The WRX is down 40 hp from its big brother, but in between 3,000 rpm and 5,000 rpm you’ll hardly notice. It makes the same sounds as the STI and rips off the line with the same aplomb. Unfortunately, fuel mileage didn’t seem to improve; my two fill ups averaged about 19 mpg.
I did like the feel of an old-school five-speed manual in the hatchback, instead of the six in our sedan. The cogs could be held for a bit longer, and there are no extra steps to get into reverse. Like the STI, the driver doesn’t need to shift out of top gear to pass on the expressway. Also, the shifter felt robust in the hand. There wasn’t a lot of flexing from any of the linkage parts.
The steering and suspension are both softer than the STI. I put a good amount of miles on the car over the weekend, and not having to dodge every road imperfection was a blessing. I didn’t realize how stiff our long-term car actually was until I jumped in this one.
Ninety percent of the time, having a softer suspension and easier steering are a good thing. But those few times when you do want the razor sharpness of the STI you’ll miss it. Luckily for me, spirited driving wasn’t needed on Saturday or Sunday.
I still like the sedan body better than this hatch. I like the big wing on the four-door, something I wouldn’t trade for the extra space of the hatch. I might be alone in that. I also love this gunmetal color much better than the WR blue.
So, the upgraded STI gets you more power, upgraded brakes and the driver-controlled center differential. If you’re looking for a track car, that’s the one to have. But if you want a car that’s good everywhere, except when being pushed to 10/10ths, the WRX will do. And being $8,000 less expensive doesn’t hurt, either.
Now, slightly softer doesn’t mean flabby. My body felt nicely positioned and firmly held in place by the bolsters on the seatback and the cushion of the driver’s chair.
The four-cylinder engine has that familiar flat-four grumble. It pulls strongly once you get the tach above the 1,500 mark and keeps on pulling to redline. I would have preferred a sixth forward gear on the transmission–more than once, out of habit, I tried to shift up from fifth gear, with nowhere to go but reverse. No damage done. Also, the clutch on this car is a bit grabby, putting a premium on getting some revs on the clock and keeping them there as you roll away from a stop.
I made no attempt to push this suspension to the limit. But for side-street and freeway duty the steering feels tied directly to the front wheels with no play. Want to change lanes? Think about it and it’s done. The WRX telegraphs its sporty intentions as a light amount of jolting makes its way into the cabin on expansion joints and road imperfections. But this isn’t a luxury car, and the jolts are well within acceptable limits.
If you can’t afford the full-zoot WRX STI, you won’t be disappointed by taking this version. And $69 price for the beefy all-weather floor mats is a steal.
From a styling standpoint, the WRX received the wide-body panels from its STI big brother for a more menacing look, which is a good thing. Before the update, the WRX looked dull and didn’t have much of a visual impact rolling down the street.
