Subaru releases special 30 years edition of Impreza ahead of new-gen model later this year

Subaru has released a new special edition Impreza, equipped with exclusive STI and Genuine Subaru Accessories, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the model.

Priced at $36,290 before on-road costs, the Subaru Impreza AWD S-Edition will feature a range of styling upgrades – but will only be available in limited numbers.

Based on the top-spec Impreza Hatch 2.0i-S (which currently costs $32,790 + ORC), the limited AWD S-Edition will feature a range of STI and Genuine Subaru Accessories on the exterior, including, STI 18-inch alloy wheels, STI front under spoiler, STI side under spoiler, sports grille, and an exclusive 'S-Edition' badge.

The existing range-topping S variant comes as standard with features such as; 18-inch alloy wheels, an eight-way power driver’s seat with two-position memory, heated front seats, LED automatic headlights, leather-accented seat trim, side-view monitor, automatic high beam and rain-sensing wipers.

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The S-Edition will be clothed in a black interior trim and come in four exterior paint colours – pure red, crystal white, crystal black silica and magnetite grey – and will also feature a STI shift knob.

The current-gen Impreza uses Subaru's 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder boxer engine, producing 115kW and 196Nm, mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The S grade hatch claims a combined fuel economy rating of 7.2L/100km.

It has a five-star ANCAP safety rating going back to 2016.

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"The Impreza has been an important part of the Subaru family for 30 years now, and this new special edition is our way of celebrating that legacy," said Subaru Australia's Managing Director, Blair Read.

"The added styling enhancements provide enhanced sports styling to match the Impreza's Symmetrical All Wheel Drive capability."

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In November 2022, Subaru debuted the sixth-generation 2023 Subaru Impreza at the Los Angeles Auto Show ahead of its Australian launch in the coming months.

As expected, it is a lowered version of the Crosstrek – the global name for the next-generation XV – without the plastic wheel cladding, and a different grille and bumpers.

The styling of the Impreza is evolutionary over the outgoing model. It features redesigned headlights and tail-lights, new alloy wheels, and the return of the sportier RS grade.

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Inside, a larger 11.6-inch portrait-orientated infotainment system (replacing the previous 8-inch unit) – as found in borrowed from the Outback, WRX and Crosstrek – includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, over-the-air software updates, satellite navigation, and climate controls that are now operated via the touchscreen.

The entry-level mill is a 2.0-litre boxer four-cylinder producing 113kW and 197Nm, while flagship grades step up to a 2.5-litre engine – as found in the Forester and Outback – with 136kW and 245Nm.

A hybrid version, likely powered by the 2.0-litre system from the Crosstrek, is expected for Japan and Europe, and potentially for Australia.

While Subaru Australia has yet to confirm local details, a spokesperson said more information will be announced “in due course” – with an Australian arrival likely a few months behind the Crosstrek in the first half of 2023.