The Subaru Impreza doesn’t make as many headlines as its crossover siblings the Outback and Crosstrek, but that’s not for lack of appeal. This Subie boasts plenty of features that make it a favorite among compact-car fans. In fact, the 2022 Subaru Impreza impresses enough to rank first on Consumer Reports‘ list of the best new cars under $25,000.

How does Consumer Reports run its under-$25,000 test?

Consumer Reports puts each test car through its paces to see which is the best of the best, which is merely mediocre, and which you should skip. For the under-$25,000 test, the consumer site calculated overall scores to determine which vehicle came out on top.

CR warns that the overall score could change over time as more information comes to light. That could include factors such as recalls, a vehicle that turns out to be better than expected, or a car that seemed great when new but turns out to be a lemon. CR’s model page will give you the most up-to-date overall score, so it’s worth checking out before you purchase a new vehicle.

The other six vehicles that made the under-$25,000 list are the 2022 Nissan Sentra, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Jetta, Honda Civic, and Mazda3. CR lists them in order of the highest to the lowest overall score. But only one could come out on top. That’s the 2022 Subaru Impreza. 

The 2022 Subaru Impreza really impresses Consumer Reports

The 2022 Subaru Impreza snags the number-one spot on Consumer Reports’ list of best new cars under $25,000 for various reasons. The most obvious is that it scored an overall 81 out of 100. No other car CR has tested so far can top that.

The 2022 Impreza’s other scores include an 85 on the road test, a 4 out of 5 in predicted reliability, and a shockingly low 2 out of 5 in predicted owner satisfaction. Owner satisfaction ratings come from CR member surveys in which owners gave consistently low scores of 61 or 62 for factors such as driving experience, comfort, value, and styling.

Despite the poor predicted owner satisfaction rating, CR praises many 2022 Subaru Impreza features and traits, especially the ride.

“Imprezas have long been among the most comfortable-riding compact cars,” Consumer Reports says. “The suspension effectively swallows up broken pavement jolts and rides better than some cars that cost twice as much — and seems to do so without breaking a sweat.”

The Impreza offers a lot for a surprisingly low price

According to Subaru, the 2022 Impreza comes as a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback. The starting price is a mere $18,795, which might imply this car doesn’t offer much, but that’s deceptive. 

The 2022 Impreza offers four trim levels: the base model, Premium, Sport, and Limited. The price for the range-topping Limited is $26,395.

Most Subaru models come equipped with all-wheel drive, and the Impreza is no exception. It also packs a four-cylinder engine producing 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque.

EyeSight Driver Assist Technology comes standard — pleasantly surprising given the price point. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also come standard. 

However, the Impreza’s speed is nothing to brag about. It takes a full 9.5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph, which could be a deal-breaker for some drivers.

The 2022 Subaru Impreza is far from perfect, and it shows in the predicted owner satisfaction score. But for the price, it’s hard to beat.