At last, the gearbox now offers a gated shifter and throws worthy of a sports car. Depending on road conditions, you can adjust the center differential to ensure precise handling or enjoy a bit of oversteer. To tell you the truth, I didn't have to push the car to feel like I was getting the most out of it. I liked the extra power to get myself out of bad spots, but I preferred the overall civility of the powertrain.

Obviously, the STI still has no problem sticking to the pavement.

On another positive note, Subaru finally improved the braking system of the STI. It took me only 33 meters on average to stop from 100 to 0 km/h. As for fuel economy, I wound up with a combined city-highway rating of 14.5 liters per 100 kilometers.

A recommended pick
I wish I had kept the car for another week, if only to explore all the possibilities and intricacies of the various systems. One thing's for sure: if you're fond of sporty machines, you owe it to yourself to try the new 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. It'll give you a lot of bang for your buck.


Photo Credit : Luc Gagné