Tuesday 10th February 2015

Subaru WRX STI: PH Fleet

Tyre woes forgotten here's why the NotImpreza is putting such a big grin on Dan's face

---

What matters more to you? The advantages in mechanical layout and weight distribution of a longitudinally mounted boxer engine? The type of differentials putting its power to the road? Or the squidginess of the plastic trim on the dashboard and what the neighbours will think?

Red-top STI boxer loosening up nicely

This seems to be the crux of the surprisingly impassioned debates I've been having with colleagues in the business about the qualities of 'my' Subaru. There is a depressing body of folk ready to totally write the NotImpreza off as a relic of a bygone age, based on the perceived quality gap to a new generation of German rivals. Rivals that, on paper, do exactly what the Japanese rally reps always did. But with soft touch plastics.

It's hard to defend the Subaru against these charges; it's got zero snob value (negative, possibly, given the chavvy overtones of the looks and reputation), you can't argue the advantages of an aftermarket Pioneer infotainment hub over swish German OE ones and it's a brittle and not especially soothing car to live with day in, day out.

What I think it has over the Germans is honesty. For all the ballistic performance of the Golf R, related Audi S3 and the A45 AMG they're all basically transverse engined hatchbacks, based on cooking FWD foundations and enlivened with boosty turbo motors and cleverly calibrated Haldex-derived drivetrains. They're all fast, accomplished and - on paper - able to play the numbers to their advantages for tax and mpg purposes. But there's a level of artifice in the way they achieve it.

Requires a lot of stirring; no hardship

The Subaru might be seemingly outdated. But there's an authenticity about it that feels utterly refreshing. Call me bloody minded but I like the fact it doesn't hand it all to you on a plate and then walk away disinterested. The engine needs revs and boost to pull with any meaningful urge. You need to be busy with the pedals and gears to keep it in the zone. You need to consider how you're going to set the car up for a corner to best exploit the chassis beneath you. And in all this the car gives you the information and equipment you need, be that through the smooth hydraulic steering, brilliantly placed pedals or tightly gated manual shift. The Germans have gentrified the ballistic point and squirt ability the rally reps once called their own. But beyond that there's another level of interaction in the Subaru that just makes it so much fun.

Anyway. Enough flag waving. How's life with the WRX STI now I've got four good tyres, a fully functioning four-wheel drive system and a few more miles under my belt? In the Japanese style the engine is loosening up nicely with a few more miles on it, seemingly spinning up more enthusiastically than before and a little less gruff. It's still not as zingy as the 2.0-litre boxers of older Subarus (or, indeed, current JDM ones) but it's more enthusiastic about being revved out and the turbo's enthusiasm for cold winter air means a more vocal performance too, with more obvious whooshes and gurgles from the induction system. I think the exhaust volume is just about right too; bassy without being intrusive and - again - much more authentic than the awful digitally enhanced soundtracks of Das Golf and its relatives.

Accommodates exercise/childcare regimes too!

On a practical front I was pleased to discover I can fold down half the rear seat to accommodate a road bike (with the front wheel removed) for lunchtime laps around nearby Richmond Park but keep the Isofixed rear kiddie seat in place for the nursery run on the way home.

Somewhat irritatingly I seem to have found myself in other cars on mornings when four-wheel drive and other winter-friendly attributes would have been handy so I've not had further opportunities to exploit the advantages on slippery surfaces. Others in the office have reported it suitably accomplished in the recently icy conditions though. And astonishment at the generous mpg numbers on the trip computer too. All relative but high 20s on a commute in an STI Subaru is pretty good.

Next job is to take it to a track and explore the chassis modes in a little more depth. Which I'll be doing as you read this in fact. It's all very well fiddling with your diff settings on the road but if you're uncertain about whether a bootful is going to scribe an artful four-wheel drift or have you power understeering off the road it can cramp your style somewhat. With some space to explore the options the STI's chassis offers I look forward to reporting back on my discoveries ASAP.

---

FACT SHEET
Car: 2014 Subaru WRX STI
Run by: Dan
On fleet since: December 2014
Mileage: 4,897
List price new: £28,995 (£30,007 as tested including £1,012 for Pioneer touchscreen navigation unit; c. £75 fitting charge applicable but varies according to dealership)
Last month at a glance: Dan's been flying the flag for the Subaru's old-school charm

Previous updates:
New arrival - the NotImpreza has landed!
Rusty nail plays Scrooge over a white Christmas

Additional photos: Anthony Fraser

[MajorMantra]

I have nothing intelligent to say about the car, but a word of warning: if you transport your bike that way you are quite likely to bend your rear mech hanger one of these days - do it driveside up!

(And yes, I realise it may not fit in the boot as easily, but on the other hand a derailleur-in-spokes incident will ruin your day.)

[Cable]

Finally, a journo that sees through the VAG marketing machine.

[CS400]

Cable said:

Finally, a journo that sees through the VAG marketing machine.

You took the words out of my mouth.
It is nice to know there are a few people out there that still prefer a car that is involving to drive, rather than just chasing the bragging rights and figures.
It may not have the same interior build quality as the German manufactures but they are built to be driven and for me that is what matters about a car.

