SGP is the first completely new platform for Subaru since the development of the
first generation Legacy in the late 1980s; subsequent Subaru vehicles used a derivative of the original Legacy platform, last significantly renewed with the introduction of the
fourth generation Legacy in the early 2000s. The
Legacy-derived platform was given the (SUBARU Intelligent-Chassis) designation in 2007; the 'SI chassis' featured a fully-independent suspension, with front
struts and rear
double wishbones. SGP retains the same basic front strut/rear wishbone suspension as 'SI chassis', with refinements to improve rigidity. Fifth-generation Impreza project general manager Kazuhiro Abe stated that moving to SGP was a generational change comparable to the shift from the
Leone to the Legacy. The fifth-generation Impreza was developed over four years and at a cost of billion, a significant fraction of which went to developing SGP. Structural adhesives are used to join the floor panel and side members. Hot rolled steel in the strength class is used in the side members and sills, and pillars, reinforced with strength class steel to protect the passenger compartment. • Straight line stability (due to improvements in rigidity and lowered center of gravity) • Noise and vibration control (due to improvements in frame strength and joining processes to increase torsional rigidity) • Comfort (due to a reduction in body roll by mounting the rear stabilizer directly to the body) In addition, both passive and active safety features are improved; SGP has a lower center of gravity, allowing more agile handling and enhancing crash avoidance, and uses high-tensile steel, enabling the structure to absorb 40% more impact energy compared to prior models.
JNCAP also awarded the Impreza, XV, and Forester with its Grand Prix Award for collision safety performance assessment in those years. SGP was designed to allow different drivetrains to be fitted, including conventional internal combustion engines, hybrid gasoline/electric, and battery-electric. Subaru and Toyota announced in June 2019 they would jointly develop a
C-segment battery electric SUV on a new platform; in December 2020, Subaru confirmed the forthcoming SUV would be based on the
e-TNGA platform instead of SGP. Production efficiencies for SGP-based models could be realized by manufacturing platform components for different models at the same factory, and the same line could be used to assemble multiple models. == Applications ==