2008 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Sedan

Although the Impreza WRX is ever the lovable bad boy who attracts the cheerleaders’ adoration, it is the practical Impreza 2.5i sedan and hatchback that do the heavy lifting in Subaru’s showrooms. For 2008, the Impreza has undergone a makeover—for starters, it’s 4.5 inches longer—although its driveline is little changed.

The familiar 170-hp flat-four propels this latest Subie to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds—0.3 second quicker than its forebear, 0.2 quicker than a Mitsubishi Lancer GTS, 0.1 quicker than a Honda Civic LX. The engine is satisfyingly quieter at idle—4 dBA, in fact—but is slightly louder at WOT and at 70-mph cruise. The boxer’s raspy growl remains endearing, but if the company intends to finagle its way into the wallets of luxury-car buyers in the next decade—as Ikuo Mori, CEO of parent company Fuji Heavy Industries, claims—then it must slash the Impreza’s NVH levels to those of, say, the Nissan Altima 2.5S.

With its generic new skin, the Impreza is no longer instantly identifiable as a Subaru. Onlookers asked if it might be a Suzuki or a Kia. Also new is the control-arm rear suspension that was expected to improve handling. It has not. Grip has fallen from the 2007 model’s 0.80 g to 0.78 g. You don’t notice it on the road, however, where the Impreza, with its 3.7-inch-longer wheelbase, still takes an eager, confident set in turns. Body roll is noticeable but never seems to impinge on path control, and there’s less squat at launch. Overall, the ride-and-handling trade-off is just about perfect.

What the new control arms have delivered, however, is a slightly larger trunk with a lower floor. Combine that with rear seats that now fold in a 60/40 split, and the Impreza is more useful at Whole Foods.

The steering is linear and informative, with zero kickback and strong self-centering. The car tracks like a vehicle twice its size. Nicely weighted at speed, the steering is nonetheless a titch heavy in parking lots. The shifter is light and positive, as gratifying as any competitor’s, and the pedals are heel-and-toeable.

With two more inches of front shoulder room, the cockpit is far more welcoming and airy, and visibility is fantastic, aided by the “portholes” in the C-pillars. Although all the interior surfaces are base plastic or vinyl, they’re nicely grained and pleasing to the touch. The switchgear is silky, the three rotary HVAC controls are the quintessence of thoughtful ergonomics, and the radio is perched at the top of the center stack. The mouse-fur front seats are grippy, and the back seat is spacious for two adults, although the seat cushion is so low that your knees are above your beltline.

2.5i sedan carried a sticker of $17,640 (add $500 for the five-door), which, of course, includes Subaru’s all-wheel drive with a viscous limited-slip center diff—a lot of car for the money. In the hardscrabble world of econoboxes, the Impreza remains mighty imprezzive.

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE AS TESTED: $17,640 (base price: $17,640)

ENGINE TYPE: SOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 150 cu in, 2457cc
Power (SAE net): 170 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 170 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 103.1 in Length: 180.3 in Width: 68.5 in Height: 58.1 in
Curb weight: 3050 lb

TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.6 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 22.1 sec
Street start, 5-60 mph: 8.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.9 sec @ 87 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 130 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 179 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.78 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city driving: 20 mpg

2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

More details have finally emerged on the all-new version of Subaru’s top-spec version of its Impreza hatchback, the WRX STI. Based on the Impreza WRX five-door—yup, in case you hadn’t heard, the STI will be available only as a hatchback—the STI gets distinctly more aggressive body work, including pronounced fender flares, a deeper chin spoiler, and a larger parasol wing over the rear hatch.

Unfortunately, the Tokyo introduction was limited to the Japanese-market model, which has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four, so information on the U.S.-spec version is still cloudy. The U.S. car will continue to have the 2.5-liter boxer four, however, which makes it easier for Subaru to meet U.S. emissions standards.

The 2.0-liter in the Japanese domestic market model delivers increased output, now up to 295 horsepower and 299 pound-feet of torque (SAE), using 16.9 psi of max boost via an IHI turbo. Subaru was not prepared to discuss specifics of the 2.5-liter engine other than to say that power will be “under 310 horsepower” and torque output will be a smidge lower than the 2.0-liter’s, at about 295 pound-feet.

Both engines are essentially the same as their predecessors in terms of bore and stroke, although variable intake- and exhaust-valve timing is new to both. The U.S.-bound STI will continue to have a six-speed manual only, with no change in gearing or final drive.

Subaru has added some sophistication to its all-wheel-drive system, with additional programmability for the center differential, the onset threshold for the stability system, and even the engine management system. The front-to-rear torque split is 41/59 in normal operation but can vary as much as 75 percent to either end under extreme conditions. Both front and rear diffs are limited slip, and stability control should be part of the equation.

The front suspension continues to be struts, but the rear suspension is a new multilink setup. Subaru admits that the suspension tuning is generally softer than that of the current STI, part of an overall effort to make the car’s appeal a little more mainstream and a little less cultlike.

The brakes continue to be the same big Brembos that are employed in the current car, operating behind 18-inch wheels (two styles of which will likely be available), the standard size for the U.S. model. Japanese cars wear Bridgestone tires, but U.S. rubber will be supplied by Dunlop (245/40-18). There are no specifics on the tires beyond that, although they will be performance tires, as distinct from all-season.

Consistent with Subaru’s aim of having the car appeal to a broader market, the new body shell not only is stiffer but also received considerable attention in the area of noise deadening. Interior materials are more upscale, and a nav system is available for the first time. It’s also a generally roomier car than the previous sedan body style, even though overall length has been reduced from 175.8 inches to 173.8. The 103.8-inch wheelbase is 3.9 inches longer, width increases 2.2 inches to 70.7, height is up 1.8 inches to 58.1, and the track—60.2 inches front and rear—is wider.

Making the car more civilized adds up at the curb. Subaru forecasts curb weight of the U.S. STI to be almost 3375 pounds. And increased sophistication will also add up on the window sticker. Expected base price is about $34,500 when the STI goes on sale next April.