The 2024 Subaru Impreza heralds in a sixth generation for this world-renowned compact hatch and some noteworthy shake ups.

Starting with what is lost, the sedan is no more. The Impreza is now a 5-door hatchback-only. There’s also no longer a manual six-speed option, now replaced by a standard CVT automatic.

But it’s not all doom and gloom; under the hood of this rally-inspired hatch is one of two powertrains. The Base and Sport trims receive a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder BOXER, good for 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque— same as last year. For a little extra spice, the new RS trim gets a 2.5-liter flat-4 dishing out 182 ponies and 178 lb-ft of torque. Both RS and Sport ride on sport-tuned suspension, but all models benefit from a 10-percent stiffer chassis and steering upgrades– things we felt during our Wine Country First Drive.

STEPHANIE HART: The Impreza is more playful and capable when it comes to holding a line in the corner. The dual pinion steering is similar to the one in the WRX, which means a better steering wheel feel.

Standard is the latest Subaru EyeSight safety suite. Stepping up to the Sport or RS brings a tablet-style 11.6-inch STARLINK infotainment system, new to the Impreza.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza is crossing onto dealer lots soon, starting around $24,000 and kicking close to 29-grand for the RS. So, while we’ve lost a few things, the Impreza’s gains point at a very promising future.

And speaking of the future, we’ll have more Quick Spins… soon!