Please, please tell me
the WRX STi is more impressive than the standard Impreza...
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| It is, though the naturally aspirated
2.0-litre Scooby isn’t without merit. It provides a decent base for the
WRX STi, which has always been the best of the breed since the first
version appeared in 1994. But Subaru has tried to go mainstream with the latest Impreza, and we've been fretting that this WRX STi would be a dull-as-ditchwater limp-wristed five-door. Now the wait is over - and we can confirm that Subaru hasn't made a dog's dinner of it. We should have guessed once we found out that the mechanicals are largely carried from the previous car, albeit improved |
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Who said diesels can’t be nippy? You’ve not noticed
a diesel’s won Le Mans?
This 330d is an unashamedly rapid thing. With 231bhp it’s got more than enough
whip in its tail - but it’s the huge amount of torque available that makes it so
quick. Point-to-point across country, this baby can hustle… just as quick as the
petrol 330 I’d wager, even though the 'd' cedes 41bhp.
Yes, but the new 2 is different. Out goes the
frumpy, MPV-like styling of the previous model to be replaced by something
altogether more attractive. Even in Kermit-the-Frog green.
The old 2 wasn’t just boring to look at. It was hardly a pulse-quickening
experience behind the wheel, either. The new car raises the fun factor by a
notch or three as we found out when we drove the 1.5-litre back in June. We’ve
now had a chance to try the cheapest 1.3-litre and the diesel, too.
Whichever engine is under the bonnet, the 2 faces tough competition. The new
generation of tiddlers like the Renault Clio and Vauxhall Corsa has shown that
superminis can make great all-rounders, just as comfortable in the outside lane
as nipping down to Tesco. Can the 2 cut the mustard in this improving class?