NEW IMPREZA IS NOW A FIVE-DOOR HATCHBACK.
16 April 2008 - Subaru (UK) Ltd

It is still a phenomenal performer and costs £1,500 less than the old model.

The launch of the all new third generation Subaru Impreza and in particular the WRX STI Type UK didn’t initially meet with approval from the stalwarts and petrolheads who religiously support, via their many clubs and websites, the Scooby heritage.

When the new Impreza range was announced last year the fact that the car had gone from a four-door saloon to being a five-door hatchback didn’t meet with approval from the hardcore UK followers. Then when the first pictures appeared of the top of the range WRX STI, the basis for their new World Rally Championship car, the loyal followers of Scooby fashion were even more hostile to the new Impreza’s design.

However the Impreza is a world car and so the design had to meet the requirements of retail customers around the globe to increase sales potential. Just as important for Subaru the new Impreza had to meet the requirements for it to become a leading force again in World Rallying and that dictates size and form. Like the Lancer Evolution the Impreza saloon had become too big and too heavy to compete against the smaller, more compact and lighter Ford Focus and Citroen C4 WRC cars. Unfortunately for Mitsubishi the new generation Lancer Evolution X is even larger and heavier than their outgoing Evo IX so its motorsport days look numbered.

Like it or not the new Impreza is now a five-door hatchback. But the good news is that the WRX STI Type UK for this country costs around £1,500 less than the old Impreza WRX STI saloon model and there is more power and torque as well. The newcomer weighed in originally this year at a realistic £24,995 but that has now increased to £25,090 due to the new VED costs announced in the Budget. International Motors UK expects to sell 3,400 Imprezas in the UK this year of which 1,200 will be WRX STI Type UK models.

Subaru have now completed the first phase roll-out of the new all-wheel drive Impreza range with prices starting at £12,990 right through to the 2.5-litre WRX STI Type UK at £25,090.

The Impreza range will receive Subaru’s new ‘Boxer’ flat-four diesel engine option at the end of this year.

Views
Like the design of the new all-wheel drive five-door hatchback over the previous four-door saloon or not, the new Subaru Impreza in its WRX STI Type UK guise is still a phenomenal performer and look on the bright side it cost £1,500 less than the old model now being priced at £25,090 on-the-road. UK sales started in March this year.

To meet the demands of sales in world markets and suitable construction packaging for motor sport, meant the old cumbersome Impreza four-door saloon body had to be dumped in favour of a more practical hatchback shape.

The WRX STI shares the same core body as the run-of-the-mill 1.5 and 2.0-litre Impreza models but there are significant changes. At 1,795mm wide the STI is 55mm wider than the mainstream models thanks to heavily blistered wheelarches which house the wider front and rear tracks, 45 and 40mm respectively. Incidentally the wheelbase of the new Impreza is 55mm longer than the old saloon models but in fact the car is shorter at 4,415mm. The result is a compact looking muscular car with a ground hugging appearance and the bonnet with its elongated air intake power bulge is distinctively Subaru.

But there are more bodywork changes and these include a mesh grille, deep front bumper with air vents to feed the intercooler and there are more vertical air vents in the wide wheelarches. Side skirts link the front and rear blistered wheelarches. Not being a saloon with a boot means the previous huge tea-tray rear spoiler of the old Impreza WRX STI has been replaced by a less obvious roof spoiler. Integrated in the large wraparound rear bumper is a diffuser which reduces high speed lift. Four exhaust tailpipes positioned in pairs give the new WRX STI a purposeful appearance but they also act to reduce exhaust air-flow resistance by 38 per cent so increasing power but reducing noise.

Apart from the change in styling and the adoption of a five-door hatchback body, the next most noticeable difference between the new WRX STI and the old is the lack of the traditional exhaust ‘burble’ and the ‘flat-four’ engine beat. Yes it still is the same design of engine but the lack of the exhaust note and the more refined engine tone will not be appreciated by Scooby enthusiasts.

For the purists Subaru’s signature ‘WR Blue’ with gold-coloured wheels is retained but other body colours and wheel types are available for those less adventurous or low profile owners.

