As one of the cheapest four-wheel-drive cars on sale, the Subaru ought to make a great tow car. In reality, it’s very good at some things and very bad at others.
The 1.5-litre petrol engine isn’t strong enough to pull 2.5 tonnes of car and caravan with any vigour. We found the car wouldn’t hold 60mph in top gear, even on the flat.
In spite of the muscle shortage, the Impreza did well on its hill start. With low-ratio gears selected, it climbed the 1-in-6 hill with ease. It also coped well with the slalom test, proving nimble and stable at the same time.
Our practicality testers were impressed by the towing information in the manual, and would have given higher marks if the car had coped with all the holiday luggage.
If you’re towing a trailer tent to a grassy pitch, the Impreza is a sound choice, but it’s not powerful enough to cope with most caravans.