Subaru Impreza GX 2001 Review

It's bucketing down. Night closed in hours ago and the torrential weather is pure El Nino. The humid day has given way to a wet and windy night as the Impreza's headlights struggle to penetrate the darkness, lightning a perilous path home.

And then, it happens. A momentary flash of brown on the left. Instinctively, I ease the steering wheel right and...Jesus! It's a fast moving roo - all 100kg of it. A short, sharp intake of breath; the adrenaline surges as the Impreza swerves to the wrong side of the road. The Michelins push pooled water, but now we're on the gravel verge. This could get ugly.

Easing back onto the tarmac 50 metres down the road. Big Red is receding, unscathed, in the rear view mirror. And I'm quietly thanking the benefits of an effective all-wheel drive system. Driver skill is one thing, the technology to supplement it is another.

Welcome to the Impreza GX. This model won't get even half the attention of its limelight-basking WRX big sister. Yet the GX represents a greater improvement over the car it replaces than does the WRX. Let's just say that the GX contributed more than any other model to the Impreza range's victory in Wheels Car of the Year 2000.

Blessed with a whole raft of changes, both underneath and cosmetically, the Impreza GX offers plenty for the $25,490 price. It now stands alone as the entry level Impreza, filling the gap where the LX once sat. Anti-lock brakes, in-dash CD player cruise control, driver and passenger airbags and driver's seat height adjustment are all standard, with sports seats and sports suspension also thrown into the mix.

The interior is darker than the stormy night outside; black on black on black. It won't be to everyone's taste and it's very masculine, but the overall effect works well. The fit and finish is pleasing, too, as is a slight increase in rear legroom. The only disappointment with the interior is the inability to lay the back seat down to increase cargo space. On the road is where the real improvements are apparent. With a body that's 40mm wider and 55mm longer than the previous Impreza, the GX's wheelbase has increased by only 5mm but the track has gained an extra 20mm. The GX is also 140kg heavier than before.

On paper, the GX should stick to the road like kids stick to their version of the truth. It does better. The firmish ride can be harsh on the smaller lumps and bumps, but it doesn't cause discomfort. Think WRX ride quality and tone it down just a fraction. The GX feels dynamically secure, too, tracking sweetly across bad roads and maintaining a neutral handling balance.

Road noise becomes an issue only at freeway speeds, but engine noise is intrusive. Subaru claims it has reduced noise, vibration and harshness levels. Which it has compared with the old model. But while the engine sounds purposeful driving around town and charging up through the gears, it's just plain intrusive out on the freeway.

Speaking of the engine, as we pointed out in our Car of the Year coverage, it's a shame Australia doesn't get the Japan market engines. In Japan the GX engine comes with a variable-length inlet tract, 10.8:1 compression and 114kW and 196Nm. For this MY2001 model, Australia gets a slightly cleaner-running 2.0 litre than before, but with the same 92kW and 184Nm outputs, no variable intake and 10.0:1 compression. It's a willing powerplant; it's prepared to rev hard but just as happy lugging strongly at low engine speeds in higher gears. It's about the only part of the GX that hasn't been touched by the WRX's magic wand.

The steering is direct and nicely weighted (the office is divided on this one; some think it's too light) with good feedback. The pronounced side bolstering of the front seats holds you tighter than a drunk accountant on a Friday night.

For your money, the Subaru GX offers an impressive package that, this time around, has taken more than a few cues from its big sister. And it's a much better car for it. Big sisters aren't all bad, are they?