Compare the2023 Audi A3VS 2023 Subaru Impreza

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/11/21

The A3’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Impreza doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the A3 and Impreza have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A3 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Impreza’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Audi A3 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Impreza doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The A3 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Impreza doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The A3 offers optional Parking System Plus to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Impreza doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

Both the A3 and the Impreza have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the A3 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 101 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Impreza is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Warranty

The A3 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Impreza’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The A3’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Impreza’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

The Audi A3’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Impreza’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

Engine

The A3’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 49 more horsepower (201 vs. 152) and 76 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 145) than the Impreza’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Audi A3 is faster than the Subaru Impreza (automatics tested):

	A3	Impreza
Zero to 30 MPH	2.6 sec	3.8 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.8 sec	9.5 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4 sec	5.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.2 sec	17.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	95 MPH	84 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the A3 FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Impreza Sedan 5-speed Manual (28 city/38 hwy vs. 23 city/31 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the A3’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Impreza doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the A3’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Impreza doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The A3 Quattro’s standard fuel tank has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Impreza (14.5 vs. 13.2 gallons).

Transmission

The Audi A3 comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Impreza.

The A3 offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is more internally efficient than a CVT but just as easy to drive. The Impreza doesn’t offer an SMG.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the A3’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Impreza:

	A3	Impreza	Impreza Sport
Front Rotors	12 inches	10.9 inches	11.6 inches

The A3 stops shorter than the Impreza:

	A3	Impreza
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	124 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	129 feet	140 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the A3 has larger tires than the Impreza (225/45R17 vs. 205/55R16).

The A3’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Impreza’s standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A3 has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Impreza.

Suspension and Handling

The A3 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the A3 flat and controlled during cornering. The Impreza base model’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The A3 offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Impreza’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The A3 has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Impreza doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

Chassis

The A3 is 5.2 inches shorter than the Impreza Sedan, making the A3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the A3’s available trunk can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Impreza doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The A3 has a 3500 lbs. towing capacity. The Impreza has no towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The A3 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Impreza uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Subaru. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 13% lower rating, Subaru is ranked 16th.

Ergonomics

When different drivers share the A3, the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Impreza doesn’t offer a memory system.

The A3’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Impreza has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The power windows standard on both the A3 and the Impreza have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the A3 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Impreza prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

The A3’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Impreza’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the A3 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Impreza can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The A3’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Impreza’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The A3’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Impreza’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The A3’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Impreza’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A3 Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Impreza doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The A3 has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Impreza has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Premium/Sport/Limited.

The A3’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Impreza Premium/Sport/Limited.

When the A3 with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Impreza’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The A3’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Impreza doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the A3 and the Impreza offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the A3 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Impreza doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi A3 offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Impreza doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The A3’s optional Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Impreza doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The A3 is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The Impreza doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi A3 and the Subaru Impreza, based on reliability, safety and performance.