2009 Subaru Impreza WRX Review

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

CONS  Too noisy, Bouncy ride, Cramped rear seat

Flying just under the radar for more than 40 years, Subaru makes its living selling all-wheel drive to the masses. That makes a lot of sense in mountainous regions and northern climates--like Chicagoland.

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. While not exactly a safety feature, it certainly imparts a level of security to drivers who might be counting on their vehicles to get where they are going, regardless of road condition.

All-wheel drive also happens to be perfect for performance applications. 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. Starting with the subcompact Impreza body, Subaru added 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 '08 Impreza and the WRX were completely redesigned. Two body styles returned: four-door sedan and swoopy five-door wagon. Both had new exterior and interior styling and rode on a wheelbase that was nearly four inches longer than the previous model. For 2009, Subaru gave the WRX more horsepower, an aero body package, retuned handling, and summer-only tires.

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, Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sentra, Saturn Astra, and Toyota Corolla.

The 2009 Impreza lineup includes 2.5i, SUV-flavored Outback Sport, 2.5GT, and performance-oriented WRX and WRX STi. The 2.5i, 2.5GT, and WRX are offered in both body styles; the Outback Sport and WRX STi come only in hatchback form. All-wheel drive is standard on all models.

The 2.5i and Outback sport come with a 2.5-liter horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower. Other models offer a turbocharged version of that engine. The 2.5GT has 224-horsepower. The WRX gets a 41 horsepower boost to 265. STi has 305 horsepower.

2.5i and Outback Sport models come with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. 2.5GTs get only the four-speed automatic. The WRX comes with a five-speed manual while the WRX STi gets a six-speed manual. The manual transmissions get a hill-holder clutch, which maintains vehicle position when starting from first gear on hills.

Standard safety equipment on all models includes four-wheel disc antilock brakes with brake assist, stability control, tire-pressure monitor, and dual-front, front-side, and side-curtain airbags. Front-seat active head restraints are standard on all models except the WRX STi, which gets unique seats.

The 2.5i starts at $17,495 and includes air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, front bucket seats, height-adjustable driver seat, center console, split-folding rear seat, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, keyless entry, AM/FM/CD/MP3 player, rear defogger, cargo cover (hatchback), floormats, theft-deterrent system, rear spoiler (hatchback), and 205/55R16 tires. A Premium Package is available and adds leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, power sunroof, AM/FM radio with in-dash six-disc CD/MP3 changer and auxiliary input, fog lights and alloy wheels.

Building on the 2.5i with Premium package is the $19,995 Outback Sport. It adds heated front seats and mirrors, wiper deicer, raised heavy-duty suspension, and
205/50R17 tires. 2.5GT models start at $26,995 and add to the 2.5i Premium automatic climate control, tilt-telescope steering wheel, heated front seats and mirrors, sunroof, wiper deicer, fog lights, sport suspension and 205/50R17 tires.

The WRX has a base price of $24,995 and adds to the 2.5i automatic climate control, tilt-telescope leather-wrapped steering wheel, auxillary audio input, sport suspension, 225/45R17 tires, and alloy wheels. The WRX Premium Package adds heated front seats and mirrors, sunroof, AM/FM radio with in-dash six-disc CD/MP3 changer, steering-wheel radio controls, wiper deicer, and fog lights.

The WRX STi has a base price of $34,995 and adds to the WRX limited-slip differential, stronger brakes, leather and alcantara upholstery, AM/FM radio with in-dash six-disc CD/MP3 changer, steering-wheel radio controls, xenon headlights, performance suspension, and 245/40WR18 tires.

Options include navigation system, satellite radio, Bluetooth cell-phone link, remote engine start, short-throw shifter, and BBS wheels. Impreza and companions Outback Sport and WRX are assembled in Japan and carry a destination charge of $695.

Get up and Go  Subaru was smart to retune WRX's engine for '09 to produce an additional 41 horsepower. It is a gain that's both felt and perceived, as the boost differentiates the WRX from the more pedestrian 2.5GT and better bridges the gap to the uber-performance STi.

Mash your foot to the floorboard and the WRX will race from 0-60 mph in about six seconds. That's fast by any measure, and more than powerful enough for all but the most devout gear heads.

Regrettably, the power delivery is somewhat off-putting. The turbo takes a while to spool up, so unless you're willing to really work the shifter, there's not much action until the engine revs up. Then power comes on with a bang.

Thankfully, the five-speed manual is easy enough to shift and it comes with a hill-holder clutch, which helps make for smooth launches on inclines. The clutch pickup point could be better defined as it makes it hard to match engine RPMs when downshifting.

The all-wheel-drive system works flawlessly to deliver the engine's power to the road. Given the WRX's standard summer-oriented tires, driving in snow and on ice is a challenge. All-season tires would be a wise choice for any Chicagoland buyer considering WRX, as all-wheel drive doesn't help you turn or stop.

WRX's EPA fuel economy numbers of 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway are a bit misleading because it is really an 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  WRX toes a fine line between the soft and absorbent ride of the 2.5 and the brutally hard ride of the STi. Compared to more mundane subcompacts, the WRX rides like a sports car, transmitting just about every bump and expansion joint to occupants. However, the suspension is soft enough to keep the ride from being harsh on all but the roughest roads.

Though the ride is firm 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, WRX feels downright nimble. Even when compared to the BMW 3-Series, the gold-standard in performance sedans, the WRX 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 WRX 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, WRX 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  Impreza, and the WRX in particular, sports a classy and contemporary interior. It seems a cut above the subcompact-car norm, but materials could be spruced up given the $25,000-plus price point.

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.

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

Subaru dumped the frameless-glass door design of the previous-generation and that makes for slightly larger door openings and easier entry and exit. 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.

WRX is available as a sedan or hatchback. The sedan has modest trunk space and a small opening. Hatchback models don't have much room either, but at least the tailgate opening is large enough to load oversized items. Complicating matters, the rear seats don't fold flat to the floor. Interior storage is adequate for most needs, but nothing more.

Bottom Line  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 2.5GT or 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.

Taken at face value the WRX seems overpriced, but there's a lot of hidden value--if you are a performance fan. Where as a Corvette or Viper says "look at me, I drive a fast car," the WRX says, "I enjoy driving fast and don't have to shout it." WRX is also considerably less expensive than those vehicles and offers a great bang for your buck.

Direct competitors are few. They include the Dodge Caliber SRT-4, MazdaSpeed 3 and Mitsubishi Evo. All of these vehicles offer similar performance and prices. So make sure you take a few test drives before you buy.