Small Car ... Big Fun
by Robert W. Paster

Wow! Really Xciting. Though officially this is not what WRX stands for in the name of Subaru’s boy racer pocket rocket, it could. The 2004 Subaru WRX is a driver’s car in the truest and best sense of the expression.And it has four doors, so you can make a straight faced argument to your wife that it’s practical.

Exterior styling is aggressive with a huge functional scoop dominating the hood and feeding fresh air to the turbo’s intercooler. A deep chin spoiler and big rear wing spoiler demonstrate that this car is designed to go fast. Chiseled fender flares and a menacing looking front end give the relatively small four-door a sporty look that appears ready for the race track, or its natural home, the world offroad rally races in Europe.

It’s a small car, and feels like one inside, but it’s more cozy than cramped. I was able to sit in the back seat without hitting my knees on the back of the driver’s seat, though just barely. Three kids could fit comfortably, but two adults would be more comfortable. The trunk is decent sized with a flat floor and a pass-through in the middle of the back seat for long objects, but the back seat does not fold down to expand the trunk. If you need to carry a lot of stuff, a “sportwagon” version is also available, and it has a fold-down rear seat in front of the enclosed cargo area.

Front seats are basically racing seats, heavily bolstered back and bottom to hold you in place during spirited driving. The grippy fabric of the seats and dead pedal also help keep you planted in fast cornering. Through the leather-wrapped Momo steering wheel three round gauges display technical information, with the tachometer right in the center, where it should be in a driver’s car. The CD/cassette radio sits high in the center console for easy access and the ventilation controls are three rotary knob simple. An accessory turbo gauge can be added to the top of the steering column that looks really cool and is functional as well.

All this leads up to what the WRX is really about: driving! Subaru has the right philosophy about this car – keep it cheap and put all the money towards performance. Though it has basic amenities like cruise control and power windows, there’s not a lot of fancy stuff you don’t need, like power seats or light up vanity mirrors. Unnecessary electrics add weight, expense and complexity and slow the car down, so they are eschewed for things like a leather-wrapped Momo steering wheel, drilled aluminum alloy pedal covers, and functional spoilers. The flat-out performance version, the STi, even comes without a radio.

Sean Kernan, of Lou Fusz Subaru, says, “The WRX is just a fun car to drive. It really doesn’t have any competition. There’s nothing else with allwheel drive that handles as well, especially in bad weather, and it has Subaru reliability. The STi is scary fast; it’s the most fun-to-drive car I’ve ever driven.”

I have to concur. The WRX was a flat-out blast to drive. After a moment’s hesitation, the turbo spools up and the revs rise to rocket you to maximum legal speeds and beyond before you even realize it. Handling is phenomenal. The all-wheel drive system distributes power to all four wheels all the time for maximum traction, dry or wet, which helps for acceleration and handling. Almost flat in corners, the suspension is very stiff. Not the best choice for long road trips or really bad streets, but I’ll sacrifice comfort for performance any day. Steering is responsive and not overboosted. Shifting the 5-speed manual is a pleasure and a lot of fun trying to maximize the WRX’s power band. Acceleration is neck-snapping, with a 0 to 60 time of 5.4 seconds! The STi reduces that to 4.9 seconds.

Power emanates from a 2.0 liter 227 horsepower horizontally opposed turbo four banger with 16 valves and dual overhead cams. Despite the tremendous power, gas mileage is a good 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway. Power flows to all four wheels via a slick-shifting 5-speed manual transmission. An automatic is available (though not in the STi), but if you’re looking for a car with an automatic, this probably isn’t your car.Weighing in at just under 3,100 pounds, the WRX has a great light, tossable feel to it. However, safety has not been forgotten. Safety features include the aforementioned all wheel drive, a limited slip differential, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, and dual front and side air bags.

Prices start at about $25,000 for the WRX, and $31,500 for the WRX STi. You can spend twice as much and not get as much performance, so at these prices you’re getting a heck of a lot of performance bang for your buck.

Robert W. Paster is also an attorney in private practice, concentrating in estate planning and probate.

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The Subaru WRX -- it's all about performance.

Get around town with speed and style.