My wife and I absolutely love the look of this vehicle. also everyone I know who owns a Subaru is always praising the longevity of them. Might be priced a little high, but going to look at a few used ones in the next two years. Otherwise it will likely be a Chevy Trax for us.
I'll admit... I've ogled them from afar. But it just isn't practical enough to be a daily driver. Too low MPG, a CVT, and a bit pricey. But if I were to stay in this climate, I'd consider them a bit more. If I can go out in a lowered Vibe in the worst snowstorms of the season, and do fine, I'd conquer Rome with a Crosstrek.
Pricing ($22k) is similar to what the Gen2s were new and MPG (25/33) is actually better. The CVT definitely isn't for everyone, but I think they are the way of the future, like it or not. They are just too much more efficient and the CAFE standards make that pretty important. I do wish Subaru made AWD optional on more of their vehicles. I think they could be up there with Toyota/Honda in sales if it weren't for that.
I think the 33mpg highway only comes with the "CVT" which is an option (24K?). The 5 speed (premium?) appears to be rated at 30mpg. I also am not a fan of all-wheel-drive. Hey, can I get lock-out hubs on that thing! I do like the looks of the Impreza. I applaud Subaru for making huge strides in exterior design over the last decade.