Automobile.com Blog

The 2007 Subaru WRX vs. the 2008 Subaru WRX

 By: Nathan D. Adlen

 Subaru makes some of the most unique cars on the road. They have created some rather memorable machines that still capture the imagination (or defy logic) like the mini pick up “Brat,” the wedge XT, the wagon/truck “Baja,” the James Bond-ish SVX and so on. These cars were unusual enough to remember and many have achieved collector status faster than most of the competition.

 The formula for these aforementioned Subarus is similar to all Subarus. Take a very flat Porsche 911-like 4 or 6 cylinder, horizontally opposed engine, add the option of all-wheel-drive (standard today), Japanese quality, real character and Whammo – you have a unique car. Subaru makes cars that drive unique, sound unique and (in some cases) make you feel unique.

 “Character” is something that you can rarely attribute to mass produced cars today. Subaru has maintained such exclusive ideals which are bolted into their cars. This has distinguished them from their contemporaries. The WRX is one such character.

 For several years, the WRX offered 2 and 2½ liter, turbocharged power in a light, all-wheel-drive platform that was a kick to drive. These things haul – and despite their boxy proportions, they ate up the mileage like an Italian exotic. With a few bucks invested, you could alter the WRX and make what was already one of the fastest vehicles in its price bracket, embarrass top notch sport cars.

If you are a dog enthusiast, then I have a character analogy of the WRX. Go online and look up videos for Boston Terriers (they look like mini Boxers). I had one named Sophie and she was a tough, fast, snarl-filled little dog that should have been the old WRX’s mascot. When you tossed a ball, she would out-sprint every dog in the dog-park and get to it first. She did four paw power slides and darted left and right in any weather to get to her ball. On the way, you would hear belly growls, snarling, barking and an odd hissing sound once her disproportionately large mouth seized the ball with quite a bit of drooling to boot. Her tidy, stubby proportions along with her taut muscles and iron jaw allowed super fast ball retrieval – all while emanating mighty snarling and snorting.

 I just described the WRX as well, with the exception of the “ball” and “drooling.” Well, some of the owners I’ve met of the 2007 WRX tend to drool a bit when they get their paws on a short-throw shifter, headers or other go-faster goodies.

 Fire up a WRX and you hear a snarl. Move through the gears and you hear a snort as the revs drop and rebound. Turn the wheel and slam your foot down (in ANY weather) and you will tear up asphalt, sand, dirt, snow, mud, rock, gravel (and any mixture there of) while your tail swings out and you power all four wheels tenaciously to the next bend.

And, just like the Boston Terrier, its obscene bulging muscle-like panels and stubby tail christened with an oversized spoiler looks ungainly to some – it’s a thing of beauty to others. Its bigger brother, the STi is all of what I just described – on steroids. Add to this mixture an optional WRX wagon and you now have a utilitarian car that is ideal for the family person who had to give up their sports car after having a kid.

 Find an empty parking lot after an icy snow or a muddy fire road and practice reverse lock steering, heel and toe shifting, power drifting and e-brake turns and you too will understand why the 2007 WRX was so rewarding. It was indeed a driver’s car. I should mention that despite its diminutive size, and compact designation, the MPG is low. What most people tend to forget is that this is not a car that can be compared to an economy car.

 Yes, it’s a small car, but if you want good MPG – buy an economy car, this is a performance car! All wheel drive means all wheel drag, and this drains the economy potential from any car. Also, turbocharged equipped power plants tend to get a might thirsty. Premium fuel is recommended (both for the older and newer WRX) and you may want to keep this in mind when looking at the future of oil prices. Still, if you keep it mellow, you can achieve acceptable MPG (especially on the highway) of up to 25 miles to the gallon.

 So, what’s up with the new WRX?

 Should I mention the fierce loyalty Subaru owners have for their machines? Change is sometimes not easy to accept and (often) even harder to justify. People were really upset with Bob Dylan for going “electric,” New Coke was a miserable failure, Star Wars 1, 2, and 3 were nowhere near as beloved as 4, 5, and 6. George Lazenby was a very unpopular replacement for Sean Connery’s James Bond and the new Subaru Impreza WRX is mostly vilified by fans of the old one.

 I too was initially stunned at the fairly bland styling, mellow driving character and the less edgy performance, at first. Just like learning to like a rock band that switched its lead singer, I have begun to appreciate some of the new bits of the WRX (and question why some of the old aspects remain).

 Using the logical method of eliminating the obvious, I attempted to zero in on what might be wrong with the new WRX. While I was piecing together the obvious reasons for fans of the 2007 WRX disliking the new 2008 WRX, I made an extraordinary discovery – more on that after we get through the obvious.

