THE Subaru Impreza has earned a loyal following in Australia but petrol price and environmental pressures means the thirst of its flat-four ‘boxer’ four-cylinder engine has become a concern. Along with improvements across the board aimed at making the fourth-generation Impreza more competitive against rivals in Australia’s fastest-growing new vehicle segment, Subaru has worked to improve fuel consumption, including making it the only small car range to feature standard idle-stop technology. But are the improvements enough for the Impreza to live up to its boot badge?