The average price of a new car today is around $30,000, making it seem like carmakers no longer care about financially prudent consumers. For under $20,000, you can get a good used car, but sometimes, there is peace of mind in knowing that you’re the first owner of your vehicle and that there aren’t any issues lurking. The Subaru Impreza was one of the few new cars that cost under $20,000, but now it no longer carries this price tag.

The 2023 Subaru Impreza is one of the best cheap new cars

Car prices have continued rising, forcing many people to settle for used cars. Getting a new, reliable, cheap vehicle can be difficult, but high-quality, reliable cars mean more money, which isn’t ideal for most people, but it doesn’t have to be. The 2023 Subaru Impreza and the Kia Soul were the only two new cars under $20,000 that Consumer Reports liked.

Consumer Reports is a trusted source in the auto world, and it usually doesn’t recommend many cars for affordability. This is why its recommendation for the Impreza and Soul carry more weight. The nonprofit collects feedback from over 300,000 vehicle owners in 12 months of ownership and analyzes problem areas, including noises, brakes, leaks, and paint issues, to give its reliability rating.

The Kia Soul and Subaru Impreza owners reported minimal issues in the problem areas, earning high recommendations from CR. This ranking wasn’t the Impreza’s first recommendation, as CR also liked the 2022 model. The 2023 Soul was a new recommendation for the model.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza has lost the under $20,000 price tag

The 2024 Subaru Impreza has various changes, key of them being the price tag. The 2023 model has a starting MSRP of $19,795, while the new model starts at $22,995. The car is available in three trims: Base, Sport, and RS. The Base and Sport trims get their power from a 2.0-liter flat-four engine, which manages 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque.

Upgrading to the RS rim means significantly more power thanks to its larger 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 182 hp and 178 lb-ft, 30 hp and 33 lb-ft more than the base trim. Aside from the price change, Subaru has gotten rid of manual transmissions in favor of the CVT. The automaker has also eliminated the sedan build, opting for a five-door hatchback.

Additionally, the 2024 model gets a larger fuel tank (16.6 gallons) up from the 2023 model’s 13.2-gallon fuel tank, giving it nearly 500 miles of range. However, it’s less efficient than the 2023 model. The 2024 Impreza gets 27 mpg on city roads and 34 mpg on the highway. On the other hand, its predecessor got 28 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.

The entire model line for the 2024 Impreza comes with dual-zone climate controls and 60/40 folding rear seats. The car is also quieter, and the infotainment display has hard buttons. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on the 11.6-inch touchscreen display. The upper trim comes with a Harmon Kardon 10-speaker sound system.

The 2024 Impreza is worth the new price tag

Impreza enthusiasts may find it difficult to justify the price of the 2024 model, but most of the changes make it worth it. Subaru has made improvements to the build, providing enhanced braking, a quieter interior, and an overall smoother ride.

The new model also takes its passengers into consideration with a USB-A and USB-C port, allowing them to connect their phones regardless of their smartphone. The car’s performance is a bit underwhelming, taking roughly 9.0 seconds to get from 0 to 60 mph, but it makes up for it with a large fuel tank and increased engine power.