2009 Subaru Impreza WRX Overview Change Vehicle

This 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2009 Impreza WRX, and includes safety, reliability, and fuel economy information for the Impreza WRX.

Despite undergoing an extensive redesign just last year, the Subaru Impreza WRX arrives for 2009 with a host of changes and upgrades. Perhaps most significant for enthusiasts, not to mention certain competitors, the 2009 WRX boasts 265 horsepower, up from last year’s 224. Engineers have also tweaked the chassis and dropped the antiquated four-speed automatic transmission from the options list. From a styling perspective, the 2009 WRX features red contrast stitching throughout the interior and shares its grille, rear diffuser, and newly standard body kit with the high-performance WRX STi model.

Shoppers interested in a 2009 Subaru Impreza with a good bit of bite and attitude will want to focus their attention toward the WRX and WRX STi models. Both draw power from a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, though the base WRX delivers less punch. Its list of standard features includes routine amenities like power windows and power mirrors, but also boasts a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, cruise control, an input jack for your personal MP3 player, and a set of sport seats bolted in up front. Viewed from the outside, you might notice the WRX’s 17-inch alloy wheels that are wrapped in performance rubber instead of last year’s all-season treads, and a body kit that had been part of an optional Premium Package in 2008. Of course, an all-wheel-drive system is standard.

Move up to the 2009 WRX STi and you’ll not only get more ponies under the hood but also more aggressively styled fenders and rear quarter panels, a front fascia with openings for brake cooling, and 18-inch alloys to fill the wheel wells. The list of upgrades carries over into the cabin, home to a better audio system with secondary controls mounted on the steering wheel, leather and suede upholstery, and technology engineered to cater to owners’ particular driving styles. That’s the job of the STi’s Driver Controlled Center Differential, which provides different settings to dictate how and where the engine’s power will be directed to the ground, and an intelligent drive system that allows for manipulation of the STi’s throttle response.

Power for the 2009 Subaru WRX comes from a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that’s good for 265 horsepower and 244 pound-feet of torque, figures that are up from 2008’s 224 ponies and 226 pound-feet of twist. The extra muscle comes courtesy of a larger turbocharger that delivers more boost and a redesigned exhaust system with less back-pressure. Another change from last year is the deletion of the optional four-speed automatic transmission, which leaves the five-speed stick as the only available gearbox. Despite the changes, fuel economy has only taken a slight hit, with city estimates down to 18 mpg from 19 mpg in 2008. EPA-rated highway fuel economy remains the same at 25 mpg.

In addition to engine updates, the 2009 Subaru WRX arrives with a few changes to its chassis. Borrowing some cues from the STi, the springs have been stiffened and the shocks retuned, the stabilizer bars are thicker, and the steering adjusted for the new standard performance tires.

The WRX STi’s underpinnings have been carried over for 2009, as has its boosted 2.5-liter four-banger. Thanks to its larger intercooler, output registers a stout 305 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of green light-smoking torque. Like the regular WRX, the STi uses a manual transmission to facilitate the distribution of grunt to all four wheels, though in this case drivers have six gears to work with instead of five. Keep the accelerator off of the floor and you just might match EPA estimates of 17 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.

On the reliability front, a couple of things have changed since 2008, but the net result is the same. Consumer Reports, which gave the Impreza WRX a passing grade last year, predicts below average dependability from the 2009 model, while J.D. Power and Associates has adjusted its score from below average to average for 2009. Confusing? Maybe. But it’s clear that there’s plenty of room for improvement.

For more positive news, we suggest checking out the 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX’s safety scores. Better yet, let us fill you in. Last year, the WRX was named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), but for 2009 the IIHS qualifies its rating as applicable only to standard Impreza models. However, when subjected to crash tests performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Subaru’s smallest car earns commendable marks overall. Aiding in the effort are four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, stability control, and six airbags including side-curtain airbags.

We’ve been fans of the WRX and WRX STi for years, and our admiration only grows stronger with this year’s addition of more power, the standard body kit, and some serious tweaks to the underpinnings. If you’re searching the used market, make sure to look for a deal on a 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX before settling for an older and less capable model.

By Thom Blackett