The all-new WRX is bigger and roomier—and lighter. (There’s a new base Impreza, too.)BY ERIK JOHNSON, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JARED HOLSTEIN
Six years ago, when we first looked deep into its big, round bug eyes, we fell hard for the WRX, the ’roided-up version of the basic-transportation Subaru Impreza. Yes, we were smitten, and we emoted to the tune of two consecutive 10Best awards. But something’s gone sour. The WRX hasn’t aged well, particularly on the inside, and these days there’s a bunch of younger, hotter models we’d rather make a mixtape for, like the VW GTI and the Mazdaspeed 3. But the WRX has been calling us again—it’ll be different this time, I swear, it says—in hopes of rekindling the flame with an all-new 2008 version.
Holy bejeebus—what happened to its face?
The ’08 WRX will again be offered in two body styles, a sedan and a five-door. The five-door looks more like a traditional hatchback this time around, so fans of the old wagon might be disappointed. Disappointment only begins to describe our reaction to the new car’s looks, however: If the WRX was hoping to win us back with its exterior make-over, it can forget it. The styling can at best be called a derivative of a copy—check out the Sebring-meets-Saab-meets-smiling-samurai front end—and at worst a total disaster. The new sedan in particular is disappointing, with a rear end that looks like it’s in heat and a high beltline that screams cheap-ass econocar. Here’s hoping the new styling grows on us as quickly as the 2006 model’s Tribeca-inspired nose job did.Getting bigger but losing weight
New sheetmetal means new dimensions, and the wheelbase has stretched by 3.7 inches, the roof is now 1.4 inches further from the ground, and overall length—for the sedan, at least—is up by 4.5 inches. (The new hatchback is two inches shorter than the wagon, however.) Almost all of the extra space will go toward making the interior roomier, which is fantastic; driving the old car was like squeezing into a sardine tin. Besides more space, the WRX cabin gains better materials and aesthetics, too, with matte finishes replacing hard, glossy plastics. There will also be available navigation.
The best chance for a happy reconciliation between us and the WRX, however, is the news that the latest version will weigh 50 pounds less than the outgoing car in spite of the increase in size. (There is one caveat, though: narrower tires could negate any handling gains from the lost pounds, as the ’08s will ride on 205/50 rubber versus last year’s 215/45.) Power will come from a mildly updated version of the familiar 2.5-liter turbo flat-four, which gains a new turbocharger and intake. Output still tops out at 224 horsepower and 226 lb-ft of torque, but you’ll now reach those figures at 5200 rpm and 2800 rpm, respectively, compared with 5600 rpm and 3600 rpm last year. The turbo four hooks up, as before, to either a five-speed manual or an optional four-speed automatic. Subaru has swapped to a more compact control-arm rear suspension in place of the previous struts, and larger front brakes from the Legacy GT go on duty in 2008. The base price is expected to stay the same—around $25,000—when the WRX hits streets this September. There’s no information yet about a pulse-pounding STI version, but we bet it’ll be unleashed early next year.
New base Impreza, to boot
The basis for the WRX, the regular Impreza, is also all-new, and will be offered as both a sedan and hatchback as well. Its naturally aspirated flat-four now puts out three less horsepower, for a total of 170, but torque has nudged incrementally higher from 166 to 170 lb-ft. The transmission choices are identical to those in the WRX, and the suspension is similarly revised.