 The obvious: looks. Without sounding too negative, one could say the looks take some getting used to. I stood and looked at the WRX for a long time before I realized what made it awkward, it is not balanced. If you look at a side view of the 2008 WRX, you may notice how chubby the rear is and how low and long the front it. Even the sedan cuts an odd shape. The wheel arches are small, making the rest of the car look similar to the Suzuki Aerio or Toyota Echo. The rear end either looks like a Ford Focus or a Suzuki Verona pending on the model. The front looks like a mix of, once again, the Verona and an older Toyota Camry.

 The front and rear styling have nothing in common and I think that might be what makes the design seem unbalanced. If you look at the new STi, it’s much more balanced (and angry looking). The front and rear flared arches add visual weight and symmetry to the Subaru. Further, the larger wheels and tires fit the shape much better than on the WRX. Finally, the quad rear exhaust on the STi looks and sounds awesome – the single (on the hatch) and dual (on the sedan) look and sounds unsubstantial.

 Even under the hood, Subaru has altered the looks of the WRX. The black, plastic intake looks cheap and not exactly something to display – but it is lighter. The interior is somewhat plain, but the seats are comfortable and there is much more room than last year’s model. A longer wheelbase helps with the ungainly look while providing much more usable rear space.

 So, it’s give and take with the looks. This is not the first time Subaru has gone for a unique design element. The recent changes to the Subaru Tribeca were aimed at silencing the words “ugly” or “unattractive” from shopper’s mouths. Now, words like “bland” and “simple” are used in place of the old ones. Still, this illustrates how Subaru is on the ball with restyling their vehicles. So, in the next year or two, don’t be surprised if you see a new nose or tail on the Impreza.

 Are the looks all that are wrong with the WRX? Some dislike the new, more sophisticated double wishbone rear suspension (which also allows for a lower rear floor) or the softer driving characteristics of its more compliant ride. Others dislike being more isolated and feeling less precise through the twisties. More body lean and less grip is also a negative factor. One guy that I know of even complained about hearing too little from the road – as if he could drive better with more noise.

 The third time I drove the new WRX, something happened. My snap critical judgments melted and I began to look at this ride as something else. “This car isn’t half bad,” I heard myself say. Then, I had an epiphany; if this car wasn’t called a WRX, and/or if it weren’t a Subaru, people would like it a lot more! Indeed, it rides nice with great control and predictable handling. The interior is a comfortable place to be and the performance is good… Real good! You can feel it in the seat of your pants, just like the older machine. You get a sense that all is well even when the rear end kicks out and all four wheels begin to claw for traction – you know that if you continue keeping your foot down, you’ll scramble out of the corner like a champ.

 There are a few issues I have with this great non-WRX. There is no reason that a car for this price should be saddled with a 5 speed manual and a 4 speed automatic. There should be a 6 speed manual and a 5 speed automatic available! I mean a car that costs between $26,000 and $30,000 with 224 horsepower should have a more modern transmission selection – period (you can get a Tiburon with a #*&% 6 speed!). Then there are the wheels – 17 inch by 7 inch wide wheels that look a bit anemic in the WRX’s design. At the very least they need an option for wider (maybe 8 inch) wheels which should help with the cornering as well.

 What this all boils down to is: should you buy a used 2007 or a new 2008 WRX? If you want the snarl and attitude associated with the bare knuckle toughness of Subaru’s rally king (and dig the boxy thing), go for the 2007. If you want a more comfortable ride and day to day livability mixed in with innocuous styling, try a 2008 on for size. They both produce similar numbers and they both have a parent company that’s well known for making a solid product.

 Just like Sophie, the Boston Terrier, the 2007 is kind of savage and wears its attitude on its sleeve. It is cantankerous, loud and macho whereas the 2008 is a completely different species. The new WRX is no dog, in fact; I struggled to find any mammal to equate to it. Finally, I came up with one, a seal. No, not the cute ones you see in the circus or movies – those, in fact, are sea lions. I refer to the bulbous, less than attractive, yet very capable seal.

 I opted out of using rock bands (original Van Halen vs. new[er] Van Halen etc.) as I worried about my personal safety. It’s easier to insult, or compliment animals. Besides, what if your one of those, er – types that likes both?

Oh, and if you were curious about the 2007 vs. 2008 WRX STi, well I’ll save those comparisons for another day. Besides, we’re not talking about Wolves and Doberman Pinchers.

Yeah, the old and new STi are and were that good.

Tags: Car Reviews //