It's Bad For Subaru Impreza Now, The Good Times Will Roll This Spring

There is bad news coming from Subaru of America. The 2023 Subaru Impreza compact sedan and hatchback models continue to drop in sales. Subaru delayed the next-generation Impreza for two years because of COVID, parts shortages, and supply chain issues that hurt the all-wheel-drive compact model sales.

It's not a surprise sales are dropping since the Impreza remodel is long overdue. Subaru of America (SOA) reports 2023 Impreza sales are down to start the new year. SOA says the Impreza had 2,451 sales in January compared with 2,939 compact models delivered to U.S. customers in January 2022. That's a decrease of 16.6 percent.

The Impreza continues its slide backward. The compact sedan and hatchback were down 40.0 percent in December and dropped 11.3 percent to finish the year. Impreza again finished in fifth place in the lineup to start the new year.

The good times are about to roll for new compact car shoppers

Things have to get worse before they get better. Good times are coming soon. Compact car shoppers will have something to get excited about. The new 2024 Impreza all-wheel-drive compact hatchback arrives this spring for U.S. new car shoppers. The Impreza finally gets a long overdue remodel.

Hatchback body style

Several new Impreza upgrades are coming, and customers will want to wait for the improved models. First, Subaru of America chose to drop the Impreza sedan, which was a smart move. Sedan sales are down across all automaker's lineups, and the hatchback body style offers the utility and efficiency small car shoppers are looking for in a compact vehicle.

Fuel efficient

Subaru and the EPA have not released fuel mileage numbers for the 2024 Impreza hatchback, but they should improve as the automaker makes advancements in its engine technology. The Impreza continues with the 2.0-liter Boxer engine that should get about 33 mpg combined city/highway, a one mpg increase over the 2023 model.

A new 2.5-liter engine

The most significant improvement for the 2024 Impreza will be the new Impreza RS trim level, which gets a new 2.5-liter engine upgrade. The RS will be the model that breathes new life into the all-wheel-drive compact car. When Subaru of America offered the 2.5-liter engine in the Crosstrek subcompact SUV, sales shot through the roof. Expect the same positive results for the hot Impreza RS hatch.

Improved safety

Subaru is the safety leader, and the 2024 Impreza will be the safest compact car shoppers can buy. All Impreza trim levels will now come standard with Subaru's EyeSight driver-assist safety technology. The new generation 2024 Impreza has yet to be officially tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, but it will earn the top crash scores.

The 2023 Subaru Impreza sales are going down to start the year, but that's the bad news. The good news is good times will roll for compact car shoppers when the all-new 2024 Impreza all-wheel-drive hatchback arrives this spring. Stay tuned here to Subaru Report for Impreza pricing when it's announced.

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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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