Still think you can't have it all? Check out the Impreza's crash tests, which at the time of publication are the best in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Small Car class, with top scores for frontal and side-impact collisions. While the Impreza is a Top Safety Pick, which also includes top scores for rear impact, the WRX has different seats that haven't been tested, so the WRX isn't a Top Safety Pick — or at least we can't assume it is.

Standard side-impact torso airbags for the front occupants, plus curtain airbags that cover the side windows completely, are standard and contribute to the model's good scores.