It's an interesting ride. The nice things: engine is pretty good, the CD player is a 6-CD IN-DASH (!) player, the seats are pretty good, the wagon is cheaper than the sedan (? Not sure why), it turns really well, short shifter, close gears. Bad things: Subaru put all the money into the engine and the CD player. The manual tranny feels worse than the manual tranny in the Viggen. The seats could be wider. The doors are really quite flimsy (you can see them compress as you shut the door). It's not a 2 door. There's no frame around the windows on the doors. Everything is manual (which isn't really bad in a car this powerful and in this price range). Small rear seat room. The rear seats don't fold down in the sedan, although they do fold down in the wagon.

This car will supposedly roast the Viggen (it beats the Viggen, according to Road and Track data, in every acceleration and slalom test, although the Viggen wastes it in braking), but you really have to race the engine. I had it floored at about 2500-3000 rpm, and there was no power. Do that in the Viggen, and you'll be flying in no time. It develops maximum torque and horsepower above 4,000 rpm, which is great if you want to hammer all the time, but it gets old if you're just meandering around town.

I'm afraid that, if you drive it to get maximum performance, you'll be eating clutches and potentially transmissions. You have to have high rpm to really have fun.

If there were no incentives on Saabs and my price range was 25k or less, I'd seriously consider the WRX, most likely the wagon and a light color like silver to limit its ugliness. With incentives on Saabs, I'd probably choose a Saab.

The dealership really touts the all wheel drive of the Subaru, but they forget to tell you that 17 inch rims and performance tires mean that it's still not going to do well in the snow. It's still a car that will benefit from snow tires.

• Saw a WRX today...., Bill H., Wed, 13 Jun 2001 08:48:16
  • Re: Drove a WRX yesterday, bob, Fri, 15 Jun 2001 11:21:23 <-- Viewing This Message
    • the wagon has a lower mech spec than the sedan ..., JMC, Fri, 15 Jun 2001 12:56:28
      • Re: the wagon has a lower mech spec than the sedan ..., bob, Fri, 15 Jun 2001 14:33:16
  • The customer is always right..., JMC, Thu, 14 Jun 2001 09:36:42
  • We are a dying breed..., Dinger, Wed, 13 Jun 2001 14:57:42
    • Perhaps both will be extinct someday..., LDH, Thu, 14 Jun 2001 01:27:48
      • Good news - BMW did decide to redo the powersteering, tommy, Thu, 14 Jun 2001 07:13:43
        • Re: BMW powersteering, JMC, Thu, 14 Jun 2001 16:44:17
    • Re: We are a dying breed..., Ckpaden, Wed, 13 Jun 2001 18:16:22
      • Re: We are a dying breed..., Trevor, Wed, 13 Jun 2001 23:21:23
    • Re: We are a dying breed..., Dave Westlake, Wed, 13 Jun 2001 15:14:35
  • Yeah, if they've got all of their limbs, no excuses, tommy, Wed, 13 Jun 2001 09:07:38
    • Re: Saw a WRX today..., TJ, Wed, 13 Jun 2001 11:15:06
      • Clarification of my point., tommy, Wed, 13 Jun 2001 11:24:23
        • The owners are not the lazy ones, Joe , Wed, 13 Jun 2001 12:45:52
          • The owners are to blame, Bill D, Wed, 13 Jun 2001 20:37:49
            • RE: TV Remote, Joe , Thu, 14 Jun 2001 06:48:25
              • Kidding along, Bill D, Thu, 14 Jun 2001 13:34:17
          • Let's throw it at manufacturers also: 40 series auto only?, tommy, Wed, 13 Jun 2001 13:26:17
            • Re: Let's throw it at manufacturers also: 40 series auto only?, Tom R, Wed, 13 Jun 2001 14:48:24
              • Re: Let's throw it at manufacturers also: 40 series auto only?, Wayne, Wed, 13 Jun 2001 18:05:57
                • Mine only had autos and 5-speed bases..., Wes Miller, Wed, 13 Jun 2001 19:46:55

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