• ✓ 1.5 Boxer Engine — 107 bhp
• ✓ 5-Speed Manual with Symmetrical AWD
• ✓ 5-Door Hatchback — practical daily driver
• ✓ Subaru reliability and character at an accessible price

This is the easy way into a Subaru. The 1.5R takes the Symmetrical all-wheel drive and the flat-four boxer engine the brand built its name on, and puts them in a five-door hatchback you can park anywhere and run all week without thinking twice about it. All-wheel drive on a wet Maltese roundabout is worth more than most people realise, and here it's standard rather than an expensive option on a badge. The 1.5 is unstressed and straightforward, which is exactly why these engines keep going, and the five-speed manual gives you something to do with your hands on a decent stretch of road. Five seats, a proper boot, and that boxer note every time you turn the key. If you've always wanted a Subaru but the turbo models were out of reach, this is the one that gets you there. Come and drive it, the character never comes across in photographs.