2008 Subaru WRX

By Chris Jackson, www.car-data.com

I can’t help but feel for Subaru; the purveyor of entertaining all- wheel drive vehicles seemsto be forever locked in combat and disagreement with its sharpest critics–its own biggest fans.When the WRX got its first facelift in 2004, the Subaru loyalists hated it. When the design wasrevised again in 2006, they hated it even more. Subaru’s Forester and Tribeca have gone throughsimilar styling woes. Now, for 2008, the WRX is all-new, along with the Impreza lineup, and it’sgot a completely new look And guess what?

The Subaru faithful seem to hate it.

As with past revisions of the WRX, it’s a fair bet that the Subie people will come around soonenough. After all, the things that are good about the WRX haven’t changed; it still offersenthusiastic turbocharged performance and road-hugging all-wheel drive. There may even be a fewSubiephiles who (like me) actually prefer the WRX’ new, more grown-up look.

The new design is appealing, with a more finished look than the previous WRX whose hood scoopsand body kit had a tacked-on look. The redesigned car still has some aggression in its face, butthe more streamlined look makes the formerly obvious into the subtle. Grille and headlamps meldinto a single curved arc across the front of the car, and the front bumper and hood carry thedipped chin’s line back into the car’s body–which is larger, with a wheelbase stretched almostfour inches. It blends better with the subcompact herd, which will annoy the folks who liked thebrashness of the previous car. The ’08 WRX borrows the curves of the Tribeca, a fact especiallyobvious in the new five-door model. No, Subaru doesn’t call it a “wagon” any more, though it’sessentially the same thing.

During the week, our tester was mistaken for a BMW, a Ford Focus, a Honda and a Chrysler, somaybe Subaru’s new look will take some getting used to.

The interior is a delight. The instrument panel has a graceful dip in the center that flowsdown into the console. It’s not quite a twin-cockpit layout, but it is one of the classiestinteriors to be found on a car this size. The cloth seats are supportive enough for all-day drives. Orange-lit gauges and body-hugging seats are reminders that the WRX is a performance car.There’s room for four. The five-door’s stubby cargo area would benefit from cargo hooks, butthere’s nonetheless 44.4 cubic feet of space back there with the seats folded. Sharp eyes willnotice that Subaru’s trademark frameless windows are no longer; like the new Outback, the new WRXuses conventional framed doors. My only complaint? I found the GPS display and information centerto be somewhat confusing to use.

There are enough 250-horse compacts running around these days that the WRX’ 224 horsepowerdoesn’t have the “ohmigaw” impact that it used to. Still, a quick little car is a quick little car, and the WRX is undeniably that.

Although the horsepower rating has dropped slightly from last year’s 230 figure, there’s stillplenty to like about the performance. The 2.5 liter turbocharged boxer four- cylinder delivershealthy torque throughout the engine range, and when the turbo starts spinning the WRX moves likethe proverbial scalded cat. The seat of the pants meter says that the new WRX is just as quick asthe old one, and the peaky turbocharger’s performance is easy to harness. If you’re looking for amaximum- performance stormer you’re going to go for the STi version anyway– the WRX is acomfortable and flexible daily driver with exceptionally entertaining athletic ability.

Speaking of the STi, it’s got over 300 horsepower wrapped in a lightweight aluminum body, andit’ll be available later this year. As for the WRX, a five-speed manual transmission is standardequipment, with a four-speed automatic on the options list.

Thanks to Subaru’s nearly flawless all-wheel drive , driving on any surface is a breeze. Therally-bred WRX takes to slippery pavement and dirt roads like a fish to water. It’s not so bad onpavement either. The rear suspension has been upgraded to double wishbones for more precise rideand handling, and the longer wheelbase takes some of the chop out of freeway travel. VehicleDynamics Control is standard equipment, so when you call upon the four-wheel disc brakes to bringthings to a halt, it’s executed without drama even on uncertain surfaces.

So this boy-racer’s grown up somewhat. Not everybody’s happy with that, of course–it’s notunlike seeing your favorite party animal settling down to a nine-to-five job–but have no fear, theSubaru WRX still knows how to have fun. The new WRX is a well-executed package, and in time it’s afair bet that even the Subaru faithful who are upset over the new design will come to agree. WRXpricing starts at just over $24,000. Our well-equipped WRX featured satellite radio and anavigation system, and stickered for $29,758.

Specifications:

All specs are for the 2008 Subaru WRX.

Length: 173.8 in.

Width: 68.5 in.

Height: 58.1 in.

Wheelbase: 103.1 in.

Curb weight: 3142 lb.

Cargo space: 44.4 cu.ft. (all seats folded)

Base price: $24,350 Price as tested: $29,758

Engine: 2.5 liter DOHC boxer four-cylinder

Drivetrain: five-speed manual, all-wheel drive

Horsepower: 224 @ 5200

Torque: 226 @ 2800

Fuel capacity: 16.9 gal.

Est. mileage: 19/24