SUBARU has wheeled out a new-look Impreza to locally debut its new, aircraft-inspired corporate face. That you may take or leave, but there’s also something else within the new WRX version that sounds potentially exciting – a huge bump in engine capacity from 2.0 to 2.5 litres. How, you ask, does that affect the performance? Stunningly perhaps? Not quite. In fact according to Subaru’s figures it actually accelerates slower to 100km/h. Given it’s got the same super-low final drive ratio and a reasonable torque increase, how can that be so? Can’t explain really, except to say the latest WRX does seem a little more tractable and a little more responsive in the gears. Given that, the new WRX appears to have decided it will leave the all-out performance thing to the hard-edged STi version – which also gets a 2.5-litre engine, but more substantial power and torque increases.
![](/assets/contents/38e671e4fcbb04962299f8cf27e811a79b3ea094.jpg)
Impreza WRX
Released: December 2002
Ended: September 2005
Family Tree: ImprezaSubaru's promptly-facelifted Impreza WRX of 2002 was hailed as the return of the King. Prior to this, fans had to endure two years of a heavier, slower and visually more challenging "bug-eyed" version. As for the MY03 model, big advances were made in driveability, plus extra equipment, safety and security features were included. With 168kW and 300Nm channelled to all four wheels via a five-speed manual or sequential-shift four-speed automatic, the Rex was back.
Facebook Twitter Instagram