Survivor! Subaru confirms next-gen Impreza reveal, but what are the Australian details?

Traditional small cars like hatchbacks and compact sedans are nowhere near as popular as they once were.

Even long-running nameplates like the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 sell a fraction of what they used to.

Which is why there was speculation earlier this year that Subaru might drop its Impreza hatch and sedan and concentrate on its XV small SUV - now called Crosstrek globally.

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But the Japanese giant surprised the motoring world this week by confirming that not only will there definitely be a next-generation Impreza, but that it will make its global debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 18.

Clearly, Subaru still sees value in offering a small model that’s not an SUV, so it can still compete with those aforementioned models, as well as the Hyundai i30, Honda Civic, Kia Cerato and Volkswagen Golf.

The Impreza badge dates all the way back to 1992 and beyond its reputation as a competent, well-priced small car, the original also spawned what would become Subaru’s most iconic model - the WRX performance car.

Now in its fifth generation, the latest Impreza arrived in Australia in late 2016 and has been a consistent seller for Subaru, without bothering the top sellers.

Platform and engines

The next Impreza will ride on the Subaru Global Platform that underpins all of its models, except the BRZ sports car.

It’s expected that the Impreza will follow previous iterations and be closely related to the XV/Crosstrek SUV.

The Crosstrek measures 4480mm long, 1800mm wide, and 1580 tall, and while the Impreza should come close to those dimensions, it will sit lower to the ground.

In terms of powertrains, expect it to be offered with Subaru’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, as well as a hybrid option.

The current Impreza is only available in petrol guise, but there is a good chance the new one will adopt the same hybrid powertrain as the new Crosstrek. That model is likely to use a 2.0-litre e-Boxer setup, pairing a 110kW/196Nm petrol engine with a 12.3kW/66Nm electric motor and a lithium-ion battery.

At least initial details will be revealed in two weeks.

The new Impreza's cabin should mirror the Crosstrek (above).

Design and interior

If Subaru continues its matchy matchy theme for the Crosstrek and Impreza, then there’s a good chance the Impreza hatch will look much like a lowered version of the Crosstrek, as per our render above.

It won’t have the cladding and SUV styling flourishes of its jacked-up sibling, but elements of the Crosstrek’s front-end design, including the narrow headlights and wide grille with the bar that connects the headlights, should carry over to the hatch.

Inside, don’t expect much to change compared with the Crosstrek. That means the 8.0-inch touchscreen is replaced by the new ​​11.6-inch multimedia display similar to the unit found in the Outback.

It should also feature the same plasticky dash and a range of trims for the seats.

So far Subaru has only teased a darkened image of a hatchback silhouette, so it’s unclear if there will be a next-generation Impreza sedan. But given the ongoing popularity of small sedans in the US, and Subaru’s focus on that market, it might very well appear later.

The current Impreza has been around since 2016.

Pricing

Pricing and specification won’t be released for some time, but it is a pretty solid bet that the new-gen Impreza will creep up in price compared with the old model.

Subaru dropped the base model Impreza a while back, and the current-gen range now starts with the 2.0i-L from $27,290 before on-road costs for the sedan and $200 cheaper for the hatch.

The range tops out at $32,790 for the 2.0i-S. There is also a mid-grade Premium.

Timing

The Impreza will be revealed in LA on November 18, and at this point Subaru Australia are remaining quiet on when it could roll into local showrooms.

However, the best bet is that it will arrive down under before the end of next year. Subaru Australia still hasn’t announced timing for the Crosstrek yet, but that’s expected to beat the Impreza to market.

Watch this space for more on the next-gen Impreza.