Daily Driver Duel: 2026 Subaru Impreza vs. 2026 Toyota Corolla

With the ever-increasing popularity and proliferation of SUVs in the US passenger vehicle market, is there still a place for the humble daily driver in the form of a compact sedan or hatchback?

Yes. Affordability, low running costs, and great fuel economy are just some of the many benefits of choosing a compact passenger vehicle as a daily driver.

We compare two Japanese contenders as we consider our topic, Daily Driver Duel: Subaru Impreza vs. Toyota Corolla.

What makes for a good daily driver?

A good daily driver should be reliable, affordable, fuel-efficient, comfortable, and offer versatile space.

Being practical and all that doesn't necessarily have to mean boring and both the Subaru Impreza and Toyota Corolla have more than enough style and essential tech along with strong safety features, making them practical yet enjoyable choices as daily drivers.

What are the body styles of the Subaru Impreza and Toyota Corolla?

The latest Subaru Impreza is a sixth-generation product introduced in 2024, available in a five-door hatchback configuration only.

The previous models' sedan body style was dropped in favor of the more roomy hatchback to align with market trends shifting away from sedans towards hatchbacks and crossovers.

For the 2026 model year, the Subaru Impreza is available in just two primary trim levels: a standard Sport trim and the more powerful RS trim.

The world's best-selling nameplate, the Toyota Corolla, is now in its 12th generation and available as either a compact four-door sedan or five-door hatchback.

Toyota reintroduced the hatchback in 2019 with the latest generation in response to market trends. The C-segment hatchback remains an important volume seller, for automakers with the hatchback offering greater cargo versatility and easier loading compared to a sedan, appealing to practical buyers.

The 2026 Toyota Corolla trims lineup is more extensive with both gas and hybrid options.

Gasoline trim includes LE, SE, and XSE, with hybrid models adding Hybrid LE, Hybrid SE, and Hybrid XLE trims.

Which daily driver is more powerful: Subaru Impreza or Toyota Corolla?

For 2026, both the Impreza Base is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine making 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque.

The sporty RS features a larger 2.5-liter engine with 182 horsepower and torque of 178 pound-feet for a more spirited drive.

The two Impreza trims are fitted as standard with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) featuring Subaru's legendary all-wheel drive.

The standard AWD is a big bonus, especially for those residing in the more icy parts of the USA, where snow in the winter months requires increased traction and the safety and confident handling that comes with a vehicle fitted with AWD.

The latest Toyota Corolla lineup is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine making 169-horsepound-feet151 pound feet of torque allied with a Dynamic-Shift Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with a manual shift mode that sends power to the front wheels only.

The Corolla Hybrid model is fitted with a 1.8-liter engine paired with an electric motor, generating 138 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. The Hybrid trim also makes use of a CVT driving the front wheels, with available AWD on some hybrid trims.

Fuel efficiency comparison

The Impreza offers solid fuel economy values of around 27/34 mpg city/ highway for the standard 2.0-liter engine and 26/33 mpg for the more powerful 2.5-liter engine.

Buyers considering the 2026 Toyota Corolla can expect fuel economy figures of 32/41 mpg city/highway driving from the standard gas models and an impressive 53/46 mpg city/highway from the Hybrid trims.

Comfortable interiors: Subaru Impreza vs Toyota Corolla

A roomy and comfortable interior in your daily driver goes a long way to ensuring that your daily commute in rush hour traffic and to the shops and back is not a chore.

The Impreza offers up to 100.5 cubic feet of space for a maximum of five passengers in two rows of seats.

The Subaru's modern and practical cabin offers plenty of comfort and convenience items that include manually adjustable front seats with cloth trim, electronic cruise control, a dual-zone automatic climate control system, along with everyday conveniences like power windows and power side mirrors.

The Corolla's cabin also seats up to five passengers in two rows of seats. The sedan has around 88.6 cubic feet of passenger space, while the hatchback is roomier with 102.4 cubic feet of passenger space.

Toyota has a streamlined dashboard with soft-touch material finishes. Cloth seating is found in lower trims, and leather is fitted in the pricier trim.

Air conditioning is standard, while dual-zone climate control and heated front seats are available options on higher trim levels.

Cargo Space

The Impreza offers 20.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the 60/40-split flat-folding rear seatbacks, which grows to a useful 56 cubic feet once the seats are folded down.

The Corolla sedan has 13.1 cubic feet of space in its trunk, and the hatchback version has 17.8 cubic feet behind the rear seat. Toyota now offers buyers a new no-cost Enhanced Cargo Space option that expands the cargo area by six cubic feet to give a total of 23.0 cubic feet of cargo space by replacing the spare tire with a tire-repair kit.

Which car is safer, the Subaru Impreza or the Toyota Corolla?

The latest Impreza continues with its impressive safety record, with the 2025 Subaru Impreza having achieved a 5-Star National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Overall Vehicle rating.

Upping the Impreza's safety credentials are the new 2026 standard rear-seat side airbags for enhanced impact protection for rear passengers.

Subaru's EyeSight driver-assistance technology is standard with features that include lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, vehicle dynamics control, and much more.

The current Corolla lineup offers Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which enhances its safety features.

Standard equipment includes automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, road sign assist, forward-collision warning, plus items like automated emergency braking.

Purchase the 2026 Subaru Impreza at Granite Subaru

Find out more about the standout 2026 Subaru Impreza at the Granite Subaru Dealership.

Experience a hassle-free new and pre-owned vehicle shopping experience from our exceptional team, along with professional after-sales service and repairs for the best Subaru driving experience.