From the archive: If you’re the type who likes Porsche-like performance in a civil, practical package, you’ll want to hurry to your Subaru dealer now.
My profession gives me the opportunity to drive all types of cars around the world, including a fair share of interesting examples unavailable stateside— funny how these usually end up on my most wanted list (Lotus Elise, Porsche 911 GT3, Nissan Skyline GT-R). But ask their manufacturers if they have plans to bring these cars to the U.S. and they shake their heads vigorously, citing tough federal crash standards, OBD II emissions laws or production capacity limitations.
Two years ago, I asked Subaru’s Senior VP of product portfolio, Koichi Arasawa, if he would consider bringing the Impreza WRX here. He nodded casually and said, “When the next-generation Impreza is introduced in the U.S., there will be a WRX version in the mix.”
This story originally appeared in the May 2002 issue of Road & Track.
True to his word, the official announcement of the second-generation Impreza arrived with the bold letters “WRX” written across the top of it.
From the day Subaru joined the U.S.market in 1968, it has never been one to follow tradition.
And it ignored it once again when it came to styling the new car. Gone is the conservative look and somewhat boxy shape of the previous Impreza. The new sedan wears a surprisingly flamboyant face highlighted by large round “bugeye” headlights and a racy hood scoop. Subtle blistered fenders and alloy wheels give the WRX an appropriate rally car-derived look. Unfortunately, the gold BBS wheels of the World Rally Championship (WRC) racer are not available with the new car. The Impreza is slightly smaller than the 4-door version of its predecessor — overall length, width and height are 173.4, 68.1, and 56.7 in., Respectively. The wheelbase measures 99.4 in. (Subaru does not have plans to make a coupe version of the WRX.)
Step inside and you’re greeted by an attractive, snug cabin, highlighted by a sporty Momo steering wheel. Front-seat headroom is generous, but rear-seat need space is a bit tight. From the driver’s seat, all controls are within easy reach, including those for stereo and ventilation systems that are located on a “floating” center dash.
The interior is an overall likable package, and easily comparable to other compact sedans in the marketplace. It’s when you turn on the engine and start driving that you discover that the Subaru WRX is in a league of its own.
There isn’t much pop at low revs—below 2500 rpm-but once the tachometer needle sweeps past 3000, the Subaru hits full stride, instantly transforming from an everyday people-hauler into a no-nonsense sports machine. As the revs climb, the car’s acceleration builds and builds…to the point where it exhibits a “rising” sensation not unlike a four-seam fastball. An acceleration curve such as this can only come from something turbocharged. And yes, the WRX has one of those, a large one, in fact, that helps Subaru’s 2.0-liter flat-4 generate an impressive 227 bhp at 6000 rpm and 217 lb.-ft. of torque at 4000. That’s sufficient to get the new 3130-lb. 4-door to 60 mph in an impressive 5.7 seconds and to the quarter-mile mark in 14.4 seconds at 95.4 mph.
As impressive as the WRX is on the straightaway, it absolutely thrives on the twisty stuff, whether it’s a paved road or dirt trail. The first thing you notice when turning the steering wheel is the rigidity of the chassis. The WRX turns in with crispness, and the firmly-tuned suspension system— MacPherson struts with lower L-arms up front and Chapman struts at the rear—helps to provide excellent stability through all types of comers. Subaru claims that the new car is 148 percent and 82 percent stiffer in torsional and beam rigidity, respectively, than the previous Impreza. As with most all-wheel-drive cars, the WRX exhibits some steady-state understeer at the limit; however, that can easily be remedied by pitching it into a long sweeper and kicking the tail out. The only important thing to remember here is to keep the revs above 3000 coming out of corners or you’ll run into turbo lag.
Bridgestone RE92 all-season tires— 205/55R-16s—provide plenty of grip both on and off the beaten path, and the car’s lively rack-and-pinion steering system encourages you to make quick left/right transitions. The WRX’s chassis likes to be upset a bit with more aggressive steering input, and then let the all-wheel-drive system find grip and help turn in. An average speed of 62.8 mph was registered through our slalom run.
On the open highway, the WRX displays a smooth, even ride. The interior stays amazingly quiet, with little wind and engine noise penetrating the cabin at freeway speeds. In fact, noise/vibration/harshness levels are so low that they’re more indicative of a larger, more expensive sedan.
The car’s stopping ability is comparable to cars in its class—60 mph to zero using 138 ft. of asphalt—thanks to ABS-equipped disc brakes at all four comers. Brake feel is very good and control is excellent; there was hardly any fade after a day of hot-lapping around the dirt trails of the European Rally Driving School in Florida.
So how much is all this race-bred performance going to cost? After taking a look at other sedans that feature comparable performance, one might expect the WRX to come with a $28,000 to $30,000 price tag. But Subaru had other plans. The WRX comes in at an affordable $23,995, making it one of the best bang-for-the-buck deals in the marketplace today.
If you’re the type who likes Porsche-like performance in a civil, practical package, you’ll want to hurry to your Subaru dealer now (the car went on sale in mid-March). If you wait too long, you may find the WRX to be just as unattainable as it was last year.
Keyword: The Subaru Impreza WRX Is a Race-Bred Bargain