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REVIEWS:2008 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Sedan

admin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:21:03 +0000

By Joe DeMatio, David Yochum, Amy Skogstrom, Rusty Blackwell
The all-beige interior of this economy sedan has all the aesthetic appeal of a hospital room. Jeez, Subaru, couldn’t you figure out SOMETHING in here that could be colored or finished in such a way as to give the eye a break from the endless monotony of beige plastic?

Well, at least everything is uniformly beige; every piece of plastic is exactly the same shade, and the pieces all fit together well. I suppose those are achievements.
With the Impreza’s recent redesign, Subaru hoped to take it into the mainstream, where it perhaps could compete effectively with the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic. Unfortunately, in heading into the mainstream, Subaru forgot to inject this base-model Impreza with any of the uniqueness that traditionally has set Subarus apart from Hondas and Toyotas. The only compelling reason I can see to consider this car over Civic and Corolla is the all-wheel drive, which is indeed a big bonus in a car that stickers for only $17,737.
Other than that, the Impreza is uninspiring to drive, with a soggy chassis, a four-cylinder boxer engine that does little to raise your

2009 Subaru Impreza, More Go, Same Dough

admin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:34:50 +0000

Now this is the kind of news I like to hear. I like it when a car company actually gives me more in the new model (especially more power), and I really like it when they see fit to not charge me an arm and a leg for it.

The upcoming 2009 Subaru WRX will get a 41-horsepower increase to 265hp at 6,000rpm and 244lb-ft at 4,000rpm thanks to fitting a larger turbocharger, bigger exhaust and low-density catalytic converter. The newly minted Impreza 2.5GT gets the old 2008 WRX 2.5-liter flat-four, rated at the same 224hp at 5,200rpm and 226lb-ft at 3,200rpm. The new WRX only comes with a five-speed manual, while the 2.5GT gets a 4-speed auto box.

The new WRX also gets suspension upgrades as well. Lower-profile summer performance tires, at 225/40-17 versus the outgoing model and 2.5GT’s 205/50-17 all-seasons. Sube has uprated the steering box to help deal with the new, larger tires and also added 43 percent stiffer springs up front and 42 percent stiffer in the rear along with 1mm larger stabilizer bars front and rear.

In spite of all the new goodies the 2009 WRX will be priced under $25,000, according to Edmunds. Last years went for $24,995 including a $645 delivery charge.

2009 Subaru WRX - more power and priced under $25,000

admin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:16:22 +0000

Subaru has announced that the 2009 Impreza WRX will go on sale at a price under $25,000; meaning that the price will remain relatively unchanged considering the 2008 model is priced at $24,995.

The 2009 WRX features a new STI-type grille that carries the WRX badge. Both models -sedan and five-doors- get a sharpened new look from the standard Aero Package, which was formerly part of the optional WRX Premium Package. Both body styles also feature front and rear under-bumper spoilers and aerodynamic side ground effects. The sedan has a low-profile rear trunk spoiler, while the 5-Door adopts the WRX STI rear spoiler and a rear diffuser. The rear garnish panel between the light clusters is body color on the 5-Door and chrome on the sedan.

One of the most important updates to the WRX is a new, more powerful engine. One of the biggest criticisms of the new WRX when it debuted last year was that it had the same engine as the previous model. The new engine now produces 265 hp at 6,000 rpm and 244 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 4,000 rpm – significant increases from the 224 horsepower and 226 lb.-ft. in the 2008 version.

2008 - Subaru Impreza and 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:23:06 +0000

Impreza : If you’ll forgive me for invoking a hallowed piece of genre-defining cinema, there’s a moment in The Brady Bunch Movie that always tends to stick in my head. Jan Brady, the middle of three sisters, has grown mildly psychotic, and she’s begun talking to herself. Her sister, Marcia, always seems to have the upper hand:

Jan (to herself): “She has every right to be mad; they are her socks. But why does Marcia get all the socks? Why does Marcia get all the trophies? Why does Marcia get all the good drawers?”

Jan (out loud): “Yeah, why does Marcia get everything? Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!”

The poor kid then proceeds to go more than a little nuts. (The next Jan line that the Internet Movie Database shows in its list of Brady quotes is, “Watch my head spin! Kill! Kill! KILL!”) For the most part, this is easy to understand. Older, prettier, luckier Marcia gets all the credit, gets all the guys, and generally lives the life of a privileged hottie. Jan, on the other hand, mostly wears glasses, walks into walls, and gets treated like a retarded elephant.

This, in turn, brings me to the Mitsubishi Lancer and the Subaru Impreza. Yep, you read that right: I said Lancer and Impreza with nary a hint of the words “Evolution” or “STI”. These are the forgotten sisters, the base-model Jan Bradys of the hot-turbo-rally-clone world. They don’t have turbochargers, fancy big-bolstered seats, or massive multi-piston brakes. They have no rally pedigree. These cars are almost perpetually ignored by the media and the public at large, cursed as they are with low horsepower numbers and a lack of drama. They do not, to coin a phrase, get all the good drawers.

Test drive: 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, car news and reviews.

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:02:05 +0000

It took a while, but I finally got my hands on the new-for-2008 version of Subaru’s hottest hot-rod, the Impreza WRX STI. Our short-review template does not allow for subtitles, but if it did, the one for this review probably would have been “You Tried To Kill Me, But I Still Love You”.