This week, we’re taking a look at five areas for improvement, things that don’t make sense, and a quick reality check.
- 2018 Subaru Impreza—Infotainment
- 2018 Subaru Impreza—Interior Layout
- 2018 Subaru Impreza—Cargo Space
- 2018 Subaru Impreza—Visibility
- 2018 Subaru Impreza—Added Features
We’ve been spending a few weeks with the 2018 Subaru Impreza to get a fuller feel for the vehicle. This week, we’re taking a look at five areas for improvement, things that don’t make sense, and a quick reality check.
2018 Subaru Impreza—Infotainment
I recently was given a new iPhone for work. I’m thankful for it. But, after living with Android phones for years, I quickly found the iPhone severely lacking—it’s far from intuitive and quite restrictive in what you’re able to do with it.
That’s how I feel about Subaru’s infotainment system. It works. It’s slick and modern. But, there’s a certain “je ne sais quoi” missing that’s difficult to fully qualify.
There’s an ease of use that isn’t present from the first moment. And that’s not surprising as this is one area Subaru neglected for decades. They’ve made huge strides, but there’s more work to be done to make it an intuitive experience from your first interaction.
2018 Subaru Impreza—Interior Layout
Subaru got the interior layout right. It’s comfortable and makes use of its compact space; I’ll emphasize this on next week’s post. But, there’s one thing that irked me throughout my time with it: the placement of the middle air vents.
First, it takes some time to finagle them to direct the air where you want—and even when it’s set, it’s not quite right. Second, as I continually attempted to adjust the vent, I ended up switching something on the screen and/or my music. The vent is placed right at the edge of the screen, so it’s impossible to miss touching the screen at one time or another. So frustrating.
2018 Subaru Impreza—Cargo Space
This is less of a complaint and more of a reality check. Think again if you’re planning to purchase a compact vehicle, but are hoping the cargo space of a hatchback is similar to a SUV. This has been asked of me, and the answer is a resounding no.
The Impreza has enough room for a couple pieces of luggage or about six cases of beer in the back. Fold down the rear seats and you’ll create even more room. But, no, it won’t take an endless load of hockey or golf bags. Take a look at the Subaru Forester if that’s what you need.
2018 Subaru Impreza—Visibility
Standing around 6 feet 3 inches, I didn’t face too many visibility issues in the Impreza. The A pillar was slightly in my way, but I could easily see around it with a quick duck or turn of my head. My wife—who’s 5 feet 6 inches—didn’t have the same experience. Left turns were more of a challenge, forcing her to push her head way forward to ensure that she was clear of all bikers and pedestrians. It added yet another thing to do when driving in a busy city.
2018 Subaru Impreza—Added Features
As mentioned in the first story, we’re driving the Sport trim with Eyesight, which comes to $30,995. At that price point I’m not expecting ultra premium features and materials—I am expecting, however, a good level of functional features.
There’s one incredibly small one that isn’t present, wich bugged me to no end: memory settings for the driver’s seat. If you’re sharing this vehicle, or even have the occasional family member or friend, you’ll continually have to reset the seats yourself. It is a small thing, but an incredibly annoying thing for a vehicle that has power seats and costs north of 30k.
Next week we’ll take a look at the highlights of the 2018 Subaru Impreza.
Keyword: Extended Ride Review: 2018 Subaru Impreza Week 2