Who says video games are child's play? On the strength of the WRX's appearance as a rally and street car in multiple game titles, including the wildly successful
series, Subaru debuted the long anticipated WRX to Americans in 2002. Designed to capitalize on the Japanese automaker's World Rally Cup successes, the original WRX gave Subaru its first credible performance car in years. That it was available in practical sedan and wagon formats made it easier to live with as a daily driver. Now, for 2008, the Subaru WRX gets a complete redesign, offered in traditional sedan and striking five-door hatchback body styles.
Why it Matters
This is Subaru's image car, a performance tweaked rally machine for the street with a loyal, almost cultish, following. If Subaru doesn't get this one right, if the WRX doesn't cultivate new buyers while simultaneously retaining the PlayStation-playing, street racing, technology-loving cadre of young customers it currently enjoys, it could be game over for Subaru's favorable sales trajectory.
What's Under the Hood
Subaru has updated its frisky turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer engine, which in the new WRX makes 224 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 226 lb.-ft. torque at 2,800 rpm. The engine makes more peak torque a full 800 rpm lower in the rev range, is 50 lbs. lighter than before, and is placed lower in the chassis for a more stable center of gravity and improved handling. As before, the Subaru WRX comes standard with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, and can now be ordered with Vehicle Dynamics Control (that's stability control to you). Subaru has also swapped in a sophisticated double-wishbone rear suspension for a better ride, lower road noise, and less intrusion into the cargo area.
What it Looks Like
According to the rumor mill, the Subaru faithful aren't terribly impressed with the new WRX's design. Neither were we -- until we saw the car in person. It looks better up close and in the flesh. However, we still think the front overhang is too long in relation to the hatchback's stubby tail, that the chrome grille would look better on a Lincoln than Subaru's performance icon, that clear lens taillights are never a good idea, and that the strong character line running just above the door handles has, at best, a tenuous relationship with the front fenders. Subaru did not have a WRX sedan on display, but we suspect that vehicle is better balanced. Nevertheless, the WRX might ultimately prove the best advertisement Mitsubishi could have hoped for when it unleashes its revamped, aggressive-looking Evolution X later this year.
What's Inside
Here's the coolest thing about the new Subaru WRX's interior: when you order the optional navigation system, you get input jacks for handheld video games that can be played on the dash screen when the car is parked. That's tight. The rest of the WRX's cabin is also all-new from the fake brushed aluminum dash trim and 24-ounce bottle holders molded into the door panels to the mix of high-grade fabrics and rock-hard plastics. Dual, front, and side curtain airbags come standard to protect occupants who benefit from generous increases in shoulder and leg room. The cargo areas are also much larger, especially on the sedan which can now hold three tour-sized golf bags. Yeah Biff, like WRX owners ever go golfing.
What Subaru Says
Subaru's press release regarding the WRX said: βIn 2001, Subaru changed the face of the performance market with the introduction of the original WRX, a car that could deliver turbocharged, rally-bred performance in any driving condition. The all-new 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX follows that lead with an all-new breed of AWD performance car.β
What We Think
Subarus have terrific reputations for reliability, safety, and fun-to-drive factor no matter the weather or the road surface. Clearly, what holds the company back from realizing greater sales success is design. The best engineering in the world won't sell if the wrapper it comes in is either controversial (old B9 Tribeca) or forgettable (new B9 Tribeca). The new Subaru WRX is sure to be a blast to drive, but it ain't much to look at. The aggressive look of the old model is replaced by Grandpa's chrome grille, dull flanks, and, on the hatchback, a spoiler that you've gotta squint to see. Going up against the hot new Mitsubishi Evolution X, the otherworldly WRX likely has its work cut out for it.
Photos courtesy of Subaru and Christian Wardlaw
