Easily the most thinly veiled next-generation car on display at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Impreza 5-door Concept will be the next Impreza.

FORGET THE CONCEPT part of its name, because what you’re looking at here is, to all intents and purposes, the next-generation Subaru Impreza. On show at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Impreza 5-door Concept “offers all the functionality essential to Subaru and its customers,” the Japanese car maker said as the hanky came off it.

“The concept achieves a higher level of aerodynamic performance while blending form with function, resulting in thoroughly modern styling which hints at how future versions of the car will look,” it added. We’d suggest it more than hints at what future versions will look like.

The grille hints at the next iteration of Subaru’s snout which at times has transitioned (on the Impreza) from bulldog chewing a bee tough to just plain weird, now we’d suggest it’s looking pretty good again. The new-look head-lights offer a glimpse at Subaru’s next-generation hawk-eye head-lights.

In its short statement, Subaru concluded: “The Impreza 5-door Concept boasts a dynamic look and stance, a result of strong, clean character lines extending from the front wheel arch to the rear shoulders. The front and rear combination lights have been designed to express a powerful, modern look, with the taut lines and compact silhouette of the car further enhancing the concept’s sportiness and stability”.

There was no word on engines or technology for the Impreza 5-door Concept, but we’d suspect it won’t be long before we see a production-ready version. Our bet is middle of next year.