2021 Subaru Impreza vs 2021 Volkswagen Passat

The 2021 Subaru Impreza and the 2021 Volkswagen Passat each provided their own aesthetic appeal, though they diverged significantly in styling choices. The Impreza, while more conservative in its current generation compared to previous models with large round headlights and box fender flares, maintained a fairly handsome design. Both the sedan and hatchback variants presented sleek headlights and taillights that added an impression of width, a nicely-tapered front end, and some sculptural elements along the body sides. The Impreza Sport models had unique styling touches including 18-inch alloy wheels, while base models came with 16-inch steel wheels. Built on the Subaru Global Platform, also used for the Legacy, Outback, Forester, and Ascent, the Impreza demonstrated solid engineering, contributing to overall refinement in driving experience.

The interior of the Impreza wasn't the most exciting but was functional and effective. The infotainment touchscreen split the dashboard, surrounded mostly by various forms of plastic. The Sport trim included contrast stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and aluminum pedals, while the top-tier Limited trim offered leather upholstery and LED headlights.

Conversely, the 2021 Volkswagen Passat underwent a significant facelift for the 2020 model year, retaining the same body shell but redefining almost every panel except the roof. This redesign gave the Passat a familial resemblance to the smaller Jetta, resulting in a more understated look compared to rivals like the Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5, and Toyota Camry. Its rounded-off corners and aerodynamic efficiency, boasting a drag coefficient of 0.28, contributed to its smooth, jellybean-like form. Standard LED headlights and taillights, along with different wheel sizes for various trims, added to its polished appearance.

Inside, the Passat carried an understated, clean, and functional design, favoring analog controls over a screen-heavy interface. Big buttons and knobs were strategically placed for ease of use, and the dash’s lower height enhanced forward visibility. However, materials weren’t luxurious, consisting mostly of plastic, with the base models featuring cloth upholstery and higher trims using V-Tex leatherette. Although not fancy, fit and finish were excellent, appealing to those looking for value.

Performance between these two vehicles diverged notably. The 2021 Subaru Impreza housed a 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine producing 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. This signature boxer engine allowed for a lower center of gravity as it was mounted lower in the chassis. Most Impreza models were equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), though a five-speed manual transmission was available on the base sedan and hatchback and the Impreza Sport hatchback. The Sport trim also benefited from model-specific suspension tuning and torque vectoring for the all-wheel-drive system.

On the road, the Impreza presented an agreeable driving experience. Although it didn't match the engagement level of a Honda Civic or Mazda 3, it still provided a solid and refined ride. The Sport's specialized suspension struck a balance between ride quality and handling, though its noncommunicative steering and relatively modest engine power limited it from being a true driver’s car.

In contrast, the 2021 Volkswagen Passat simplified its performance offerings to a single setup: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 174 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, boasted higher torque compared to many rivals’ base powertrains. However, power delivery felt uneven, particularly during highway overtakes, remedied somewhat by switching to Sport mode or using the manual gear selection.

While the Passat didn’t excel in sporty handling or exceptional comfort, it offered a balanced ride on highways, with decent but not remarkable noise levels and ride quality. This mid-range performance placed it behind competitors like the Honda Accord and Mazda 6, which offered more engaging driving experiences.

In terms of form and function, the 2021 Subaru Impreza offered versatility in its hatchback and sedan versions. Both body styles provided reasonable legroom, though headroom was slightly below average. The sedan had the least trunk space among compact sedans, at 12.3 cubic feet, but a standard 60/40 split-folding rear seat accommodated longer items. The hatchback offered more practicality with 20.8 cubic feet of cargo space, surpassing the Mazda 3 and Toyota Corolla hatchbacks, though falling short of the Honda Civic hatchback. With the rear seats folded, cargo space expanded to 55.3 cubic feet. Hatchback trims, except the base model, featured standard roof rails, enhancing cargo flexibility.

The Impreza also featured an All-Weather Package on Premium and higher trims, with heated front seats, a heated windshield, and heated exterior mirrors. The Sport trim added keyless entry with pushbutton start, and the Limited trim included a six-way power driver’s seat and automatic climate control. A power moonroof was available as an option.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat highlighted its rear legroom, quoting 39.1 inches, though slightly less than the Honda Accord or Subaru Legacy’s rear seats. This spaciousness seemed to compromise front legroom, making it below average for the segment, and even medium-sized drivers found front seating positions uncomfortable. The front seats lacked thigh support, and the rear seats were flat and hard.

The Passat boasted 15.9 cubic feet of trunk space, exceeding that of the Toyota Camry, Subaru Legacy, and Nissan Altima, but trailing behind the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata. Interior storage was limited, typical for a sedan, with inconveniently shaped door bottle holders and a compact cubby for smartphones.

Where the Passat shone was in the layout of its controls. VW focused on user-friendly big buttons and knobs, easily reachable from the driver’s seat, and combined them with easily readable analog gauges, contributing to an intuitive driving environment.

In terms of technology, the 2021 Subaru Impreza came well-equipped across its range. Base and Premium trims featured a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. Higher trims upgraded to an 8-inch touchscreen, with the Limited trim optionally adding TomTom-based navigation and a Harman Kardon audio system. A unique secondary display, providing information like estimated range closer to the driver’s line of sight, seemed somewhat redundant alongside the small LCD in the gauge cluster. Overall, the Impreza’s infotainment system was user-friendly, with large icons and minimal menu digging required for important functions.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat, on the other hand, included the MIB2 infotainment system with a 6.3-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and SiriusXM satellite radio. R-Line models added HD Radio, built-in navigation, and an eight-speaker Fender premium audio system. Keyless entry was standard on the SE and R-Line trims. A single USB-A port handled connectivity, with two additional rear charge-only USB-A ports on the SE model. The touchscreen, smaller by today’s standards, offered pinch-to-zoom functionality, and essential functions could be managed via dashboard knobs and steering-wheel controls.

Tech enthusiasts might find the Passat lacking in innovative features; it didn’t include the Digital Cockpit instrument cluster or the newer MIB3 infotainment system available in other VW models. However, for those seeking simplicity in their driving experience, the Passat's technology provisions were sufficient.

Safety was an area both vehicles took seriously. The 2021 Subaru Impreza sedan and hatchback earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) “Top Safety Pick” award, with top scores in crash tests. However, the standard headlights received a “Marginal” rating, a flaw corrected in the Limited trim’s LED headlights, which earned a “Good” rating. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave both body styles a five-star overall rating.

Subaru's EyeSight safety suite, standard on CVT-equipped models, included features like automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and a lead vehicle start alert. Additional features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic braking, and steering-responsive headlights were available.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat also garnered top “good” scores in IIHS crash tests, though its standard headlights received a “marginal” rating. NHTSA hadn’t published ratings for the 2021 Passat during the review period.

Volkswagen equipped all trims with adaptive cruise control and offered other driver-assistance features, such as forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and automatic high beams. Notable safety technology also included the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System and the Intelligent Crash Response System, enhancing overall vehicle safety.