Compare the2023 Subaru ImprezaVS 2023 Honda CR-V

The Impreza has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The CR-V doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Impreza. But it costs extra on the CR-V.

The Impreza Premium/Sport/Limited has standard STARLINK Connected Services, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The CR-V doesn’t offer a GPS response system, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Impreza and the CR-V 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, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

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, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Impreza the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CR-V has not been tested, yet.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Impreza has a standard 530-amp battery. The CR-V’s 410-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Honda With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Honda.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Impreza lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The CR-V doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Impreza 5-door gets better mileage than the CR-V:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Impreza uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CR-V requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Impreza higher (7 out of 10) than the Honda CR-V (6). This means the Impreza produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CR-V every 15,000 miles.

The Impreza stops shorter than the CR-V:

The Impreza’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CR-V’s standard 60 series tires. The Impreza Sport’s tires have a lower 40 series profile than the CR-V’s 60 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the Impreza’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the CR-V’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.3 feet).

The Subaru Impreza may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 pounds less than the Honda CR-V.

The Impreza 5-door is 8.6 inches shorter than the CR-V, making the Impreza easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Impreza is 8.9 inches shorter in height than the CR-V, making the Impreza much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The engine in the Impreza is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the CR-V. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Impreza’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Impreza Base). The CR-V doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Impreza Premium offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The CR-V doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Impreza Limited also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The Impreza’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The CR-V offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

To direct the driver from any location to a given street address with audible turn-by-turn directions, a GPS navigation system is available on the Impreza Limited. The Impreza’s navigation system also has a real-time traffic update feature that offers alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The CR-V doesn’t offer a navigation system.

The Subaru Impreza comes in sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the Honda CR-V isn’t available as a sedan.

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