Jeremy Clarkson
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From
January 20, 2008
Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Tailor-made for the hard of thinking
There are many ways to tell if someone is a bit thick. You can sit them in a room and ask them to push various bits of plastic into a wooden box. Or you can ask them to describe a cloud. Or you can carefully measure the distance between their eyes, the height of their forehead or the length of their arms.
But there’s another, easier way of establishing whether someone is two spanners short of a tool box. Just ask them this simple question: “Are you wearing a Subaru rally jacket?” Because if they are, you will need to speak more slowly.
I’ll let you into a little secret. Each week, when Top Gear is on air, we prepare two scripts. One is a polysyllabic orgy of complex thoughts on the meaning of human happiness. And the other is full of words such as “tits” and “arse”. Choosing which one eventually gets used depends on how many audience members turn up in Subaru Imprezas.
No, really. If the audience is largely in tweed and Viyella, you can make them laugh with oblique references to Dickens and the iniquities of colonialism in 19th century Calcutta. If it’s a forest of Subaru baseball caps out there, we stick to genitals and spend the day skidding around the studio on banana skins.
Of course, there are intelligent Subaru drivers, but for the majority of them, there are only eight letters in the alphabet. WRX STIR and B.
I think the problem may be this. A Subaru Impreza is seen by the rallying fraternity as the golden-wheeled wonder boy. It was a Subaru that took Richard Burns to his world championship, and a Subaru with which Colin McRae became synonymous. Subarus are to rallying, then, what Ferrari is to Formula One.
And rallying, I’m afraid, is a sport for the terminally gormless. You stand there, on a frozen Welsh hillside, not knowing whether to drink the soup you’ve made or pour it into your wellingtons. And the evening is enlivened only when a pair of extremely noisy headlights whizz by, hurling a million bits of gravel into your face. The only good news about this is that your face is so chuffing cold you can’t feel the blood tricking out of all the open wounds.
What’s more, you do not know what sort of car the headlights were attached to. You do not know who was driving. And you do not know whether they were travelling faster than the previous set of headlights that spewed stones into your iced-up cheeks.
Rallying is the only sport on God’s earth where you watch the event live but do not know who’s won until long after you’ve got home and had a bath to remove all the mud that became stuck to you when you fell over in a Welsh wood at three in the morning.
The only possible reason for being there is to see someone called Stig Stigsson crash. Except you won’t, of course, because the rally is thousands of miles long and the chances of there being a prang right where you’re standing is remote. And even if you are lucky, you won’t actually see the impact because you’ll have been blinded by grit thrown into your eyes by Stig Magnesstig’s Citroën.
Of course, there is another way of going rallying, and that’s to take part. This is very simple. You buy a car that costs thousands of pounds. You then have that car tweaked and prepared, which costs even more. And then you drive it at incredibly high speed into a tree.
Show me someone who has a Subaru then and I’ll show you someone who thinks rallying is fun. And that means we’re almost certainly talking about a person who breathes through his mouth and has short legs, no forehead and one, possibly lacerated, eye.
Strangely, however, Subaru Imprezas have always been rather intelligent cars. They were so much more quiet and refined than alternatives from Ford and Mitsubishi. You got the impression that an Impreza would know how to hold a knife and fork. And whether to have its cheese before its pudding.
Whereas an Evo, you suspected, would goose your wife, eat with its mouth open and vomit into the sugar bowl during the coffee and mints. A Ford Escort Cosworth, meanwhile, would stab you just to get an electric ankle bracelet and an Asbo.
And now into the mix comes the new Subaru Impreza. I drove the WRX model recently and was terribly underwhelmed. It was too ugly, too soft, equipped like an Eskimo’s khazi and about as exciting as Tuesday. The car you see in the picture this morning, however, is what we’ve really all been waiting for. The STi version. The one with the flared wheelarches, four exhausts and almost 300 horsepowers.
First things first. The looks. And I’m sorry but I’m still not sold. The standard car looks like a lightly melted Rover 25. With its flared aches, this looks like a lightly melted Rover 25 with bingo wings.
Then there’s the interior. As is customary, the STi badge on the dash is pink and I’m afraid it really doesn’t go with the orange dials or the green indicator lights. It’s like a four-year-old has been let loose in there with a box of felt-tip pens.
Still, the vibrant colouring does at least take your mind off the fact that this is a £25,000 car that comes with fewer toys than an Ethiopian birthday boy. You know if a car maker is in trouble when, in its own brochure, it says the car is fitted as standard with locking wheel nuts and pneumatic bonnet struts. This is code for saying, “Sat nav’s extra.”
