08 WRX came in today

[Durania]

I seen one in person yesterday, the Impreza Outback looks pretty cool with the roof rack.

[DerFahrer]

Okay, I drove the car. We took it on an industrial road close to the dealership where there was no traffic, and a few nice and wide 90º corners.

 

I have to admit, I threw the car into a corner and thought to myself "I can't believe I'm taking the corner this fast!"

 

Yes, it handles better than the GD chassis. I've driven GD cars on good tires that didn't handle as well as this car does on RE92's. The car took the corner at a faster speed and at the same time felt more composed. It still had a hint of understeer as any proper AWD car should, but it was much less pronounced and much easier to control.

 

And just for the record, I'm not some n00b who got lucky. I do have autoX and rallyX experience, some under professional instruction, and I've managed to stay close to the top 5% of the results for this year's GM Rev-It-Up. I'm in 417th spot, out of 7244 total... in the country. So I have a decent idea of how to drive.

 

So handling: +1.

 

The power? Yes, the torque is down lower. Yes the boost comes in quicker. I'm honestly not sure how it was done, as the EJ255 longblock is indeed simply a carryover from the 06-07 GD WRX, while the extremities are mostly Legacy GT, save for the turbo, which IS INDEED still a TD04. But I'd say it's almost at full-boost before 3k rpm. I wish it had a boost gauge so I could be certain, but there's definitely no falling down below 3k rpm like the late EJ205. And while we were trying to be somewhat nice to it (we didn't go above 5k), I can say the power is still there. It pulls just as hard as any stock WRX I've driven before.

 

So, power: equal. Torque: +1.

 

Now this is subjective and your opinions will differ from mine. But I do honestly like the overall look of the sedan anyway. It's nothing groundbreaking, but then again, what Subaru has been in terms of design? I never did get used to the Edsel-nose on the 06-07's. I'm sorry. I just never did, and I saw twenty of them a day for almost two years. But this car is at least very cleanly penned, if not particularly racy-looking. There's a couple things I'm not particularly thrilled about, such as the chrome strip on the trunk lid, or the fact that the cabin seems to extend too far back, almost making it look like a wannabe hatch. But overall, I would honestly say, in terms of looks, I'd pick the 08 over the 06-07 anyway.

 

So, I guess, styling: +1.

 

Okay, now, the interior. Personally, I don't like it. Those who have said it's similar to a Tribeca interior are mostly right. It is similar... and I don't like the Tribeca interior. It's not cheap, or fussy or un-user-friendly, or overstyled, or anything necessarily inferior. But... it just doesn't feel like a Subaru interior to me. If I sit in either the Tribeca or 08 Impreza, I don't feel like I'm at home, like I do in my cars, in a Legacy GT, in a GD/GG Impreza, or a Forester. They still have interiors that feel like Subaru interiors. But not these ones. Everything is different than what I'm used to. It's not even something I can completely put my finger on. But I just didn't feel at home in it. And, this is going to sound crazy, but I think the cabin is TOO BIG. That's right. I'd say there's at least a foot of clearance between the top of my head, and the ceiling. Now most people would agree that more room is always better, but I honestly felt like I was a little midget riding in the car, and I'm 6'3". I really don't like that.

 

So, interior overall, -1.

 

Now... as I've already said, I'm VERY steamed about the framed windows, right-side exhaust on the hatch, and the absence of the parking light switch. That's me being a traditionalist. I like my frameless windows, and I honestly don't care if they rattle when I close the door when they're down. It's a Subaru thing, just as the parking light switch was. Sure, no one uses it, but at the very least, it was something cool that only the Subaru die-hards knew about. That's my issue thus far, is that Subaru seems to be in favor of abandoning their identity to reach a "different crowd" (read: increase sales figures).

 

I'll bring up the Car and Driver article, where they did a sport compact comparo and the Impreza came in last. I personally hate Car and Driver (anyone who rates an RX8 over a 350Z is just plain stupid), and I don't think they tallied the results up fairly. The Impreza got marked off for not being as refined as the other cars. That irks me. Who gives a crap about refinement? We're testing Mazdas and Nissans and Subarus, not Bentleys and Jaguars and Mercedes. I want to know how FUN the car is to drive, not how plush the ride is. Subarus have NEVER been refined. They're scrappy, quirky, rough-around-the-edges (which in my opinion gives them personality), and most of all, FUN. And that's what the focus should have been.

