Subaru Impreza WRX STI spec.R 2008 Review

What we liked
>> Unadulterated power and the ability to handle it
>> Styling is a major improvement on standard Imprezas
>> Surprisingly docile for daily driving

Not so much
>> Frontal styling still lets the car down
>> Pricing's starting to get steep
>> Qualified concern regarding fuel consumption

Overall rating: 4.0/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 4.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.5/5.0
Safety: 4.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 4.0/5.0
X-factor: 4.5/5.0

About our ratings

OVERVIEW
Subaru's latest STI captures the look we presume Subaru designers were striving to achieve for the whole third-generation Impreza range. This is, perhaps, how all Impreza models should have looked, but in dialing back the 'out there' styling of STI, something was lost. Even the WRX lacks the muscular wheel arches that complement the STI's looks to such good effect.

As with the rest of the Impreza range, the STI is a much more refined and sophisticated car in this generation. It continues to be Subaru's flagship for the small car portfolio, but it has now acquired targets further afield than its Mitsubishi counterpart, the Lancer Evo.

In previous models, the STI was always a sedan, but following input from Subaru's leading WRC driver, Petter Solberg, the company will campaign the STI in hatchback guise from the introduction of this new model. The Norwegian former world champ found the hatch to be better balanced without the rear overhang of the sedans. Road-going cars will also be available as a hatchback only, although Subaru has confirmed that the Impreza range will be available as a sedan once supply problems have been overcome.

Subaru has pitched the STI in two levels for the Australian market. The basic STI is priced at $59,990 -- $3000 more than the previous model, but with substantial improvements to justify that extra cost.

There are power and torque gains (see MECHANICAL section below), improved crash safety, larger wheels and the addition of Hill Start Assist, Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-Drive), MP3-capable audio system and a multi-mode vehicle dynamic control system.

The new car is shorter, by virtue of being a hatch, but larger in every other dimension than the model year 2007 STI.

Priced at $64,990, the Spec.R grade STI is equipped with lighter BBS 18-inch alloy wheels and Recaro seats trimmed in leather and alcantara.

Standard features for both grades of the STI include: electrically folding external mirrors with integral indicators, rear wing, rear airdam with diffuser, xenon headlights with pop-out washers, 18-inch alloy wheels, SI-Drive system, alloy pedals, 10-disc CD audio system with MP3 compatibility, 10-speakers, remote central locking, climate control, cruise control, electric windows and front fog lights.

MECHANICAL
The Carsales network attended the international launch of the WRX STI in Japan late last year (more here). In final Australian market trim we can confirm the turbocharged and intercooled 2.5-litre horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine develops 221kW at 6000rpm and peak torque of 407Nm at 4000rpm.

Power is improved 7.3 per cent over the engine fitted to the previous model and torque is raised 3.8 per cent. Subaru advises that the bulk of the improved output is in the low-to-mid range of engine speeds. Fuel consumption for the new, Euro IV-compliant engine is 10.3L/100km for the new model -- an improvement of 11.2 per cent, says Subaru.

Both the inlet and exhaust cams for each bank allow valve timing to be controlled by Subaru's Dual Active Valve Control system. The driver can select, through the SI-Drive, three different engine output settings, Intelligent Mode, Sport Mode and Sport Sharp Mode.

The engine, mounted longitudinally, drives through a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission with underdriven gears for first through to fourth and overdrive gears for fifth and sixth.

From the transmission, torque is relayed via a centrally mounted differential, which is electronically controlled.

Called Driver Control Centre Differential (DCCD), the system can be modulated from a toggle switch in the centre console. Pulling the switch back ('Auto Minus') will configure the DCCD to allow the STI to adopt an oversteer-biased handling trait, but pushing the DCCD switch forward ('Auto Plus'), changes the handling balance to a more traditional understeer orientation.

ON THE ROAD
Probably the most telling point to be made about the STi is that it provides a very wide margin for error and, even when that margin has been transgressed, will do its level best to pull your fat out of the fire.

Evaluated in isolation for its dynamics and potential, the STI offers a nice flat -- and fat -- torque curve, but drivers of older STis might miss the slightly livelier torque curve.

The STi of the past was a bit of a racetrack animal -- and make no mistake, this new car is nothing short of stupendous, but the turbo engine's boost is progressive and strong, with almost no chance of upsetting the car's poise out of a corner. However, if you fancy yourself as a drifter, one could certainly feel the difference with the DCCD set to Auto Minus (for more of an oversteering stance) or Auto Plus (more understeer).

Left to its own devices, the new STI (note the capital I) is very close to neutral, as a matter of course and steering turn-in proved as good as expected. Into, through and out the other side of the hairpin at Tasmania's Symmons Plains racetrack, it felt very measured and offered a finely pitched approach to balance and control.

Brakes were absolutely tenacious, but developed a smoking habit after four or five fast laps of the circuit. They're Brembo units, so that's some indication of how hard the laps were.

ABS operates at a pretty high threshold, not intervening too early and the VDC system certainly knows the difference between the driver out of control by choice and involuntarily out of control.

The gearshift was nice, with short throws and positive placement. There's talk about Subaru developing a paddle-shift system for the STI, but other than the fractions of seconds shaved off lap times, there doesn't seem to be much point.

On the road, there's little reason to fault the STI. The co-driver for the drive program owns an STI and confirmed that Subaru has worked wonders with the ride of the new car. As he put it, the new car will not cause nose bleeds and kidney failure. It still felt a little choppy over lumpy bitumen, but no worse than other high performance hatches or sedans.

Other than a slight whistling rustle from the rear at speed -- which since it wasn't heard in the basic Impreza models tested recently, suggests it emanated from the rear wing -- and a rattle from the reverse gear lock-out collar on the gearstick, the STI was very quiet and refined.

We didn't really get a chance to check out the fuel consumption, but after two road loops during the afternoon, we made it back to Symmons Plains with the fuel warning lit.

It's hard to say whether the car is economical or not in context. It had a fair fanging for much of the time and the turbo was not given much respite, but fuel consumption might be a consideration for drivers who dislike visiting the service station every few days.

Leaving aside the vexed question of running costs for the STI, it's a car that is equally at home on the racetrack or the road, clichéd as that sounds. Owners can have a ball with it at weekends and potter around during the week. The question remains, how will it shape up against the Lancer Evo when that arrives?

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