Ever since its debut in 1992, the Subaru Impreza WRX (nicknamed 'Rex' by followers) has been a cult favourite with boy and, increasingly, girl racers as well as enthusiasts that share the same passion.
Last November, Subaru debuted the all new WRX at the Los Angeles Auto Show, featuring a more mature appearance and vibe.
In addition to losing the Impreza name so as to signify a higher performance bloodline, the WRX has also ditched its hatchback body style.
Up close and Personal
Compared with the WRX STI, the WRX is less flashy. Keeping things on a lower profile, the car you see here is subtler than its sibling in terms of its outfit.
The new nose of the WRX incorporates the hexagonal Subaru grille (STI gets an additional badge) with a gaping under-bumper air intake. Surrounded by stylish LED headlights and a noticeably lower bonnet scoop, there is an aggressive overall look and a raring-to-go attitude.
Round the back, the WRX only gets a minor lip spoiler instead of the huge wing as seen on the STI. But the quadruple tailpipes together with the rear diffuser are nods to the WRX's performance car attributes.
Last November, Subaru debuted the all new WRX at the Los Angeles Auto Show, featuring a more mature appearance and vibe.
In addition to losing the Impreza name so as to signify a higher performance bloodline, the WRX has also ditched its hatchback body style.
Up close and Personal
Compared with the WRX STI, the WRX is less flashy. Keeping things on a lower profile, the car you see here is subtler than its sibling in terms of its outfit.
The new nose of the WRX incorporates the hexagonal Subaru grille (STI gets an additional badge) with a gaping under-bumper air intake. Surrounded by stylish LED headlights and a noticeably lower bonnet scoop, there is an aggressive overall look and a raring-to-go attitude.
Round the back, the WRX only gets a minor lip spoiler instead of the huge wing as seen on the STI. But the quadruple tailpipes together with the rear diffuser are nods to the WRX's performance car attributes.
The new WRX's interior is vastly improved over previous models. It may not be the best in its class but is still comfortable, nicely laid out and classy.
Soft-touch material is found throughout the cabin and the well-bolstered leather seats offer good support for sporty driving.
With the windscreen and A-pillars moved forward, and a low-set dash with clear dials under a hooded binnacle, the inside of the new WRX feels considerably bigger than its predecessor and offers better visibility for the driver.
As such, there's good legroom in the back and there's no trouble getting all the grocery bags or luggage in the decent 460-litre boot.
Soft-touch material is found throughout the cabin and the well-bolstered leather seats offer good support for sporty driving.
With the windscreen and A-pillars moved forward, and a low-set dash with clear dials under a hooded binnacle, the inside of the new WRX feels considerably bigger than its predecessor and offers better visibility for the driver.
As such, there's good legroom in the back and there's no trouble getting all the grocery bags or luggage in the decent 460-litre boot.
The Drive
Under the hood of the WRX lies a new 2.0-litre Boxer engine that is closely related to the ones in the BRZ and the Forester. Brutal power is delivered through a smooth Sport Lineartronic CVT gearbox, which mimics the effects of a six or eight-speed transmission and can be 'shifted' via paddle shifters.
Working with the CVT is Subaru's Intelligent Drive (SI-Drive) system that allows the driver to choose between Intelligent (I), Sport (S) and Sport Sharp (Sport #) modes. As the name suggests, the latter remaps the throttle for even sharper response and the transmission to operate like an eight-speed gearbox.
This wonderful combination is engaging and exhilarating at the same time, although we wished there was a manual transmission (available on indent basis) and that the soundtrack was more exuberant.
The communicative and fluid steering with a good amount of weight is also one of the factors that will coax you into adding more speed on the corners.
Under the hood of the WRX lies a new 2.0-litre Boxer engine that is closely related to the ones in the BRZ and the Forester. Brutal power is delivered through a smooth Sport Lineartronic CVT gearbox, which mimics the effects of a six or eight-speed transmission and can be 'shifted' via paddle shifters.
Working with the CVT is Subaru's Intelligent Drive (SI-Drive) system that allows the driver to choose between Intelligent (I), Sport (S) and Sport Sharp (Sport #) modes. As the name suggests, the latter remaps the throttle for even sharper response and the transmission to operate like an eight-speed gearbox.
This wonderful combination is engaging and exhilarating at the same time, although we wished there was a manual transmission (available on indent basis) and that the soundtrack was more exuberant.
The communicative and fluid steering with a good amount of weight is also one of the factors that will coax you into adding more speed on the corners.
The car stays flat and razor sharp and holds its composure astonishingly well, thanks to Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive being on board to keep its momentum in check.
Also helping to keep things tidy is the WRX's tight suspension, which results in an undoubtedly firm ride but it doesn't err on the side of being jarring.
Conclusion
Subaru has done what it needed to do with its new WRX. The car retains most of the recipe that made it an instant classic over two decades ago, but the WRX is now faster, safer and better packaged than ever before, making it a credible choice again.
But for those of you who want it hardcore, there is the choice of the WRX STI at a $20k premium.
Also helping to keep things tidy is the WRX's tight suspension, which results in an undoubtedly firm ride but it doesn't err on the side of being jarring.
Conclusion
Subaru has done what it needed to do with its new WRX. The car retains most of the recipe that made it an instant classic over two decades ago, but the WRX is now faster, safer and better packaged than ever before, making it a credible choice again.
But for those of you who want it hardcore, there is the choice of the WRX STI at a $20k premium.
