2012 Subaru Impreza--five-door rear

With a dedicated tuner and driving enthusiast following, Subaru expects a 30 percent take rate with the manual transmission. But the new CVT offers a comparable shifting experience that won't nauseate manual die-hards. The gear ratios of the second-generation transmission have been tuned to feel more like a manual transmission and offer increased power out of the gate, according to Subaru. And on that claim, the 2012 Impreza actually delivers.