Subaru Impreza vs Acura TLX

The 2024 Subaru Impreza, a sixth-generation model, marked a departure from its predecessor's design with a noticeably more aggressive and sporty aesthetic. Its larger, angular grille and narrower LED headlights projected a serious, focused look. Unlike other Subaru models that featured black plastic liners, the Impreza adhered to body-colored wheel arches, enhancing its street-oriented style. The RS trim level further emphasized a low-slung appearance with side skirts. The rear haunches displayed flared fenders similar to the previous generation, suggesting a wider and more athletic stance than competitors like the Honda Civic or Mazda 3. The new Impreza's styling captured a unique blend of street and rugged appeal.

Inside, the Impreza boasted a modern look, highlighted by an 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen on the Sport and RS trims. The Base model, however, offered two 7-inch displays. The interior layout, dash, and steering wheel remained familiar, akin to the last-generation Impreza. Red stitching and red seat upholstery accents in the RS trim added a touch of sporty flair. Material quality impressed, with soft-touch areas where the driver and front passenger frequently interacted. The rear seats, opting for hard plastics, prioritized durability, suitable for families with children or pets. In essence, the 2024 Impreza's styling felt more like a logical evolution rather than a groundbreaking redesign. The prominent infotainment touchscreen significantly contributed to the updated interior design.

Turning to the 2024 Acura TLX, this model received a slight update three years after its initial redesign in 2021. A key change was the more open, frameless grille, which lost its surrounding frame and radar emitter, resulting in a more elegant appearance. Acura's Jewel Eye LED headlights flanked the grille, while angular air intakes at the bottom corners added to its aggressive facade. The TLX's side profile showcased restrained character lines and substantial 20-inch Berlina black split-spoke rims with Pirelli Cinturato P7 all-season tires on the Type S model, reinforcing its performance-oriented stance.

Acura's approach to trim levels, termed "packages," ranged from the Technology Package to the top-tier Type S. Visual enhancements in the Type S included a gloss black front splitter, rear diffuser, and quad exhaust outlets. The TLX's interior reflected its luxury sedan status with standard leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a new 12.3-inch infotainment screen. While the busy center stack featured many physical buttons, it included a unique push-button shifter and a rotary drive-mode selector. The red leather upholstery in the Type S highlighted its performance focus, which was matched by its driving experience.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza offered two engine choices. The Base and Sport trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. The RS model upgraded to a 2.5-liter engine with 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), with the Sport and RS models featuring paddle shifters for manual control over eight simulated gears. Notably, all-wheel drive (AWD) was standard across all trims. The CVT in the RS model provided a surprisingly responsive experience, especially from a standstill.

Handling in the Impreza was sporty, thanks to AWD and a sport-tuned suspension in the Sport and RS trims. It offered confident cornering and maintained a comfortable ride over rough surfaces due to improved sound insulation. Comparatively, the Impreza's standard AWD drivetrain provided an edge in traction, especially appealing to spirited drivers. While the Honda Civic Si and Mazda 3 hatchback matched its sporty demeanor, their front-wheel-drive setups couldn't quite compete with the Subaru's AWD advantage.

The 2024 Acura TLX, on the other hand, catered to performance enthusiasts. Its base engine, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, delivered 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The TLX with Technology directed power to the front wheels, while the A-Spec came with Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). This AWD system was optimized for performance, capable of distributing 70% of power to the rear axle and 100% to either rear wheel.

The TLX Type S stood out with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque at just 1,400 RPM, resulting in rapid acceleration. The Type S could achieve 0-60 mph in about five seconds, aided by a smooth-shifting transmission. Multiple driving modes adjusted the suspension, steering, and throttle response, offering a varied driving experience from Comfort to Sport+ mode. The adaptive dampers, robust stabilizers, and Brembo brake calipers in the Type S underscored its performance credentials.

Inside the 2024 Subaru Impreza, front-seat passengers enjoyed a spacious cabin focused on functionality. Controls were logically placed, and outward visibility was excellent, thanks to narrow front roof pillars and a large rear hatch glass. Although rear headrests obstructed some of the rearward view, the cabin provided ample drink storage for active users. The RS trim included a wireless charging pad, though its hard plastic surface struggled to keep phones in place.

Rear seats offered more space than the Impreza's compact exterior suggested, with adequate headroom and legroom for six-footers. The cargo area, at 20.4 cubic feet, was slightly smaller than the Honda Civic's but competitive with the Mazda 3. Folding the seatbacks expanded cargo capacity to 56 cubic feet, although the floor wasn't entirely flat. The Impreza also accepted various roof racks for outdoor gear, a nod to Subaru's active customer base.

Contrastingly, the 2024 Acura TLX's dimensions straddled segments. At 194.6 inches long, it aligned with midsize sedans like the Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series, yet its 113-inch wheelbase was closer to compact sedans such as the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series. This discrepancy extended to the interior. Front seats provided ample space akin to luxury compact sedans, but rear legroom at 34.9 inches fell short of midsize standards. The trunk offered 13.5 cubic feet of cargo space, more than a compact sedan but less than midsize competitors.

The TLX's long hood contributed to its significant visual presence, though at the expense of some interior space. Shoppers needing more practical urban maneuverability might prefer the Acura Integra, which offered a more useful liftback design.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza's technology emphasized usability. The large 11.6-inch touchscreen on the Sport and RS trims featured intuitive, easily accessible on-screen buttons and physical controls for volume, tuning, and climate. Despite a slight delay in screen responsiveness, the system was user-friendly. All trims included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with wireless connectivity in the Sport and RS trims. While native navigation was absent, its integration with Google Maps via phone made it a non-issue for most drivers. Subaru's Starlink system in the Sport and RS trims included a Wi-Fi hotspot and smartphone app capabilities.

The 2024 Acura TLX's tech offerings included highs and lows. Every model had an ELS Studio premium audio system, with the A-Spec and Type S trims upgrading to a superb 17-speaker ELS Studio 3D system. Standard features encompassed Bluetooth, wireless Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, and a wireless charging pad. Amazon Alexa integration was a new addition for 2024. The TLX featured dual 12.3-inch displays, one for the digital gauge cluster and one for the center infotainment, which offered sharp graphics and quick response times.

However, the True Touchpad Interface (TTI) for the center screen divided opinions. While the TTI was clever with its one-to-one positioning on the screen, it was less intuitive for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, requiring numerous swipes that hampered usability and safety.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza was expected to achieve strong safety scores, similar to its predecessor, and Subaru aimed for a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS. Standard safety features under the EyeSight suite included frontal collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and lane-centering. The Sport trim added Starlink communications with collision notification and enhanced roadside assistance. The RS trim included a blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency steering. During testing, these safety features performed reliably without false alarms.

The 2024 Acura TLX provided an impressive suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) under the AcuraWatch banner, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, road-departure mitigation, rear cross-traffic monitoring, and front and rear parking sensors. For 2024, the blind-spot monitoring system included lane-change alert, and the front camera and radar emitter had improved views. Acura's commitment to safety was evident as it offered these systems standard across all trims, unlike the optional extras common in the luxury segment. The TLX received a five-star overall rating from NHTSA and "Good" scores in all IIHS tests.