But of course the most important question is how the STi drives. And the answer is: provided you are the sort of person who can set the timer on a 1989 video recorder . . . it depends.
You see, down by your left elbow there’s a small panel featuring a number of buttons and acronyms that you won’t find in any other car. First of all, you choose what sort of throttle response you’d like. Then you choose from six settings how much power you’d like to go to the front wheels and how much to the back.
Or you can go for the auto setting, which unlocks the centre differential, sending most of the torque to the rear, or the Auto +, which sends it to the front. And now we get to the three-way vehicle dynamics control system, which turns the traction control system on, off or very off.
I have no doubt that on a track, when nothing is coming the other way and you can go beyond the limits, you will be able to spend many happy hours fiddling about, choosing exactly how you’d like to hit a tree. But you know what? On the road, even if you drive quite quickly, you can do whatever you like with any of these settings and it makes not a blind bit of difference.
I suspect the control panel is primarily designed as a talking point at Subaru owners’ club meetings. In the same way that the button that turns the traction control off in your car is something you mention to colleagues when giving them a lift. But you’d never actually use it.
Honestly? The only time I ever deactivate a car’s traction control is when I’m driving past a camera on Top Gear. On the road? Never. And so it goes with the STi. I pushed and prodded all the various buttons and, having realised they weren’t making much difference, put everything in auto and left them alone.
In this mode, the STi is demonstrably better than the WRX. Harder, more taut and noticeably faster. There’s still understeer, in any setting, which was always a tiresome characteristic of the old car. But there is something new. The flat-four strum is gone. The new 2.5 litre engine just sounds boring and I must therefore recommend you opt for the Prodrive sports exhaust to liven it up a bit.
So even though Subarus are probably the most reliable cars made – they make Hondas look like South American dictatorships – the new STi doesn’t look or sound good, it isn’t equipped very well and it doesn’t excite like its bingo wings and four tailpipes suggest it will. Put simply, I did not enjoy driving it.
I think therefore you may have to be a bit dim to buy one. If you’re a Subaru fan with a full range of Subaru clothing in your wardrobe, you’ll probably love it.
Vital statistics
Model Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Engine 2457cc, four cylinders
Power 296bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 300 lb ft @ 4,000rpm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Fuel 27.4mpg (combined cycle)
CO2 243g/km
Acceleration 0-60mph: 5.2sec
Top speed 155mph
Rating 
Price £24,995
Verdict Strictly for fans
I also dont have any Subaru apparel and my 2008 STi is a blast.
Good bang for the buck !
Tim Day, Jurong , Singapore
You keep saying that Top Gear is only full of supercars. You couldn't be farther away from the truth.
Clarkson has not only shown many times good bang for the money cars, but also, he showed many good alternatives to the impreza for that price segment. You seem to be wanting to forget how ugly it is
Patrik, Florence, Italy
I say give Jeremy a tuned STi. You can get 30hp from a ECU flash. Give him exhaust and intake to make it louder. I'm sorry it doesn't come with that stuff I don't have US$ 90K to buy a F355. It doesn't sound good from the factory.
I have no rally apparel. I love my 2.5rs and 04 wrx.
dave, portland, USA
I love Top Gear, but the only cars showcased are supercars or those way out of reach from the average driver's pocket and these are the cars Mr Clarkson likes - the new Impreza WRX is fantastic value for money, has style, performance,refinement and individuality; it is the best car I have ever owned
Ken Rogers, Penryn, England
I used to think Clarkson was quite witty when he used to write for Performance Car but of course he is above all that now.
Show me a better performance car for 25000 british pounds.
I drive a WRX and own no Subaru clothing. I do not have an airoplane in my garden.
James Dent, Blyth,
Both the new EVO and STI are great examples of two manufacturers trying to out-do themselves far too much.
Now that the 'shock' has been implemented by both,(I don't honestly think either camp could have been prepared for what they saw) i'm sure they will proceed to do a 3series-esque toning-down
Oscar Bonollo, Melbourne, Australia
It's the modern day Escort Cosworth, I own a 2002 Impreza STI Prodrive and it is brilliant!
I went to MPH 06 in London they should bring it to New Zealand they don't have any decent car shows here.
Aaron Smith, Christchurch, New Zealand
i have buy a new subaru wrx sti 2008 first in denmark i got the car about 14 days...damm good....
dennis jørgensen, randers, denmark
I'm not old enough to drive, so i really don't have a say. But my favourite car of all time is the Dodge Viper SRT10.
