8 February 2011
Road test review
It was bound to happen. No sooner had the ink dried on Mitsubishi's press release, claiming their entry level street fighter, the Lancer Ralliart had more power than arch rival Subaru's WRX, than we receive an updated and uprated spec sheet for the 2009 WRX!
And yes, ou guessed it. The new WRX ups the ante even further.
The 2008 WRX had 169kW of power and 320Nm of torque. Then along came the Ralliart with 180kW and 349Nm. So of course Subaru had to breathe a bit more fire into the WRX.
For the 2009 WRX, there are now 195kW of power and 343Nm of torque.
Now hold on, we hear you say, aren't we in an era where fuel efficiency and emissions are all important? Well yes, and the new WRX ticks those boxes too. There are small improvements in both areas with fuel consumption down from 10.7 l/100km to 10.4l/100km and CO2 emissions down from 252 g/km to 247 g/km.
Subaru's familiar 2.5 litre boxer engine has been made meaner and greener by bolting on the higher boost turbocharger previously reserved for the all singing dancing Impreza, the WRX STi. So maximum boost is now up from 78 kPa to 103 kPa.
To match the beefier turbo, a revised exhaust system provides a 30% reduction in gas flow restriction and the intercooler capacity increases from 12.1kW to 14Kw.
The enhanced suspension package has stiffer coil springs, stabilisers and top mounts. Fine tuning of the shock absorber damping increases roll rigidity and improves maximum lateral G and turning ability.
To complement the sports tuned suspension, revised wheels and tyres have been chosen to optimise grip and ride comfort. The WRX stays with 17" alloys, but tyre width increases from 205/50 to 225/45.
Leather upholstery is now standard, as is a sunroof and a 60/40 split/fold rear seat.
On the road, the WRX feels firm and sure footed, biased towards sports handling with tenacious grip and stability, while retaining remarkably good ride quality.
Performance is sharper and more lively than the previous model. However, there is a fair amount of cabin noise, but Subaru boxer engines do sound crisp when on song, so to many drivers this may be music to the ears.
Talking of music, while the WRX has an adequate sound system, it doesn't rate when compared against the exceptional Rockford Fosgate system in the Mitsi.
Subaru's transmission of choice is a conventional 5 speed manual 'box, which Subaru claim has an improved shift through changes to the synchro hubs.
The clutch pedal feels heavy with short travel in traffic, but out on the open road it comes into its own. There is no drag on quick shifts and when driven hard it performs the task of transferring all 195kW of power to all four wheels admirably.
Hill assist in both forward and reverse avoids the embarrassment of rolling back on hill starts. Active Safety features include ABS, BA with EBD.
Summary
As we have come to expect from Subaru, exterior visual changes are minimal. There are some changes, but they are very hard to detect with the naked eye. The latest WRX can be identified by a new mesh grille, WRX badges front and rear, red brake callipers, wider tyres and red stitch seating and steering wheel.
While the leather seats are firm and comfortable, they don't provide the same level of lateral support as the Recaro's in the Ralliart.
Priced at $46,490, the WRX is $3,500 under the Ralliart's retail sticker. The Ralliart does have the trick TC-SST transmission, Recaro seats, a thumping sound system and 18" wheels, but then it is 15kW down on power. The WRX could be described as a harder edged performance car, but arguably not as visually appealing as the Mitsi.
As both the WRX and the Ralliart are aimed at the enthusiastic driver, the $3,500 difference in price and extra 15kW in power may outweigh the omission of some of the fancy bits and pieces.
We know that Subaru has a very loyal customer base, and the WRX has found favour with many of them over a long period of time. One thing's for sure is that they won't be disappointed with this latest offering.
Safety
With a maximum 5 Star ANCAP occupant rating and 4 star pedestrian rating, six airbags, the WRX isn't short on passive safety.
Technical
2457cc turbocharged 4 cylinder boxer engine producing 195kW at 6,000rpm and 343Nm of torque at 4000rpm. 99.5mm bore and 79mm stroke with a compression ratio of 8.4:1. Overall length is 4580mm, width 1740mm and height 1475mm. Unladen mass is 1370kg. Five Speed manual transmission.
Pricing
The WRX has a list price of $46,490