Subaru’s Impreza 5-door concept, revealed yesterday at the Tokyo auto show, gives us a look at what we can expect from the brand’s next-generation compact.

As concepts go, it’s not a wild one, but that’s Subaru’s way: more often than not, its show cars preview actual future production models, rather than introduce esoteric new ‘design languages’ and styling elements. This concept has enough in common with the current Impreza that it’s obvious we’re looking at the evolution of Impreza styling.

We like what we see: the concept has more personality than the current Impreza, whose look is rather dowdy to our eyes. Subaru calls out the concept’s ‘wide and low’ stance, emphasized out front with Subie’s recognizable grille, and headlights that ape those of the Legacy and Outback.

Subaru tells us the concept rides on a 2,670-mm wheelbase, or 25 mm longer than the current Impreza’s, while a 4,440-mm overall length speaks to a tidier look thanks to slightly tighter overhangs. At 1,880 mm wide, the concept is a whopping 140 mm wider, a 40 mm bump over the Legacy(!) family sedan; that and a 25-mm chop out of overall height suggest that even if the next Impreza looks a lot like this concept, the final proportions will be different.

We’ll find out soon enough: Subaru says a new Impreza is coming for 2017, so we wouldn’t be surprised if Subaru revealed the production model at next year’s LA auto show, and rolled it out to dealers shortly thereafter.

Subaru Impreza 5-door concept (rear)

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