Ben Warren, Manchester,
Well JC, you have not failed us in your review. Yes the car may not be the best looker in the world and yes it is not a Beemer or some exotic, but hey it's a Scoobie. We buy them because we like them, bad looks and all. I am on my fourth Scoobie. First was the Gt(South Africa) and I have progressed from that through the Sti5 etc. This car is probaby the most refined of the lot. Different market, different car, more "mature", but still a good drive. Does need a rear spoiler and a PPP added. But like all things in life, if you don't like the radio station, change the channel. BTW, thanks for the MPH show in South Africa, it was good to have you here again. Maybe you should join us for the Classics Race at Swartkops in Feb
Sean Carbutt, Johannesburg, South Africa
WOW,,,,Caught sight of the new Subaru Imprezzzzzza.
I can't believe that Subaru had the cheek or lack of design cred to virtually COPY the Mazda 3. Check out the side on profile it is almost identical, even the lines and rear quarter panel.
Shame on you SUBARU.
Ash Grant, Seaford , Australia
If you want intelligence in a car buy a Mercedes at a way inflated price or sit in your den and watch F1 footage.
Have you ever driven any car fast on dirt roads instead of a test track or a paved road? If not, you haven't a clue how the front wheel<>rear wheel<>all wheel selction can greatly effect your speed and handling.
To drift or not to drift and how to drift is the art of rallying along unpaved roads at 100+ mph. That would be the equivcalent of floating down a race course at 170 mph.
Put any other car (in Subaru WRX or STi price range) against a Sube and you'll know why it's the golden wheeled wonder boy. (personally I never liked the gold rims)
marc, Flemington, NJ, USA
Rally Racing is the only true racing. It uses cars on REAL roads with REAL conditions. Not multi million dollar cars that are built for 2 races that are about as strong as James May is fast.
F1 is impressive and has my respect. But it's just not real enough. Sorry JC. Rally > F1.
Clay, Halifax, Canada
Time ,matter and space,
oh yea and movement, sums up life?
michael james collinson, hull, east yorks
I own a US spec 2003 WRX hatch, and think of it as very capable at a great many things, along with excellent acceleration, braking and cornering when called upon. JC, if you lived in a place where the preciptation every came out of its liquid state, you'd see it too.
John M, Boone, NC/USA
whats wrong with being a subaru rally fan?
i personally prefer the older impreza to the new design, i drive a 2000 impreza rs, i cant say that i dont like the new sti, infact, i think its actually pretty slick. from the people ive met that have driven it, they are all impressed and agree that ther is room for improvement, but that can be said for any car on the road. get an exhaust, intake, proper suspension and a good tune and you will love it. remember, the car comes from the factory set up for safety, its made so that the "thick headed" drivers wont kill themselves and everyone around them on the roads.
eh, its waht ever though, the new sti, hell, even the base model, is entirely out of my price range. i am just going to stick with my rs and my 85 brat that i am building,...
tim, frederick, maryland
Jeremy..... you are missing the point with these cars. Whether you buy a new or used one it is just the beginning of what this car can do. People buy them because of the endless modifications you can do. Try an old Classic with 400/500bhp and then tell me you don't like it. They are more fun on four wheels than you can imagine.
Peter Jeffries, Ventnor, Isle of Wight
I have to say, I picked up my '08 WRX 5-door w/ premium - and I love it. In my day-to-day existence, when I'm feeling a little dreary, I can punch it, and have some fleeting moments of joy, before and after work.
I find this car to be extraordinarily comfortable for hours on end, with capable suspension for the times I want to take an aggressive corner.
I wasn't looking for a rally car. I wanted practial, with a jolt of fun. If you really inspect the lines of the car, it's quite refined.
It delivers fantastically, for me.
Dave, Milwaukee, WI
Well, the new Impreza is U G L Y. They´ve always been, but this is ugly with a kind of oldfolksstyle...
And so another well renowned car manufacturer loses its way in the mist if past success...
Roger, Karlskrona, Sweden
to be fair to jeremy - it does look like a triumph of substance over form.
You can imagine the discussions at Subaru when they designed the thing ( cue generic Japanese accent) " Boys we absolutely rubbish at design - remember the corolla headlight frog model - what we gonna do " Cue response " B M Rubble Roo 1 series - they look like dog for dinner and sell like hot sushi - lets copy that and joozzse it up a bit" And so the WRX was borne.
