WRX :: Latest Edmunds.com Review on 2002 WRX

First Drive : 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX

WR...X Marks the Spot

Teasing us Yanks with the WRX nomenclature since 1993, Subaru has been playing hard to get with this car ever since serious stateside car nuts learned about its list of tasty tidbits. Highest on that list are a turbocharged and intercooled flat-four making well over 200 horsepower, Subaru's trademark all-wheel drive and updated suspension components for serious back road thrills all wrapped in a tidy two- or four-door compact bodyshell.

For dedicated Subie fans as well as the rest of us, the wait is over. The 2002 Impreza WRX Sedan and Wagon are slated to go on sale in the spring of 2001. After driving it we can tell you to have your financing in order, because this one's gonna be worth the wait and worth the bucks, too. How much, we have yet to find out.

Think of the WRX as the BMW M3 or Audi S4 of the Impreza line and you have an idea of the good stuff that's packed into this slick little car. Like the 3 Series and the A4 that've made their marks in various touring-car racing classes worldwide, the Impreza's claim to fame is its success on the World Rally Championship (WRC) scene. The WRX draws a direct link to Subaru's WRC racing program. On the international rally scene now for more than a decade, Subaru is one the few automakers to have three-peated (1995-97) in the WRC series.

Some of that rally lineage can be traced to the Impreza 2.5 RS and through 2001 this car has remained one of the few all-wheel-drive machines in its segment. But with only 165 horsepower, the 2.5 RS got sand kicked in its face by foes such as the VTEC Integra and VR6-powered VW GTI.

No more. With the arrival of the WRX, Subaru has arguably created a car that exists in a class of one. Since Subaru teased us for so many years, we won't prolong the wait any longer by holding out on the engine's impressive components and performance.

The DOHC flat (or H) four has 2.0 liters (122 cubic inches) of displacement and sports an aluminum block and cylinder heads. A turbo-friendly 8:1 compression ratio allows the turbo to make as much as 14.2 psi of boost. There's also an air-to-air intercooler which itself draws cool air from a functional hoodscoop. No flashy fake scoops here. The WRX engine's intake is also a new design worth noting. It has a tumble generator valve that helps with cold-start drivability and low-speed operation.

The result of all these bits is a package that not only makes impressive power but also is exceptionally efficient. Making 113.5 horsepower per liter of displacement, the WRX furnace makes 227 ponies at 6,000 rpm and 217 foot-pounds of torque at a reasonably low 4,000 rpm. Look at it this way: If the 450-horse, 8.0-liter V10 in a Dodge Viper made 113.5 horsepower per liter, it would produce a staggering 908 horsepower. It goes to show you that small engines, combined with the technology of intercooled turbocharging, go a long way toward making the driver smile when the loud pedal is prodded. Furthermore, Subaru also claims the WRX's 13.6 pounds-per-horsepower is a better power-to-weight ratio than any A4 quattro or all-wheel-drive BMW 3 Series.

Though we drove only a five-speed manual transmission-equipped WRX, the car will also be available with a four-speed automatic. Equipped with a five-speed, the WRX has continuous all-wheel drive. Automatic-equipped WRX models get a different system known as variable torque distribution all-wheel drive that splits power 45 percent to the front wheels and 55 percent to the rear. The continuous system splits power 50/50 and has a bevel-gear differential and limited-slip viscous coupling built into the transmission case.

Wheel slippage at the front causes more power to shift to the rear, and slippage at the rear transfers more power to the front, ensuring that the wheels with the most traction receive the majority of the power. The viscous coupling contains a series of opposing discs attached to the front and rear output shafts, surrounded in a silicone fluid. During normal operation, power is distributed equally between the front and rear wheels. Slippage at the front or rear wheels causes a rotational difference between the front and rear discs in the viscous unit, which in turn shears the fluid. The shearing action heats the fluid, causing it to thicken (like a mixer thickens cake batter). As the fluid thickens, power transfers from the plates rotating faster (the slipping wheels) to those rotating more slowly (the wheels with the most traction). When the slippage stops, all the discs turn at the same speed, restoring the 50/50 power split. The process happens quickly and is transparent to the driver.

