Subaru WRX - Style isn’t something that comes in a bottle
I’ve been driving a Subaru WRX for the last two months and it’s time to write about it.
Here’s Part 1 - the introduction. Now, it’s time move on to the nitty gritties…..
——
The 2008 Subaru WRX is basically a brand new, box fresh package. It’s been changed inside and out to the extent that if you came across a white one (instead of WRC Blue) and they told you it was something other than an Impreza you’d have no reason to disbelieve at all.
For all of its life leading up to 2008, the WRX was available in either sedan or wagon forms. It’s been through six iterations so far, but kept those two body variants through all of them. Personally, I’m a big fan of the wagon.
Here’s the wagon, circa 1998:
And the sedan, circa 2001:
The WRX was always designed and kitted out in a manner that suited its purpose. They weren’t for elegant dinners or nights at the opera. They were purpose built, four-banger buttkicking machines from a company that wasn’t going to have sand kicked in its face anymore. Both the wagon and sedan managed a deliberate, aggressive poise - an automotive equivalent to short man’s syndrome, if you will.
Fast forward to 2008 and that’s changed somewhat.
Who’d have thought you’d ever be taking pretty pictures of a WRX? If the car knew what I’d done it’d probably ju-jitsu me into next week.
Here in Australia, we can currently only buy the 5-door hatchback version of the car. There will be a sedan in due course, but I believe the sedan demand in other markets is being satisfied first.
Have a look at that picture taken under the tree. What is it that identifies this car as a Subaru to you? Car companies love these trains of thought as it really helps to sort out what the design pillars of a particular vehicle are. For the classic Saab 900 it’s obviously the profile. You couldn’t mistake that profile for anything else and you’d know - without doubt - that it’s a 900 from almost any angle. So what’s the Subaru identifier in this image?
I’ll give you two things - the bulge and the color.
Take away that big bonnet scoop and the blue paint job and you could be looking at just about any Asian company’s five door hatchback. It’s not offensive at all, but that’s part of the problem. Look at it as a profile on its own and it just. doesn’t. move. you.
It doesn’t seem to have that same sense of purpose that the previous wagon had. That intimidating “don’t call me a wagon” glint in its eye. Where the previous WRX was purposeful and the STi was flat out loony, it’s almost as if they’ve set the ceiling for 2008 somewhere well below loony and so in a less-than-flattering compromise, the WRX looks like the 35 year old guy who used to go to the gym in his youth.
It doesn’t look like it’d have the load capacity of the wagon, either. I haven’t compared the figures, but it’s mighty small in the back. I don’t know why, either. There’s only a space saver spare under the floor but that floor seems to be very high. Maybe it’s the AWD system, but whatever it is, this isn’t going to be carrying around any sofas.
I don’t want it to sound like I’m completely down on the styling, though. Whilst the Rex’s body may have sagged a little, it’s still got a glint in it’s eye and a cheeky grin to match. The boy has grown up and shed some of his agro, but he’s still got all of his spark.
The rear of the car has some nice angles to it. The LED tail lights run the gauntlet of boy-racerdom with taste and they’re darn effective, too. Lighting is going to be the new frontier of automotive design and the Suuby’s LEDs create a nice bracket effect when lit.
In compliance with Australian law, the rear windows only have been factory tinted whilst the fronts remain quite clear. Yes, there’s a lot of illegal tint jobs in Australia.
One sad piece of news for all you sun-worshippers: due to safety concerns with the passenger cell and Subaru’s insistence that this be a 5-star vehicle, there’s no sunroof option on the hatchback whatsoever. I’m unsure as to whether there will be on the sedan when it comes.
The bottom line:
The styling is probably the first glimpse you get into this car and it’s a definite reflection of its personally. It’s softer than its predecessors. It doesn’t have all those hard edges, that recognisable muscularity. It’s tight and tucked in the face and derriere so that it can represent when required. But there’s no doubt it’s an older Suuby now.
When we get to the drive you’ll see that it’s not just skin deep, either. And that that’s not a bad thing.
——
10 points to the person who can name the song and artist in the title to this post. 10 bonus points if you know the next line!
-
More from this category
- My time in the Hummer H3
- Saab 95 vs Honda Fit
- A little WRX movie
- Subaru WRX - Style isn’t something that comes in a bottle
More from this author
- A Quick Thankyou
- Automotive Rites of Passage
- Friday Snippets (well, it’ll be Saturday when you read them)
- Edmunds provide puzzling Saab Turbo X road test
Subscribe to this author
Recent Comments
- Ned on Automotive Rites of Passage
- 1985 Gripen on If you’re in the market for a Saab, now’s the time
- papluh on Automotive Rites of Passage
- Mag-X on A Quick Thankyou
- SaabKen on A Quick Thankyou
- Mag-X on EnG Weekend Snippets
- Mag-X on A Quick Thankyou
- ELBOBO on A Quick Thankyou
- eggsngrits on A Quick Thankyou
- eggsngrits on A Quick Thankyou
‘Style’ by Prince?
