The Bottom Line: Its looks aren't sexy, but the WRX's performance shames many flashier cars and it offers far more utility. Enthusiasts picky about handling will want to upgrade from the standard tires.
I test-drove a 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX at a local dealership. My test drive lasted over half an hour and covered city streets, the freeway, and a huge empty parking lot that served as an impromptu autocross course.
Performance
The WRX's engine may require some brief acclimation time for those who are used to normally aspirated (non-turbocharged) engines, but it rewards the driver with a thrilling push in the back when the turbo is spooled up.
On my test drive, I was initially disappointed because response felt flat below 3000rpms, with response lagging about a half-second behind throttle inputs. But once I revved it past 3000rpms, thrust built quickly and smoothly, building to a seriously powerful shove by 5000rpms. Power remained linear and breathlessly strong all the way to the 7000rpm redline. Freeway on-ramps felt like a rollercoaster ride--this is a seriously fast and exciting car when you push it.
Still, I must be picky and point out a downside to the WRX's power delivery in less-frenzied driving. Most daily driving takes place in the 2000-4000rpm range, and it is in precisely this spread of revs that the WRX's turbo does its Jekyll-and-Hyde transformation. As a result, acceleration sometimes feels flat or nonlinear in moderate driving. I can't imagine this would bother fans of turbocharged engines one bit--the WRX's engine is quite mannerly as turbos go--but people used to torquey V6s might find it a bit unusual.
Transmission/Clutch
The WRX's transmission works well, but it isn't perfect. While the shifter has reasonably short throws, its action is a bit stiff and gritty, and its gates could be better-defined. Third gear, in particular, is a bit tricky to find at first because it's at an odd angle in relation to the rest of the pattern. That said, I never missed a shift and it's still better than most shifters out there.
The WRX's clutch, on the other hand, is pretty much flawless. It requires moderate effort, but has a natural, intuitive engagement point that makes smooth gearchanges easy. Stepping off the line was second-nature in the WRX, even though I had never driven one before.
Steering/Handling
On my test drive, I found the WRX to be a surefooted, stable, and solid-handling car. Around town, its steering felt firm and decisive, aiming the car with excellent accuracy, and its body motions were kept well under control. The WRX felt grippy and composed when I tossed it onto a freeway on-ramp, and it kept its composure when I accelerated up to considerably extra-legal speeds on the freeway.
Still, despite the competence and utter stability of the WRX's chassis, I would consider the optional 17-inch wheel and tire package a worthy upgrade, despite its high price. I say this because, when I got a chance to really throw the car around in the parking lots of an abandoned military base, I found the standard 16-inch tires rather feeble considering how much power is on tap.
I was surprised by how easy it was to induce understeer, with the front tires scrubbing at speeds that would have left an RX-8 (which I test drove the same day) unfazed. And in quick, slalom-type maneuvers, the slippery tires numbed steering response and made the car feel less agile than it could be. There was also a fair amount of body roll, and the steering could benefit from a quicker ratio, but the real limiting factor was the tires, and I have a feeling that wider, grippier rubber with shorter sidewalls would make the difference between a good-handling WRX and a great-handling one.
Ride
The WRX's comfortable and civilized ride came as a pleasant surprise to me. I was expecting the ride to be fairly harsh, considering the car's handling abilities, but instead I found that the WRX offers an impressive compromise between ride and handling that's more than a little BMW-like. On rough roads, the car transmitted just enough bumps to the cabin to keep me informed of the road surface, and body motions were satisfyingly quick and firmly-controlled.
The WRX's comfort level was enhanced by a stiff body structure that lent a pleasing sense of solidity to the ride. This combination of firmness, communication, and comfort is exactly what I look for in a car's ride quality.
Interior
The WRX's interior felt comfortable, solid, and durable, but I wouldn't consider it one of the car's strongest points. It's not a weak point, either, but it's tough to be anything but indifferent to the WRX's serviceable but plasticky accomodations.
The general ambience inside is that of a well-built economy car, with a moderately upright driving position, an expansive view out, and a sensible dashboard design. The plastics are of medium quality--better than those in a Mitsubishi Eclipse, but not as good as those in an Acura RSX. All the controls are laid out exactly where you'd expect to find them, making it easy to just get in the car and go, and the materials feel solidly put together. There's also a little style to keep things interesting, with chrome-rimmed gauges and a Momo steering wheel (although I'd prefer a three-spoke wheel to the sedate-looking four-spoker in the WRX).
Still, my overall impression was that this interior was designed to work, not to add to the excitement of driving. And work it does--the seats are supportive and comfortable, and there's lots of space in the front seats and the trunk. The rear seat is pretty tight, but then most of the WRX's competitors are coupes, and their back seats don't even compare (plus, you don't get rear doors). What it comes down to is that the WRX's interior is comfortable, it works, and it's easy to use, and if being a little bit cheap helps keep it priced under $25,000, that's more than a fair trade-off.
Practicality
Compared to other performance-oriented sports coupes, the WRX has practicality in spades. Its interior is roomy and its seats are long-haul comfortable, and the rear seat would even be liveable for two adults on a long trip. Its trunk offers less usable space than some of its hatchback competitors, but if cargo space is a priority, you can always opt for the wagon version.
Also worth noting is the fact that all-wheel-drive is standard on the WRX--an extra measure of security in rain and snow. Judged as a sedan, the WRX isn't tops, with its tight rear seating, but the WRX is a performance car and, in my opinion, should be compared to sports coupes instead of practical sedans. Judged by this standard, the WRX is a very utilitarian machine.
Reliability
The Impreza line, overall, receives a score of Average from Consumer Reports. This is nothing to sneeze at, as the average amount of defects in a brand-new car is quite low indeed.
Overall
I've always thought the WRX seemed like one of the best buys out there for the enthusiast on a budget, and my test drive confirmed this impression. The WRX didn't quite have the hard, rally-car edge and sharp handling feel that I expected, but it's still a stable, surefooted, and seriously fast car. Plus, the (admittedly costly) 17-inch wheel and tire package could alleviate much of my handling complaints and make it a real twisty-road runner.
But even without the costly enhancements, the WRX offers stunning practicality and value for the money. Not only is it blazingly fast in a straight line, but it offers all-wheel-drive for lousy weather, a back seat and rear doors for friends, a comfortable and durable interior, and--if you ante up for the wagon--loads of usable cargo space. Pretty amazing stuff.
I'd recommend that anyone looking for a reasonably-priced sports coupe give the WRX a serious look. The only real caveats are the low-on-sex-appeal body styling, the slightly uneven turbo power delivery, and (if you're a stickler for handling, like me) the duller-than-expected cornering response and mediocre grip. Otherwise, the WRX pretty much has it all.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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