The WRX isn't just an intercooled turbo motor and all-wheel drive, though. A full menu of suspension updates is part of all 2002 Imprezas, in addition to a few extras unique to the WRX and 2.5 RS. The front suspension is based on a MacPherson strut design and uses L-shaped lower control arms with liquid-filled rear bushings, improved for reduced noise and vibration. Revised geometry also contributes to better handling. And in the WRX and 2.5 RS Sedans, the front track is 20 millimeters wider than lesser Imprezas.

In the sedans (the two-door coupe has been dropped), positioning the struts and wheel hub assemblies 10 millimeters outward on each side without changing the kingpin angle reduces changes in the ground contact angles of the tyres, thus reducing body roll angle. Anti-dive geometry in front and anti-squat geometry in the rear helps keep the car stable under hard acceleration and braking.

Moving to the rear, several changes were made to the Impreza's dual-link rear strut suspension. The lower control arm bushings have been improved to reduce road noise transmission into the cabin, the rear crossmember is lighter and stronger, the rear crossmember-to-body bushings have been redesigned to provide more lateral support and the crossmember mounting area has been strengthened.

New geometry raises the rear roll center 33 millimeters above that of the front suspension, to about the same level as in an Impreza WRC rally car. This reduces rear suspension compression while cornering, which improves stability during quick maneuvers, enhances straight-line stability and contributes to a more neutral feel when cornering. Substantial four-wheel disc brakes are also part of the new car, with standard ABS, two-piston front calipers, 11.4-inch front rotors and 10.3-inch rears.

As we said earlier, the WRX has a better power-to-weight ratio than one of the current all-wheel-drive benchmark sport sedans, the Audi S4, at 13.6 pounds per horsepower compared to 14.8. As you can imagine, that makes for big fun behind the wheel. Turbo lag is minimal and the 227 horsepower (actually surpassing a 330i's 225-horsepower rating) moves the 3,085-pound five-speed sedan smartly down the road. On several occasions we had clear road in front of us, and even with a passenger on board, the WRX feels genuinely fast. We expect zero-to-60 sprints to easily break into the six-second zone and the quarter-mile times should be in the 14-second range.

One of the most appealing aspects about driving the WRX is its tidy and compact size. On initial impression, it's about the size of a Honda Civic. But take that Civic, add all-wheel drive; big brakes, wheels and tyres; and a whopping 100 extra horsepower and you've got a pocket rocket on steroids that no Civic Si could've ever been.

Merge the compactness of this car with its capabilities and the recipe for pure driving fun is an ideal mix. Cornering ability is impressive and imparts a very confident feel, while braking is equally exceptional. When the road gets straight and it's time to do the interstate slog, the WRX is a relaxed highway cruiser that belies its fundamental mission as back road corner carver.

We were also pleased with the car's interior. It provided a functional, yet pleasant environment that didn't overwhelm with gadgets or try too hard to impress. Rather than coddling the driver, it provided core good stuff like a meaty Momo four-spoke steering wheel, black flat-woven seat fabric, WRX-embroidered floor mats and an 80-watt stereo with an in-dash six-disc CD changer. There are also plenty of other standard features; the WRX doesn't let you down in that area. Included are power windows and locks, cruise control, remote keyless entry, and several WRX-exclusives like front seat side-impact airbags, fog lights, and dual vanity mirrors.

There's no question the WRX is an impressive machine. Sure it's not the raw-edged Impreza 22B screamer that one might fantasize about. But it's not nearly as expensive, either. The only question at this point is where the WRX will fit into the picture from a pricing standpoint. We surmise the sticker on the WRX will fall in the 26-28K range. Even if it's more, it'll still be a tough package to resist when you're getting Audi S4-like performance for what will amount to at least a $10,000 discount.