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WRX STI

This, combined with the STI softer suspension and horrendous body roll and an easier-to-drive demeanor, failed to please a large portion of Subaru’s hard-core customers.

Subaru heard the complaints and has made an effort to right its wrongs for 2011 by returning the STI sedan to the lineup and thoroughly reworking the suspension. This leads us to our newest long-termed, a 2011 “WR blue pearl” Impreza WRX STI Limited sedan.

To morph the sedan into an STI, it gained the wide-body panels from the hatch, bigger wheels and tires, STI budging and the signature tall rear wing. Central to the suspension improvements are new pillow-ball bushings attaching the aluminum lower control arms to the front suspension’s sub frame. While the old STI used less expensive rubber bushings with steel sleeves, the new design employs steel bearings to provide twice the stiffness to fore/aft forces and to improve camber and toe stiffness.

In addition, spring rates are increased 15.6 percent up front and 53.0 percent in the rear, ride height drops five millimeters, and the ant roll bars are thicker compared with those on the 2010 STI. The result, according to Subaru, is 33 percent less body roll.

The 2008–10 Subaru WRX STI was something of an enigma, a bit like people who enjoy eating headcheese. Stiffer springs, thicker front and rear anti-roll bars, revised front control-arm bushings, and firmer rear sub frame bushings have been fitted.

Unlike the WRX, the STI features the adjustable SI-Drive system that allows the pilot to tune throttle response, and there are multiple modes for the STI-specific driver-controlled center differential (DCCD). At 3420 pounds, the sedan we tested here was 34 pounds heavier than our long-term 2008 STI hatch. Both STI models get a more aggressive front fascia and a blacked-out grille; the sedan gets a wing that’s big enough to adorn a Formula 1 car.

The STI rides in a suppler, controlled manner than the previous car, despite the stiffer front springs, which also help mitigate under steer at the limit.
The only thing separating them visually is the BBS wheels and the STI sedan’s gigantic wing. We’d stick with the WRX.

This latest version of Subarus venerable Impreza WRX STI features a striking exterior that understates this cars very real performance credentials.

Standard front seat mount, and front and rear curtain airbags offer occupant protection. All STI receive standard heated mirrors, front seats, and windshield wiper de-icier for 2011. The standard audio system now features a single CD, USB port, and audio streaming.

Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester was fully redesigned for 2009, gaining a slightly larger, slightly more rounded look that replaced its much-loved, more overtly boxy predecessor. Inside, the Forester is a little plain, but its a good fit for the outdoorsy, understated crowd that falls for the "Subaru Forester" in droves.

The big news is that the "Subaru Forester" gets an all-new engine for 2011. The way the Forester handles is positively car like, and the all-wheel drive system assists with traction out of corners, enhancing its already admirable poise. The boxy shape of the 2011 Subaru Forester, along with ideally placed seating and a low cargo floor, altogether make it much roomier inside than youd likely anticipate. All the while, the Forester feels quite refined. Also, the Foresters interior materials and trims—especially the unremarkable dash plastics—are a weakness, with dash and center-console materials, and grained and matte-metallic plastics used as surfaces, feeling a bit hard and hollow.

The 2011 Subaru Forester ranks 5 Compact SUVs. The 2011 Subaru Forester has standard all-wheel drive and a low base price, making it one of the better values in the class for drivers who frequently encounter foul weather.

Even with Subaru’s budget pricing, Subaru buyers tend to have higher incomes than typical buyers of brands like Toyota. Check out the Hyundai Tucson if you want more refinement than the Forester offers. If you want a more comfortable, upscale feel, better fuel economy and don’t need all-wheel drive, the Tucson is a better option than the Forester.

The 2011 Subaru Forester comes in several trims: the base 2.5X, 2.5X Premium, 2.5X Limited, and the turbocharged 2.5XT Premium, 2.5XT Touring and 2.5XT Limited. As is the case with all Subaru’s, the Forester comes standard with all-wheel drive.

On long stretches of road, the Forester’s powerful acceleration leads to a headlong feeling of being propelled into uncharted territory.

Included standard with the 2.5X models is the 2.5-liter horizontally opposed 4-cylinder engine that generates 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. The XT versions of the Foresters include the turbocharged version of this engine, which delivers 224 horsepower and 226 pound-feet of torque. The EPA rates the standard engine paired with an automatic as 20/26/22 city/highway/combined.

A robust and pleasant vehicle, the Subaru Forester provides the driver with a sporty, mid-class vehicle that functions excellently for trips and other longer term outings. Excellent window views for the driver and passengers make driving in scenic areas particularly pleasurable. Improvements in performance make this particular Forester one of the most powerful Subaru models to date