Nor'West News: April 25, 2017

12 Tuesday April 25 2017
Latest Christchurch news at www. .kiwi
Driven
NOR’WEST NEWS
Sharp price for Subaru Impreza
• Price – Subaru Impreza, $29,990
• Dimensions – Length, 4460mm;
width, 1775mm; height, 1480mm
• Configuration – Four-cylinder,
four-wheel-drive, 1995cc, 115kW,
196Nm, continuously variable
automatic.
• Performance –
0-100km/h, 9.3sec
• Fuel usage – 6.6l/100km
Name our new retirement village
and be in to
WIN $500
A brand new Summerset Retirement Village
is coming soon to Casebrook, joining other
villages around the country including
Summerset in the Orchard (Hastings),
Summerset at the Course (Wellington)
and Summerset by the Ranges (Levin).
We’re asking you to help come up with a
name for our new retirement community.
We’re looking for a name that will give our
village a sense of place, reflecting the
Cavendish Road location – and of course the
name should contain the word ‘Summerset’.
Inspire us with your name for our new
village and you might win $500 – plus you’ll
always know that it was you who named the
place a community will soon call home.
How to enter:
• Competition entries to be emailed to
danielle.hallett@summerset.co.nz or
mailed to Danielle Hallett, Summerset
Group, PO Box 5187, Wellington 6140
or call 03 741 3340
• Competition entry must contain your
proposed village name, along with
your name, address and daytime
phone number.
• The winner will receive a $500 voucher
for a store of their choice.
• The judges’ decision will be final and
no correspondence will be entered into.
• Entries close 5pm, 5 May 2017. Winners
will be advised by 19 May 2017.
• By Ross Kiddie
THIRTEEN YEARS ago I
guided an acquaintance into
a new car, it was a Subaru
Impreza and it was a car which
was priced at $25,000 with
four-wheel-drive and 2-litre
engine.
My friend still has that car
and it has now travelled faultfree
over 200,000km, scheduled
maintenance has been the only
service cost. I remember writing
at the time how much of a
bargain that car was, and if finances
at the time had allowed,
I may well have purchased an
Impreza as well.
Well, nothing has changed, I
still can’t afford a new car and
now Subaru has another new
Impreza available at a budget
price. For just $5000 more than
the new price in 2004, the newgeneration
model represents
amazing value, and it is stacked
with value features, items
which you wouldn’t ordinarily
expect in a budget car.
The new generation model
gets Eye-sight driver assist
technology, a camera-based
system which is linked to adaptive
cruise control, lane departure
warning, pre-collision assist
and pedestrian avoidance.
Other features for comfort and
convenience include automatic
stop-start as a fuel saving measure,
keyless entry and ignition,
Apple Car Play and Android
Auto capability, along with the
usual features modern cars
include as a matter of course.
The new Impreza still has
the traditional 2-litre, flat-four
(boxer) engine. It has been
developed to a point where
it is state-of-the-art in terms
of power outputs, emission
control and fuel efficiency. In
terms of figures, the quad-camshaft
unit is rated at 115kW
and 196Nm, while a 6.6-litre
per 100km/h (42mpg) combined
cycle fuel usage average
is claimed by Subaru.
Drive is channelled to all
four wheels through a continuously
variable automatic
transmission. Not only does
the four-wheel-drive system
alleviate the fear of grip loss
on loose surfaces, there is a lot
of natural grip supplied on the
seal, the Impreza has handling
ability which is unrealistic for
this class of car.
In the first instance, grip
is supplied by 205/50 x 17in
Turanza tyres, and even though
they aren’t Bridgestone’s sport
specification rubber, the tyres
have prodigious grip. If you
add in a flat and controlled
body balance and drive channelled
constantly through to all
wheels, the handling balance is
biased towards sporty.
That comes without the
springs and dampers being
overly firmed, ride quality is
still paramount to the Subaru
way of manufacture.
Power is directed freely
through the transmission. In
this form the Impreza doesn’t
get the turbocharging system of
its WRX stablemates, but it is
an honest, punchy engine.
In my introduction I mentioned
the high level of specification.
Another useful feature
are the steering wheel-mounted
paddles which the driver
can use to initiate ratio changes
within the CVT system. There’s
also a sequential system at the
main gearshift lever itself, but
as a driver you can be lured
into a sporty sensation if you
utilise the paddles.
However, first and foremost,
the Impreza caters for the family
unit. While sedans are fast
losing popularity, I’m still a bit
of a fan and I’m quite smitten
with Subaru product; together
I’d be sold on the Impreza in
this form.
On-board comfort is high
and space for three rear occupants
isn’t compromised by
compact exterior dimensions.
Subaru’s line-up isn’t extensive,
but the company is far
more than a global niche market
player. All of the models
offered here are functional and
practical, each designed for a
different role. The Impreza is
there to tempt as an entry level
car into the brand.
Just like my friend, those who
do choose to buy Subaru will
be rewarded with reliability,
functionality and a high level
of safety, much of the latter attributed
to the stability and grip
four-wheel-drive offers.
You’d had better be quick,
though, from what I’ve heard
through industry sources the
Impreza in this form is only
available in limited numbers
and is selling fast.
www.summerset.co.nz
Love the life
SUM0463
SUBARU IMPREZA: Stacked with value features..