Test Drives: Subaru Forester 2.5XT, Impreza 2.0 & Impreza WRX STI A-Line

On the day of the Subaru’s hunt for a female stunt driver I got the opportunity to test-drive three cars: The Forester 2.5XT, Impreza 2.0 & Impreza WRX STI A-Line.

The Forester has grown a reputation mainly thanks to its mod friendliness, and its STI version. Picture this: an “ugly” space wagon on the outside that doesn’t attract unwanted attention, but that is hiding a 2.5 litre turbo’ed flat four on a sports chassis. Yes, it is sporting a bit more weight than an Impreza, but in STI trim, this bulldog will boil quite a few unsuspecting contenders out of the water with a melodious grunt of the boxer engine.

Better still, the Forester is one of the few cars with which you can drive to the track with a change of racing rubber in the boot and extra space in the back. Wicked? I think so!

The latest generation of the Forester is actually much better looking than its predecessors, and the high sitting position was rather enjoyable. The car feels sturdy and the torquish boxer responds well, too bad the exhaust doesn’t let it sing like a flat four should do. Unfortunately, the testing grounds were too small for the turbo to spool, but I was nicely surprised at how the bulky Forester handled in the sharp turns, with much less body roll than I expected.

Surely a tad lower and stiffer suspension would give more confidence to tackle the twisties, but as it is, it does more than its job in its target market as a family car.

Following the Forester came the Impreza 2.0R. When Subaru first launched the latest Impreza, that came only as a hatch, the market’s response was mitigated, and many people declared war on the brand that killed the traditional sedan Impreza. Personally, after the initial surprise, I grew to like it. The hatch has a better weight distribution and looks quicker too. Only recently did Subaru release the sedan version, and honestly, I believe they should have kept this version out of production. As much as the hatch still looks decent in basic stock trim, the sedan looks plain and unattractive.

Last but definitely not least, the WRX STI A-Line.

Looking very similar to its manual counterpart (other than the 17 inch rims and the absence of Brembo brakes, they are identical from the outside), the STI A-Line is the gentleman version of the manual transmission warrior due to its automatic box.

Yes, you read it properly: if one day Ken Block looses a leg, he’ll still be able to amaze us with his gymkhana thanks to the A-Line. Well almost…

It actually is a gentleman’s car in more than just the transmission: the comfy seats front and back and the gradual power delivery make this Subaru an option for families with kids. Seating at the wheel, you will be greeted by half bucket seats that will make long drives more enjoyable all the while still keeping hold of you in the twisties. The steering feels much heavier than the regular Impreza, but this gives you a much better feel as to where the car is on the road.

For those who are used to the regular STI’s kick-in-the-butt acceleration, the gradual power delivery of this model will leave you wanting for more. Sure, you can feel the turbo spooling and kicking in at around 4,500 RPM, but it won’t slam you in your seat; it comes in smoothly and once again, you’ll notice how comfortable of a ride the A-line gives. I’m not saying it’s not a quick car, for when needed it can zoom through traffic, but it’s just not as nervous as STIs usually are. A good point for some, a bad point for others.

Gear-wise, the automatic semi-manual “Sportshift” 5 speed transmission does its job smoothly, giving you the option to shift either in fully automatic mode, on the stick with a +/- selector, or at the wheel with paddle shifts mounted on the steering column. As I don’t like the car to decide for me which gear to drive in, I had some fun with the paddles, which give you quasi-instant, precise shifts with auto-rev match on downshifts. A good alternative for those who can’t bare the heavy clutch pedal of the manual WRX STI.

The 2.5l turbocharged boxer engine on this model has the same 296bhp as the manual version, but its torque has been lowered to 350Nm compared to 407Nm for the regular WRX STI, in order to preserve the auto gearbox.

Another feature that was downgraded from the manual version is the Brembo brakes, that have disappeared from behind the rims. Not to worry though, the A-Line still provides a safe and efficient braking which proved to be more than enough for street use.

Overall, the Subaru STI A-Line is a fun, powerful yet comfortable perfect for family guys (or girls) with or without kids, who want to look fast without breaking their backs on hard springs. It still delivers some fun at the wheel and the STI badge at the rear will make sure people know what they’re dealing with without telling them you’re only driving with one leg.

Note: single people can also drive it if they don’t know how to use a clutch…