WRX
Driven: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
In the gorgeous heights of Aspen, Colorado, we listened as the Subaru folks dished the details on the 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX and WRX STI. Our introduction to the updated WRX and STI covered a lot of the improvements to the vehicles, both dynamic and aesthetic, many of which will not seem unfamiliar to you if you’ve been following headlines and auto show coverage.
Video: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Versus The Nürburgring
Right in time for your lunch break, we now present a Subaru Impreza WRX STI (sedan!!) tearing around the Nürburgring at the hands of four-time World Rally Champion Tommi Mäkinen. You can thank us later.
First Look: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Sedan
This is no April Fools joke, Subaru has taken the wraps off of the 2011 Impreza WRX STI. The flagship Scooby returns to its classic sedan form, complete with the monster rear wing.
First Look: 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Wide-Body
When it bowed in 2008, the level of praise for the new Subaru Impreza WRX was hardly what the automaker had hoped for. The WRX was almost universally panned for its bland looks and soft suspension. Subaru remedied this with the 2009 model WRX. It featured a bump in power along with a more aggressive suspension setup, fixing two of the primary complaints about the 2008 WRX. Now with some help from big brother STi, the WRX has finally got some new(ish) clothes to go with the extra muscle.
Raced: Subaru AWD Put To The Test, Rally-Style
Subaru invited us out to Utah for an in-depth, hands-on session with two of the company’s all-wheel-drive systems. Not being the kind to turn down the chance to drive the Impreza WRX and Impreza WRX STi on a de facto rally stage, we politely accepted.
Keepers: Subaru WRX—Community
Subaru enthusiasts share a broad enjoyment of just about everything Subaru, with various meets and events happening on almost a daily basis. Given the go-anywhere, all-wheel drive nature of the Subie lineup, back-woods barbeques and off-road events go hand-in-hand with traditional pavement-bound activities—year round.
Keepers: Subaru WRX—Shopping
Turbocharged power funneled through an all-wheel drive platform is often a recipe for a reliability nightmare, but in keeping with its rugged rally-bred existence, the 2002-03 WRX is quite the stout performance machine that takes spirited driving in stride. In fact, the issues most prevalent to would-be WRX owners are actually previous WRX owners, or more accurately, previous owner abuse. General used car shopping guidelines are definitely in effect here, but given the WRX’s youthful and often exuberant audience, extra attention to detail could save you from purchasing someone else’s thrashed-out ragdoll.
Driven: 2009 Subaru WRX SPT
While this generation of WRX may have officially debuted as a 2008 model, it’s the 2009 car that we’ve really spent most of our focus on. Subaru gave its WRX sedan and hatchback a big cosmetic refresh for 2008, but it wasn’t until the following year that Subaru heavily updated this car. For 2009, the WRX received an all-new, 265-horsepower version of the Boxer four, as well as some upgraded suspension parts similar to those on the STI. And while we’ve discussed both our vast praise and minimal displeasure for this car many times since then, we eagerly accepted an offer by Subaru to test a WRX that had been outfitted with SPT (Subaru Performance Tuning) parts. We figured, hey, the hot little Subie is already a pretty good car to drive, so with a few simple modifications, this thing will be fantastic, right?
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