Imagine then the STI Boys delight when presented with this gem. " We engineers not plastic surgeons - franksan - get me wheel arches , spoiler and pink crayon - third isle back Halfordichigi - we'll show em a thing or too!"
And so The Subaru STI Frankenstein was borne, and I think I might get one ( if fuel is getting more expensive then better get using it!)
Robert Fenton, Codsall, Staffordshire
Hi Jeremy,
Are you wearing a Subaru rally jacket? Go ahead, take some time and check. As you have already said, it might take time for a response, so I'll be patient!
Miho, Kansai, Japan
Oh my goodness, it appears Jeremy has gone off his meds.
Would some adult please see to it that this not happen again.
Thank you.
George L., Midland, USA/MI
Did you know that SUBARU spelt backwards is U R A BUS? No wonder it's reliable!
m.b.halim, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
The new Impreza is visually disappointing, but continues the bloodline of being a great drive. Subarus used to be distinctively UGLY but at least they looked like a Subaru. I owned a 2002 bug-eyed Impreza Sportwagon and I loved it for its challenging looks in the same way I loved the old seventies Subaru Leone Coupe & Wagon. Perhaps it was in the ungainly proportions, long front overhang and short rear one, but old Subaru's always polarised opnions stylistically. I loved my 2002 Impreza for essentially being stylistically challenged and distinctively unorthodox. Besides, it was a great drive, precisionly-engineered and a bargain in its market segment. With the new plain-Jane Impreza, Subrau has lost the plot, for me at least. Thank god though the base 5-door models continue to have a dual range gearbox, a nice genetic link with their forebears.........
J Weeling-Lee, Victoria, Seychelles
Don't touch the 2.5-litre with the proverbial bargepole; unless your hobby is changing head gaskets.
Andrew Milner, KL, Malaysia
Subaru jackets are pretty easy to spot if you can see the color blue, are familiar with the emblem which is based on a constellation (stars), and can read "SUBARU." Why would anyone not a few sandwiches short of a picnic need to ask "Are you wearing a Subaru jacket?"
Lack of excitement about the new STI is a fair opinion, but why the need insult Subaru fans? I don't know any owners who vaguely resemble the description aside from being happy with their cars. Poor taste (Ethiopian birthday boy) also detracts from the author's opinion and Top Gear icon status.
Don, Kyoto, Japan
Please tell me how many younger drivers have accidents and kill or maime other people? Proportionately I am sure more accidents are caused by other groups of people. Why are they not subject to tests every three years? This is age discrimination at its worst.
Anita Elias, London,
Hmmmm....dunno' its all too girly for me.
I think I have to think it out again!
Carlyle, mighty mighty croydon, latin rules!
I do miss TopGear and Clarkson. Just saw a nice discussion on the Benzworld forum between a WRX owner and a bunch of MB190E guys..... for the record, he drives the old model WRX.
I used to drive MB 190E, a car of which everybody said "built like a tank" , it cost me 16,000 USD in four years to maintain.
I drove the new WRX awhile back and it's just very fast. However, Subies are reliable as sun in Southern California, so we went ahead and bought an Outback XT. Exactly, a car dressed as your granny's Subaru but with a huge fist of oomph under the hood (or bonnet for you UK peeps). That car is addictive! Nobody expects any swift movements from it (actually, people try to cut you off in order to get to the next right turn faster) . For me... no I do not own any Subaru gear or caps or whatever, it's just the car. I have two eyes, breathe through my nose and my legs are normally proportioned. Actually, if you bring me and my four clones (5 foot 8), we'll be pretty comfy in the Subaru.
Ruud Noordzij, Tustin, CA
Usually I can read reviews without a comment and still in laugh.. Now I had a very hard laugh :). Great review... Only one thing.. It doesnt look like Rover 25, but if you look to design more carefully, you will se that this design would be perfect for Daewoo Lanos facelift.
Dejan, Krsko, Slovenia
UGLY!!!!!!!!!
Muskie, Northampton, UK
JC,
Subaru jackets are usually bright blue with big stars and "SUBARU" written on it.
Maybe now you can stop asking us.
Thanks in advance!
Don, Kyoto, Japan
I'm not so sure someone that makes his banking account information publicly available - and is then surprised that money has been stolen - should really commenting about the intelligence of others. :)
Can't wait for the next episode of Top Gear... :)
Subarian, Toronto, Canada
Actually I think it looks a lot like the 1-series BMW 5-door, but without that silly "middle bulge" that new Beemers have.
