maybe i am in the minority here, but i actually like the new looks sedan/hatch...i sat in one (declined to drive as i didn't want to waste the salesman's time) and it was comfortable, had good visibility and i liked how the controls could be easily used with gloves on...my only "beef" (again, not from a driving point) was it felt really low to the ground (reminiscent of a Prelude where it felt like you were almost on the floor)...of course, that may have been partly due to the fact i was sitting in a Forester just prior, so maybe that is why it felt so low...i'm not sure how low the Impreza really is, perhaps it is likely similar to what most cars are anyway...all in all, i really like this car...sure, it might be down on power, and perhaps a little noisy because of its CVT, but i would imagine to most buyers (mass public) who simply get in, start it, and drive to work, get groceries and take their kids places, the noise factor might not even come up (or even be noticeable)...i really do like the Forester, but i just can't convince my wife to give it a look (she just doesn't "trust" Subaru because it isn't a mainstream brand she has heard of).
