227 HP is what Ford portrays for its Crown Victoria Police Interceptor -- at 4,200 lbs. And THIS is a performance vehicle? Ah, yes, nothing like taking this little ugly wagon with the tiny intials WRX and shoving them up the ASS of any number of SUVs or other so-called "performance" vehicles. This is the most fun you can have, clothed, sucking Porsche Boxsters, pisshead Lancers, Mustangs, Camaros, Acuras, Hondas, Nissans and anything else you can conjur up, into dueling with what appears to be an little ugly wagon. Except that, with a knowledge of AWD, I'll shove your inexperience up your butt. I'm still waiting for what I fear the most: a Dodge Neon SRT-4 driver who actually KNOWS how to pilot his car. Are you out there? I bet you are. In the meantime, c'mon -- try to take me in the curvies. My little ugly wagon comes "on the pipe" over 3,000. And I live there all the time.

Not much. I'll put my little stupid, ugly, sucky $23K car up against your $60K + car most any day.

So, you think you want a Subaru? Well, I don't think you do. Go away and do not darken Subaru's door any more.

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Money does not necessarily equal quality. Education must fit in there someplace. And, I bet I get better gas mileage than you do.

Acceleration is unreal Handling great In dash 6 disc CD player stock is awesome Comfortable to drive on long trips Drive like a granny and get good mileage when you want Turns more heads than I would have ever imagined (not too many on the Big Island at all - I have seen 2 others so far) Head lights are awesome (I have people flashing their highs at me all the time because they think I have mine on) Good visibility and turing radius

Hate the removable carpets because they are too loosely fit (bought new ones) An oil guage is not something you should have to pay extra for in a $20,000 and up car Extra armrest is not very sturdy 1000 mile break-in period is horrible Trunk is too light and shuts only when slammed No trunk remote Child safety windows in back Seats are really thin and I can feel someone behind me easily Paint job is not the best but that is the reason why silver is the way to go (looks great but also hides any nicks) The spoiler is lame, don't buy it, I wouldn't have accepted it if it was free. Upgraded stereo could easily have better tweeters These are actually all nit picks, I would have weakness for BMWs too probably

This car is something else. My car blew up (Ford Exploder 93) and I was forced to buy a new one quickly. I looked into Trucks and SUVs mostly because off road driving is very necessary if you surf here on the Big Island of HI. However, I was so tired of getting stuck behind long lines of cars on the 2 lane roads because I didn't have the juice to safely pass anyone. The more I heard about the WRX the more I thought that it would be the perfect car for me. I didn't even test drive it before I bought it (actually had never been inside one). Reading these reviews was enough for me. When I first got it I was pretty thrilled with the smooth ride. I spent the next 5 days driving non-stop so I could pass the break in period (a killer on my patience). When I actually got to rev the rpms, I was shocked at the kind of performance this car offers. Not only does it have remarkable acceleration, but it also has unbelievable cornering ability. I have driven a 328i bmw and a 500SL merc (my folks own these cars), but aside from image, I would rather drive this car anyday. The handling and pickup are a lot better and so is the gas mileage. Also, on a place like the Big Island, the merc and the bwm is way to high profile and would probably get keyed if I ever tried to bring it to the beach (probably couldn't make it in the sand either). The WRX is unreal for everything. I highly recommend getting it in silver and not getting the spoiler (the spoiler spoils the looks). After driving my new WRX and reading all of the reviews on this page, I have decided that there are only 3 types of reviews. 1. People that work for other car companies that are trying their hardest to put the WRX down. 2. People who must drive 911s or Corvettes and are unhappy with how it stacks up (go figure). 3. People like me, who can not believe the kind of value you get out of this car. It is shocking. I got some 17s with nice rims and it really spiced up the car's looks (probably the performance too). Oh yeah, what is all this business about the cup holder, I think it works fine. Are you sure you are pulling it out far enough. It thought it didn't work well at first either.

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2000 BMW 228i 2002 500 Sl Mercedes 1999 VW GTI

For the money, you can't beat it. Excellent power combined with excellent handling. AWD turbo.

A little loud, but it's a sports car. When cold the clutch will jump a little.

The most fun you can have driving a car. AWD combined with turbo equals big smiles. I think I get the biggest kicks when I get an innocent passenger to ride in the rocket car for the first time. They get in thinking the car looks innocent enough, then I put the hammer down and watch em' stick to the seat. It's great fun. I have no qualms with the interior, I like it, it's no frills yet classy enough for me. Very reliable, it's a Subaru for crying out loud. And the wagon is nice to have, very unassuming, a wolf in sheeps clothing, I love smoking Mustangs!

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none.

Seems very reliable. Overall good quality for price range. Performance is astounding for a car in this range. I like the styling.

If I have to nitpick, I'd like a bit more in the brakes department. The paint is OK, but I'd happily pay a few hundred more for thicker. I picked up a few small chips on the front of the hood in the first few months (maybe 5), but since then, the paint has held up fine.

