non-Audi: 2002 WRX test drive

[Dan Simoes]

A copy of something I posted to a WRX list, since I know several of you
are interested in this car.
--
I cannot disclose the where or how, but I was able to spend some time
driving a WRX sedan last Thursday.  

I'm tied up at work, so this will be a brief summary, and I will try to
post more later.  Feel free to put this up on iclub's forums if you
like.

Previous biases... my last Subaru was a 1986 XT Turbo, and my latest car
was a 1995 Audi S6 wagon with stage 1 chip upgrade (~280hp).  I have
owned Audis and VWs almost exclusively since 1990.
Some of you know that I run audifans.com, and have a strong interest in
the WRX.

I am posting this summary as objectively as I can.  This is not a troll,
not an attempt to piss anyone off, and yes, I really did drive one.  

Let's begin...

The WRX is better looking in person than in print.  With that said, I
look at the curves in the hood and can't get the Hyundai Tiburon or
Santa Fe out of my head.  When you drive one, you will understand.  The
blue paint is stunning, and the headlights are actually kind of
interesting.

The build quality is pretty good, though I noticed gaps, such as between
the hood scoop and the hood, that could have been tighter.  The seats
were nicely bolstered, but were a bit on the soft side.  I can't see
them holding up well past 100k miles.  Some things were really on the
cheap side, such as the headliner (sunvisor flips up with a loud
metallic THUNK) and the interior light works/looks a lot like the one in
my father's old 1977 Corolla.
The trunk lock is also those cheap chrome ones that sit outside the
sheetmetal, and are so easily pried off the car in urban areas (look for
a WRX with riveted plate over the lock very soon, I bet).

The keyless remote system does not confirm arm/disarm with a beep or
flash of the lights, just silence.  I hope this can be changed by the
owner.  Also, the design of the remote is very odd, with one huge button
to arm and a tiny one to disarm, I think.

There was also a piece of plastic wirewrap (that accordian-like stuff)
peeking out on either side of the center console.  My guess (and hope)
is that the seats are prewired for the seat heaters that they get in
Canada, and you just need to add the switches, or perhaps switches and
heating elements?

Sitting down, everything falls nicely to hand, though I had a hard time
getting comfortable in the seat.  Things got better later on when I
discovered the tilt wheel adjustment.
The radio sounds fantastic (or is at least very loud - I was so excited
to see the car, I just turned the radio off).

Now, you are mostly interested in the driving experience.  Handling was
very positive - the car feels and handles very aggressively, though not
too stiff.  It was raining a bit and this was not my car, so I really
didn't push it.  Brakes were just OK, but since the car had very few
miles, they might not have been broken in yet.

The engine... sigh.  I felt (again, compared to my Audi S6 with chip)
that the car had way too much lag and I certainly did not feel 227hp. 
It's possible that after breakin the car will loosen up, but I was not
wowed.  In my S6, I could step on the pedal in 5th gear and be pushed
back in the seat immediately.  In the WRX, even when downshifting to
4th, I did not feel a major surge of power.  

The tires are Bridgestone RE92, H rated, M&S, 205/55-16.  I think they
are lame.

The car is a real attention getter in blue, with several people trying
to keep up and then slowing down to check the car out.  I think cops
will be interested as well, so I would think carefully about color
choice.

To sum it up:

Positives:
Handling
Seats nicely bolstered
Sound system

Negatives:
Build quality/equipment, at least compared to VW/Audi
Turbo lag

I hate to say this, but I was disappointed.  I will definitely drive one
again, especially a wagon, which I am more likely to buy, but I can't
help wondering how a used A4 1.8tq with some mods would compare.  I
know, it's used, not new, but there is a big difference in quality.

I think the WRX will appeal most to someone who used to have an
Eclipse/Talon GSX.  The experience will likely be familiar.  For me, the
leap from German to Japanese may be too much to swallow, unless I find
compelling reasons (ie, after breakin things improve dramatically).

| Dan |