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Claudia Hommel
Cabaret Singer
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Cordell Koland
Car Writer
Weekly Reviews
 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX by Cordell Koland A few months ago, I had the opportunity to drive a couple dozen automobiles on one of American's most demanding racetracks. I drove a number of the usual suspects vehicles with strong sporting credentials such as Acura, Audi, BMW, Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz. But one surprise emerged. I came away from the event with a high regard for the Subaru Impreza WRX, despite the fact it was not the fastest or the most powerful. Although the small Subaru was only a fraction of the price of most of the other cars I tested, its handling was noteworthy. The WRX's relatively small size and weight coupled with all-wheel drive and a spunky engine, delivered surprising performance. The car was easily controlled and immediately responded to my course correction. It could be easily set up for a demanding curve and followed my line precisely. For the performance addict, the WRX is a major league value. The Impreza WRX and its even sexier sibling, the WRX STI, have emerged as one of the hottest performance-car platforms on the consumer market. No wonder Subaru¹s Impreza line continues its sales growth in the US, up more than 20 percent for the calendar year. The WRX engine puts out a relatively modest 230 horsepower, but in a car that weights only a modest 3,200 lbs, it accelerates briskly. Other performance features include aluminum front suspension links, a fast steering ratio, 17-inch alloy wheels with wide tires and beefy brakes. The only mechanical change I'd make would be the addition of a standard six-speed manual transmission, which has become widespread among all performance cars. It's great that the WRX has such snazzy mechanical components, because in terms of exterior design, it is pretty forgettable. As for the interior, it suggests that the WRX is in the economy class‹plain and simple. The audio system is also below par by contemporary standards and I found the FM radio component to be subject to electronic interference. The sport seats, however, do deliver a lot of support, which is important in a car that will be whipped around demanding roads. The WRX also lacks the overall refinement that one generally finds in Japanese compacts. The car is relatively noisy. You get a triple dose of engine, wind and road noise. I found that the general din made it difficult to listen to the radio at fast cruising speeds. The WRX remains, however, a heck of a performer, particularly considering its modest price tag. It certainly can hold its own in the compact performance class against formidable rivals such as Honda and Volkswagen. And the WRX delivers the advantage of a first-class all-wheel-drive system. To really test its mettle, the WRX demanded our ultimate tryout, a romp on some of my secret mountain roads, a hugely difference experience from the glass-smooth racetrack. While the WRX has an impressive list of specifications, this is one car that performs better than its numbers. Our real-world course features narrow roads where pavement seems to be an afterthought pretty much neglected over the years of county budget cuts. My local country roads present the ultimate challenge for steering and suspension. The imperfect condition of the road may pitch the vehicle to the right at exactly the same time that you are supposed to make a sharp left turn. This demands both a degree of suspension compliance as well as control. If the suspension is too stiff, you may have difficulty recovering soon enough to essentially make a mid-air correction. The steering is tight and provides excellent feedback. The car seems well balanced and I never experienced much oversteer, even in the middle of a curve where it was possible to detect that the wheels were slipping. As executive transport, the Subaru WRX may not be a first choice. But as a second or third vehicle, one that would be equally at home on a ski trip or on secondary country roads‹it provides an interesting and economical alternative. Vehicle: Subaru Impreza WRX Price as tested: $24,620 Engine: Type: Turbocharged 2.5-liter opposed 4-cylinder Horsepower: 230 @ 5,600 rpm Torque: 235-ft. lbs. @ 3,600 rpm Fuel economy, manual transmission City - 20 mpg Highway - 27 mpg Curb Weight: 3,192 Cordell Koland is an automotive journalist based in California's central coast. He can be reached at cordellkoland@oakparkjournal.com |
