Safety

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash-tested the 2008 Impreza, and the car earned a Good overall rating — the highest possible score — in frontal-offset, side-impact and rear crash tests (non-WRX seats). Those results apply to the 2009 model, too, according to IIHS.

Standard Impreza safety features include antilock brakes, side-impact airbags for the front seats, side curtain airbags, an electronic stability system and active head restraints for the front seats.

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    Operation
    If the driver and/or front passenger have/ has not yet fastened the seatbelt(s) when the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position, the seatbelt warning light(s) will flash for 6 seconds, to ...

    Models with SRS airbags and lap/shoulder restraints for driver, front passenger, and window-side rear passengers
    Your vehicle is equipped with a supplemental restraint system in addition to a lap/shoulder belt at each front seating position and each rear window-side seating positions. The supplemental restraint ...

    CVT: A-OK
    We at Cars.com haven't warmed to CVTs because of their typical hesitation and the droning they illicit from engines. Like most automatics, CVTs are at their worst when teamed with small engines, s ...