Car Comparison: 2023 Subaru Impreza vs Crosstrek

We haven’t yet seen a driver who wouldn’t like a new vehicle that’s entertaining to drive, secure, and has the newest features. Every Subaru brings a similar set of standard and optional features, ensuring you get fantastic value for your money. If you’re not sure whether a 2023 Subaru Impreza or 2023 Crosstrek would be the right fit for you and your family, check out this comparison.

Key Differences and Exterior Features

The Crosstrek is a compact SUV, whereas the Impreza has sedan and hatchback trims. Both vehicles share optional features, such as a power tilt/sliding glass sunroof. The new Subaru Impreza comes in one of seven trim levels: Base Sedan, Base 5-Door, Premium Sedan, Premium 5-Door, Sport Sedan, Sport 5-Door, and Limited 5-Door.

Impreza sedans are 182.7 inches long, 70 inches wide, and 57.3 inches tall. Width and height are the same either way, but the Impreza Base 5-Door and Sport 5-Door trims are both 176.2 inches long. The Premium 5-Door and Limited 5-Door trims are 58.9 inches tall, including roof rails. The Impreza’s 5.1-inch ground clearance helps get over potholes or uneven roads, and wheel sizes range from 16 inches to 18 inches, depending on the trim level.

Taking a look at the Crosstrek, this model is offered in five trim levels: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Hybrid. A set of 17-inch wheels form the starting size, with 18-inch sets available. The Crosstrek has a long list of stylish or handy exterior features on the right trim levels, such as LED fog lights, a sport grille in black with a gunmetal finish, body-color door handles, and raised roof rails.

The 2023 Crosstrek measurements for all trims are 176.5 inches long, 71.0 inches wide, and 63.6 inches tall, with a ground clearance of 8.7 inches. Steering-responsive LED headlights, fog lights, body-color folding side mirrors with integrated turn signals, windshield wiper de-icers, and heated side mirrors are all included, either as standard features or as part of the affordable Cold Weather package.

Engine

The Crosstrek has two engine choices and continuous advanced all-wheel drive (AWD). The Base and Premium trims are also available with six-speed manual transmission. The 2.0-liter flat-four engine on these two trims generates 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. The Sport and Limited grades come standard with the larger and more powerful 2.5-liter flat-four engine that produces 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque.

The standard symmetrical AWD system in the Impreza and Crosstrek is intended to maximize traction in wet, icy, and rough driving conditions. It continuously assesses cornering, braking, and acceleration to evenly distribute power to all four wheels. The Impreza comes with a 2.0-liter boxer four-cylinder engine that provides 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. You also get a five-speed manual transmission and Subaru AWD. You can switch to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which is also available in the Crosstrek.

Fuel Efficiency

The 2023 Subaru Impreza has a 13.2-gallon fuel tank. Fuel economy with a manual transmission is 23/31 city/highway mpg for the Base Sedan, 24/31 mpg for the Base 5-Door, and 22/30 mpg for the Sport 5-Door. For the Premium Sedan with CVT, expect up to 28/36 mpg or 27/36 mpg with the Sport Sedan.

The Crosstrek has a great fuel tank size of 16.6 gallons, and the fuel efficiency with the 2.0-liter engine and manual transmission is 22/29 mpg in the Base and Premium trim levels. Fuel efficiency for the 2.5-liter engine with the Lineartronic CVT earns up to 27/34mpg. You may also want to consider the Crosstrek Hybrid, which is capable of equivalent fuel economy ratings of 35/90 MPGe.

Interior Specs and Materials

Both vehicles include a six-way adjustable driver’s seat as standard and a variety of fabric choices. Cotton, sport fabric with red contrast stitching, and leather are the cabin upholstery material choices for the Impreza. A variety of upholstery options are available for the Crosstrek, including cloth with orange contrast stitching, StarTex water-repellent with yellow contrast stitching, and leather with orange or blue contrast stitching. The Crosstrek and the Impreza’s five-door trims have 20.8 cubic feet of cargo volume, while the Impreza’s sedans give you 12.3 cubic feet.

Infotainment and Entertainment

Lower trim levels of the Crosstrek come with a 6.5-inch infotainment touch-screen with a Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, but higher models swap in an 8-inch touch-screen with optional built-in navigation. A single USB port is included in the base model, although higher-end models can have up to four ports. Four or six speakers are standard in the basic audio systems, while an optional eight-speaker Harman Kardon premium arrangement is also available.

Subaru provides a 6.5-inch touch-screen infotainment system with the standard and Premium Impreza grades. For an 8.0-inch display, upgrade to the Sport and Limited variants. Built-in navigation is only available on the Impreza Limited, although Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included on every model.

Safety Features

Both the 2023 Subaru Impreza and Crosstrek come standard with a four-wheel anti-lock braking system, vehicle dynamics control, brake assist, tire pressure monitoring system, LATCH tethers, and driver assist technology designed to help you better anticipate certain traffic conditions.

A rear vision camera, Starlink safety functions, whiplash protection front seats with height- and tilt-adjustable head restraints, and rear child-safety door locks are also standard, while smart safety features, such as blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert, are available on certain Impreza and Crosstrek trims.

Get an Impreza or Crosstrek at Huffines Subaru Corinth

Since these two models are very similar, we frequently hear from customers who can’t decide between them. To sum up the difference, the Subaru Crosstrek is a highly praised SUV, while the Impreza brings many of the same benefits to a sedan or hatchback. The Crosstrek offers two different engines, with the standard being the same one found on the Impreza. You could even shop for a Crosstrek Hybrid and enjoy far lower annual fuel costs.

To find out more about these two great 2023 Subaru models, stop by Huffines Subaru Corinth or contact us anytime, and we can arrange a test drive to help you choose the one that’s best for you.