Posts tagged sport compact

2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS

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1068 days
by in Archived, Road tests, Two Doors

If your initial reaction to the scoops, spoilers, wings, and flares of the 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS is anything other than, “Wow, it looks like a rally car!” then it’s not likely to be the car for you.  If the letters WRX don’t have any car-related meaning in your vocabulary, and if Colin McRae is an unfamiliar name, then the 2.5 RS isn’t going to make a great deal of sense.  You have to love the sporty Subaru for what it represents as well as for what it is.

The vents and spoilers look like the body kits currently in vogue with the sporty-import drag racer crowd, but this Subie is no drag racer.  Those body add-ons are derived from those on the Subaru Impreza WRX.  In America, Subaru’s success in the mostly European sport of rallying is known only to diehard Subaru fans and to the small but dedicated cadre of US rally fans.  Basically designed to race all-out on any surface–paved, gravel, sand–rally cars represent the toughest, fastest cars that manufacturers can come up with.  Subaru Imprezas won the World Rally Championship in 1995, 1996, and 1997.  Roadgoing versions of rally cars are popular in Japan and Europe, and the legendary Subaru Impreza WRX is one of these.  To the chagrin of performance and rally fans, Subaru decided that the 300-hp WRX is too hot for American roads and, starting in 1998, offered the next best thing:  the 2.5 RS.  The hyper-Impreza benefits from the addition of a limited-slip rear differential as standard equipment for 2000.

The car certainly looks like there’s a racer in its lineage.  The 2.5 RS look is that of a little coupe clad in automotive armor, ready to do high-performance battle.  A massive scoop grows out of the middle of the hood, flanked by a pair of smaller vents on either side.  The deep front spoiler houses two large, rally-style driving lights (depowered for on-road use, of course).  Big 16” five-spoke alloy wheels add to the impression of a tensed creature about to spring.  Perched atop the trunklid is a massive spoiler which leaves no doubt as to this car’s position among humbler Imprezas.  It’s not subtle in the least.

Inside, front-seat travelers are treated to snug, comfortable seats and a standard Impreza dash with white-faced gauges.  Rear-seat passengers have to duck under a stiff, poorly placed positioning arm for the front seatbelts.  Once back there there’s room for two adults to get comfortable in the back as well–a trick that most small sports coupes can’t manage.  While the seating and driving positions are comfortable for short hops or long trips, the 2.5 RS shares many of the Impreza’s minor ergonomic quibbles.  The radio is hard to operate without taking one’s eyes off of the road, even after becoming familiar with the buttons.  The center console feels cheaply made.  The sunvisors are hard to latch without looking away from the road yet again.  The two cupholders are afterthoughts; one is a fussy folding affair located inside the console whose use precludes any storage, and the other slides out of the dash, only to block the ventilation controls.

Unfortunately for WRX fans, the hood vents on the 2.5 RS are blocked off.  And it’s not turbocharged.  Under that television-sized hood bulge is the same 165-hp 2.4 horizontally opposed (“boxer”) four-cylinder found in the Outback.  Of course, the smaller Impreza reaps measurable performance benefits from the larger Outback’s engine; it’s just not the skull-cracking hammerblow of power suggested by the bodywork.  Subaru’s boxer fours are known for developing prodigious amounts of torque, and the 2.5 RS is no exception.  The car is great for in-town point and squirt traffic-carving antics because if its ability to make use of its power at low revs.  Just don’t expect to beat an Integra GS-R or a Mustang V8 in a drag race.  You can’t.

The Subaru has two flaws–the aforementioned raised expectations, and a lack of sports-car mood in the driving experience.  This can be traced to the car’s rally-car lineage.  Sports cars are toys.  They want to be your friend.  They’re ready and willing to play.  Rally cars are tools.  Their job isn’t to make friends; it’s to conquer whatever stretch of road is thrown at them.  As a result, the 2.5 RS is a little bit short on personality.  The handling and brakes are impeccable.  Between Subaru’s all-wheel-drive system and a limited-slip differential, it’s nearly impossible to put a wheel wrong.  The 2.5 RS just pulls strongly away, regardless of road conditions.  Unfortunately, the car does all of the mechanical things wonderfully, but doesn’t talk about itself much.  Part of the joy of driving a sporty car is the feeling of the car working in a way that it was meant for, in a way that pleases it.  This is missing in the 2.5 RS.  The car takes little pleasure in a turn or a shift well executed, which makes it hard for the enthusiastic driver to do the same.  It’s okay for a race or rally car to have this “as you wish” feeling about it, but roadgoing cars ought to have a greater role in the driving experience.  It’s supposed to be a dance partner, not a simple tool.  The 2.5 leaves a driver satisfied, but a little bit cold.

