Impressive Impreza

SINGAPORE — Launched at last week’s Singapore Motorshow, the new Subaru Impreza carries the burden of the Japanese carmaker’s long-term survival on its neatly sculpted shoulders.

The company aims to sell around one million cars a year worldwide, which makes it a minnow in a whale-infested industry. Toyota, for instance, is about 10 times the size of Subaru by sales volume, and Fiat-Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne famously said that carmakers need to produce six million units a year to stay viable.

Tell that to Subaru, though. The carmaker says the new Impreza — or more specifically, its basic skeleton — has what it takes to future-proof its product development.

SINGLE-PLATFORM FUTURE

Its makers are betting on a mechanical platform they call the Subaru Global Platform. Made largely of high-strength steels, it will form the mechanical basis for all future Subarus — if the Impreza is a dud, in other words, then the next-generation models of the Forester, Legacy, XV, Tribeca and their ilk are likely to be just as unimpressive.

Just as well, then, that the new Impreza drives nicely. Regional importer Motor Image arranged for the press to test 2-litre versions of the car briefly on a closed-off road, back-to-back with cars from other brands such as Audi, Mazda and Volkswagen.

In that company, the new Impreza acquitted itself well.

Even a short drive makes it clear that the Impreza’s suspension works quietly and soaks up bumpy conditions comfortably, while the handling inspires plenty of confidence.

Hurl the Subaru into corners, and its poise ensures that you can simply point the steering where you want to go and let the car do the rest.

The brakes have plenty of bite, and the steering is high-geared, making the vehicle feel agile and responsive.

STIFF INNER LIP

Subaru engineers attribute the car’s stability largely to the fact that the Global Platform is much stiffer than the previous Impreza’s. The extra rigidity sharpens the handling while improving the car’s refinement.

But if the Impreza has a weakness, you will find it under the bonnet. Even the 156hp, 2-litre variant feels sluggish when accelerating from a standstill, so the 1.6-litre model (with 42hp less) should be particularly lazy.

The Global Platform can accommodate hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-powered drive systems. In an industry that is currently undergoing a technological upheaval, that flexibility gives the fiercely independent marque a fighting chance.