Style is not something that comes in a bottle. Style is more like Jackie O, when she was doing Aristotle.
Great review of a classic model lineup. It is very interesting to reflect on how a model of car can, mature with it’s owners.
Wow. 20 points for you. I thought we’d get a few comments in before someone knew it. I hope you didn’t google it, CBD
Now, back to the cars……yes, the Impreza
CBD beat me to it, great review Steve,
There’s obviously more Prince fans here than I realised…… - SW
For the record, I would NOT have gotten that answer to the song thing.
Yes, I agree with you on the styling, when I first saw the pic under the tree, I thought “Mazda”. Then my mind said, “No, that’s definitely a Toyota grille opening.”
The rear three-quarters shows it to be the little brother of the Tribeca, at the least.
Fellas,
While this model may look plain, you have to admit that the STi does look better. Maybe it’s not better enough to want one, but the one I see every day looks pretty good.
re: lyrics
I didn’t know the artist either. My taste in music is fairly conservative. But I do remember a US commercial a few years back where Cher says, “If a body like this came in a bottle … everyone would have it.” My response was always, “What an idiot.”
That was free, by the way.
Swade, you can Google lyrics these days. I am not accusing anyone but thats what I would have done anyway.
Ha ha ha, I wish it was that simple! An ex from a long time back was a die-hard fan of Prince. I guess some of that rubbed off onto me!
We get points for posting on the site now? Where are we tracking this and who is winning?
I thought of Jim Croce - ‘Tim in a Bottle’ when I first read it. Now I feel old.
I think that the 1999+ Mazda 3 (a.k.a. Protegé) wagon looks more like an Impreza than the 2001+ Impreza does.
the styling seems to shy away from the proportions of a gargoyle. yes, subaru has benefited from being one of saab’s former stablemates.
@Tedjs - ‘Tim in a bottle’????
I take offence to that thought….!!
(unless that makes ME the genie in the bottle…)
best looking wrx wagon= saab 9-2x.
Sorry Tim, I meant ‘Time in a Bottle’.
More proof I am getting old.
I’ve been a Subaru fan for a long time and been wanting a WRX since they were introduced in 2001. However, I never liked the look of the WRX wagon and I couldn’t bring myself to buying something I couldn’t look at. The 9-2X was the first WRX I liked.
This new WRX is definitly a lot more bland than previous generations but it appeals to me. I am glad they took the “boy racer” out of it and transformed it into a vehicle that, IMO, appeals more to the people who can afford it. My next purchase will be a WRX STi (unless Saab starts coming with more headroom).
On a side note: The new hoodscoop on the WRX is very similiar to the hoodscoop on the 9-2X.
In terms of room:
- The new WRX’s wheelbase has been extended almost 4″ to increase rear seat legroom(this is my #1 complaint about my 9-2X).
- The rear suspension has been revised to give a wider rear cargo space.
- New wrx wagon has 11.9 cu ft vs 11 cu-ft of the previous generation.
Tedjs…
“If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I’d like to do, is to save every day, ’til eternity passes away, just to spend them with you…
There doesn’t seem to be enough time to do the things you want to do once you’ve found them… I’ve been around enough to know, that you’re the one I want to go through time with…”
I’m 28, and I didn’t even have to use google or any other internet tool for that one. (Yes there’s more to the song, but I’d have to confirm those other verses before I write them down.)
Now, do you feel younger? (Or should I feel older? Perhaps as old as the Old Man River, that old man river…? Now, to go find my Roller-Derby Queen…)
For the record, I would not have gotten the Prince reference.
*********
Swade,
Great write-up. I’m looking forward to more. I drove a bug-eye WRX once. I must admit that the car handled nicely (in a very sporty kinda way), but I was spoiled by the low-end torque in my Saab. It’s just so drivable to have all that grunt down low.
~Peter
colour is spent with a “u” thank you very much!
Richo, I find your lack of spelling ability humourous.
richo: The Subaru might have “coloured” his perceptions or he lost his Oxford and could only find a Webster’s?
Thanks PGAero - I feel much better now and that old man feeling is wearing off. Racing young kids on the freeway has given me back my youthful edge.
I would have never gotten the Prince reference either.