2002 Subaru Impreza WRX - A Practical Powerhouse

Speechless... not a great state for a writer. But nevertheless, Subaru's Impreza WRX has left me groping deep within my bag of superlatives to no avail. Yes, it's that good. Roller coaster handling, Velcro-inspired all-wheel traction, slingshot acceleration and dead-end defying braking - like I said, no matter how creative I try to get, words won't do it justice.

It is important to note that the base Impreza is already an impressive machine. When upgraded to RS trim, it's superb at carving up corners. Actually, the RS is equipped with essentially the same wheel/tire package and suspension as the WRX. Add this to Subaru's standard AWD and the 2.5 RS offers excellent performance value.

On the other hand, the WRX's stunning off-the-line acceleration is breathtaking! It's assisted as much by its sensational turbocharged, 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder engine as it is by its combination of all-wheel drive traction and low mass. With 227-hp on tap, it only takes 5.7 seconds to reach 100 km/h and then only another 8.7 seconds to hit the ¼ mile. Whew! To put this into perspective, its 0 - 100 runtime is a fraction off the pace of the Porsche Boxster S and Honda S2000, both premium two seat roadsters.