A simple predicament: you want a sports car, but live somewhere that gets plenty of snow in the wintertime. That Mustang or Corvette would need to be garaged for several months out of the year, doing you little good in terms of enjoyment on all but the nicest days.
Enter the Subaru WRX- the Japanese automakers road-ready rally-rocket that's got a taste for twists and turns, and a voracious appetite for bad weather conditions- along with an uncanny ability to make driving in them enjoyable. And it's a four-door, so there aren't any issues bringing your family along for the ride.
History and updates
Sounds great, right? Well, thing is, for most of its life, it's a car that's been just a little plain and simple, especially considering its hefty price-tag. Year-round performance or not, older models never did a great job of ever making owners feel as though they were sitting in $35,000 worth of machinery. For this reason, it was a largely enthusiast-purchased car.
Enthusiasts make fantastic customers, but Subaru has decided to take the WRX more mainstream. For the latest generation, it's become larger, softer and friendlier than its predecessor. The interior has been completely restyled and is no longer a boring and plain selection of flat, silver plastic. A new suspension system intrudes less into trunk space, while improving handling and ride quality.
On the road
Even with large wheels and a stiffer suspension, WRX manages to be sporty and communicative but comfortable at the same time. The suspension does a good job of filtering out harshness from the roads surface, and the highway ride is relatively quiet albeit for some wind-noise intruding at higher speeds. There's huge grip available for cornering too- even with the less-than-sticky factory tires installed. This one's remained a driver's car as much as the older generation.
A new look
The WRX was always as fun to look at as it was to drive. That's still the case for 2008- there's a spoiler and dual exhaust in the back of the sedan model, and 17-inch wheels, sculpted body lines and a taut, athletic look to the sheetmetal.
You may agree that the new model looks less comfortable about its appearance than the last generation, though far easier to digest for many, especially with the elimination of the three-eyed Pterodactyl grille treatment. The hood scoop is larger and more pronounced for this year though, more a styling element now than a simple add-on.
Enter the Subaru WRX- the Japanese automakers road-ready rally-rocket that's got a taste for twists and turns, and a voracious appetite for bad weather conditions- along with an uncanny ability to make driving in them enjoyable. And it's a four-door, so there aren't any issues bringing your family along for the ride.
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| The Impreza has been revisited for 2008. |
History and updates
Sounds great, right? Well, thing is, for most of its life, it's a car that's been just a little plain and simple, especially considering its hefty price-tag. Year-round performance or not, older models never did a great job of ever making owners feel as though they were sitting in $35,000 worth of machinery. For this reason, it was a largely enthusiast-purchased car.
Enthusiasts make fantastic customers, but Subaru has decided to take the WRX more mainstream. For the latest generation, it's become larger, softer and friendlier than its predecessor. The interior has been completely restyled and is no longer a boring and plain selection of flat, silver plastic. A new suspension system intrudes less into trunk space, while improving handling and ride quality.
On the road
Even with large wheels and a stiffer suspension, WRX manages to be sporty and communicative but comfortable at the same time. The suspension does a good job of filtering out harshness from the roads surface, and the highway ride is relatively quiet albeit for some wind-noise intruding at higher speeds. There's huge grip available for cornering too- even with the less-than-sticky factory tires installed. This one's remained a driver's car as much as the older generation.
A new look
The WRX was always as fun to look at as it was to drive. That's still the case for 2008- there's a spoiler and dual exhaust in the back of the sedan model, and 17-inch wheels, sculpted body lines and a taut, athletic look to the sheetmetal.
You may agree that the new model looks less comfortable about its appearance than the last generation, though far easier to digest for many, especially with the elimination of the three-eyed Pterodactyl grille treatment. The hood scoop is larger and more pronounced for this year though, more a styling element now than a simple add-on.
 |
| The new design is a bit more conservative than previous generations. |