SUBARUS have never been pretty, and the latest Impreza range is no exception. The styling is innocuous and curious - too long to be a hot hatch and too short to be a wagon.

But what it lacks in the looks department, the car makes up for in performance. Sticking to its age-old recipe of 'Boxer' engine, all-wheel-drive and a well-sorted chassis, Subaru has made the new Impreza brilliant enough to lift the darkest, dankest day.

And that's exactly what it does at a miserably rained-out test-drive event this week.

On a 4km route set in a disused military camp, the new Impreza impresses with the way it tackles the chicanes, attacks a slalom and sidesteps orange cones in an emergency lane-change manoeuvre.

The topography of the circuit, with its share of entertaining sweepers and tight bends, allows the more muscular cars to exploit their power bands.

These would be the 230bhp WRX manual and 250bhp S-GT automatic. The entry-level 1.5-litre manual huffs and puffs valiantly along. While it often lacks the punch needed to pull itself cleanly out of a curve without you having to shift down (to first gear at times), it is no less balanced than its bigger brothers.

It has a nice rorty undertone to its otherwise quiet demeanour. In fact, all the cars are pretty well insulated this way - a trait that sets it apart from the current model.

The downpour provides an excellent stage for the Subarus to show off their all-wheel tenacity. Sure, the wet tyres feel a little removed from the bitumen but the cars never misbehave, even when driven with a relish reserved for a traffic-less environment such as this.

Of the three, the S-GT - a new Japanese domestic variant - impresses most. Its autotrans has a quick-shift mode, but you can flick it over to Sport and pretty much leave it to its own devices.

This way, it almost matches the stick-shift WRX, making up what it loses in precise shifts with the complete control of two hands never leaving the steering wheel.

In any case, the Impreza's manual transmission is a bit of a chore. It is notchy and, at times, a bit vague. Definitely not the sharp magnetic slotting action you expect nowadays.

Thankfully, both the S-GT and WRX have buckets full of torque to get you by even if you loathe frequent shifts.

The cars handle neutrally and the ride is excellent, given the amount of swerving and braking they encounter. Even in the rear seats, the movements do not elicit a rising of stomach contents.

The steering is light but sharp, although the car seems to require a fistful of twirling to get round the slalom swiftly.

The new Impreza is, at the moment, available only as a five-door. It is slightly shorter and lighter than the outgoing sedan, and has a longer wheelbase. The WRX does not have more power per se, but peak performance is attainable at lower revs.

Personally, I would have preferred the brakes to have more heft for track use.

In the real world, the new Impreza will please with its updated and solidly-built cabin. The car no longer feels like a throwback to the 1980s, and the doors don't feel hollow anymore.

All is rather good, except for its looks. And its one-sided reverse lamp doesn't help.

Then again, that's something folks on your tail will have to deal with. And there will be plenty of those.

SUBARU IMPREZA 1.5 (M); 2.0 S-GT; WRX 2.5
Price: $61,888; $96,388; $93,388 with COE
Engine: 1,498cc 16-valve flat-four; 1,994cc and 2,457cc 16-valve flat-four turbo
Transmission: Five-speed manual; four-speed automatic with Sportshift; five-speed manual
Power: 107bhp at 6,000rpm; 250bhp at 6,000rpm; 230bhp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 142Nm at 3,200rpm; 333Nm at 2,400rpm; 320Nm at 2,800rpm
0-100kmh: 13.2; 6.3;
5.8 seconds
Top speed: 175kmh; 180kmh (limited); 209kmh
Fuel consumption: 7.5; 8.6; 10.7 litres/100km (city)

SUBARU IMPREZA 1.5 (M)
Price: $61,888 with COE
Engine: 1,498cc 16-valve flat-four
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Power: 107bhp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 142Nm at 3,200rpm
0-100kmh: 13.2 seconds
Top speed: 175kmh
Fuel consumption: 7.5 litres/100km (city)

SUBARU IMPREZA 2.0 S-GT
Price: $96,388 with COE
Engine: 1,994cc 16-valve flat-four turbo
Transmission: four-speed automatic with Sportshift
Power: 250bhp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 333Nm at 2,400rpm
0-100kmh: 6.3 seconds
Top speed: 180kmh (limited)
Fuel consumption: 8.6 litres/100km (city)

SUBARU IMPREZA WRX 2.5
Price: $93,388 with COE
Engine: 2,457cc 16-valve flat-four turbo
Transmission: five-speed manual
Power: 230bhp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 2,800rpm
0-100kmh: 5.8 seconds
Top speed: 209kmh
Fuel consumption: 10.7 litres/100km (city)

Agent: MotorImage