2006 Subaru Impreza WRX

Interesting enough, Subaru has changed the STi that we've come to know, to STI (capital "I"), so don't think it a misprint. If you were to walk up to this new Subaru from the rear, it's not apparent that much has changed. The taillights get slightly re-lensed, and the badges are in different spots, but the back profile you've come to know remains essentially unaltered.

STI

If you're on the leading end of this WRX, you'll notice that the new Subaru design theory introduced to us on the B9 Tribeca has been employed here, too. The folks from HQ explain it as a retro aircraft wing-and-fuselage design—the "spread wing grille"—but why would Subaru/Fuji Heavy Industries hope to remind Americans of all the Zeros they made? For better or worse, many automotive designers are thinking retro nowadays, so if Subaru wants to spike up the heritage-o-meter a little, we'll let it slide. The newly assertive chin spoiler and winglet corners do look good, if you can swallow the grille. The hood and headlights line up in a somewhat Legacy-like manner, and it's attractive enough that you might forget the new WRX's confused kisser.


Public opinion of the new WRX is split. Technical types love it. It's got the big STI motor with all the trimmings sans the bigger boost, it comes with bigger brakes (four-pot in front, 11.4 inches) behind attractive new 17-inch wheels (which house a larger bolt pattern and better hub bearings, first introduced on the 2005 STi), faster steering gear and a number of other small-scale improvements that will undoubtedly make this an even better rocket. On the downside, the same techies will lament that Bridgestone's RE92 Potenza is still the OEM tire, and indict the TR's low-end seats, and, of course, the front-end. One comment summed it up: "It looks like Subaru had two front ends designs and tried to use 'em both." Hmm.


We've never found much to complain about when driving the WRX: a few staffers even own them. The bargain price for a basic Impreza WRX is still available south of $25G, while the stupid-fast WRX STI rings the bell at about $32,000. It's an advanced, highly rated (for safety too), sure-footed, well-optioned and exceptionally fast small car that you can enjoy every day. Try one on. (www.subaru.com)