Not that it's a good thing.
CleverShark, Montreal, Canada
Brilliant review again. Had a good laugh, thanks JC!
My co-workers may think I'm even more odd than normally due to laughing aloud...
However I cannot agree on everything about Subaru persons (I regard myself as one!) but maybe that is because I don't have any Blue jackets with STi logos in it... ;-)
I agree on most things - the new STI lacks the refinement to be taken seriously by "M3" and "Audi" people.
It also now lacks the soundtrack, looks and rawness to attract the old "Subaru" people.
Who's left? The Corolla people that got mildly rich in the lottery?
I have to disagree also on the fact that the old Subaru fanatics love the new car. Quite the opposite. I haven't heard any sedan STI one praising the new one.
Actually I think the ones that haven't liked Subaru before may find it not too extrovert to actually own and drive it.
BR,
Pasi Parkkonen
Finland
Owner of GT-B & Type R (yeah, both Subarus!)
Pasi Parkkonen, Vantaa, Finland
Michalis Papadovasilakis, - "'WRX STIR and B.' Is that not seven letters? Spending too much time in the Subaru Jezza?"
1-W
2-R
3-X
4-S
5-T
6-I
7-R
8-B.
Been spending too much time in a Subaru Michallis? ;-)
Al Clark, London, UK
I take issue with Mr. C's swipe at Subaru folks.
My wife has been driving Subaru products for 17 years - the first one, a Legacy Estate, is still on the road - and our son has just acquired a 5-door 2008 Impreza Sport. It has 170 bhp + AWD, of course, bum warmers, heated windscreen & outside mirrors, 6 bags and anti-whiplash headrests, 6 CD player in dash, manumatic, drop-down rear seats, ski rack, fog lamps, etc. etc. It will run forever and the cost was about 12,000 pounds all in!
Of course, we live in Canada and the lad and his new wife do ski, but they do not rally or have any interest in the WRX STi. My wife ditto.
So remember, Mr. Clarkson, not all Subaru drivers are mad or mis-directed in their choice of vehicle. We regularly get large helpings of snow and, having run Mercedes 4Matics since 1990, I have always thought our Scoobies have been at least as sure-footed on the white stuff and our icy roads as the Merc, perhaps better.
Cheers. A loyal Top Gear viewer.
George Gale, Toronto, Canada
"And rallying, I’m afraid, is a sport for the terminally gormless. You stand there, on a frozen Welsh hillside, not knowing whether to drink the soup you’ve made or pour it into your wellingtons. And the evening is enlivened only when a pair of extremely noisy headlights whizz by, hurling a million bits of gravel into your face. The only good news about this is that your face is so chuffing cold you can’t feel the blood tricking out of all the open wounds.
What’s more, you do not know what sort of car the headlights were attached to. You do not know who was driving. And you do not know whether they were travelling faster than the previous set of headlights that spewed stones into your iced-up cheeks. "
Thanks for the kick in the Teeth, Jeremy!
How's the footpath?
Dave K,
Stage Commander,
Plains Rally/ Tour of Mull
Dave King, Helsby,
rallies, surely, are for watching on tv?
anyway.... each new impreza never fails to bring an "oh, my god... what have they done?". I had one of the original imprezas (with a few prodrive bits, naturally), when no one knew what the hell it was unless they read performance car (with its funny journos). the first gentle facelift was actually half-decent, but since then the cars have just got uglier, softer and more bloated. a bit like our jemsy.
they both look like rover now. sorry... a rover.
I wouldn't want to hang out with any fellow subaru owner. even if I still had one. talk about brand degradation. meanwhile, mitsubishi have shown how it should be done.
or is that too harsh? scooby fans would know the letters (and numbers) p1, 22b and litchfield type 25, maybe even spec c. all cars which mr clarkson would be happy to drive. in dark glasses maybe.
jem, london, uk
you stick with the corsa mate.
cross,ladsoc
mark crossley, rochdale, lancs
"WRX STIR and B.' Is that not seven letters?"
Well, yes, but I think Jeremy's point was that Subaru drivers probably would count R twice!
International Man of Leisure, In a Traffic Jam, Behind You
Sir
As a South American dictator, I find your comparison with Hondas most offensive. Most Hondas have slid down a ravine within two weeks of arriving here and are not nearly as reliable as my revolutionary four hour weekly TV speeches.
Excuse me, there's someone banging at the door.
Ah, must go now.
Pack the money dear!
