Road Test: Subaru Impreza WRX

[Overheat]

As a tool for crossing difficult country at quite stupendous speed, there's little out there that can touch an Impreza WRX STi. So the hardcore among 4Car readers will be very pleased indeed to learn that the latest version is even quicker and more eager to defy a few basic laws of physics (never mind those in the Highway Code).

http://www.channel4.com/4car/road-tests/S/subaru/impreza-wrx-sti-06/index.html

 

[patrick10]

As always, the Impreza is powered by a low-centre-of-gravity flat-six Boxer engine that sends power to all four wheels via Subaru's famed symmetrical all-wheel drive system.

flat 4 bitch

 

[jayjaya29]

Shouldn't the title of the thread be "Road Test:Subaru WRX STi" ??

Good article though.

Such a beautiful car, just look at my sig!

 

[Dark_Templer_102]

As always, the Impreza is powered by a low-centre-of-gravity flat-six Boxer engine that sends power to all four wheels via Subaru's famed symmetrical all-wheel drive system.

flat 4 bitch

Makes you wonder what they could do with a flat 6...

 

[jayjaya29]

As always, the Impreza is powered by a low-centre-of-gravity flat-six Boxer engine that sends power to all four wheels via Subaru's famed symmetrical all-wheel drive system.

flat 4 bitch

Makes you wonder what they could do with a flat 6...

Imagine the sound.

 

[BlaRo]

Subaru does have a flat-6 in some versions of the Outback wagon (Subaru Outback H6) in America, but they cost a fortune. And the last expensive Subaru was the SVX, and look where that got them!

I wish they'd build a good-looking coupe based on that engine. Bargain Porsche?!

 

[patrick10]

As always, the Impreza is powered by a low-centre-of-gravity flat-six Boxer engine that sends power to all four wheels via Subaru's famed symmetrical all-wheel drive system.

flat 4 bitch

Makes you wonder what they could do with a flat 6...

actually there is a shop by me that is doing a full drag wrx with a subaru flat 6.
http://www.sm-motorsports.com/images/media_thumbs/tn_DSC01409.jpg

that shop is amazing btw... one of the coolest places ive ever been

 

[jayjaya29]

Wow sweet, I want to hear what the flat-6 sounds like.

 

[niteriyder]

Reminds me too much of this

Subaru Tribeca

But in all seriousness, I prefer the pre tribeca style front end STi

this was a much better design IMO

 

[bartboy9891]

any understeer like the last one? or is the EVO still better ?
i think the car is still great though 8)

 

[YipMing]

the auto dccd should be incoporated in this version right?
or did the uk version missed out?

Oz is definitely getting it and the subaru is praised as a drift king with the dccd set as auto. The new one suppose to "correct" this by keeping the rear more stable, so less drifting, but faster track time perhaps?

seems the 2.5 Turbo is now the international version. with the high tech 2L kept in Japan. Gain 500cc but lost 1000rpm of high rev madness ...

anyway, for those that dislike the front, TK have an alternative.

 

[niteriyder]

awesome, car looks much better with the TK front end

 

[YipMing]

Subaru does have a flat-6 in some versions of the Outback wagon (Subaru Outback H6) in America, but they cost a fortune. And the last expensive Subaru was the SVX, and look where that got them!

I wish they'd build a good-looking coupe based on that engine. Bargain Porsche?!

You mean you guys don't get this?
http://subaru.com.au/explore/liberty/exterior.asp?body=Sedan&grade=3.0R+spec.B

strange ... I thought US tend to have a taste for big engines and subaru would have shipped it there.
oh well ... the wonderful world of marketing ...

 

[bone]

i actually don't understand why subaru is so good?

the evo has the great 4 wheel drive system, same as the skyline

but you never hear anything of the imprezas'. it's like it's just so good without having anything special.

weird

 

[BlaRo]

You mean you guys don't get this?
http://subaru.com.au/explore/liberty/exterior.asp?body=Sedan&grade=3.0R+spec.B

strange ... I thought US tend to have a taste for big engines and subaru would have shipped it there.
oh well ... the wonderful world of marketing ...

Subaru is a Japanese company; hence, why they don't give us anything powerful. We've been denied the Type RA Spec C, the B4 Legacy, the WR1, the Version II, the special Rally Editions, the 22B STi, the Euro Edition, and it was only two years ago when they started shipping us the regular STi (albeit with 300bhp instead of 276).

And another thing: does the auto tranny suck that much that it adds 2 whole seconds onto the 0-100kmh time? :?

 

[jayjaya29]

the auto dccd should be incoporated in this version right?
or did the uk version missed out?

Oz is definitely getting it and the subaru is praised as a drift king with the dccd set as auto. The new one suppose to "correct" this by keeping the rear more stable, so less drifting, but faster track time perhaps?

seems the 2.5 Turbo is now the international version. with the high tech 2L kept in Japan. Gain 500cc but lost 1000rpm of high rev madness ...

anyway, for those that dislike the front, TK have an alternative.

Wow that is nice!!!

 

[Marc]

the auto dccd should be incoporated in this version right?
or did the uk version missed out?

Oz is definitely getting it and the subaru is praised as a drift king with the dccd set as auto. The new one suppose to "correct" this by keeping the rear more stable, so less drifting, but faster track time perhaps?

seems the 2.5 Turbo is now the international version. with the high tech 2L kept in Japan. Gain 500cc but lost 1000rpm of high rev madness ...

anyway, for those that dislike the front, TK have an alternative.

Wait are they going to really make that?

 

[jayjaya29]

I sure hope they do.

 

[YipMing]

It is TK ...
Their main mod targets are Nissan and Subaru.
And it's a very simple body kit anyway, here you can probably just take it to a good panel beater shop and they can mold a fibreglass body kit for you pretty quickly. Not as cheap as ready made ones, but probably cheaper than importing one from Japan ...

As for why Subaru is more well known than Evo? I think it's due to the cheaper sibling, the WRX (non-sti) that started the trend here in Oz (not sure in the state ...). It's been long a hot seller for cheap performance vehicle, and it got its fame from it. But if you go to Japan, where Evos are plenty. You will find that Evo will outnumber Subaru a fair bit. But in the international market, Subaru simply outguns Mitsu a fair bit.

And have to say recently, subaru is doing a lot better than mitsu at rally, and is pretty much the only manufacturer building road cars that kinda looks and kinda perform similar to the rally car. Other (peug, ford, citroen, etc) don't really have turboed 4wd/Awd version of the road car the rally cars are based on. Mitsu does have the Evo, but with the recent trouble the company has been in (the hidden recall, financial instability) perhaps they just aren't viewed as too reliable?

Add up to the brand image, Mitsu is (here at least) similar to Toyota, bland sedans that takes you from one place to another, whereas Subaru is closer to Honda, building cars that has some performance attitude in most of its range of car. Hope this will be the trend for Sub anyway, at least Honda learned a bitter lesson from its Civic when it tries to conservative route.

What is it like in Uk anyway? I understand that Mitsu have been selling Evo there for a while already. What's the ratio like? Here in Oz it's only been just started selling, and only the higher priced Evos. So it's a rare sight to see one.

But enough rant. Think most won't read through this anyway =P
Hehe ...