Sooby WRX & GTI

[Brian Borowiec <bborowiec@domain.elided>]

I'll have to agree that the WRX disappointed on a few levels. My experience was a bit different - I promote mountain bike races and Subaru sponsored an event, bringing a WRX stick (and Forester) to the event as eye candy. I was tossed the keys to the WRX and had a blast pitching it sideways around dirt road turns in a park. I took along a friend who has a Saab Viggen (mighty fine LOOKING car, but too much torque steer and only a 4-banger) and Some of the comments of the night from the two of us were 1) awesome and smooooth brakes with very smooth ABS shudder, 2) very smooth accelleration with no turbo jerk, 3) nice driving position, 4) incredible tractability - we would put the left tires in a washout rut on a dirt road climb and then stomp on the brakes and also drop two gears and accellerate hard and it would track straight as an arrow, 5) comfy seats and roomy back half. Later that week I had one for the afternoon and did some highway driving and found it to be a different car. It gave the same impression as when I drove a 3000GT some years ago - an economy car with some hotrod bits added to it. It felt light and jouncy on the highway and the feeling of inexpensive materials was just not enough to dislodge me from my 164. I liked it when I was hammering it, but I wouldn't be doing that all too often so as an overall car it just didn't cut it. Thankfully I don't have to live with the silly headlight/driving light array and the Monte Carlo hood scoop and the park bench wing (though I would have ordered one without the wing).

A good friend has a new GTI 1.8T with a chip and he asked if I wouldn't mind hammering his car a bit to give an opinion. Totally different beast. I loved it. So much so that I went to the VW shops and drove Jettas and GTIs to see if I could be persuaded from my 164. I'm on the fence right now but the VW was too much fun to drive. Couple that with an incredibly luxurious interior that uses excellent materials, and the availability of a sunroof that the WRX doesn't offer, and the VW won me over. The next car in preference would be the Benz C with sport suspension because the Bimmer didn't do it for me. I miss dearly the 928GT I got rid of once the baby came, but the 164 is so much fun that I can't complain. 

Brian
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