 

So, I think in response to these complaints, Subaru basically just threw in the towel and focused on making the car "more refined" and a little more mature. And in the process, I think they took all the personality out of it.

 

So, why I needed a couple days to think was because I was going back and forth deciding whether the driving experience I had (which was mostly positive) was enough to outweigh the fact that I think the car is now a little too mainstream and cookie-cutter...

 

 

... and I decided it wasn't.

 

I got in an argument with someone on another board because they were saying that they didn't care about those "minor" things... as long as the car performs better. Well, yes. I'm here to say the car DOES perform better. I think we've already had numbers come up that the new car is faster in a slalom and pulls a percentage more g's and all that fun stuff. Yes, it does.

 

But my rebuttal to his argument was that speed isn't everything. Those who know me know that my automotive enthusiasm lies in more than just speed. Two of the Subarus I own are under 100hp for God's sake. But I still love them, because they're the quirky and eccentric Subarus that I've grown to know and love over the past few years.

 

This one, I'm afraid, is not.

 

So, yeah, my stance still stands. I'm going to get my Forester XT Sports hopefully as a college graduation present, and unless Subaru decides to remember their roots and understand that they NEED to keep their loyal followers, then I won't be replacing the Forester with another Subaru.

 

I know, I'm not a very good salesman am I? :-\

[86ruguy]

well, i would like to thank you for your "In Depth Report":)

 

I am going to go see if I can abuse one for a while in the next couple days

[86BRATMAN]

Thanks for the in depth approach to the car. Basically to summed up everything I expected about the car. New suspension design better than before, interior iffy, but still a fun car.

[x_25]

Me and my father went to the local Subaru dealer the other day and we pulled in an entrance that pointed us directly at the new '08 imprezas. After we had puled around to the front i asked my dad if he had seen the new ones when we pulled in and he didn't even knowtes them. That is how generic looking they are know. I can't even say they look bad, i just have to agree with everyone that they done look like a subaru anymore.

[DerFahrer]

Oh, and I've been meaning to get these uploaded.

 

Here's the sedan right after I drove it and parked it on display, with all the protective wrap off of it:

[86BRATMAN]

For some reason I'm diggin the sedan. The wagon, not so much. And wow, thats a big scoop

[DerFahrer]

In the interest of fairness, I must clarify on the parking switch. I played with this when I test-drove it, but kept forgetting to mention it.

 

On the 08 Impreza, the headlights do turn off when you actually remove the key from the ignition, and they turn back on when you restart the car. So, you can still leave your headlight switch on constantly like you did before. BUT... if you turn the car off, turn the headlights off, then turn them back on, they will come back on.

 

So, my rational side says it's really not all that big of a deal. And I guess in the grand scheme of things, it really isn't. But I'm too much of a dork to fully accept it, and I'd still rather have it the old way.

 

Anyway, I'm sure I could find more stuff to complain about to keep the discussion going, but I think I've said all I need to say, and to say more would just be redundant. So I'll drop it here, for good this time .

 

No use crying over spilled milk, or normalized Subarus

[Hotshot]

Just finished testing a new wrx sedan, and it felt amazing. Unfortunately, I was a little new to the clutch to feel comfortable putting it through its paces. Rode amazingly well for a sports car, felt much smother than my outback. I might be in the market for one in a few years when they start showing up used.

[DerFahrer]

Hmmm.

 

Just got the new Automobile mag in the mail. Design critique and first drive of new Impreza.

 

Seems I'm not alone.

[75subie]

just saw a base red impreza sedan (non wrx) and it was ugly as sin.

 

i think i like the looks of the kia rio better than that pos. the wrx wagon isn`t too bad in black.

 

subarus are going down hill i guess:-\

[Bmm001]

I like them. No matter what Subaru, or any other car manufacturer, for that matter does, they're not going to please everyone. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you don't like it, fine, don't buy one.

