Ride & Handling
My first drive of the 2012 Impreza was on dry, warm pavement, where both the 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels lent a comfortable ride. (I didn't drive the base 15-inch steel wheels.) You're always aware of the road surface, but the harshest impacts are damped out, and I wasn't fatigued after a day of driving. Subaru has clearly softened the car for 2012, as it has done in recent models, including the WRX. Unfortunately, with the softening has come pronounced body roll — a shortcoming that is not the inevitable trade-off we once accepted from more compliant suspensions. Note that a rear stabilizer bar comes in the Premium and higher trim levels I drove, so the base 2.0i can only be worse in this regard.
The Yokohama Avid all-season tires provided enough grip that the car held on through winding roads with no drama, and the electric power steering is among the better executions in this class. The car's limits aren't easily found, thanks to the all-wheel drive, but it felt to me like something was missing. Even without the opportunity to slide about, the nose felt heavy, and the body roll made me feel like I was pushing a car to do something for which it wasn't intended. Will sportiness be the sole province of the WRX and STI?
See also:
Mist (for a single wipe)
Mist (for a single wipe)
For a single wipe of the wipers, pull the
lever toward you. The wipers operate until
you release the lever. ...
Map lights
Type A
Type B
To turn on the map light, push the switch.
To turn it off, push the switch again.
When leaving the vehicle, make sure the lights are turned off to avoid battery discharge.
NOTE
For ...
Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant circuit
Operate the air conditioner compressor at
a low engine speed (at idle or low driving
speeds) a few minutes each month during
the off-season to circulate its oil. ...