First Impressions
Let's get this out in the open right now: we love driving the Subaru WRX.
It’s one of those cars that entertain the driver far more than most cars can. The recipe has remained the same for many years: All-wheel drive (AWD), horizontally opposed 4-cylinder engine (called a “boxer” engine), big, fat turbocharger and a wide stance. Other than some doodads and gizmos, that’s about it.
The WRX always had an edge to its appearance. Huge wings, fat fenders and a massive hood scoop were its calling cards. Then, the most recent edition changed everything. What was audacious and brash became mature and sober.
Fans were not amused.
Our first reaction to the redesigned WRX is that it's a bit too mellow for our tastes. The low hood, longer wheelbase and smallish wheel arches remind us more of last generation’s Toyota Corolla or Nissan Sentra rather than a gutsy Subaru. On the other hand, we were smitten by the rally-ready WRX STI. The same body mixed with fat fenders, wide wheels and a quartet of exhaust pipes looked as the WRX should; loud, brash and ready for business.
Guess what? The 2011 WRX (view photos) now has the same wide body as the STI. Yes indeed, Subaru took a logical, smooth design and added punk-rock.
- What was the waltz is now bump and grind
- What was Percy Faith is now Jimi Hendrix
- What was a respectable suit is now a baggy pant, sideways cap-wearing punk
- What was Swiss cheese is now nacho cheese
Subaru didn’t stop there. Perhaps they were sensing the public's admiration of the Mitsubishi Evolution and Ralliart (view photos) – both having a trunk – both are great looking. Subaru has not only added a 4-door, they gave it the wide body treatment too.
The 4-door will jump out at you the moment you see it. It is very aggressive looking and it’s got a huge tail section. Like many Mitsubishi sporting products, the 2011 Subaru WRX 4-door has wide rear quarters. We think the 4-door looks old-school cool, but a few of the automotive journalists at the unveiling were less impressed. Still, if you dig the looks of the 2011 WRX and pine for a trunk, the 4-door WRX may be right up your alley.
Both 2011 Subaru WRX models benefit from the additional width with wheels that are an inch wider than last year's model and an overall width increase of 1.5-inches. The additional rubber on the road and wider stance make a significant difference in cornering and stability while adding very little weight over last year’s WRX.
The bottom line is, Subaru has made many needed changes to the WRX, resulting in a car that is more desirable than ever before.
Pricing, Trims and Options
The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX 4-door and 5-door share the same price. The base price ($25,495) includes the basics like A/C, base entertainment features and power windows.
The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Premium ($27,995) adds to the base model with upgraded fog lights, power/tilt glass moon roof, rear trunk spoiler (4-door) and the All Weather Package. The All Weather Package includes: dual-mode heated front seats, heated exterior mirrors and windshield wiper de-icer.
The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited ($28,995) builds on the Premium package by adding leather-trimmed upholstery and HID headlights (low beam).
Interior Features
The most notable improvement to the well-made, albeit simple, interior is the electronic audio interface. The revised audio system now has integrated Bluetooth and iPod control capability. Everything else is essentially the same.
Still, it’s a good place to spend time. This (recently) new Impreza interior configuration is comfortable and spacious. It falls somewhere between a Nissan Sentra and Hyundai Sonata’s interior. The materials are good as is fit and finish. But nothing is outstanding. Then again, you shouldn't expect luxury wood trims in a vehicle at this price point.
Back seat comfort in the new 4-door WRX is as good as the 5-door model with good head and leg room – especially for the compact size. Both vehicles have 60/40 split-folding rear seats. Trunk space for the 4-door is 11.3 cubic feet and the maximum cargo capacity of the 5-door is 19.0 cubic feet (44.4 cubic feet with the rear seat lowered).
Make no mistake: the driver’s seat is the most rewarding place in the car. That's where you want to spend your drive time.
Safety, Quality and Reliability
Subaru’s bumper-to-bumper warranty is 3 years or 36,000 miles with a 5-year or 60,000 mile powertrain warranty. Corrosion is covered for 5 years and/or unlimited miles.
The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX (view photos) has not yet been rated in crash tests. However, the 2010 Subaru Imprezza was named a "Top Safety Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) score. That means the Impreza received a score of Good in front- and side-impact tests. One trusts that the WRX, once tested, will receive solid safety scores. If you're interested in the vehicle, we recommend you visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to check for updated ratings.
Consumer Reports and J.D. Power have yet to rate the 2011 Subaru Impreza, however, the 2011 Subaru WRX is based on the same architecture as the 2010.
Consumer Reports gave the 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI a “Recommended” stamp with an overall score rating of 89 out of a possible 100 points. J.D. Power gave the 2010 Subaru Impreza an overall predicted reliability rating of “About average.”