Subaru Impreza WRX 2008 Review

Road Test

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 4.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.5/5.0
Safety: 4.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 4.0/5.0
X-factor: 3.0/5.0

About our ratings

Of all the cars in Subaru's lineup, few have done more to cement the reputation and sales success of the company in Australia than the Impreza WRX. It is a car that can rightly claim iconic status, evidenced by the fact that you need only mention the nickname 'Rex' in discussions of an automotive nature and there is instant recognition.

It is a model that has gained a legion of mostly young and mostly male fans whose passion is such that even the slightest tinkering with the affordable rally-related road car formula causes great consternation. And hundreds of thousands of words of discussion on blogs and chat sites across the world!

But this sometimes-extremist fandom has been somewhat of a poison chalice to the management at Subaru Oz who, along with their counterparts at parent company Fuji Heavy Industries in Japan, have slowly been trying to work the brand up the prestige ladder.  Indeed, while the Liberty has managed to a degree to achieve this, the Impreza range and in particular the WRX, have proven a bigger challenge.

With this latest generation Impreza, Subaru has firmly bitten the bullet and gone unashamedly mainstream (more here). Currently available as a five-door hatch only, if you were to park the Impreza WRX alongside the sporty rivals from Ford, Volkswagen, Mazda et al, it would sit comfortably, almost as one of the family. Sure it still has the skirts and spoilers and rides on biggish 17-inch alloys -- and the bonnet caries the trademark scoop -- but overall the visage is much softer and more conservative.

Step inside and there is more of the same with subtle sporty highlights including alloy pedals and solid three spoke steering wheel. Across the dash, the clean lines are accentuated by the use of only three simple dials for the climate control, with all other creature comforts including the six-stack CD audio system and satnav system controlled via a large central touch screen.

The screen, however, is fiddly to use and not at all intuitive and the interior plastics and materials feel hard and look cheap in what is a $40K car. The big bolstered seats however, offer plenty of support and good comfort.

Although shorter overall than its predecessor, the new car offers more interior space and much of the extra length in the cabin benefits rear passengers. There is good head and legroom for a couple of adults and the well-sized boot space can be expanded via the 60/40-splitfold rear seat.

Subaru has long claimed the safety high-ground. Every car it sells in Australia is fitted with all-wheel drive, but in the Impreza the company has taken things a step a further with maximum five stars for occupant and four stars for pedestrian safety from the independent Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

The car also features VDS stability and traction control, six airbags and anti-lock brakes as standard.

But while safety is obviously important, performance is the WRX's reason for being. And never fear -- as soon as you turn the key and dump the right boot, you are left in no doubt that despite its somewhat softer look, the WRX still packs a punch.

Off the line, there is no discernible turbo lag as the tacho needle climbs quickly and the car moves away from standstill with a very strong surge from an engine that appears delightfully refined. The 2.5-litre flat four has been carried over from the previous generation with its 169kW/320Nm outputs essentially unchanged but modifications have delivered a much smoother engine with less of the 'boot in the back' feeling.

Its strong acceleration is evident from around 2500rpm and as you hit 4000rpm it gets a secondary boost and keeps pulling all the way through to the 6500rpm redline. Despite its stronger mid to upper range, the engine is still very flexible with plenty of lower down grunt. It will easily pull from 2000rpm in fourth at 60kmh.

Not that shifting gears is a chore as the five-speed manual shift is slick and easy to use and is as smooth and refined as the engine itself.

What comes as a particularly pleasant surprise, however, is the quality of the ride. The WRX is still undoubtedly firm, but excellent suspension/damper tuning means that it easily conceals road ruts and patchwork tarmac that would have sent shudders through both car and driver in previous incarnations.

At the same time it is every bit as agile and solid on the road as its predecessor. Indeed, the car sits flat through corners and, using second and third gears with the engine spinning high in the rev band, the response is instantaneous and very strong. The steering is well weighted with plenty of feel and the grip from the all-wheel drive and low-profile rubber ensures the car maintains your desired line to perfection.

Head onto dirt and the all-wheel-drive system ensures the car can be pushed harder than you might think possible and still maintain a solid line and with the new found ride comfort, it makes it all the more enjoyable.

There is no doubt that some will decry the new softer-looking WRX as sacrilege but in the transformation to mainstream hatch, this car has lost little of its performance spark and gained a hell of a lot more in the liveability stakes.

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