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The latter part of the day would be left solely to driving the better of the two models: the WRX, and bless Subaru's heart for doing so. Externally, the difference between the WRX and 2.5GT aren't staggering because neither chassis (4- or 5-door) are as wide as the flagship STI, but you get plenty more car over the 2.5GT when stepping into a WRX. Most notably, the WRX carries the STI-style grille, rear STI-style gate spoiler (5-door only) and a standard Aero Package to set it apart. Turn the engine over and you hear and feel that nice, familiar Boxer growl. The instrument panel lights up and does a funky, little dance (it does this on the 2.5GT, too, and does a goodbye number when you shut down as well) as you get comfortable and buckle yourself in. Second, grab that shift knob and move the shift lever to First gear. Yes - a manual gearbox! Things are feeling good and you haven't even left the parking lot. But once you do, let it rip kid, because now there's 265 hp and 244 lb-ft. Do the math: that's an extra 41 hp and 18 lb-ft over the previous generation.
From a standstill, the WRX moves a lot more quickly than one would anticipate. At 13.3 psi, the turbo spools nicely and the power comes on very linear, though not as aggressive as the STI. Our drive continued onward towards Tofino, located on the western coast of Vancouver Island, but getting there required more standard driving, traveling downhill on a long single-lane highway, giving plenty of opportunities to wind the motor up and test other motorists' patience. Comparable to Mitsubishi's Evo X, the faster its driven, the smoother and more controlled it feels, and allowing the needle to rest at 85 mph or greater seems just as comfortable as it did when it was driving patiently at 40. But Subaru had other plans for us to test the WRX's true nature.
Upon our arrival to the seaside town of Tofino, was a side road that dissolved quickly from paved surface to loose gravel, allowing us to take a quick stab at losing traction and let the car slip around. Probably not what the road was intended for, but still a neat type of surface to mess around on. At a small local airport, the landing strip was set up with a tricky autocross where its newly retuned suspension could be put to the test since the factory springs are a lot stiffer at 38mm (front)/34mm (rear) along with larger sway bars at 21mm (front) and 16mm (rear). As I drove the tight course, the car stuck well through the turns and could easily have been pushed harder if only I were a better driver.
Our last test of the day required a long drive back to Port Alberni and gave my co-driver, good old Cater Jung and I, a chance to switch off and take turns to see if the WRX-exclusive seats were sleep friendly, which they totally are. The WRX comes standard with a sub-par head unit that doesn't thump much if you're into bass heavy soundtracks. Not even the Premium Package does much in the way of sound, but it will give you heated front seats, fog lights, power moonroof, heated side mirrors and a windshield wiper de-icer, much like the 2.5GT. The Optional Navigation Package is the crme de la crme with a touch-screen monitor, easy to read display and pre-installed Sirius(r) Satellite Radio that is worth the extra coin over the stock single disc.
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