The Subaru WRX, previously distinguishable from its mental STI brother by a marginally smaller rear wing, is now one of the most understated members of the hot hatch clan. But did the suit change dampen its personality?… We find out in CAR’s January 2009 issue Ultimate Hot Hatch Shootout!
By Bijon de Kock
The WRX’s 2,5-litre turbocharged boxer pushes out 169 kW and 320 N.m of torque and it blasted from zero to 100 km/h in 6,72 seconds and a top speed of 209 km/h in a CAR road test. And unlike its bigger brother, the STI, it still retains the trademark Boxer bellow via a single chromed outlet at the rear.
Inside, you’ll find a number of upgrades from the previous WRX. The front seats are supportive, yet comfortable, the steering wheel incorporates satellite toggles for cruise control and the audio system and there’s an audio line-in in the centre console. Safety features include curtain airbags and front seatbelts with electronically triggered pre-tentioners and belt-force limiters..
The Impreza transformed from a saloon to a hatchback last year, but not everyone liked the new look. However, the lines of the Japanese all-wheel driven machine grow on you… Its colour-coded body kit includes a gaping front bumper with seated fog lamps and a sporty grille. The trademark induction scoop expresses the WRX’s performance potential to the uninformed, and the distinctive tail lights sport a triangular array of LEDs.
There is a general consensus that Subaru has softened up the WRX. The softer suspension is noticeable, and many have expressed that there is plenty of body-roll under hard cornering. When not dawdling into a corner, the body does lean, but only to a certain point, and then there’s grip in abundance.
What the WRX lacks in composure on the limit, it makes up for with more civilised manners- something the CAR team noted when the WRX took on the Focus ST, Megane R26 F1, and Mazda3 MPS in the December 2007 issue “Hatch Attack” comparative test. There is a hint of understeer at high speeds, but just as you get annoyed at the screaming front, cast your eyes down to the speedo’ and note the extreme velocity at which you are negotiating the bend!
But will a civilised demeanour count against the WRX when it goes head-to-head with 17 other hot hatch contenders at Killarney? You can read South African circuit racing stars Hennie Groenewald and Philip Kekana’s track appraisals of WRX in the January 2009 issue of CAR magazine, in which we put 18 of South Africa’s hottest hatches to the test at Killarney.
Listen to hot hatch exhaust notes.
Download wallpapers from the Track Shootout here: Batch 1, Batch 2 and Batch 3, or Batch 4.
Watch two Ultimate Hot Hatch Shootout videos
You can also view the behind-the-scenes or the Franschhoek Pass Shootout galleries.
