering-responsive headlights
Black folding side mirrors
Roof crossbar mounting points
Roof spoiler
One redeeming factor is the number of outdoor accessories for the Impreza, with options like a fixed crossbar set, a Thule roof-mounted awning, a heavy-duty cargo basket, and even a pet ramp for your dog to easily enter and exit the car. These features are not usually available for smaller hatchbacks, so allows the Impreza to be configured as a surprisingly practical car.
Interior: Keeping It Simple
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If you aren’t a fan of overly complex modern car interiors with distracting screens and lighting all over the place, you’ll appreciate the basic Impreza’s cabin. Ahead of the driver are traditional analog dials, and you select gears via a normal shifter. Note that the higher-spec Impreza RS is pictured above.
For this base model, Subaru uses an older dual seven-inch touchscreen layout, pictured below—the top screen has vehicle settings and smartphone connectivity, while the bottom one mainly allows you to manage climate controls and driver-assistance functions. Other Impreza trims get a single 11.6-inch system. The latter looks flashier, but the base Impreza’s system is simple enough to get the hang of.
Materials are not plush, but the Impreza’s cabin should last, and it’s more refined than previous Imprezas.
Standard equipment includes:
Four-speaker sound system
Cloth upholstery
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Adaptive cruise control with lane centering
Lane departure warning
Cargo space is 20.4 cubic feet and a spacious 56 cubes with the back seats folded.
Performance: A Boxer Without Much Punch
The base Impreza comes only with a 2.0-liter Boxer four-cylinder engine making 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. That’s not much power, and a heavier all-wheel-drive system plus a CVT don’t do much to help the cause. Expect to reach 60 mph in roughly nine seconds with this powertrain; the bigger 2.5L engine with 182 hp isn’t available for the cheapest Impreza.
The cheapest Honda Civic makes 150 hp and the base Corolla doles out 169 hp, so a dearth of power at this price point isn’t exactly unique to the Subaru. For some, it will be more important to know that the Impreza rides and handles competently.
EPA ratings for the 2.0L Impreza work out to 27/34/30 mpg city/highway/combined, so it’s not as efficient as a base corolla (35 mpg combined).
Final Thoughts
The standard AWD system is one of the main reasons to consider the base Subaru Impreza. For people living in harsher climates who need a cheap, reliable car, the Impreza gets the job done. It also has a commendable quality and reliability rating of 82 out of 100 from J.D. Power.
What the Impreza doesn’t do is lead the class in any particular area. The Mazda 3 or Civic are more fun to drive and have nicer interiors, while the Corolla is cheaper and more efficient. Kia is also set to join the affordable hatchback party once more with the K4 Hatchback later in 2025, and it’s far more stylish than the Impreza.
The cheapest Impreza is worth a look if you need AWD without the bulk of an SUV, but we suggest considering one of the rivals mentioned here if AWD isn’t a must.
The Cheapest New Subaru Has Something Its Rivals Don’t first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 27, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
