CR Says Avoid The Toyota Corolla Hatch - Subaru Impreza Is Your Best Pick

What are the best compact cars for shoppers this spring? Consumer Reports (by subscription) ranks all new models and says you should avoid buying the 2022 Toyota Corolla Hatchback and buy the 2022 Subaru Impreza instead. CR says the Impreza sedan and hatchback are the best picks among compact cars. It gets the highest safety scores, reliability, road test performance, and owner satisfaction scores.

Why is the 2022 Subaru Impreza CR’s top pick?

Consumer Reports says the 2022 Impreza has a ”Comfortable ride, relatively roomy interior, easy-to-use controls, standard all-wheel-drive without a fuel-economy penalty, and an available hatchback body style.”

photo credit: Schumacher Subaru

How could the Impreza be better?

CR says the biggest knock against the Impreza is that the 2.0-liter engine can get noisy, and the driver’s seat is short on lumbar support.

Why should you avoid the 2022 Toyota Corolla Hatchback?

Consumer Reports says the new Corolla has significant flaws. The ride is stiff, and the car is loud, primarily because of the raspy 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that usually seems like it’s working too hard, and the rear seat is super-cramped. CR scores the Toyota Corolla number eleven of twelve compact cars.

photo credit: Competition Subaru

Reasons to buy the 2022 Subaru Impreza

Consumer Reports says the Impreza is the best of twelve compact cars. The 2022 Subaru Impreza has an overall score of 81, while the Toyota Corolla has a score of just 51 and rates low in predicted reliability and owner satisfaction.

The Impreza compact comes standard with Subaru’s Symmetrical all-wheel-drive system on all trim levels. Check out the complete 2022 Subaru Impreza model guide here.

What is the fuel mileage of the Impreza?

The EPA says the 2022 Subaru Impreza gets 31 mpg combined city/highway and 28/36 city/highway mpg in the non-Sport CVT trims. The 2022 Impreza 4-Door sedan with the 5-speed manual gearbox has the same fuel mileage. The 2022 Impreza 4-Door sedan gets 26 combined city/highway and 23/31 city/highway mpg in the non-Sport CVT trims.

What is the price of the 2022 Subaru Impreza?

The 2022 Impreza comes in four trim levels for customers. The seven different models come in base sedan ($19,755), base hatchback ($20,255) Premium sedan ($23,155), Premium hatchback ($23,655), Sport sedan ($24,555), Sport hatchback ($23,955), and Limited hatchback ($27,355). Destination and delivery ($960) are included in the prices above.

Can you find a new Impreza with the recent model shortages?

A 2022 Subaru Impreza will be hard to find this spring as most models in transit are already pre-sold. Subaru shut down new orders for Impreza for the remainder of the year, and you may have to wait for the 2023 models.

It will be worth the wait because the 2023 Subaru Impreza gets a complete redesign. The next-generation 2023 Impreza will likely come with the new EyeSight X driver-assist safety technology. Recent reports not confirmed by Subaru say the compact car could get a new 1.5-liter turbocharged engine. The next-generation Impreza will arrive in early 2023.

Should you buy a used Impreza?

Several studies say the Subaru Impreza is one of the best used car picks.

iSeeCars Best Used Cars and SUVs Under $15,000
2013 Subaru Forester $12,970
2013 Subaru Outback $13,523
2013 Subaru Impreza $13,669

iSeeCars Best Used Cars and SUVs Under $20,000
2016 Subaru Forester $19,758
2017 Subaru Impreza $19,252

iSeeCars Best Used Cars and SUVs Under $25,000
2017 Subaru Forester $22,495
2018 Subaru Crosstrek $24,785
2017 Subaru Outback $24,214
2021 Subaru Impreza $23,916

Consumer Reports and the IIHS say the best Subaru models under $20,000 are:
The Subaru Forester (2016 or newer).
Subaru Outback (2013 or newer).
Subaru Crosstrek (2018 or newer).
Subaru Impreza (2014 or newer).
Subaru Legacy (2013 or newer).

Consumer Reports says the 2022 Subaru Impreza is the best compact car you can buy if you can find one because it scores high in safety, reliability, road test performance, and owner satisfaction. You should avoid the 2022 Toyota Corolla hatchback.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Schumacher Subaru