2008 Subaru Impreza Wrx: Soft?!

What is the big news about the Subaru ImprezaAuto Show. Since then, its appeal has captivated a
WRX? Well, the car boasts same power with amultitude. And the magnetism's blaze, illuminating as
roomier interior and a lighter body. Also, it still rips to 60Subaru Headlights, evokes what is forthcoming.
mph in a matter of 5.9 seconds. Experts could attestCreated for the 2008 model, the new Impreza is
to the fact that such combination is a rarity.offered as both a four-door sedan and five-door
Today, each new model weighs more than theirhatchback. The dynamic feature of the car is
ancestors. This is because automakers keep addingexpected to pull more customers.
power to compensate. But the Japanese automakerUnfortunately, not some of the aficionados find it hard
has done exactly the opposite. But it is not all roses.to love a "soft" Subaru. "We have had a soft spot in
The new WRX is marginally slower in the quarter-mileour heart for Subarus for many, many years. In the
than the car it replaces, 14.5 seconds at 94.4 mphlate 70's a move to bucolic Bradford, N.H., brought a
compared to the 14.3 seconds at 95.5 mph. The car'sBrat into our driveway. We figured with winter coming
chassis setup, according to those who tested the car,on we needed more than two-wheel drive to make it
is also noticeably softer and there is no shortage ofdown our narrow and winding road to work on a
body roll.winter's morning," said Ron Amadon of MarketWatch.
On paper, it sounds as if the WRX really has not"Over 88,000 miles, we had more fun with that little
changed, but the WRX we loved for its finger-in-the-airtruck than we could have ever imagined at the outset.
attitude is gone, replaced by a WRX with its finger onIt was rock solid reliable, sounded like a tractor, and
the pulse of the mainstream market, said Joshtook us everywhere that we wanted to go. What it
Jacquot, the Senior Road Test Editor at Edmunds, anlacked was much acceleration and some sporty
auto shopper's online guide.handling."
"The 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX has receivedBut there are still lots of reason to love the car. "Enter
shortage of coverage in the past year, but after allthe Impreza WRX STI. The brand's considerable
that hype and all that hearsay, what we really want toexperience with road rallies came into play here with a
know is how this AWD beast performs. The guys atneat 2.5-liter, DOHC intercooled turbo four under the
Inside Line recently took the 2008 Subaru WRX for ahood," he added.
series of track tests, including the slalom and stopping"The sounds the car makes getting up to speed are
distance tests, and in the end, they determined that thejust great and give the Suby its character. And, they
WRX has 'gone soft,'" said Michael Kwan of Mobileare enough to produce images in your brain of racing
Magazine.across vast surfaces of Sweden or Norway in the
At $30,000, the price point is not all that attractivedead of winter. Subaru's 'Symmetrical All Wheel Drive'
either. That said, even though the new WRX five-doorsystem makes sure the right amount of power goes
hatchback may look like a family car, it will certainlyto the proper wheels and eliminates any torque steer. It
outrun any production Corolla or Camry, Kwan added.should also make it easier to get to the office in bad
The Japanese automaker officially unveiled the nextweather," Amadon concluded.
generation Impreza WRX at the 2007 New York