With Ford stopping production on the Fusion, the sedan market has gotten even smaller. Subaru, however, is continuing to produce great sedans. In fact, the 2021 Subaru Impreza made MotorTrend’s list of the best hatchbacks for 2021. A great car for road-tripping, the compact Impreza also holds onto its value better than tons of other cars, something Subaru cars are known for. So is the Impreza the best compact hatchback for you? Read on to find out.

The best hatchbacks to buy

MotorTrend put out their list of the best hatchbacks for 2021 and the Impreza is No. 4 on the list of compact hatchbacks. Subcompact hatchbacks had their own mini-list within this list. Just behind the Impreza was the Mazda3, which while it had an upscale interior and a sporty look, it was not as fun to drive as past models, and the seating was cramped.

The Volkswagen Golf was No. 3 with a high-quality interior and roomy cabin; however, it is pricier than other hatchbacks. No. 2 was the Toyota Corolla which was fun to drive and very eye-catching, with a smooth-shifting manual, though the cargo capacity was a little limited.

Coming out on top is the Honda Civic with excellent fuel economy, lots of cargo space, and impressive driving dynamics across all available trims.

Why this year’s Subaru Impreza Hatchback is one of them

With standard AWD and an impressive amount of interior room, the 2021 Subaru Impreza is one of the best hatchbacks on the market. It is also one of the least expensive. An advanced safety system as well as excellent safety ratings overall makes it easy to see why it made MotorTrend’s list.

While the driving experience might not be the most exciting, and the 0-60 mph time is not the fastest at between 9.0 and 9.7 seconds, it is still a fun car to drive. It also does give you an incredibly comfortable drive and has an impressive amount of cargo space. 

Is the 2021 Subaru Impreza a good car?

All Subaru Impreza models come equipped with a 2.0-liter flat-four engine that makes 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. The base model comes with a five-speed manual transmission, however other trims have a continuously variable automatic (CVT) with the EyeSight advanced safety suite as well.

Fuel economy is decent with an estimated gas mileage of 28 mpg city and 36 mpg highway. Interior space is a place where the Impreza beats many competitors with more headroom and legroom while still seating five. It also has 55.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats down.

The standard infotainment system comes with a 6.5-inch touchscreen as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims have an 8.0-inch touchscreen, and navigation is available on the top trim.

The Impreza is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick and received a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). One of the least expensive hatchbacks on the market, the 2021 Impreza starts at $20,200 and the top trim is $27,320. It holds its value very well and has a decent reliability rating.

If you are looking for a sedan in the shrinking market, the 2021 Subaru Impreza hatchback is a good place to start. It is great for anyone on a budget and actually delivers a better ride quality than many luxury cars. The Impreza could be a great choice for a first car – inexpensive, great safety ratings, and high resale value. And, it is not your typical racing or joyriding car but is still pretty fun to drive.