2008 Subaru Impreza WRX Review

PROS
Blinding acceleration, Tenacious handling, All-wheel-drive grip

CONS
Too noisy, Bouncy ride, Cramped rear seat

Subaru makes a living selling all-wheel drive. That makes a lot of sense in mountainous regions and northern climates--like Chicagoland. Not surprisingly, Subaru sells plenty of vehicles in those areas. The question begs, how do you make all-wheel drive appeal to the masses? The answer is simple: Performance.

Using four wheels to deliver power to the pavement, or dirt road for that matter, makes a vehicle more controllable under hard acceleration and less prone to wheel spin. It allows more power to be utilized more quickly and is perfect for a performance application. That's why Subaru introduced the Impreza WRX in 2002.

The original WRX was nothing less than a world-class rally car for the street. Utilizing the subcompact Impreza body, WRX featured a high-strung, high-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine, rock-hard suspension, grippy tires, and grabby brakes. WRX, and its even more tenacious companion WRX STi, became instant cult classics and gave Subaru dealers a much needed halo vehicle.

For 2008 Impreza and the WRX are completely redesigned. Two body styles return: four-door sedan and swoopy five-door wagon. Both have new exterior and interior styling and ride on a wheelbase that is nearly four inches longer than before. Impreza and WRX are similar in size and price to vehicles like the Chevrolet Cobalt, Dodge Caliber, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda 3, Nissan Sentra, Saturn Astra, and Toyota Corolla.

The 2008 Impreza lineup includes the 2.5i, SUV-like Outback Sport, and performance leaders WRX and WRX STi. All models again have all-wheel drive. 2.5i and Outback Sport get a 170-horsepower four-cylinder engine. WRX gets a turbocharged version of that engine with 224 horsepower. WRX STi engine is further tweaked to produce 305 horsepower. Manual transmission is standard and a four-speed automatic with separate shift gate for manual operation is optional on all except for the STi. Again available with manual transmissions is Subaru's Hill-Holder clutch. It maintains vehicle position when engaging first gear on slopes.

Standard safety equipment on all models includes antilock brakes and front, front-side, and side-curtain airbags. Stability control is standard on Outback Sport and WRX; optional on 2.5i.

Compared to base models the Outback Sport has a raised suspension and 17-inch wheels versus 16s. WRX models get a sport suspension, 17-inch wheels, hood scoop, and automatic climate control. Key options include navigation system and remote engine start.

Prices begin at $16,995 for the 2.5i sedan and climb to $36,995 for the WRX STi. All models have a destination charge of $645 and are built in Japan.

Get up and Go
Let's see. 305-horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a curb weight of just 3300 pounds. That adds up to a 0-60 mph time of less than 5.5 seconds and a trip through the quarter mile in about 14 seconds. Those performance credentials befit a Chevrolet Corvette or Dodge Viper, yet Impreza WRX STi costs tens of thousands less.

That's not to say that WRX STi is as fast as a 'Vette or Viper. It's not, but what's a few tenths of a second between friends? STi's turbocharged engine is peaky, meaning that it has to be heavily prodded before it will lash out with breathtaking performance. It is not sluggish around town by any measure, but you have to excercise the engine hard to get maximum performance.

Working that engine is a lot of fun because Subaru has spent a great deal of time refining the action of the six-speed manual transmission. The throws are incredibly short and the clutch action is delightful. It's easy to slam through the gears one second and then slug around town in rush-hour traffic the next.

Subaru's all-wheel-drive system works flawlessly to deliver the engine's power to the road. Given the STi's summer-oriented tires, driving in snow and on ice is a challenge. It's aided by new-for-'08 traction control, but all-season tires would be a wise choice for anyone considering STi, as all-wheel drive doesn't help you turn or stop--SUV owners take note.

STi comes standard with Driver Control Center Differential (DCCD). The DCCD system offers three selectable automatic performance modes in addition to six manual differential-locking settings. In other words, drivers have the ability to tailor the operation of the all-wheel-drive system to their own tastes for different driving conditions.

STi EPA fuel economy numbers of 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway are a bit misleading because STi is really all-wheel drive performance sedan, not an economy car. Still, sedate driving will easily yield 22-24 mpg. Obviously, aggressive use of the go-pedal drops economy into the low 20s. Subaru requires premium-grade fuel on WRX and WRX STi. Lesser Imprezas will run fine on regular-grade gas.

On the Road
You can't forget for one second that the STi is hyper-performance sedan. The ride is brutally hard on smooth surfaces and downright nasty on rough roads. Believe it or not, the ride is actually better than on the previous-generation STi, but still overly harsh when compared to typical subcompact sedans. Much of the credit, or should I say discredit, goes to the overly aggressive low-profile tires. They don't offer much impact absorption and get considerably harder in cold weather.

Though the ride is hard from a passenger's perspective, there is enough absorption in the suspension to keep the tires in constant contact with the pavement. That does wonders for handling. Compared to Corvettes and Vipers, STi feels downright nimble. Even when compared to the BMW 3-Series, the gold-standard in performance sedans, the STi is no slouch--thanks to standard all-wheel drive, minimal body lean, and super-grippy tires.

Steering is accurate, speedy, and very responsive. It's easy to use both the steering wheel and throttle pedal to urge the STi through turns. That's both refreshing and commendable. Brakes are arrestingly strong and provide straight and sure stops, time after time.

As you might expect, STi isn't the quietest riding car, especially on concrete expressways where the high-performance tires kick up quite a racket. The engine has a sporty exhaust tone that's somewhat overwhelming in hard acceleration.

Behind the Wheel
Subaru has given the new Impreza a classy and contemporary interior. It seems a cut above the subcompact-car norm, but materials could be spruced up in the more-expensive WRX and STi models.

Gauges are front and center and easy to read. Window and lock switches are where they belong. Most audio and climate controls fall within easy reach of both driver and passenger. The optional navigation system absorbs all of the audio functions and isn't as easy to program or operate as most. Controls for the DCCD are an awkward reach, but thankfully you don't have to operate them if you don't want.

WRX and STi models come with superb front bucket seats. They are grippy, comfortable and, thankfully, full-size. Head and leg room are good, though tall drivers may want to consider avoiding sunroof-equipped models as that option eats into head room.

Subaru dumps the frameless-glass door design for '08 and this makes for slightly larger door openings, which make getting in and out a little easier than last year. Outward visibility is great and the extra-wide outside mirrors are a nice touch.

Rear seats are considerably roomier than in the previous generation. That's not saying much though as Impreza still trails vehicles like Civic and Sentra is rear-seat comfort. As long as the front seats aren't all the way back adults shorter than 5-foot-10 will find adequate head and leg room.

STi comes only in hatchback form, and that's good because the wagons are much more versatile cargo haulers. Still, the cargo hold on the hatchback is only average and the rear seats don't fold flat to the floor. Interior storage is adequate for most needs, but nothing more.

The Bottom Line
With a sticker price of $36,995, STi is more expensive than anyone might expect. Still, it is a performance match to cars costing tens of thousands more. Like all Imprezas it offers standard all-wheel drive, adequate interior room, and a fun-to-drive demeanor.

Impreza buyers generally fall into three categories. Those looking for all-wheel-drive at an affordable price shop 2.5i or Outback Sport, performance fans migrate to WRX, while hard-core enthusiasts seek out the STi. That's fine for Subaru because they are able to cover a huge demographic with a single vehicle.