Also, I could get 26-29 mpg on a commute in my Subaru Cosworth, without having to drive like an old grandpa

[StottyEvo]

Initially I had the opinion that the Impreza needs a lot more power to survive. But reading the review I can see why I'd rather own one of these than a Golf R. I'd need to test drive both but if the R feels anything like a Audi S3 then they feel detached. It seems as though this Impreza has an old school feeling to it, feedback, handling and adjustability.

I very much doubt their will be a large market for these cars, but they'll sell enough to keep the enthusiasts happy

[neil1jnr]

Good article, I think you summed it up quite well.

The problem though with most people is image and soft touch plastics are more important to the majority than how good a car is to drive. I only say it is a problem becuase this always now, in my experience, leads to 'my german car is better becuase', and the reasons usually are; interior, build 'quality' and stats. Which is fine, the XYZ german car may be the better car for them, but for me, maybe not. I value how exciting a car is to drive over anything else, but yet I cannot win an argument if I say ABC car is better because' involvement, handling, feeback etc.

Edited by neil1jnr on Tuesday 10th February 13:02

[macky17]

The problem this car has isn't the VAG tat - it's that the mk3 FRS is only months away. I doubt there will be much contest.

[Cable]

neil1jnr said:

Good article, I think you summed it up quite well.

The problem though with most people is image and soft touch plastics are more important to the majority than how good a car is to drive. I only say it is a problem becuase this always now, in my experience, leads to 'my german car is better becuase', and the reasons usually are; interior, build 'quality' and stats. Which is fine, the XYZ german car may be the better car for them, but for me, maybe not. I value how exciting a car is to drive over anything else, but yet I cannot win an argument if I say ABC car is better because' involvement, handling, feeback etc.

Edited by neil1jnr on Tuesday 10th February 13:02

It's perceived 'build quality'. In my experience, with VAG, is that they spend the money on the bits that the average driver can see and touch, build quality elsewhere is usually pretty poor, using cheap components.

And I'll never get past synthetic engine noise... just wrong.

[danjama]

I really enjoyed the article and think these look and sound brilliant.

Perfect for the enthusiast with a family.

[DanielSan]

Good to see the new car has a split rear seat, it's the one thing mine lacks but a solution is always there to be found. Spoiler or no spoiler

[Krikkit]

Cable said:

And I'll never get past synthetic engine noise... just wrong.

That's a massive sticking point for me. Fake engine noise... Oh deary me no.

[CS400]

macky17 said:

The problem this car has isn't the VAG tat - it's that the mk3 FRS is only months away. I doubt there will be much contest.

True although that is really an assumption until it arrives.
Ford may have screwed it up (I hope they haven't and it doesn't sound like it). Competition is a good thing and normally makes cars better and you never know Mitsubishi might realise they are missing something and make a new and better Evo

[DanielSan]

CS400 said:

True although that is really an assumption until it arrives.
Ford may have screwed it up (I hope they haven't and it doesn't sound like it). Competition is a good thing and normally makes cars better and you never know Mitsubishi might realise they are missing something and make a new and better Evo

And there's a good chance the RS will be over 30k... Which puts it 3 grand more expensive than the STI. With Mangoletsi offering warranty friendly remaps on the new STI, the gap might not be as much as people automatically assume.

[Sampaio]

God, I'd have one of these over a Golf or even a Focus so fast...

[Zed Ed]

Is Subaru still a chavvy car; I barely see any older impreza or WRX cars around at all? I suspect some of the German brands might be more deserving of that label these days.

Clearly Subaru UK has been quietly reinventing itself as a country and family brand; to which its Facebook posting aversion to anything performance related bears testament. But for all the reasons stated in this article they should be proud of their honest STI.

Tempted myself and I do like white.

[Cotic]

So - for a driver's car - this or the similarly priced BRZ?

[kambites]

Certainly an interesting car and appealing in many ways.

One of very few that I simply couldn't live with the sound of though - four-pot boxers with unequal length headers are the automotive equivalent of someone scraping their fingernails down a blackboard for me.

[Chris Stott]

Like the sound of the way it drives, but my God, you'd need 2 bags over your head to get behind the wheel and would need to park it several streets away from your house.

[MustardCutter]

Chris Stott said:

Like the sound of the way it drives, but my God, you'd need 2 bags over your head to get behind the wheel and would need to park it several streets away from your house.

Only if you care about the irrelevant opinions of other people. If you like it, screw what others think, it's your car and money.
Or maybe this post was intended as a parody of a typical brand/image snob...?

[DanielSan]

Chris Stott said:

Like the sound of the way it drives, but my God, you'd need 2 bags over your head to get behind the wheel and would need to park it several streets away from your house.

I believe the VAG group offer all you'll ever need.

[danjama]

Chris Stott said:

Like the sound of the way it drives, but my God, you'd need 2 bags over your head to get behind the wheel and would need to park it several streets away from your house.

Post a picture of something you would prefer in the same class?