2017 Honda Civic Hatchback vs. Two thousand seventeen Subaru Impreza 5-Door movie compare
People’s Vote
People’s Vote
It’s hip to be frugal these days, but that doesn’t mean that a compact hatchback has to be merely an appliance.
They aim for the same buyer—someone who wants to spend inbetween $20,000 and $30,000 on a car that balances fuel economy with practicality. A little driving zest doesn’t hurt, either, which is why both models come in the sport trims seen here.
The recipe is basically the same. Sport models of both include larger wheels buttoned-down suspensions. They’re not fairly Porsches, but they are certainly zippy.
Don’t assume that both the Civic and the Impreza are cut from the same mold. For one, the Honda is front-wheel drive and it’s rated at one hundred eighty horsepower. The Impreza, as is tradition for Subaru, comes standard with all-wheel drive. But it has just one hundred fifty two horsepower. Predictably, the Civic runs circles around the Impreza—as long as it’s not snowing.
Both models are decently tooled from the get-go with stick shifts, but tick all the boxes and you’ll wind up with leather seats, moonroofs, seat heaters, fancy stereos, and all sorts of safety equipment.
If you’re buying a hatchback over a sedan, it’s most likely because you want to carry more. To that end, it’s a mixed bag. The Civic has almost twenty six cubic feet of cargo space with its 2nd row upright compared to just twenty one for the Impreza. But in terms of maximum capacity, the Subaru comes out way ahead with fifty five cubes versus forty six for the Civic.
2017 Subaru Impreza vs. Two thousand seventeen Honda Civic
2017 Subaru Impreza vs. Two thousand seventeen Honda Civic
2017 Subaru Impreza vs. Two thousand seventeen Honda Civic
That’s a virtue of the Impreza’s roomier passenger compartment. There’s more stretch-out room here than in the Honda, but neither is a penalizing place for four or even five passengers in a pinch.
Both have comfy space and fine visibility for drivers. We give the Honda the edge for its interior styling and petite item storage, but Subaru’s infotainment system is far more advanced than the standard radio on the Civic seen here. Even Honda’s extra-cost touchscreen infotainment doesn’t fairly compare to the Impreza’s classy setup.
On the road, the two cars quickly expose their differences. The Impreza is quiet and refined, with little road rumble or engine growl coming in its well-isolated cabin. Turn up the wick and it treats confidently. The Sport trim has its own suspension and steering tuning and it shows; it’s an entertaining little hatchback. But what it lacks is power, something exacerbated by its optional continuously variable automatic transmission. You’ll need to dig deep into the gas pedal to indeed maximize the Impreza.
The ace up the Impreza’s sleeve is its all-wheel drive, which turns it into a mountain goat on lubricious roads. If you’re a city slicker from San Diego, that’s very likely not crucial—but then again, there’s not truly a big fuel economy hit. The Impreza Sport 5-door with the automatic is rated at thirty mpg combined running on regular unleaded.
The Civic is stiffer and louder, but it also comes in and exits corners like a genuine sports car with power to spare. We love its stick shift but we aren’t as crazy about its optional CVT. It’s a little buzzier than the Subaru’s. At thirty two mpg combined, the Honda is thriftier, but it takes premium fuel that may wind up costing you more.
So which one is our beloved? It’s a close contest. The Subaru comes across as a downsized Audi, with suave moves and subtly good looks. But it’s not particularly quick and it’s not as entertaining to drive as the Honda Civic. Here, we give the slight edge to the zippy little Honda. It’s a hoot to put through its paces and it’s immensely practical.