Personality aside, the 2.5 RS makes an excellent road-carving tool.  The all-wheel drive and limited-slip differential make it almost impossible to spin a tire, whether the Subie is diving into a corner, accelerating out of one, launching from a dead stop on a pea-gravel road or splashing through a deep puddle.  The 2.5 RS just finds grip and takes off, regardless of the terrain.  This stability directly affects the handling and braking, of course.  Sudden transitions are handled with perfect poise.  Slamming on the brakes mid-turn is an invitation to a spin in most cars; the Subaru merely takes a tighter line.  With all of the grip available and plenty of low-end torque, many sliding situations can be corrected with a counterintuitive stomp on the gas!  The ability to power out of uncertain situations is bred into rally cars, and the 2.5 RS has a good dose of it.  It’s exciting enough to make the complaints about the ergonomics seem meaningless.

The jack-of-all-trades stability is enhanced by fantastically quick steering response.  The 2.5 reacts with no hesitation, thanks in part to the low center of gravity provided by the low, wide boxer engine.  It’s a very easy car to drive, despite its hard-core hot rod appearance.  Around town it is a little bit more sensitive than lesser Imprezas because of those big, grippy tires, but the ride isn’t race-car rigid.

Of course, the 2.5 RS is the top of the line when it comes to Imprezas.  The larger wheels and tires, more powerful engine, and limited-slip differential are all standard equipment.  Our test vehicle featured the optional CD player.  Subaru offers 24-hour roadside assistance on all of the vehicles it sells.  For 2000, a 2.5 RS sedan is also available.  It’s equipped identically to the coupe, the only difference being a smaller spoiler on the trunklid.  Both versions start at $19,295.

The Fact Box:

All specs are for the Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS coupe, which we tested.

Length:    172.2 in.
Width:        67.1 in.
Height:        55.5 in.
Wheelbase:    99.2 in.
Curb weight:    2.820 lb.

Cargo space:    11.1 cu. ft.

Base price:    $19,295
Price as tested: $20,214

Horsepower:    165 hp
Fuel capacity:    15.9 gal.
Est. mileage:    21/28

6/2009 update: Well, not long after this review was written, the WRX came along and made the 2.5RS kind of redundant.  There are probably a few running around out there still, but everything it can do, the ‘Rex can do better.

2008 Subaru WRX

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1390 days
by in Archived, Five Doors, Four Doors, Road tests

I can’t help but feel for Subaru; the purveyor of entertaining all-wheel drive vehicles seems to be forever locked in combat and disagreement with its sharpest critics–its own biggest fans. When the WRX got its first facelift in 2004, the Subaru loyalists hated it. When the design was revised again in 2006, they hated it even more. Subaru’s Forester and Tribeca have gone through similar styling woes. Now, for 2008, the WRX is all-new, along with the Impreza lineup, and it’s got a completely new look And guess what? The Subaru faithful seem to hate it.

As with past revisions of the WRX, it’s a fair bet that the Subie people will come around soon enough. After all, the things that are good about the WRX haven’t changed; it still offers enthusiastic turbocharged performance and road-hugging all-wheel drive. There may even be a few Subiephiles who (like me) actually prefer the WRX’ new, more grown-up look.

The new design is appealing, with a more finished look than the previous WRX whose hood scoops and body kit had a tacked-on look. The redesigned car still has some aggression in its face, but the more streamlined look makes the formerly obvious into the subtle. Grille and headlamps meld into a single curved arc across the front o fthe car, and the front bumper and hood carry the dipped chin’s line back into the car’s body–which is larger, with a wheelbase stretched almost four inches. It blends better with the subcompact herd, which will annoy the folks who liked the brashness of the previous car. The ’08 WRX borrows the curves of the Tribeca, a fact especially obvious in the new five-door model. No, Subaru doesn’t call it a “wagon” any more, though it’s essentially the same thing. During the week, our tester was mistaken for a BMW, a Ford Focus, a Honda and a Chrysler, so maybe Subaru’s new look will take some getting used to.

