Just shy of a quarter-century ago, Subaru hired a young actor by the name of Jeremy Davies to earnestly expound upon a new model by comparing it to punk rock. We didn’t exactly buy it at the time, but if punk grew up to be alternative rock, we suppose Subaru pulled a similar trick, recently surpassing perennial countercultural favorite Volkswagen in U.S. sales. And that was long before the whole diesel imbroglio. So if we accept that the original Impreza was the first Ramones album, the latest, fifth-generation example on display at the New York auto show would logically be End of the Century.

End of the Century, as you might recall, was produced by Phil Spector. Prior to his second career as a murderer, Spector developed a reputation for his “Wall of Sound” production. And certainly, this latest Impreza packs a lot more than a four-cylinder boxer engine and four driven wheels, which is pretty much all that the first-gen car consisted of.

Looks… Like a Subaru

Outside, the new Imprezas have gained a measure of adult styling, carried off with Subie’s characteristic not-quite-rightness. The overall effect is as if ex-BMW designer Chris Bangle hit his head and went to town on the existing models. As previewed by last year's Impreza Sedan Concept, a strange scallop runs just under the shoulder before kicking up over the rear door handle. It’s nearly reminiscent of Mazda’s Kodo design language, if Kodo forgot how to be generally lovely.

But let’s face it, Subarus have rarely been purchased because of their aesthetic elegance; a funky Impreza is basically par for the course at this point. So is a bigger Impreza. Both the sedan and the hatchback have grown a bit. Each is 1.6 inches longer than its predecessor, with an inch of that owing to the wheelbase stretch. They’ve also gained 1.5 inches in width, while dropping 0.4 inch in height.

View Photos MARC URBANO, THE MANUFACTURER

Underneath, the new Imprezas are built on Subaru’s new Global Platform, which the Fuji Heavy Industries unit claims makes for a car that offers 70 percent more torsional rigidity and 40 percent more crash-energy absorption compared with the previous cars. Subaru claims the new architecture also lowers the center of gravity.

Powering the new Imprezas is a tweaked version of Subaru’s FB 2.0-liter boxer four, which is now direct injected and sees a 4-hp increase over the prior models. It offers up 152 thundering Fuji fillies fed to all four wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission. Uplevel models get a pair of paddles to run the transmission through seven stepped ratios when a modicum of back-road zip is desired. (Subaru won’t yet say whether a manual will be offered, but a spokesman promises an answer sometime in April.)

Have It Four Ways

Both body styles are available in four trim levels, although pricing hasn't yet been announced. The 2.0i base car offers a 6.5-inch touchscreen; Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality; a 60/40 split folding rear seat; power windows, mirrors, and locks; and a security system with an engine immobilizer. The Premium trim adds the brand’s Starlink batch of safety and security telematics features (not to be confused with the EyeSight driver-assist systems), 16-inch aluminum wheels, and heated seats, as well as additional available options like a power sunroof. Premium hatchback models also get standard roof rails.

View Photos MARC URBANO, THE MANUFACTURER

Step up to the Sport model, and you get 18-inch wheels and enthusiast-oriented suspension tuning, active torque vectoring, and standard individual tire-pressure monitoring (also offered as an optional upgrade on other trim levels). The Sport also gets standard LED daytime running lights and a black grille, as well as body-color rocker panels and mirrors. The sedan gets a rear spoiler, while the hatch gets gloss-black rear liftgate trim. Both Sport models have distinctive black cloth upholstery with red stitching, a leather-wrapped wheel and shifter, aluminum-trimmed pedals, and “Sport” gauges. The Starlink screen grows to 8.0 inches, keyless access and push-button start are standard, and a Harman/Kardon audio system is an available option.

Opting for an Impreza Limited nets you LED headlights, 17-inch aluminum wheels, headlamps that aim themselves into corners, and a liberal helping of exterior chrome. The interior is trimmed with leather, the driver’s seat is a six-way power-adjustable unit, the climate control is automatic, and EyeSight-equipped models get automatic high-beams. Navigation is optional.

Subaru’s EyeSight safety system includes adaptive cruise control, automatic pre-collision braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. If you’d like, blind-spot detection and cross-traffic alert are also available.

Some punks spend their lives angry and maladjusted. Others grow up to be Dave Grohl. Despite their off-kilter looks, it seems as if the new Imprezas are following the latter path. And now that Imprezas are built in the American Midwest, we look forward to the wag-o-hatch’s inevitable collaboration with Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen. Five doors, five guitar necks, can’t lose. Now bring on the WRX.

MARC URBANO, THE MANUFACTURER

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io