NY LIVE: 2012 Subaru Impreza loses power, gains mpgs [Video update]

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Subaru dramatically increased fuel economy at the expense of power for its redesigned Impreza sedan and hatchback. Subaru - Subaru Impreza - Makes and Models - Recreation - Autos
Read More: http://feeds.leftlanenews.com/click.phdo?i=5ac6e0adaed90247793d6c971a8c74d5

 

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Subaru dramatically increased fuel economy at the expense of power for its redesigned Impreza sedan and hatchback. Subaru - Subaru Impreza - Makes and Models - Recreation - Autos
Read More:http://feeds.leftlanenews.com/click.phdo?i=5ac6e0adaed90247793d6c971a...

Who cares until we see 0-60 and, more importantly, 0-35mph
acceleration figures to see how badly the gearing is fucked up.
I drive a 75hp 2300lbs rear wheel driver now, but the gearing is short
and, thusly, it's not nearly as bad as you'd expect it to be.
The 2.0 should rev easier and in general should be more fun in that
corolla look alike though I don't expect the protege/323
friskiness. (I've never driven a celica but I guess that should be the
FHI goal for impreza)

2.5 was an absolutely horrible overbore of 2.2 for the north american
market.
Sluggish and unwilling to spin up. 2.2 was quite allright. Could it be
the tighter g-e-a-r-i-n-g? Could it?
Did I mention the close gearing for a normally aspirated engine? Or
the much needed 6th cog turbo or not?
Different gearing for the base model or wrx that have two VERY
different motivators under the hood?

If FHI does not give a **** there are options aplenty: mazda 2 and
jazz on the single driven wheel low end and A4 quattro
on the upper. With Mazdapeed 3 (MPS in eurospeak)/GTI somewhere in the
middle.

Why do I get this nagging feeling that with the 2.0 (sight unseen)
comes a gearbox with the messed up ratios?

 

[basia]

Who cares until we see 0-60 and, more importantly, 0-35mph
acceleration figures to see how badly the gearing is fucked up.
I drive a 75hp 2300lbs rear wheel driver now, but the gearing is short
and, thusly,

It is larger than the old Impreza; read: will most likely be
heavier. With a smaller engine it will be sluggish, pardon
me, meant to say more economical ))

 it's not nearly as bad as you'd expect it to be.
The 2.0 should rev easier and in general should be more fun in that
corolla look alike though I don't expect the protege/323
friskiness. (I've never driven a celica but I guess that should be the
FHI goal for impreza)

2.5 was an absolutely horrible overbore of 2.2 for the north american
market.
Sluggish and unwilling to spin up. 2.2 was quite allright. Could it be
the tighter g-e-a-r-i-n-g? Could it?

Perhaps, but the 2.2 litre engine was put in a much
lighter car. After 2001, last year of the 2.2 in US.,
the Impreza gained a few hundred pounds of weight.

Stronger more rigid body, standard disc brakes,
standard ABS, other equipment, multiple air bags,
more insulation, etc., all contributed to more weight.
These things are most likely not going away, and with
bigger phisical dimensions, more weight, and a smaller
engine the new Impreza will be underpowered no
matter what gearing is employed.

That's my take on it.

I hope they'll offer the new 2.5L engine as
that would make the car worthwhile for me,

....but I don;t like CVT.

Is there going to be an Impreza Outback Sport
version? That one ought to have an optional
regular automatic tranny.

Basia

 

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Stronger more rigid body, standard disc brakes,
standard ABS, other equipment, multiple air bags,
more insulation, etc., all contributed to more weight.
These things are most likely not going away, and with
bigger phisical dimensions, more weight, and a smaller
engine the new Impreza will be underpowered no
matter what gearing is employed.

That's my take on it.

I suspect FHI butchered impreza to make room for (the properly
designed?)
FT-86

That's my cynical view of the 2.0 fuel sipper