If we say Subaru, most people will say Outback or Forester – maybe CrossTrek. If they’re enthusiasts, maybe WRX or BRZ. But there’s another Subie, that maybe doesn’t get the limelight than some of the others, but it’s a great vehicle that deserves you consideration – especially if you want a small hatchback that serves up lots of fun.

We’re talking about the 2025 Subaru Impreza RS.

Hot Hatch

These days, there are a few 5-door hatchbacks vying for your hard-earned dollar. The VW GTI is from the tall, upright boxy school, the Honda Civic is from the “didn’t know that was a hatchback” design, and the snarky, low-slung class, including the Mazda 3, Impreza RS, and ok, you could throw the new Toyota Prius in there as well.

Up front, you know this is the sportiest Impreza with a blacked-out grille, frowny LED headlights, low projector LED fog lights, and a blacked-out lower fascia.

The low-slung design comes through in the side view, with muscular fenders, a high shoulder line, and a greenhouse that sweeps back and down at the C-pillar. Black side spoilers, dark gray 18-inch alloy wheels and a stance that looks hunkered down – unusual since we usually think of Subies as sitting tall in the saddle for off-road work!

Tasteful RS badges below the side mirrors give an added taste of sportiness.

That swept back roof line ends in a rear spoiler perched above the rear window, with boomerang LED taillights making a big statement, above the curved in rear hatch. Below the bumper another blacked out fascia adds more aggressiveness. Our tester was finished off in Crystal White Pearl, and we loved how it contrasted with the RS black trim. There’s a nice shimmer in the paint when the light hits it as well, making this a head-turning, hunkered down, little Subaru!

 Sensible Sport

Inside, the RS is a pleasing blend of sportiness and comfort.

Open the door and you’re greeted by supportive front bucket seats with bright red accents on the bolsters, helping to perk up the otherwise somber interior.

There’s a fat, leather-wrapped steering wheel and chunky shift lever that both feel great to the hand and help you focus on the drive. That focus is rewarded with large analog gauges, including a 160-mph speedometer and 8,000-rpm tachometer, with a digital display in-between for key info, including navigation, info-tainment and road trip data. Clean and crisp – just the way we like it.

In the center is a substantial 11.6-inch, vertical tablet-style display, standard on most Subaru models these days. It’s handsome and logically laid out so it works very easily – no steep learning curve required. Kudos to Subie for including a traditional volume and tuning knob, while Wireless Apple CarPlay and a wireless charging pad for your smartphone helps keep the tech humming.

Our only slight disappointment is that the climate control system is part of the touch pad interface, rather than a simpler, separate design. That said, the RS keeps all the climate stuff in a dedicated area, so it’s easy to find, and you don’t have to fish it out of a bunch of screens just to get comfortable.

And you do get comfy, the heated front seats are supportive, and gunmetal and simulated carbon fiber accents help brighten up the interior – we especially liked the RS logo floor mats!

Stepping up the game, our tester also enjoyed a $2,000 optional package that included a power moonroof, 432-watt, Harmon & Kardon premium audio system with 10 speakers, and 10-way power driver’s seat with 2-way lumbar support.

Those in back will find the rear seats are adult friendly, with good head and legroom for our 5’9” test rider behind our 5’9” test driver. A little visual pop comes courtesy of contrasting red trim that echoes the front seats.

The rear seats also easily fold flat to create a spacious cargo area, and we loved the accessory rubber cargo mat – looks up to the task of carrying muddy gear or tossing in a mountain bike.

While the RS is more road rocket than off-road crawler, we appreciate that there are plenty of cool Subaru accessories to load extra gear on the roof and go take off on your next adventure.

Perky Performer

The RS makes good use of its snazzy looks and comfortable interior to provide a sporty drive.

Those expecting a discount WRX might be a little disappointed – the ‘Rex serves up a turbocharged 271 horsepower and a rally-bred attitude. Which is not to say the RS is a slouch, with Subaru’s familiar 2.5-liter, BOXER 4-cylinder engine, you get a spirited 182 horsepower and 178 lb.-ft of torque.

The RS feels strong, and you get all the nice advantages of that horizontally-opposed 4-cylinder engine – a low hood line, and the engine mass sits low in the chassis, keeping things hunkered down – a real plus for handling.

It’s a smooth and nice sounding powerplant, and it may not be the fastest, but it definitely feels refined. The same can be said about the CVT automatic transmission that’s standard on all RS models. In the daily drive, it’s smooth and innocuous, and with a 33-mpg rating on the highway, it’s efficient, too.

It’s less impressive when you want to have fun, in Sport Mode and using the paddle shifters you get a faithful impression of an 8-speed automatic. It just never feels all that interested in max performance, and we really wish a manual transmission was available.

The RS makes up for that with a great chassis. We kept the SI-Drive performance management system in sporty S mode, and found the RS a ball to toss around on twisty roads.  

Subaru improved the steering rack last year, and the feel is excellent and precise, perfect to point the sport-tuned suspension into your favorite corner and thanks to the grip of standard Subaru symmetrical all-wheel drive, it grips and rips out of the corners.

We’d also mention that the Impreza is one of the most affordable ways to get into an all-wheel-drive vehicle, something worth thinking about if you live in a challenging climate.

This RS serves up an especially well-tuned suspension – a lovely balance of responsiveness, but never firm or harsh, an easy vehicle for the daily commute or your favorite twisty road. It’s rare to find an affordable sport that can do both so well!

Subaru has been a leader in the driver assistance field, and standard on all 2025 Impreza models is their excellent EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology.  The system got enhanced for 2024, and we appreciate that it operates smoother, faster, and under a greater range of conditions and can now identify bicycles and pedestrians at intersections sooner and, when necessary, alert the driver and applies brakes to avoid collisions. 

Value Player

Most Imprezzive is the value. You can get into a 2025 Impreza starting at just $23,495. Considering you get AWD, EyeSight, Dual-zone Climate control and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto all included, along with the 5-door hatch functionality that’s a great value.

The Impreza RS is the whole enchilada model, with all the goodies starting at $28,385. Our tester enjoyed the Package 33, which includes Harmon Kardon Audio, Power Moonroof and Power Driver seat ($2,070). Add in Destination ($1,170), and we rang the bell at $31,625.

Finding all-wheel-drive, non-SUV/crossovers competitors is tough, but we’d look at the Mazda 3 hatchback with AWD. You can now get it without the turbo engine, so it’s more affordable than before, and compares to the Subaru at $33,190. It’s also a fun drive, but the rear seat room is more compromised with the sharply angled hatchback.

We’d also look at the Honda Civic Sport hatchback at $29,445. Honda no longer offers the turbo on the Civic hatch, so you’ll be making do with a 150-horsepower engine, and AWD is not available. So, while the price is significantly less than the Impulse RS, it’s a step down in powertrain. Otherwise, the Civic is a sweetheart, though, with great packaging and handling.

The affordable 2025 Subaru Impreza RS remains a great mix with standard AWD, power, loads of tech and 5-door hatchback design.