[75subie]

yup dude, that sounds about right. being an old school sube guy , i like my subarus with their frameless windows, and distinctive styling. this thing looks like everything else, and is wimpy looking at that.

 

i won`t buy one because i don`t like it.

[Setright]

Subylvr, that means the headlight switch operates like it did in my childhood Toyota Crown 2600 Super Saloon .....from 1978. It's a good system, lets you do the DRL thing and to leave the lights on for those dark road parking affairs you have to deliberately turn the switch off and back on.

 

I like that

[DerFahrer]

The STi has officially (and prematurely apparently) been debuted in Japan.

 

 

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2008-subaru-impreza-sti-jdm/430799/

 

Seriously... a f'ing push-start button??? :roll: I'm gonna hafta leave a RiceCop ticket on every GH STi I see.

 

[86BRATMAN]

I mean really... That is bad rump roast...

 

Whats the deal with the push button ignition? Would you leave a freaking "rice cop" note on an Infinity G35 sedan? Didn't think so.

 

I'm sorry Subaru's new design doesn't meet your standards. But think back to 1989 when the legacy first came out. It was so "uncharacteristic" of Subaru for that time. They went more mainstream then and it worked, big time. After seeing and driving the new models in person, if I ever feel the need to buy a new Subaru again it will be a 08+ Impreza.

[LosDiosDeVerde86]

yeah, i gotta say....those new STi pictures aren't UN-delicous....

 

I'm so confused now..

 

Quad exhaust??

 

________:burnout:

______:burnout:

[LosDiosDeVerde86]

yeah, i gotta say....those new STi pictures aren't UN-delicous....

 

I'm so confused now..

 

Quad exhaust??

 

________:burnout:

______:burnout:

 

to clearify...

 

i like the sti. it's slick. i don't like the impreza or wrx.

[zstalker]

that push-button ignition is part of the smart-key system that we aren't getting here in the US (yet?)

~Erik~

[LosDiosDeVerde86]

I JUST REALIZED..the tach says that it'll rev up 8000rpm??

 

 

also...it looks like it's about to overheat too...

[mtsmiths]

I thought it was a Mazda.

[LosDiosDeVerde86]

How is it, as far as i'm concerned, that Mitsubishi finally got the Lancer right, and Subaru dropped the ball??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

that new lancer's pretty slick

[Towel Rail]

But think back to 1989 when the legacy first came out. It was so "uncharacteristic" of Subaru for that time. They went more mainstream then and it worked, big time.

 

That's why I'm keeping my trap shut.

[carfreak85]

I had a chance to toss one around on an auto-x course last weekend, and I have to say I was very impressed by how it handled out of the box. There is much less tendency to understeer now, it handles a lot more neutral than any other stock Subie I've ever driven.

The problem there is that they took a platform that was already a front heavy , understeering design and gave it an even grippier rear suspension. Now, what happens when you shift the chassis grip further rearward? Oh, right... MORE UNDERSTEER. Come on Subaru, put struts in the rear and give the front a double wishbone front suspension like it deserves.

 

Edit: Just saw those STi pics. Hmmm, now I do LOVE our '07 STi, but there are things I don't like about it. The STi should be a "stripped down" version of the WRX, read: NO GPS, NO NO NO push button starter, NO god**** quad exhaust (it all goes through ONE turbo for god's sake). It looks sick, minus the clear tail lights, and if it performs as well as I hope it does, then I'm taking out a loan and buying one when it is released here, insurance costs be damned!

 

If you couldn't tell I'm very opinionated about this. I fell in love with subarus long before the GD impreza came out and they seemed to be getting better and better. First, standard AWD in '96, 2.5RS in '98 (thats kinda what started my obsession), WRX in '02 (pitched a tent when that came out and now Mom has one), STI in '04 (Dad finally got one of those!). But now, with the WRX they fell off the wagon... But again I really like that new STi.

[subaruguru]

AWFUL IT DOSEN EVEN LOOK LIKEA SUBARU YUCK YUCK YUCK :dead: