Subaru Impreza test drive since 2007 sedan

Autotomy

This brisk reptile, throwing his tail, began to try to catch even faster!
 
In the morning, the sun shone, and the snow -marked snowball quickly evaporated, exposing the gray rough expanse ... Alas, Impreza is shifted into the studded nokian, and when you open the throbber -to -turn throbladium motor easily cuts asphalt glands. True, the car grows only for a moment. The insidious ESP, squeezing the brakes, tries to deceive me. Drive, they say, do not be afraid of all under control ... I know you will throw you to the mercy of fate, if the speed in the bend is summer. So do not seek, turn off. Now another matter is a little overdose, and the car slides to the side of all four. Understood. I'm careful about food.
He will still grow
So, a five -door. The idea to cut off the protruding trunk, throwing the back of the corner, was amazing on the surface that the Japanese did not do it ten years ago. Success of rivals in rally, initially putting against sedans from Subaru and Mitsubishi, car with chickens of the stern gradually undermined the stone of tradition, and the new Impreza in the sports version of WRX STI will now be hatchback. And in the European market only they are in any performance. The new Impreza has become shorter by 50 mm, but its wheelbase lengthened by 95 mm, which automatically added the spaciousness of the cabin. With a height of 175180 cm, you can sit behind yourself, leaving 2050 mm from the knees to the back of the front chair. And the trunk was largely sacrificed, he became not only shorter, but also tragically decreased in depth. The volume was eaten by the reserve that migrated from the rear overlook. Indeed, unlike the majority of the front-wheel drive, the Impreza golf class is armed with the rear axle gearbox, over which it was a full-size, as much as 205 mm width of the wheel. However, on such a machine, as a rule, four passengers do not carry at the same time as a mountain of baggage, and in other cases you can fold the rear seat, and everything will fit.
The fear that, having discarded the tail, it will lose a lot of fans, is unlikely to be wealthy. Although we love to carry a mass of junk in the trunk. But Impreza is a special case, its owners seek to emphasize the image of steep pilots in every possible way and are simply obliged, at least in their parties, to approve the relief of the stern. However, the completely orthodox apologists of the Trekhobviky body, which does not lead any intelligible explanations for their addictions, also do not be grieve for the loss of the tail, most likely will be! Since such a phenomenon as regeneration took place at the premiere of the new model in America, where Impreza is available with the sedan body. The version with a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter engine costs there from $ 17,000, and with a turbocharged unit of the same volume and a capacity of 224 hp. from $ 24 350. As the representatives of the Russian importer Subaru explained, they are ready to certify such a machine specifically for our market, if sufficient demand appears.
A much greater surge in the discontent of the impregnations was led to a radical processing of appearance, because the current ordinary and ordinary beauty of the machine was not characteristic of the former generations of this model. Subaru has always been famous for a failure design recall at least Forester, back in 2002, who looked greeted from the glorious 1970s. And the impreza universal produced until 2007? Do you remember her extravagant back, causing a sense of horror and pity at the same time? But this was the trick of a living legend. Becoming similar to almost any gaze grabbed from the stream of hatchback, Impreza lost a lot. However, near her ordinary you can’t call a squat hood, a predatory front, large wide wheels are already turning out! Feed, yes, primitive, but the intercooler air intake, you see, the highlight on the old woman was just a hole under the visor. Interior changes are equally revolutionary, but mostly with a plus sign now this is a completely modern salon. There was no trace of the former in time at the turn of the 80s and 90s of the last century. Drownings did not like the cheap, booming plastic torpedo, but what you can do now the technical fashion. Even for cars for $ 45,000. Yes, the car was improved. And you have to come to terms with this ... don't like it? There are no problems of the tuning master (and Impreza, who did not visit their hands, a rare phenomenon) will be widened for you all from top to bottom Alcantara. Sorry for the money for this? Then your ideal Izhevsk Moskvich-412. Remember this delightful panel of instruments from the softest polyurethane foam under a black crust? ..
The doors are now with the frames. So what? But how softly, from the slightest push, they slam! And let the Pigzon compartment flaunt the non -borely, an all -resistant rider such like a dog’s fifth leg. Instruments with a sight for sore eyes, the inclination of the CEFIs in italics exactly in the topic. Perplexity in terms of ergonomics will only cause the insufficient range of the steering wheel vertically: if the seat can be lifted up almost until they contact the steering wheel rim, then it, to the joy of the little Japanese, would be nice to raise even higher. But now there is also an adjustment of the departure where without it to Europe, but this claim is already more serious why on the mechanism of selection of programs to save? The clarity of the lever, of course, is better than on a budget version with a 1.5-liter engine, but, recalling a metal shutter, which is pleased with Forester, Outback and Legacy (and also in the fulfillment of what is cheaper than this WRX), I would like to shame Subarovtsev for fingertinity. After all, you can when you want! And to put a 5-speed KP on a hot hatchback, when Volkswagen gives six steps with almost all the engines, a clear moneton. Moreover, Subaru also has a normal six -a -way (the so -called large manual transmission). This reinforced unit is put on the STI version and on Legacy in the SPEC configuration. B, but they could give it to a simple WRX is not cheap.
Softly creeps
A pleasant basket of the opposite motor is replaced by a whistle of the turbine, and Impreza shoots along the surface of a wide avenue even in winter you will find a place where you can try a 230 -luna engine. But the main surprise was waiting ahead of the lying policemen. The softness of the suspension, which has just holding the body in a bend parallel to asphalt, is amazing two lungs, as if with a pillow in pants, a kick, and that’s it! And then, without slowing down, through tram tracks is it, a luxury sabotage tract or a sports car? It is interesting, of course, it will identify the flip side of such comfort in the summer and on the corresponding tires. But even if it suddenly turns out that something Impreza can turn from Tverskaya to an hunting row only 180 km/h instead of 200 in the old one, still voted with both hands for softness. Since for such frisky beasts, the smoothness of the course is exclusive talent. And if I prepared the car for real races, the parameters of the standard suspension would not be interested in me. In this case, native racks still ruthlessly throw away only on special rally there is a chance to get to the finish line.
If you do not take into account the mediocre curtain of the CP, the machine management in ordinary urban and suburban conditions gives more pleasure than many cars, which is three times more expensive. Somewhat long -term, but extremely accurately working clutch pedal, in the measure is a sharp, responsive steering wheel, sensitive, do not require the addiction of the brake. However, the most interesting thing was waiting outside the road by the almost rally route, laid in the clean field. Putting snow fountains from under the wheels, we took turns rushing along the corridors rolled among the white virgin lands, writing out circles and eights, is there really such a pleasant pastime and is the work of racers-radiolists? The lucky ones of one of them were invited to try out the novelty in business. For Alexander Impreza, something like a machine, for which they get up every morning from Monday to Friday. And as soon as the profile got behind the wheel, the car swept across the field, like a mouse fox. Sitting on the right, I squeezed into the bucket of the seat, so as not to fall out on the bends, I really did not think that such lateral overloads are possible in loose snow! Moreover, as it turned out later, we went in a sparing equipment mode so as not to kill the serial WRX suspension and do not boil brake fluid. The rally technique of slowing down with the left foot allows the machine to hook and stay on the trajectory, when a swift flight sideways seems to involve only one flight over five meters. For example, I flew a couple of times even at more modest speeds when I tried to travel with the ESP for interest. The car immediately loses mutual understanding with the driver, becoming a thing in itself, and it is already impossible to properly put it at the entrance to the turn. But, having rammed snowdrifts, he also checked the cross -country cross -country for 1520 cm with a depth of 1520 cm Impreza, but this, perhaps, is far from all -terrain limit for her here. And without the intervention of electronics, when you adjust the degree of wheel slipping with a gas pedal, with each circle it is better and better into the track, even this usual WRX C is not controlled, but only by the cluster VICKOFTA by the central differential is obedient for any speed for any speed SUV. And the softer suspension, apparently, allowed her to become even faster on such tracks.
