Category: Affordable Sports 
Price Range: No data available
Sensational performance and handling, value for money.
Thirsty, image can be problematic.
If you love driving, the WRX and STi offer an experience to be savoured.
As always, the Impreza is powered by a horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine that sends power to all four wheels. The WRX STi has a slightly wider track and an electronic control that allows the driver to manually select torque distribution between the front and rear. This would allow, for example, a driver to give the car more of a slide-friendly rear-drive feel.
The way the car communicates between the road and the driver is extraordinary. The steering is responsive, and weights up beautifully through bends. The WRX STi in particular has a monumental level of grip, but when it does begin to slide through quickish corners it does so with a neutral front-to-rear balance that's quite delicious and not in the least bit intimidating. The non-STi WRX has less grip and is almost the more enjoyable for it, as you can provoke a four-wheel drift at even lower speeds. The Impreza offers one of the best driving experiences on offer, at any price.
The STi reaches 60mph in a round 5.0 seconds, while the RB320 special edition trims that to 4.8 seconds. The WRX is barely half a second behind the STi, and the GB270 cuts the time to 5.3 seconds. The WRX will get to 143mph, while the STi makes nearly 160mph. The WRX's five-speed gearbox and the STi's six-speeder are set up to ensure there's never any shortage of B-road firepower.
The manner in which this performance is delivered is not to everyone's taste. The turbo gets going at around 3,000rpm and then piles on the urge as the rev counter bangs into the limiter. It's not linear in the way a big, naturally aspirated engine's power is, but that massive rush is part of the appeal. If you don't enter into the spirit of the Impreza, it can be difficult to make smooth progress.
The 1.5- and 2.0-litre models are much slower, but both engines are willing to rev and have a characterful thrum. The 1.5 reaches 60mph in 13.7 seconds, while the 2.0 manages a more respectable 9.2. They're both available with a four-speed automatic gearbox for £1,000 as an alternative to the five-speed manual.