The interior is a delight. The instrument panel has a graceful dip in the center that flows down into the console. It’s not quite a twin-cockpit layout, but it is one of the classiest interiors to be found on a car this size. The cloth seats are supportive enough for all-day drives. Orange-lit gauges and body-hugging seats are reminders that the WRX is a performance car. There’s room for four. The five-door’s stubby cargo area would benefit from cargo hooks, but there’s nonetheless 44.4 cubic feet of space back there with the seats folded. Sharp eyes will notice that Subaru’s trademark frameless windows are no longer; like the new Outback, the new WRX uses conventional framed doors. My only complaint? I found the GPS display and information center to be somewhat confusing to use.

There are enough 250-horse compacts running around these days that the WRX’ 224 horsepower doesn’t have the “ohmigaw” impact that it used to. Still, a quick little car is a quick little car, and the WRX is undeniably that. Although the horsepower rating has dropped slightly from last year’s 230 figure, there’s still plenty to like about the performance. The 2.5 liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder delivers healthy torque throughout the engine range, and when the turbo starts spinning the WRX moves like the proverbial scalded cat. The seat of the pants meter says that the new WRX is just as quick as the old one, and the peaky turbocharger’s performance is easy to harness. If you’re looking for a maximum-performance stormer you’re going to go for the STi version anyway–the WRX is a comfortable and flexible daily driver with exceptionally entertaining athletic ability. Speaking of the STi, it’s got over 300 horsepower wrapped in a lightweight aluminum body, and it’ll be available later this year. As for the WRX, a five-speed manual transmission is standard equipment, with a four-speed automatic on the options list.

Thanks to Subaru’s nearly flawless all-wheel drive , driving on any surface is a breeze. The rally-bred WRX takes to slippery pavement and dirt roads like a fish to water. It’s not so bad on pavement either. The rear suspension has been upgraded to double wishbones for more precise ride and handling, and the longer wheelbase takes some of the chop out of freeway travel. Vehicle Dynamics Control is standard equipment, so when you call upon the four-wheel disc brakes to bring things to a halt, it’s executed without drama even on uncertain surfaces.

So this boy-racer’s grown up somewhat. Not everybody’s happy with that, of course–it’s not unlike seeing your favorite party animal settling down to a nine-to-five job–but have no fear, the Subaru WRX still knows how to have fun. The new WRX is a well-executed package, and in time it’s a fair bet that even the Subaru faithful who are upset over the new design will come to agree. WRX pricing starts at just over $24,000. Our well-equipped WRX featured satellite radio and a navigation system, and stickered for $29,758.

Specifications:

All specs are for the 2008 Subaru WRX.

Length: 173.8 in.

Width: 68.5 in.

Height: 58.1 in.

Wheelbase: 103.1 in.

Curb weight: 3142 lb.

Cargo space: 44.4 cu.ft. (all seats folded)

Base price: $24,350

Price as tested: $29,758

Engine: 2.5 liter DOHC boxer four-cylinder

Drivetrain: five-speed manual, all-wheel drive

Horsepower: 224 @ 5200

Torque: 226 @ 2800

Fuel capacity: 16.9 gal.

Est. mileage: 19/24

2008 Volkswagen R32

0
1390 days
by in Archived, Road tests, Three Doors

The Volkswagen R32 doesn’t look like the big, bad flagship performers from the Other Guys. It lacks the aggressive, spoilers-vents-and-flares look of cars like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Subaru WRX STi, and there isn’t a distinctive exhaust roar to rattle the windows as it approaches.

Looks can be deceiving, however; this is definitely the big dog in Volkswagen’s performance kennel. The first R32, introduced to the U.S. as a limited edition in 2004, was the brilliant marriage of the subcompact Golf body, a V6 engine and VW’s 4MOTION all-wheel drive, and was an instant success. After a four-year hiatus, the R32 is back. The formula is the same, from the subtle design cues to the torquey V6 engine shoehorned under the hood, and VW plans to build 5000 examples this time around.