Despite the price reduction over the outgoing model the standard equipment is still impressive and includes the multi-mode Driver Control Centre Differential, Vehicle Dynamics Control system, antilock braking, cruise control, front, side and curtain airbags, 17-inch alloy wheels, climate control air conditioning, part leather sports seats and a rather dated stereo radio and CD system. Generally the interior looks acceptable but bland for a car of this reputation and the quality is not the finest on the market, perhaps because of its cheaper price.

But enough of the icing on the cake, what do we get under the skin? Well the suspension is all-new, it’s lighter and offers just as much control, but it does not give a harsh or rigid ride. It is more compliant and more comfortable but no agility, cornering ability or grip is seemingly lost. The revised flat-four ‘boxer’ engine is positioned 22mm lower in the car giving a better centre of gravity. Braking is improved with Brembo four-pot callipers at the front and two-pot at the rear operating on ventilated discs.

The 2.5-litre, four-cylinder horizontally opposed ‘boxer’ engine benefits from revisions which include a more efficient water-spray intercooler for more power. Bear in mind WRX STI Type UK models, the official cars for Europe, have the 2.5-litre engine, Japanese domestic models have a high revving 2.0-litre unit so beware of buying an unofficial import.

Variable valve timing is claimed to produce stronger low to mid-speed torque. Power is now 300PS at 6,00rpm with 300lb ft of torque at 4,000rpm, increases of 19PS and 11lb ft respectively. Top speed is 155mph with 0-60mpg taking just 4.8 seconds. The official average fuel economy is 27.4mpg but on a long motorway journey with the new high sixth gear ratio my test car returned 29.1mpg. However for normal motoring over A and B roads this was 25.6mpg and for some faster cut-and-thrust driving the figure reduced to 22.4mpg. CO2 emissions of course are relatively high at 243g/km, so I’m afraid it’s a maximum Band G for road tax at £400 this year. Then it will be Band L for 2009 onwards with costs going up to £415, then £430 for 2010/11.

The full-time all-wheel-drive system has the normal Subaru gadget where the driver can control the amount of centre differential power distribution with manual or automatic models. Left in its auto setting was best I found. The driver can also adjust the throttle response settings to make it sharper or softer but again auto was best, unless the car is being used for competition driving. The good thing is that drivers at least have the option to tune the car to their own requirements but generally the handling and grip is so good very little input is required.

Where this WRX STI scores over the old model is that it is more sociable and compliant to drive day in and day out. It is less frantic, it can easily cope with congested traffic conditions and thankfully the clutch is much lighter to use and the gearchange more precise and slick. When needs-be, pushed hard, the car responds brilliantly and it is very fast, especially useful for overtaking slow traffic in the minimum of time and road distance.

Ride comfort is impressive. It is not too harsh as with so many go-faster models yet it is not too soft to reduce the car’s handling qualities. Cornering grip is phenomenal and being a more compact car than the old Scooby the vehicle feels more under control when being driven really hard. The steering is precise but the feedback is limited but it can be lived with.

It may look different and it may handle differently but under the skin the new WRX STI is very much true to type and in time it should attract a new generation of customers to the Subaru brand.

MILESTONES. Subaru Impreza 2.5 WRX STI Type UK. Price: £25,090. Engine/transmission: 2.5-litre, horizontally-opposed four-cylinder, petrol with turbocharger and water-spray intercooler, 300PS (296bhp), 300lb (407NM) of torque, full-time symmetrical all-wheel drive, driver controlled centre-differential, limited slip front and rear differentials, 6-speed manual gearbox. Performance: 155mph, 0-60mph 4.8 seconds, 27.4mpg (22.4 to 29.1mpg on test), CO2 243g/km, VED Band G £400. Insurance group: 19.
For: Performance, massive amounts of grip, controlled handling qualities, roomy enough with reasonable boot space, good price. Against: The understated styling for some people, bland interior, not the highest quality cabin, no Scooby exhaust ‘burble’

Miles Better News Agency

http://www.subaru.co.uk

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