Impreza’s stellar awards

Media Information March 9, 2008

Impreza’s stellar awards

Subaru’s new All Wheel Drive Impreza was the nine star winner at the AA Motoring Excellence Awards, New Zealand’s premier motoring awards. The Impreza WRX STI spec.R won the overall Supreme Car of the Year award in Auckland on Friday night.

Impreza was also judged to be the safest car on New Zealand roads with its five star ANCAP (Australian New Car Assessment Programme) crash testing rating and its world beating four star pedestrian protection rating in the compact car class.

When it was launched in October 2007 the Subaru Impreza was the first compact car in the world to have the perfect “nine star” maximum safety rating for combined occupant protection and pedestrian protection.

To be eligible for the award, all models in a range had to have the same safety specification, which the Impreza meets from the $26,990 Impreza 2.0R to the $64,990 Impreza WRX STI spec.R.

Safety features alone don’t guarantee safety said the AA, “hence the decision to make this award based on crash test results which measure and allow direct comparison of each car on a level playing field.”

All models in the Impreza range come with Vehicle Dynamics Control (electronic stability and traction control), six air bags, ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist and a body with ring shaped reinforcement through the A, B and C pillars as well as front and rear impact crumple zones. All Wheel Drive is also standard on all models.

In winning the overall award, the STI also won the Performance Car class, heading off vehicles that cost over $100,000 more than the Subaru.

The Impreza WRX STI was described as “a proper supercar” by the judges. “The grip of this vehicle on the road and track was like a four pawed – five clawed feline clinging to hallway carpet.”

The AA said the latest STI “has softened the rock hard suspension of old without becoming soft. Its range of adjustment offered a practical hatch friendly enough to take the family away for the weekend at one end and an intoxicatingly involving plaything at the other.”

“And it looks the part too with flared arches with their aggressive lines suiting its adrenalin-pumping persona.”

After taking the Performance Car class and the Safety award, a surprised and delighted Chris Rickards, the General Manager of Subaru of New Zealand accepted the overall award.

“This is unbelievable,” he said. “Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru’s parent company) have given us a great product. These are the first awards for the STI internationally. Three in one night is fantastic.”

The Impreza’s safety award is confirmation of Subaru’s commitment to active and passive safety. Every 2008 model Subaru sold in New Zealand – Forester, Legacy, Outback and Tribeca – as well as Impreza has symmetrical All Wheel Drive and five star ANCAP occupant protection safety ratings.

The Impreza 2.0R Sport was also recently winner of NZ Autocar/AMI 2008 Compact Car of the Year making it one of the most awarded cars in New Zealand for 2008.

ends

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