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Staff opinions on the 2008 Subaru WRX
Worth the wait
I’ve been anticipating some wheel time in the new 2008 Subaru WRX for a while now. I am familiar with the previous generation thanks to years covering the import aftermarket, and have had extensive drive time in the newest version of the non-turbo Impreza 2.5i.
The good news: I still like it. In fact, I like it a lot. The car has grown up considerably, with more refinement than a truckload of Dynamat could have bestowed upon its predecessor. The car is considerably quieter, for starters. You hear the wacky warble of the engine, but it’s farther away, and not nearly as in-your-face as the old car. All of its switches, knobs and buttons feel slicker, and the hard plastic – man, there sure is a lot of it – feels solid, rather than ready to break. The interior styling is vastly improved, although I’m a little peeved about the lack of a boost gauge. The exterior’s blandness – our car is painted ignore-me silver, causing me to walk right past it twice – has its benefits, turning this little beast a stealthiness that its be-winged predecessor couldn’t hope to achieve.
But there’s more to it than just better stuff inside and out. The WRX still drives exceedingly well. I have to disagree with my colleague Bob: There may be guys in the kitchen talking baseball at this party, but there’s still a bunch of rowdy guys doing beer bongs out on the lawn. The suspension is soft, yes, but it’s also extremely compliant. Pitch the WRX into a corner (shut off the traction control and the fun factor goes up exponentially), and the car takes a set. Sure, it leans, but it also soaks up mid-corner bumps with aplomb. In tight bumpy turns, the car is unflappable, and the all-wheel drive adds a dimension to the driving experience that is hard to find. It’s no slalom king, but if you’re willing to put up with the body roll, it’s still a ball to drive. The engine has been improved considerably, too. There’s still boost lag, but it’s considerably shorter, and there are gobs of torque anywhere above 3,000 rpm.
There’s plenty of room for improvement of course, but then again, the first WRX was far from perfect out of the box...that’s why the aftermarket stepped in. My biggest complaint about the new WRX is the price. Our test car’s sticker is pushing $30,000 hard, and it’s difficult to ignore the gobs of hard plastic, gear whine, lack of seat adjustments and other foibles at this price. If it were $25,000 as equipped, I’d be sorely tempted to go out and purchase one right now. But at this price, and with a Mazdaspeed3 costing considerably less and offering even more performance, this little Rex is hard to justify.
Keith Buglewicz
MyRide Road Test Editor
‘I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him’
When the WRX first arrived seven years ago, it was an instant hit. A cult had already sprung up around the Impreza 2.5RS model sold here and the success of the WRX version campaigned by the Subaru factory team in the World Rally Championship. The car raised Subaru’s profile in areas outside the Snow Belt, where offerings like the Outback and Forester weren’t on most buyers’ radar.
The WRX rose in popularity with enthusiasts – for a time buyers were given a one-year membership in the sports car Club of America – and the car underwent changes to its appearance and saw minor increases in power. Popularity of the performance version of the Impreza lead Subaru to offer the STI, a model with even more horsepower. All was good for Subaru and fans of the turbocharged compact sedan.
Well, I’m here to tell you that while the party might not be over, it’s sputtered to where the only life is a couple of guys in the kitchen arguing baseball’s designated hitter rule.
My sole complaints about the 2001 WRX were a bit of turbo lag, and sway bars that were too soft and a driver’s seat that was too stiff. Now in the eighth model year in the U.S., the WRX has a more comfortable but-still-supportive chair for the driver. The sway bars and other suspension components, however, have gone soft. Or maybe it’s the stiffer, heavier chassis and a softer suspension. No matter. The car squats when you get on the gas and dives when you hit the brakes. Transitional response is now sluggish, the steering nearly numb and the body roll is unbecoming for what used to be the bargain sports sedan. With the car reminding me of my 1971 Pontiac Le Mans – straight-line performance with mushy handling – I’d have to say the U.S. version is too American.
I could put on my old business journalist hat and offer up plausible reasons for the watering down, but I won’t. Our test vehicle, a five-door hatchback model, is only a really nice dinner under $30,000. Where the WRX once stood alone, there are now competitors with more horsepower that cost less cash. Sure, no AWD in the Mazdaspeed 3, but the driving dynamics are still aimed at those who want to inject some spirit into their daily travels.
The spirit that used to infuse the WRX has escaped the turbo sedan’s now mushy grip.
Bob Beamesderfer
MyRide.com Road Test Editor