Subaru Impreza WRX.(Brief Article)(Evaluation)

Few long-term test cars have arrived at AutoWeek amidst more anticipation than the Subaru WRX. This longing came not only from the Gen-Xers on staff, but also from those of us considered by some to be over-the-hill (born before 1960). Getting a chance to drive for a year a turbocharged 227-hp production version knockoff of a rally car painted up in WRC blue was something we all looked forward to.

And drive it we did.

Regular commuting duty coupled with trips to Northern Michigan and excursions to the country's heartland helped roll up 28,616 miles. While that number doesn't come close to the AW record for total miles tallied on a long-termer, it's in the top-10, showing just how well-loved the car was. One reason for the high mileage was its standard all-wheel drive, which made the car a favorite choice any time snow was forecast.

When the WRX arrived at our door it did so begging a couple of questions: Would all of the car's fun potential live up to real-world driving? And, can what is basically an econobox dressed up as a rally car wannabe survive a year of pretty hard driving?

After 12 months of testing, we can say yes to both questions. Although the last one is open to a bit of interpretation.

The car certainly lived up to its fun potential, especially considering the price: $24,520. When we ordered the car the WRX was (and still is) a hot item, so like many owners we settled for a car that was a bit less than what we would have preferred. Our WRX was the base model without any options, and because the base car is a well-appointed Impreza (a/c, power windows and mirrors, cruise control, embroidered floor mats, fog lamps and even an in-dash six-disc changer), there were but a few options we would have added. After a year's driving, we would have enjoyed the bigger, 17-inch wheel/tire package and the boost gauge. And one item nearly everyone wanted was ...