Call me loudly by name!
So, the car worthy of this is worthy of this, we were convinced of this, chasing in almost rally conditions. But even with skeptics, I partly agree to the Japanese clearly carried away, exploiting the merits of a real combat horse to sell more humming cattle. Yes, the business turned out to be a good, and with a consumption of a 1.5-liter engine, the legend car is taken almost twice as often than with 2-liter, and three times than with 2.5 Turbo. But, it seems, for the sake of the tactical winning, Fuji Heavy Industries makes a strategic mistake, eroding a relatively prestigious brand among the masses. Someone had to invent such from scratch, then in vain trying to prove to everyone that the family coat of arms with a twenty-year history is no worse than the presenter from the 19th century. Subaru has the opportunity to come on the contrary to come up with new models, or even a brand, for those who the main thing is to cheaply. And the name glorified on rally ristles leave cars with a turbocharger beast under the hood, a mechanical six -a -a.m. and albeit a wonderful, but a specific appearance. Impreza it sounds proud. Like a motto knocked out on a warrior shield ... But, alas, another development path already traveled by Honda is possible. The first stage in parallel with gypothelics is stamped simply a bunch of vehicles, the stage of the second to make expensive goods in production for the entire decreasing group of connoisseurs becomes less profitable than the consumer goods, and the third stage is generally removed from the conveyor, and the company is large -scale mastering a new market niche, for example, developing a whole family of minivans ...
But so far this has not happened to Subaru, her Impreza remains a very tidbit in the market of competitors. Lancer Evo is hard, like a stool, and, unlike a comfortable WRX, will turn the daily driving through pardins into torture. Maybe all -wheel drive Audi A3 with a 3.2 liter engine? The completeness of the German is much more expensive, and the rear wheels connected by the chaldx will only help in acceleration on the straight line, and in corners with such a transmission you need to go slowly. And there is also a whole flock of SUVs, which IMPREZA can also cheer among buyers. After all, many need just all -wheel drive, and not a high body, they would go on front -wheel drive cars if we cleaned roads and yards. But they lay out $ 45,000 for RAV4 with openwork, almost near the ground, levers of suspension. Although for the same money there is an Impreza WRX with a much more reliable off -road chassis, not to mention incomparable dynamics and handling. And it is possible even cheaper with a 2-liter 150-horsepower Impreza engine costs from $ 30,000. Even such will ride more beautifully and more beautifully than a 2.4-liter rafik.
Specialist comment
Alexander Nerdov, international master of sports, ex-champion of Russia in rally, team Protech M Sport.
As expected, the short rear overhang of the hatchback and a substantially redesigned rear suspension practically suffered excess rotation inherent in the previous machine. Whether this will give a noticeable advantage on the rally route, it is difficult to say the need for a combat vehicle in combat conditions. By nature, the new Impreza has become closer to Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, and for just fans of sports driving on snow -covered roads, it is more important to drive a machine in extreme modes easier. It instantly reacts to the movement of the steering wheel in any phase of turning the rotation that has become a softer suspension provides reliable contact of the wheels with the soil. Perhaps, on dry and hard coating, this will result in excessive rolls, but how many turns in Russia, where the ordinary owner of Subaru will be able to safely, without interference, to exercise in their passage at asphalt speeds? So the emphasis on fast and comfortable riding on bad roads by the creators of the new model, apparently, was chosen correctly. Moreover, the softness of the new suspension goes well with the energy intensity of rarely what kind of passenger car will allow you to drive so quickly on bumps.
Changes in the interior are also positive. A very pleasant, perfectly readable tidy, and the visor above it became noticeably lower, that low drivers in the previous car would partially overlap them a view of the view. The room for the rear passengers was significantly increased, and the reduction in the volume of the trunk is compensated by the possibility of transforming the salon of the hatchback.
 
Anton Utkin
   
 
   
 
   
 



 
 
 

A source: Newspaper driving No. 47 2007