I absolutely love this car. An amazing value if you are looking for a driver's car. Reliability has been perfect and the car is still a solid an rattle-free as the day I bought it. Many say the interior is only so-so, but I don't agree. The controls (esp. steering wheel) are top quality and the rest is simple, yes, but tasteful. The engine is beautiful with lots of torque from about 2500 rpm. The handling (with stock wheels and struts) is very good, a liitle biased towards understeer, but with loads of grip. The brakes are OK. The ABS is very good, but bigger brakes would be nice in a perfect world (well, there is the STI...). If you understand this car, you already want it. Made for driving enthusiasts.

excellent drivetrain engineering--everything works exactly as it should.

paint is a bit prone to scratches/damage.

not much else to add... quick, lots of aftermarket out there to make it quicker. def. a sleeper. good utility, hwy milage 27-29mpg. you can't beat the bang for the buck.

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chevy corvette, '86. chevy camaro '96.

Insane power, I swear it feels like more than 227hp. Awesome seats. Awesome steering wheel. Crazy handling. Nicely equiped (for the money/performance).

It's basically a 140-145hp engine 'til 3k RPM, but even that is passable. Poor gas mileage, I'd guess, with that insane acceleration. Strange looks. But I think I'll grow to like it. Your almost certainly going faster than you think you are.

I'm picking up my slightly used WRX this Friday. I test drove it this weekend.... WOW. I went in knowing a ton about this car (I think I may have read every review on the internet) And I was STILL blown completely away. Just the feel of this car is incredible. I see all the complaints about the interior, but I wasn't dissappointed at all. When I test drove this carI wound it right out to about 7k RPMs every shift. I couldn't help it.... the car demanded it. Goodbye gas mileage. The poor dealer was terrified. I think he thought I was a maniac. I still think the styling is sort of goofy... but that doesn't matter. Plainly put, this car is incredible.

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1991 Nissan Sentra SE-R. I loved the SE-R (almost bought a new one instead of the WRX) but the WRX blows it out of the water.

All wheel drive Handling Acceleration Seats FUN!

Minor clutch shudder when cold. Side mirrors are a bit smallish.

The WRX wagon is quicker than most sports coupes but can haul a TV or small furniture. Plus it doesn't draw any unwanted attention. On pavement it feels like driving a big go-kart. The grippy suspension and all wheel drive keep the wrx controllable on rough and loose surfaces.

6 Disc in-dash Changer Momo Steering Wheel Great Seats Quick as lightening. Handles like a Porsche even in bad weather.

Weak paint-job.

Had a '99 Porsche Boxster and the lease expired. I decided I was probably spending too much on cars and wanted to see if I could get great performance for less. Sure enough the WRX fit the bill. 0-60 seems as fast if not faster than the Boxster. Also, I can drive the WRX in all kinds of sloppy weather with confidence - something I couldn't do in the Porsche. This car is an unreal value. Seats are just as comfy as the Porsche, though obviously the interior is not as posh. Nevertheless from a performance standpoint, the WRX is actually better than the Porsche in my opinion. All for less than half the price. I actually like the bug-eyed headlights and glad sad to see that they are changing it. I have the wagon and it holds a ton, especially with the seats folded. Most fun car I've ever driven - would highly recommend to anyone who craves performance.

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Porsche Boxster

- AWD - turbo!! - nice seat design - a real working hood scoop - always fun to drive in any type of weather

- could've used 60/40 folding rear seats - override switch to deactivate daytime running lights - wish the WRX came with standard foglamp covers

I've been looking for a new car with AWD/4wd and have gone through the Ford Sport Trac, Explorer Sport, and the Jeep Liberty - but the 'performance' wasn't just there (including the price). So I decided to check out the Subaru WRX for a change...and I'm glad I did. Just got my Subie after Valentine's day and it was raining cats and dogs that day, and actually wasn't going to get the car 'til April 03. But then after test driving it, there was this 'grin' on my face that doesn't want to fade - the WRX is as they say it is - pure fun and a joy to drive in! The car performs as expected, taking curves extremely well (much better if you get different tires), acceleration was super quick, and overall handling excellent. I thought before it was all hype and it turns out it's not and I'm really glad! I was also hesistant at first at the WRX's appearance - the 'google eyes' takes a while to get used but like most WRX owners say, it 'grows on you'. You get the best performance from the turbocharged engine with the 5 speed tranny. The shifting takes a little getting used to, and is a bit 'notchy' for me. The A/C is good and the seats are comfy. Best bang for the buck for a vehicle in its class!

FUN! Quick Quiet Well built Practical Economical for level of performance Plenty of appearance and performance upgrades available if so desired Finally a car designed by engineers to be easy to maintain. Oil changes can be done by reaching under the front of the car no jacking (or sliding under)required... Did I mention F U N?

No impressed with the subwoofer in the upgraded stereo Paint is good, but not great No full trunk pass through Interior is typical mid level Japanese

I'm very happy with this purchase. I wanted something quick and fun to drive that was also reasonably practical and didn't attract the attention of every boy racer or law enforcement officer. This car has fulfilled all of those requirements. I've been around quick cars all my life, so I'm not as impressed by it's acceleration as some of the previous reviews. However it is very quick, certainly much quicker than you'd think by giving it a passing glance (sedan, no wing). What I find most impressive is it's ability to move quickly and effortlessly in all conditions. Rain and snow are no problem. It's comfortable, handles extremely well, gets good mileage for it's performance level (low to mid 20's with "spirited" driving) and is just plain fun to drive. You get to appear sensible to most of the world with only your close friends and fellow car enthusiasts knowing that you really bought it for that second gear full boost rush out of the corners...

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