By Aida Sevilla-Mendoza
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DRIVING fast is not much fun these days — what with oil prices soaring and the guilty feeling that pricks your conscience when you exceed 100 kph. So you learn to moderate your speed in your daily commute.

Just the same, you still want a car that can zoom way ahead of the pack when the spirit moves you on the highway.

Enter the 2008 Subaru Impreza 2.0R Sport.

Although Subaru still has to gain brand awareness among the public in this country, among car cognoscenti Subaru enjoys a cult-like following due to the Impreza WRX’s winning streak in the World Rally Championship. A lesser known Impreza, the 2008 2.0R Sport hatchback with either 5-speed manual (P1.060 million) or 4-speed Sportshift automatic transmission (P1.140 million) was launched in Manila last November by Motor Image Pilipinas, the distributor of Subaru vehicles.

Motor Image’s intro of the new 2.0-liter, H-4 (horizontally opposed 4 cylinders) naturally aspirated Impreza Sport together with the 2008 2.5-liter, H-4 turbo WRX follows the decision of Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru’s parent company, to come up with an Impreza that appeals to a wider base of the global car market, i.e. women and middle-aged men. Before this, the only Imprezas available in the Philippines were the second gen turbo 224-hp WRX and 300-hp STI, high-priced variants that were built for boy racers.

The Impreza 2.0R Sport has the same body (except for the air intake scoop on the WRX’s hood), the same dimensions, underpinnings and all-wheel-drive (AWD) system as the WRX. What makes the WRX more than P600,000 costlier, of course, is its rally-bred, more powerful 2.5-liter DOHC turbo-charged boxer engine.

You may ask why the Impreza 2.0R Sport packing 150 PS/6,500 rpm and 196 Nm/3,200 rpm max torque should be priced higher than the award-winning Honda Civic 2.0 SL AT or the snazzy 2.0-liter Mazda3 R. The answer is simple: Subaru’s trademark symmetrical AWD provides added safety and traction advantage, outstanding ride comfort and more precise handling.

The Impreza’s superb chassis dynamics is based on its sophisticated AWD system coupled with a low-friction, long wheel travel 4-wheel independent suspension and boxer engine which, with its cylinders horizontally opposed, gives the car a lower center of gravity for improved road grip, reduced body roll and more agile steering response. In the 2008 Impreza, the engine and transmission are dropped almost 10 mm lower in the all-new chassis, further enhancing roadholding and stability. Add improved chassis rigidity and a lighter body weight to this equation.

Still not impressed by the Impreza? Then look at its long list of standard equipment aside from the aluminum 2.0-liter DOHC boxer engine and symmetrical AWD: telescopic steering wheel with audio switches, information display, push-button ignition switch, 6-CD changer with 10 speakers, an auxiliary audio input jack, disc brakes on all four 17-inch alloy wheels with ABS, EBD and brake assist, front airbags, HID headlamps, front and rear fog lamps, power folding door mirrors, retractable cargo cover and Hill Start Assist for MT models.

To enhance customer appeal, Subaru totally restyled the Impreza. Subaru has never won an award for esthetic design, but the 2008 Impreza hatchback is an improvement over previous generations. The wide tracks, broad shoulder lines and side body creases create a sporty profile while front and rear under spoilers, a roof spoiler, side skirts and a chrome exhaust garnish add pizzazz. The quirky LED taillights are the only things out of sync in the redesign.

Inside, the new Impreza is more refined with higher quality materials and an improved dashboard layout with sporty, subtly lighted instruments. There is more space, especially for rear seat passengers, due to a longer wheelbase, wider body and wider track. The new multi-link double wishbone rear suspension, being more compact than the previous rear strut arrangement, increases cargo area to one of the widest in this class even with the rear seats upright.

The Impreza’s 2.0-liter flat four engine has undergone substantial revisions resulting in sharper throttle response, higher torque output available in the lower rev range and improved fuel economy with less exhaust emissions. I test-drove both the MT and Sportshift AT models and confirmed that the AT is actually slightly more fuel-efficient as it has a device reducing wasted engine revs and an electronic throttle matching engine speed with the best gear for any situation.

Summing up, the 2.0 liter Impreza Sport is a worthy alternative to mainstream compact cars as it offers good engine performance, outstanding roadholding stability, ride comfort and the versatility of a hatchback. But since the Subaru brand is not yet well known here, its resale value may be lower than its competitors.

* * *

TODAY’S BUMPER STICKER: Caution: Driver reads Braille.