Paul, Cusco, Peru
I was quite keen to drive an Impreza, until they became the ipod generation's XR3 replacement, and drive around everywhere at 6000 revs with strobes flashing in time to the music.
Not even if it was free of charge....
Steven, London,
Ideal spot to watch the cars go past. You might then actually stand there for hours, the sweeper cars go past and maybe another one or two cars. But then you hear it. In the distance. You know its a Subaru, and although they havent been the most reliable cars the past few years, they still grunt like pigs and sound the best. You heart starts pounding, it comes into sight in the distance. As it gets closer your heart beats faster, the adrenaline is pumping, and then, in that instant when the blue bird passes you, you know, that inside that car, is Petter Solberg with his mouth slightly open, and that Phil Mills is beside him calling the notes. That feeling is priceless Mr Clarkson, and thats why we travel the world to watch rallies, simply for that feeling. Have you ever met Petter? He is a star, a true gentleman, and may i suggest you join us on his website during a rally. You'll meet a lot of great people, not gorms... I await your apology!!
Eileen, Strabane,
For more than a decade there has been a duel between Subaru and Mitsubishi over who has the best scaled down Rally Car and the result was never quite clear.The differences between the Evo and the Impreza were too unimportant and choosing between the two was a nightmare.
Well, not any more..thanks to the Subaru Design Department there is at last an obvious choice.
And that is the Evo X
Michalis Papadovasilakis, Iraklio, Greece
'WRX STIR and B.' Is that not seven letters? Spending too much time in the Subaru Jezza?
Josh Hubbard, Leicester,
its alright subaru,the hairy monster does not like bmw either!
john haydon rowe, javea, spain
In pursuit of "mainstream" I suspect Subaru is inadvertently losing its original appeal. in 2001 I bought my Dad an Impreza non-turbo, a farmers spec, which he uses for dogs and shooting. Even with its limited power, every time I borrow it I smile all the time, and am very reluctant to give it back. Point it at the corner and it goes right there. It is a hoot to drive and more or less unbreakable. That is where Subaru comes from, and it was rather nice that it wasn't widely understood.
Reggie Perrin, Perdu, France
I love Sunday Mornings. Clarkson is guaranteed to make me cry with Laughter. "Less toys than an Ethiopian Birthday Boy" - brilliant. Although some PC do-gooder will call it racist
Well done JC
Bruce Harper, Wootton,
So Justin you are saying that although he is a an internationally recognised car journalist he doesn't know what car it is that he is testing?!
What was he wrote about Subaru drivers?
I believe defense rests at this point!
david connor, bognor regis,
As a polysyllabic fan, the awkward styling IS putting off a large number of owners. However reviews like this are just hammering another nail into the coffin lid. As in 2002 expect a face-lift almost instantly ! To me it looks like a WTCC Seat !
No I can't afford one either.
D.C., West Yorks
Duncan Campbell, Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Entertaining report as ever Jezza, but i suspect you've not actually driven a UK spec 2.5 liter Impreza STI, which does retain the classic Subaru burble by the way.
The car pictured is a 2.0 liter Japan only STI and I don't believe you've driven that either. If you had you'd have noticed how much more refined, and less rally car-like it is, but that it is still a hoot to pilot. Yes, thanks to a longer wheel base the ride is a lot less choppy and the back seat is actually fit for habitation, but it still sticks to the road like a rabbit's carcass. Unlike previous incarnations of the Impreza the dash's plastics do not appear to have been made of some sort of butter derivative and the entire cabin appears to have been designed, as opposed to merely fitted.
In short, it is more like a very rappid Legacy (your perfect car I believe) than the bobble-hat brigade's favourite forrest thrashing Imprezas of old.
It is ugly though, but what's new?
Justin Gardiner, Yokohama, Japan
Kinda sad to hear it seems to follow the current market in that it drives fairly well but doesn't really move you in anyway other then physically.
Anyways, I have to come out of the closet and admit i read this with a week left before i go to my first ever Rally event! I don't usually go to car events unless I'm doing the hard driving myself, so I'm already nervous if its going to be enjoyable or not. With that said its more of a excuse to hang out with some good friends and laugh at crappy cars while hopefully being amazed by a underdog or two. Either-way it should be fun trying to spot Subaru fans who suffer from particularly bad mental congestion.
All other presumptions aside, Subaru fans are pretty unparalleled when it comes to loving their own cars and thinking anybody who drives something else is a moron, so i don't think it will have trouble selling, despite the awkward styling.
Nick O., Saline, Mi, USA