Compare the2023 Fiat 500XVS 2023 Subaru Impreza

The 500X offers optional ParkSense to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or, optionally, in front of the vehicle. The Impreza doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

Both the 500X 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The 500X comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes free 24-hour roadside assistance. The Impreza’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The engine in the 500X has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the Impreza has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the 500X has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Impreza’s 130-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

The 500X’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 25 more horsepower (177 vs. 152) and 65 lbs.-ft. more torque (210 vs. 145) than the Impreza’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the 500X’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 500X has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Impreza doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Fiat 500X comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Impreza.

For better stopping power the 500X’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Impreza:

The 500X stops much shorter than the Impreza:

For better traction, the 500X has larger standard tires than the Impreza (215/60R17 vs. 205/55R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 500X AWD has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Impreza. The 500X Sport’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Impreza Sport.

The 500X has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the 500X flat and controlled during cornering. The Impreza base model’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The 500X 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.

The 500X is 9 inches shorter than the Impreza 5-door, making the 500X easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The 500X has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Impreza has no towing capacity.

The 500X’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 500X and the Impreza have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 500X 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 500X’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Impreza’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

The 500X’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 500X’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 500X’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.

The 500X Sport’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.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the 500X is less expensive to operate than the Impreza because it costs $382 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the 500X than the Impreza, including $72 less for a muffler, $6 less for front brake pads, $250 less for a starter, $277 less for front struts and $208 less for a timing belt/chain.