Road Tests: Full Test

"OK, almost a week old, and still learning about this thing. I love to drive it -- still. I could go on and on, but I'll tell you what I don't like, as that may be more helpful to those deciding on whether to consider this vehicle. (1) Looks -- actually, not nearly as ugly as many believe, certainly not like an AMC Pacer, but not nearly as attractive as the Audi. (2) Interior materials -- generally cheap, particularly compared to other Japanese cars like Toyotas. (3) Doors -- require some force to shut. (4) Folddown armrest/trunk access -- the trunk carpet is cheap and buckles when the armrest is down. (5) Tires -- traction is OK, but clearly too narrow. (6) My above-mentioned complaints are nothing compared to my praises. So far I love it. I'm a pretty modest guy, and this is a modest car. However, like my car, I pack a mean punch." -- intrigue3, "Subaru Impreza WRX," #938 of 1311, March 20, 2001

"Well, I'm about half way through the break-in period and having a blast! Keeping it under 4,000 rpm isn't actually as tough as I thought it would be. While I'm not screaming through turns and such, [the WRX] is very well behaved.... With regards to Dellwell and Uniballer, I went through the exact same dilemma. I was trying to decide between the WRX wagon or an A4 Avant 1.8T. Rear seat room wasn't a huge concern since I have two small kids (3 ½ and 2), but I am impressed with the amount of room in the back. I even went out to dinner with the folks the other day, and my mom rode in back between the two car seats! While it was snug, she said it was okay. Better her than I! Bottom line decision for me was the fun factor. Audi makes great cars. Comfy, decent performance, fit and finish, status, etc. The WRX has goofy headlights, cloth interior, no heated seats or sunroof, but is a blast to drive. I will do an occasional TSD road rally and I just felt the WRX is better equipped to handle that. Now if Audi does in fact bring the S6 Avant to the States.... Anyway, I had looked at it as, either way, I was going to be getting a fun car to drive. The fact that I would have had to wait about two months for the Audi (was going for a hibiscus red pearl five-speed with cold weather and sport package) as opposed to four days to wait for my WRX (got a red wagon, supposedly only three on the East Cost), certainly helped." -- oyoung, "Subaru Impreza WRX," #965 of 1311, March 21, 2001

"I didn't even take it (the WRX) above 3,000 rpm and still I could feel enough punch to make the drive enjoyable. But then the handling! There were deeply curved roads with signs posting suggested speeds. The first suggested 30, I took it at 50, the second 20, I took it at 45. This car was perfectly composed, and despite expecting heavy understeer, I was totally rewarded with a perfect step into the curve, especially when I let up the throttle a bit as I turned in. The traction was unbelievable, like I was driving on tank treads. The steering wheel didn't communicate road feel as well as, say my sister's Jetta, but instead, I swear road feel and handling can be felt through my seat! Go barreling through some potholes, during a turn and on wet pavement, and you can feel the solid rigidity of the body. In fact, I felt like a yolk inside an eggshell, perfectly balanced. And that seat! Like an old catcher's mitt! By the time I got back to the dealership, I had to look away because I couldn't stop grinning like a fool! I drove 325 miles back to New York on mostly local roads in order to ease the long trip on my new baby with varied speeds. It took all of my discipline to keep the revs no higher than 3,000 rpm. But I've got to tell you, this car handles so well, that even without its ridiculous acceleration and speed, it's thoroughly enjoyable at the speed limit! (In fact, I thought of...saving five grand and going with the RS, which supposedly has the same suspension.) By the third hour of driving, there was a storm. First heavy rain, then sleet and snow.... But here's where the WRX's character really comes out! Just as I was about to slow down myself, the car said, 'No, no, no! Go, go, go, go, GO!' This car reminds me of my dog, a pit bull, for its squat muscular looks and determination. I found myself taking curves at 80, in the wet, and at night. All my prior driving experience readied me at the clutch and brakes in case things got hairy, but it never did! Halfway through the turns, the WRX handled it with so much composure, that any apprehension just melted away. I never had so much fun driving in my life! And all this without even engaging the turbo! ...Oh, as for the interior's design, materials and finish -- yeah right, whatever. By the time I was halfway through that second curve in the initial test drive, that whole dash could've been torn out, replaced with paper mache and the original Sony Walkman duct-taped to it with those old school foam headphones, and I still would've paid full price for it! But that's me. I've always admired the Spartan aesthetic...." -- bedabi, "Subaru Impreza WRX," #830 of 1311, March 16, 2001

"Just purchased a new WRX wagon yesterday. I did a lot of shopping around (Bay Area has three dealerships within a 50-mile radius) and the work paid off. Got a fair trade on my Passat Wagon and below MSRP for the WRX wagon. A few observations on the new car are: compared to the Passat, interior materials seem very low rent. True, the comparison is apples to oranges, but I had kind of gotten used to that luxury. The engine is nothing special at the 'below 4,500' break-in range. Had a 2.5 RS for two years, and it seemed to have more low-end torque, although the higher rpm were a little weak. Low rpm torque came in handy for the frequent up hill switchbacks I encountered on my daily commute over the Santa Cruz County back roads. So far, the car does seem to handle very nicely, as did my RS. I changed the tires and added a larger rear sway bar on the RS, and it transformed the handling from great to phenomenal. At minimum, the Bridgestones will need to be changed on the WRX, which was no surprise." -- arevee, "Subaru Impreza WRX," #975 of 1311, March 21, 2001