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REVIEWS:2008 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Sedan

admin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:21:03 +0000

By Joe DeMatio, David Yochum, Amy Skogstrom, Rusty Blackwell
The all-beige interior of this economy sedan has all the aesthetic appeal of a hospital room. Jeez, Subaru, couldn’t you figure out SOMETHING in here that could be colored or finished in such a way as to give the eye a break from the endless monotony of beige plastic?

Well, at least everything is uniformly beige; every piece of plastic is exactly the same shade, and the pieces all fit together well. I suppose those are achievements.
With the Impreza’s recent redesign, Subaru hoped to take it into the mainstream, where it perhaps could compete effectively with the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic. Unfortunately, in heading into the mainstream, Subaru forgot to inject this base-model Impreza with any of the uniqueness that traditionally has set Subarus apart from Hondas and Toyotas. The only compelling reason I can see to consider this car over Civic and Corolla is the all-wheel drive, which is indeed a big bonus in a car that stickers for only $17,737.
Other than that, the Impreza is uninspiring to drive, with a soggy chassis, a four-cylinder boxer engine that does little to raise your

2009 Subaru WRX - more power and priced under $25,000

admin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:16:22 +0000

Subaru has announced that the 2009 Impreza WRX will go on sale at a price under $25,000; meaning that the price will remain relatively unchanged considering the 2008 model is priced at $24,995.

The 2009 WRX features a new STI-type grille that carries the WRX badge. Both models -sedan and five-doors- get a sharpened new look from the standard Aero Package, which was formerly part of the optional WRX Premium Package. Both body styles also feature front and rear under-bumper spoilers and aerodynamic side ground effects. The sedan has a low-profile rear trunk spoiler, while the 5-Door adopts the WRX STI rear spoiler and a rear diffuser. The rear garnish panel between the light clusters is body color on the 5-Door and chrome on the sedan.

One of the most important updates to the WRX is a new, more powerful engine. One of the biggest criticisms of the new WRX when it debuted last year was that it had the same engine as the previous model. The new engine now produces 265 hp at 6,000 rpm and 244 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 4,000 rpm – significant increases from the 224 horsepower and 226 lb.-ft. in the 2008 version.

2008 - Subaru Impreza and 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:23:06 +0000

Impreza : If you’ll forgive me for invoking a hallowed piece of genre-defining cinema, there’s a moment in The Brady Bunch Movie that always tends to stick in my head. Jan Brady, the middle of three sisters, has grown mildly psychotic, and she’s begun talking to herself. Her sister, Marcia, always seems to have the upper hand:

Jan (to herself): “She has every right to be mad; they are her socks. But why does Marcia get all the socks? Why does Marcia get all the trophies? Why does Marcia get all the good drawers?”

Jan (out loud): “Yeah, why does Marcia get everything? Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!”

The poor kid then proceeds to go more than a little nuts. (The next Jan line that the Internet Movie Database shows in its list of Brady quotes is, “Watch my head spin! Kill! Kill! KILL!”) For the most part, this is easy to understand. Older, prettier, luckier Marcia gets all the credit, gets all the guys, and generally lives the life of a privileged hottie. Jan, on the other hand, mostly wears glasses, walks into walls, and gets treated like a retarded elephant.

This, in turn, brings me to the Mitsubishi Lancer and the Subaru Impreza. Yep, you read that right: I said Lancer and Impreza with nary a hint of the words “Evolution” or “STI”. These are the forgotten sisters, the base-model Jan Bradys of the hot-turbo-rally-clone world. They don’t have turbochargers, fancy big-bolstered seats, or massive multi-piston brakes. They have no rally pedigree. These cars are almost perpetually ignored by the media and the public at large, cursed as they are with low horsepower numbers and a lack of drama. They do not, to coin a phrase, get all the good drawers.

Test drive: 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, car news and reviews.

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:02:05 +0000

It took a while, but I finally got my hands on the new-for-2008 version of Subaru’s hottest hot-rod, the Impreza WRX STI. Our short-review template does not allow for subtitles, but if it did, the one for this review probably would have been “You Tried To Kill Me, But I Still Love You”.

Subaru to test R1e electric car in New York City

besthidxenon — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 03:00:46 +0000

At the New York Auto Show last week, Subaru announced it would begin testing its R1e electric vehicle in conjunction with the New York Power Authority this summer. Two of the R1e vehicles will join the NYPA fleet, promising a 50-mile range that costs less than $2 in electricity, a 65 mph top speed and an 80-percent recharge in just 15 minutes. The two-seater is powered by advanced lithium ion batteries that do not suffer from charge memory loss like typical lithium ion batteries, allowing partial charges without adverse effects on their longevity. A full charge takes eight hours via a standard household electrical outlet. The batteries power a 40 kW (about 54 horsepower) AC permanent magnet synchronized motor that drives all wheels, in typical Subaru fashion. “Subaru’s goal is to become the leading brand in the electric vehicle market,” said Ikuo Mori, Fuji Heavy Industries president. Similar testing has been in Japan since 2006, with 40 Subaru R1-based R1es doing duty in the Tokyo Electric Power Company fleet, which helped develop the car. Subaru plans on placing another 100 R1e vehicles in Japan next year. Service life for the lithium-ion battery utilized in the R1e is estimated at 10 years and 100,000 miles.
[ Subaru to test R1e electric car in New York City Via Hidstores Car Reviews Blogs ]