So what is the engine story? Simple. The R32 is equipped with a naturally aspirated 3.2 liter V6 making 250 horsepower. With the standard all-wheel drive and awesome Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) manumatic, the R32 is good for a 6.5-second 0-60 run. The numbers don’t tell the whole story, though; it’s true that there are several other performance cars that would happily trounce this $32,000 glorified Rabbit. Very few of them, however, can return the R32′s brand of torquey poise. There’s no turbocharger under the hood; the R32 makes its power through the old-fashioned method of displacement. The 3.2 liter V6 is a DOHC, 24-valve unit with variable valve timing. At idle, a menacing burble from the centered dual exhaust is the only clue that the R32 has something special going on. Out on the road, there’s serious acceleration available at just about any engine speed. It lacks the visceral punch of the turbocharged Japanese all-wheel drivers, as well as giving up a measure of horsepower to them, but the tradeoff is a high performance car that’s easier to live with. The R32 is manageable when you want it to be, and a high-performance demon when theneed arises. The DSG’s instantaneous twin-clutch engagement allows for selective gear-changes as quick as a manual transmissions–the only thing missing is the fun of manipulating a clutch pedal.

A wider track and lowered suspension give the R32 a more intense ride than the rest of the Rabbit line. The setup is the same–MacPherson struts up front and a multilink independent rear–but tuned to reduce body roll. The R32 offers a firm ride with tenacious grip. It doesn’t like rough roads, but the all-wheel drive improves stability if not ride comfort. The weather offered up some very un-sportscar-friendly black ice during the week I spent with the R32, and the dangerous roads proved to be no problem for the hot Volkswagen. When things finally warmed up so that it was merely damp, the R32′s flat cornering and brakeforce distribution made it possible to play on some of my favorite roads without fear. The Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) stability control works with the all-wheel drive to ensure sure-footed performance.

It may have the familiar combination of big horsepower and all-wheel drive, but the R32 is something quite different from the other compact performers out there. This is reflected in the design, which at a glance isn’t that different from the Rabbit on which the R32 is based. The familiar one-box design is upgraded with a central dual exhaust at the rear and a chrome grille up front. A body-colored roof spoiler and bumpers are accented with R32 badges and xenon headlamps. Unique 18-inch, 20-spoke wheels and brakes with distinctive blue calipers round out the R32 appearance package. It doesn’t stand out much on the road, especially when compared to the big spoilers and wings found on other compact performance flagships. The R32 trades on its reputation rather than its looks.

The interior is equally subtle. The R32 gets a flat-bottomed racing-style steering wheel and body-hugging sport seats, but then so does the GTI. Only “R” badges and special hand-turned style dash trim set it apart visually. This isn’t a bad thing however, as the standard Rabbit’s interior is already comfortable and well-trimmed as it is. The R32 difference is mainly in the equipment; automatic climate control, a six-disc CD changer, rain-sensing wipers, and heated seats are standard equipment. A navigation system is available, though the controls are challenging to master.

Critics will be quick to point out that the R32 is less powerful and has a lower ultimate performance limit than a number of cars which cost significantly less. This is true, but this is also one of those cars about which the numbers can’t tell the whole story. The R32 offers exceptional performance in a more reserved package, one that doesn’t constantly leave you feeling as though you’re driving a special stage in a World Rally competition. The R32 can be driven like a normal car, if you’d like, and the subtle design modifications mean that it only shows off when it really wants to. For some drivers, that will be enough to justify the price premium. The cost is a significant thing, too; R32 pricing starts at $32,990, and as a limited-edition model it’s not going to be common on the dealer lots, either. Odds are that a significant percentage of the production run has already been snapped up by eager Volkswagen loyalists.

Specifications:

All specs are for the 2008 Volkswagen R32.

Length: 167.2 in.

Width: 69.2 in.

Height: 57.7. in.

Wheelbase: 101.5 in.

Curb weight: 3547 lb.

Cargo space: 9.7 cu.ft. (seats up); 43.4 cu.ft. (seats folded)

Base price: $32,990

Price as tested: $35,430

Engine: 3.2 liter DOHC V6

Drivetrain: six-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive

Horsepower: 250 @ 6300

Torque: 236 @ 2500-3000

Fuel capacity: 14.5 gal.

Est. mileage: 18/23

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