A roomy interior, a commendable ride/handling balance and all-wheel drive make the 2014 Subaru Impreza a solid choice for an all-season compact sedan or hatchback.Vehicle overviewAt the heart of the Subaru lineup, you'll find the sensible 2014 Impreza. This affordably priced compact car comes as either a sedan or hatchback, and its standard all-wheel-drive system makes it incredibly useful in parts of the country that see heavy snowfall. In past years, AWD was often consumers' sole reason for buying a Subaru Impreza, but the current car also features a modern, roomy interior, a comfortable ride quality and steady handling, making it a viable small car option for a wider range of shoppers.However, competition is fierce among today's small sedans and hatchbacks. And one notable mark against the 2014 Subaru Impreza is its slower than average acceleration. Making matters worse is its four-cylinder engine's lack of refinement -- the engine makes a considerable racket when paired with the more popular of the two transmissions, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that takes the place of a conventional automatic. On the upside, the Impreza's fuel economy ratings are respectable (especially for an AWD car that weighs more than front-wheel-drive rivals), but during our 12-month long-term test of the 2012 Impreza, we were unable to match its 30 mpg EPA combined rating in real-world driving.These aren't necessarily deal-breakers, and overall we think pretty highly of the Impreza, especially since it's the only car in this category to have all-wheel drive. But given how there are plenty of great small cars available this year, it's worth your time to check out some of the leaders before making a decision. Our top choice is the newly redesigned 2014 Mazda 3, which is quite enjoyable to drive and is also available in sedan and hatchback body styles. Other fine choices include well-rounded cars like the 2014 Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra.2014 Subaru Impreza modelsThe 2014 Subaru Impreza is available as a sedan or hatchback in 2.0i, 2.0i Premium and 2.0i Limited trim levels. The hatchback additionally comes in 2.0i Sport Premium and 2.0i Sport Limited trims. The WRX and STI are high-performance versions of the previous-generation Impreza and are covered in a separate review.The Impreza 2.0i comes standard with 15-inch steel wheels, full power accessories, keyless entry, air-conditioning, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver seat, a manual tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, 60/40 split-folding rear seats, a trip computer, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, USB/iPod integration and an auxiliary audio input. The hatchback also features cargo tie-downs, a roof spoiler and a rear windshield wiper.The Impreza 2.0i Premium adds 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, an adjustable front center armrest, a cargo cover (hatchback) and a six-speaker sound system. Optional on CVT-equipped models is the Alloy Wheel package, which adds 17-inch wheels and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter. The optional All-Weather package adds heated mirrors, a windshield wiper de-icer and heated front seats; however, these items come standard on manual-transmission models.The 2.0i Limited includes all of the above items and adds automatic headlights, foglights, automatic climate control, leather upholstery, a rear center armrest, a touchscreen audio interface and HD radio.The 2.0i Sport Premium adds standard roof rails and foglights to the regular Premium equipment list and includes the Alloy Wheel and All-Weather package items as standard. Its 17-inch wheels also have a darker gunmetal finish. Meanwhile, the 2.0i Sport Limited bundles the Sport Premium model's additional features with the amenities of the 2.0i Limited (including automatic climate control and leather upholstery).All CVT-equipped Premium, Limited and Sport Limited models can be equipped with an optional sunroof and a navigation system package, which includes a larger touchscreen interface, a rearview camera, voice controls, smartphone-based streaming Internet radio (Aha), satellite radio and traffic.2014 HighlightsA rearview camera is now standard on the Limited trim level, and smartphone app integration (featuring Aha Internet radio) is included on 2014 Subaru Imprezas equipped with the optional navigation system.Performance & mpgThe 2014 Subaru Impreza has a 2.0-liter, horizontally opposed boxer four-cylinder engine that produces 148 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque.All versions except the Limited and Sport Limited feature a standard five-speed manual transmission coupled to an all-wheel-drive system with a 50/50 front/rear power distribution. Optional on most Imprezas (and standard on the Limited models) is a CVT paired with a different all-wheel-drive system that apportions more power to the front wheels (but transfers power rearward when mo