The Toyota Corolla has long dominated the compact car segment, topping other models in sales, including the Subaru Impreza. And the 2023 Toyota Corolla has one big item that the 2023 Subaru Impreza doesn’t offer: a hybrid model with high fuel economy.

Unlike the 2023 Subaru Impreza, the 2023 Toyota Corolla offers a hybrid model

Toyota kicked off the hybrid wave with the Prius more than two decades ago. The Japanese automaker has since expanded its hybrid lineup — as more people realized their benefits. There are hybrid versions of many of Toyota’s traditional gas-powered models, including the 2023 Toyota Corolla. 

While not as pricey as it was last year, gasoline is still a major cost of vehicle ownership. And an efficient car like the Corolla Hybrid saves compact car owners a great deal of money at the fuel pump over the long haul.

Conversely, the 2023 Subaru Impreza doesn’t offer a hybrid model in the United States. All Impreza models for the American market are fully gas-powered. While a hybrid version of the Impreza will be available in Japan in 2024, it won’t be offered in the U.S. for the foreseeable future. 

2023 Corolla Hybrid has higher fuel economy than the 2023 Impreza

The most obvious benefit of the 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid is its high fuel economy. Pairing a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, it gets an estimated gas mileage of up to 53 city/46 highway mpg. The efficiency of the Corolla Hybrid is also enhanced by its regenerative braking system, which captures energy emitted by the compact car during braking — and then channels it to the battery. Additionally, there’s an Eco driving mode. 

Conversely, the 2023 Subaru Impreza is much less efficient — with an estimated fuel economy of up to 28 city/36 highway mpg. Compared to the Impreza, the Corolla Hybrid gets 25 more mpg for city driving and 10 more mpg for highway driving. Also, even the fully gas-powered version of the Corolla is more efficient (31 city/40 highway mpg) than the Impreza. 

Along with saving money, another benefit of the higher gas mileage is convenience. With lower fuel consumption, the Corolla requires fewer trips to gas stations compared to the Impreza.

Other ways the Toyota Corolla is better than the Subaru Impreza

There are other ways the 2023 Corolla is better than the 2023 Impreza. This includes safety. The Corolla recently earned a 2023 Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). However, the Impreza didn’t receive a safety award from IIHS.

Also, the Corolla is more reliable. J.D. Power gave it a reliability rating of 85/100, compared to 80/100 for the Impreza. Additionally, the Corolla provides a two-year/25,000-mile free maintenance plan, with coverage for multipoint inspections, tire rotations, topping off the fluids, and tire rotations. However, the Impreza doesn’t have a free maintenance program.

Furthermore, the 2023 Corolla has a new high-performance model with the GR Corolla “hot hatch.” Its 1.6-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine delivers 300 horsepower. Conversely, the best performance that one can get with the 2023 Impreza is its standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which generates 152 horsepower.

With the hybrid model, the 2023 Toyota Corolla has one big item that the 2023 Subaru Impreza doesn’t offer. The availability of a fuel-efficient hybrid is a point to consider for those deciding between the two compact cars.