If you’ve ever driven in sleet or snow, you know how much of a difference all-wheel drive can make. Unfortunately, automakers treat this feature as a luxury, with you often having to pay more to get it. There is, however, an affordable car that breaks this trend.

There are few affordable cars that come with all-wheel drive, especially if you’re looking for a traditional car rather than a crossover. Most of the ones that do, offer it as an additional extra that raises the price. Though, there is one automaker that offers all-wheel drive as standard on even their most affordable models.

Scouring the market, we’ve found the most affordable car with all-wheel drive. We explore how much this compact hatchback costs and how much cheaper it is than its rivals. We also explore how it aims to offer practicality without breaking the bank in ways beyond its drivetrain.

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Subaru’s Impreza Undercuts Its Rivals and Features Standard AWD

The compact car segment is filled with a ton of excellent options, all offering value in their own ways. If you’re on a budget and looking for one of the most affordable models, then it’s likely that you’ve taken a look at the Impreza. One way that Subaru helps sell their little hatchback is by continuing to offer all-wheel drive as a standard feature on all models.

2025 Trims and Pricing

The Impreza hatchback starts at an impressively low price, even for this segment. This is underscored by the fact that even the most affordable model comes with all-wheel drive. Subaru’s main mission with the Impreza is to offer practical, affordable transportation, and a hatchback bodystyle with plenty of cargo space matches with the high traction offered by the drivetrain further this goal.

While an Impreza with an RS badge may be enticing to some, we think that the base model best achieves the Impreza’s mission. Its frugal price point mixes with a great suite of standard features, making the Impreza one of the best cars you can buy if you’re on a budget. Though, if you are looking for a bigger engine and a more focused chassis, the RS can still be fun.

Rivals With All-Wheel Drive

If you’re looking for a small car that offers all-wheel drive then, unfortunately, your options are pretty limited. In the compact car segment, you only have three cars to choose from, excluding the Subaru Impreza. While all are excellent, none are quite able to match the starting price of the Impreza, although the Corolla Hybrid does come pretty close. We’d say this is the Subaru’s strongest competitor, with the Corolla’s optional all-wheel drive only costing an extra $1,400.

The most affordable Prius with all-wheel drive starts at just under $30,000 dollars. It might try to justify its steeper price tag by saving you money on fuel, due to the fact that it is exceptionally efficient. You can also get the sporty Mazda 3 with all-wheel drive, which will certainly satisfy those looking for a more thrilling driving experience. Though, you have to opt for the Carbon Edition. The Mazda can also be had in hatchback form, though the Carbon Edition then costs $31,945.

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All-Wheel Drive Makes Driving in Mud and Snow a Breeze

Front 3/4 shot of a 2024 Subaru Impreza RS

While some people may question the heavy emphasis on all-wheel drive, anyone who has had to drive through any kind of loose terrain, especially snow, will tell you how invaluable the drivetrain is. When you can’t avoid intense weather, having all-wheel drive is necessary, and the Subaru Impreza means you don’t have to shell out tons of money to get it.

Performance Specifications

This is where the trade-offs begin to rear their head. The Impreza is a budget car and, thus, it has a budget engine. The base model comes equipped with a somewhat underpowered horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine. Its acceleration is on the lower end of the segment, and you may find it a bit sluggish, especially when trying to get up to highway speeds. The RS with the 2.5-liter engine definitely offers some improvements, but it is still far from quick.

While it isn’t the fastest car on the road, the Impreza has a brilliantly tuned chassis that makes us wish Subaru had opted to put a bigger engine in the little hatch. It handles expertly, and its steering is incredibly responsive. It comes standard with a continuously variable transmission, much to our dismay, as well as torque vectoring, which bolsters the all-wheel drive system.

Fuel Economy

The Subaru Impreza doesn’t quite sit at the top of the segment when it comes to fuel efficiency, rather sitting in the middle of the pack. It delivers figures comparable to the Mazda 3 and the Kia K4. This is likely a side effect of offering all-wheel drive as standard. It is one of the most efficient compact cars if you only compare models with all-wheel drive.

There is very little separating the base engine and the larger 2.5-liter engine in the RS, with the latter only being mildly less efficient. The Impreza performs much better on the highway than it does in the city, meaning you’ll get more out of the hatch if you regularly commute long distances.

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Subaru Prioritizes Function Over Form in the Impreza Hatch

Subaru is a brand that is known for its pragmatic approach. They develop cars that fit a function, and they avoid gimmicks and flashy features as much as possible. The Impreza is a simple car and showcases its value by offering a ton of standard features and a cabin that is incredibly user-friendly. Everything is designed to be as practical as possible.

Design and Comfort

Subaru has a pretty clear design ideology that permeates into every model in their lineup. Everything in the cabin is boxy and rugged, there is tons of interior storage space, and there are plenty of physical controls. The Impreza definitely follows this trend. Features like a small step near the rear seats, which helps you secure cargo to the roof, showcase the Japanese hatch’s versatility.

The seats are comfortable enough, though cloth upholstery is standard on all models. Rear seats are 60/40, and can be folded to make extra room for cargo. Being a hatchback, the Impreza’s trunk is bigger than the average car in this segment, and downright cavernous if you stow the back seats away.

Interior Dimensions

Infotainment and Technology

The base model comes equipped with a seven-inch infotainment screen, oriented vertically instead of horizontally. This system is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but you’ll have to upgrade to the bigger screen in the Sport and RS for wireless connectivity. The upgraded unit is 11.6-inches. Much to our liking, there are physical buttons and dials on the sides of the screen, so you don’t have to use the touch controls for everything.

Dual-zone automatic climate control is a standard feature on all models, which we applaud Subaru for. There are also some high-end features available, such as keyless entry and a Harman Kardon sound system, but only on the higher trims.