Today we feature a guest review of the 2006 Subaru WRX which was submitted by Kenneth Ho (kenho04@yahoo.com). This article was originally posted on epinions.com, and we are happy to present you with the integrity of the review. It is very complete and written by a true passionate!
SUBARU WRX 2006 REVIEW BY KENNETH HO (kenho04@yahoo.com)
I love the WRX. Whenever I look at it, many phrases come to mind: “Wow”, “Yeah!”, “Let’s Go!”, “Fast and Furious”, “Woooooo Hoooooo!!”
I bought my 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX automatic Limited just before Xmas of 2005. Personally, I think light silver shows this car the best, not blue or any other color.
I’ve driven this high-performance sports car for almost 4,000 miles from NYC streets, to highways. I’ve put it through a winter, and enjoyed the automatic climate control on warm days.
Most reviews on the net evaluate a manual WRX, or of course, the insanely fast STI that seems to get all the attention these days. I chose to get an automatic WRX because I drive in NYC a lot. Stop and go city travel with a manual is not fun at all, no matter what you’ve got in my opinion. The STI only comes with manual trans. Further, STI is not rated as a comfortable, practical day to day go-to-work-and-home type car due to its suspension.
The WRX set me back by about $30,000, and it has been worth every single penny. Every time I walk up to it, I smile - outstanding styling all around the exterior. I think it is the best looking WRX ever. I personally think the 2002’s big circle headlamps made the former wrx look awful.
The WRX has long been considered among enthusiasts and auto magazines as one of the funnest cars around for the past several years. The terms “pocket rocket” or “the [non-rich] man’s sports car” are very good terms for the wrx. This thing can really move, and acceleration is nothing short of breath-taking. I have to be honest and say: sometimes it scares me how fast I can go in this light car.
The real race version of the WRX has won many professional races, including those with Lancer Evo’s involved. For those of you who want the real race version, the STI is the closest thing you can get while still being street-legal. Side note: STI is arguably one of the fastest and raciest cars available in America without breaking the bank.
When you consider that the WRX is less than $30K ($24K if you get the base manual wrx), this is one of the best buys out there.
More on cost: The cheapest WRX is the manual TR version. This will run you $24K. True, this is more expensive than the Acura RSX, VW GTI, Ford Mustang (comparable engine numbers), or other sporty cars. But consider that the cheapest WRX is not stripped down. It still has the same potent 230hp turbo engine and all the suspension and handling goodies that make the WRX such a widely praised car.
If you can spring just an extra $1,000 (or finance this car 3 or 4 months longer), you can get a lot more. The $1,000 (which could be $1,500 after taxes and finances) will win you seats with side bolsters that can really hold you when cornering, automatic climate control, a 140-watt stereo with 6 disc in-dash CD changer, fog lights (which almost triple brightness), and leather trimmed wheel and shifter.
Also consider that for about $25,000 for WRX std (before tax and finance charges), you’re getting a 235 torque (at 3,600 rpm) turbo car. When you consider $25,000 for a BMW 325, or a G35, the torque/dollar or hp/dollar ratio definitely is in the WRX’s favor. At $31,000, the most affordable BMW is the Front Wheel Drive 325i. This car (which is classified as luxury more than sports/performance car), can only put out 215 horses and 185 torque. This is about 50 ft-lb of torque less than the WRX, but you’re going to pay about $5K more for the BMW.
So the low cost compared to competition that can match WRX engine numbers is a plus. Also consider that the wrx is 4 doors, AWD, and has proven to be reliable. It has also been judged by many car pundits as a fun to drive performance car since its birth in 2002. This car is definitely worth strong consideration to anyone who wants a true sports car.
NEW FOR 2006
I. ENGINE & TURBO CHARGER
Subaru made lots of upgrades to the ‘06 wrx. The first thing I wanted to cover relates to the most important part of any sports car: the engine.
The engine used to be 2.0 liter. Now for ‘06, it is a 2.5 (somewhat closer to the crazy-fast and brutally-stiff STI which many websites say is best on the track, and not fun in stop and go city traffic). This and other engine modifications (such as a new Active Valve Control System) have produced some outstanding improvements.
Subaru put better sound-deadening materials in the car. The bigger engine means it is less noisy in regular driving and acceleration. When the car is pushed, the roar is very pleasing, not raucous or annoying. The 3″ diameter sport muffler is fitting for the car and its character. These little things such as noise reduction and engine volume are important to consider if you’re going to drive the WRX to work and then home after a long day at the office.
One of the main complaints about the pre ‘06 wrx was the turbo lag. If you pressed as hard as you could on the gas (or drove regularly), the old wrx would accelerate like a regular commuter car… and after maybe a long second or two, the whole car leapt forward when turbo finally kicked in.
Turbo lag has some disadvantages. For one, you’re waiting. Two, if you are on the highway and need to switch lanes… if there is little space/time to go in front of someone else, turbo lag would make the old wrx unreliable/not particularly safe to attempt a fast lane change.
For ‘06, depending on what rpm you’re already driving at before you floor it or press a little further, turbo lag time ranges from imperceptible to less than a second. For those of you who like numbers, the 06 produces 230 horses (only up 3hp from last year), but torque is now 235 at a relatively low-medium 3600 rpm. Compared to ‘05, this is 18 more ft-lb of torque at a good rpm you would hit when accelerating onto a highway.
Zero to 60 time is a mere 6.8 seconds. According to Vettraino of nctd.com, a WRX, (not an STI, but a WRX), is faster than “a Civic Si, an Acura RSX Type S, a BMW 325i or an Audi A3 2.0 or A4 3.2″. I believe it. The car definitely feels fast.
The first time I drove it, I floored it for half a second but had to let go because I was scared to death of how far and how fast the turbo-charged car actually lunged forward. “LAUNCH” and “LUNGE” are two words I commonly use to describe the WRX movements, especially if you floor it.
If you’re not careful or paying close attention to the speedometer, you’ll be breaking speed limits before you know it.
II: RIMS/TIRES & SUSPENSION
Also new for 06, the WRX gets 7 spoke aluminum-alloy, silver finished light rims. This is to show off the 215/45 (7″ wide) R17 Mud + Snow all-season low-mid profile tires that have excellent gripping power. These tires/rims when coupled with the new light aluminum suspension arms in the front, the quicker/tighter steering ratio, and the tested/proven Subaru AWD system, give the WRX the ability to take a turn/curve at an impressive speed. Translation: the wrx can corner confidently, and safely. Not only that, it will be Fun to corner in a WRX.
III. BRAKES
Along with a more powerful engine and slicker maneuverability, the WRX also has some upgrades to the brakes. The brakes are bigger in the ‘06 WRX than previous editions. There are four-piston calipers in the front. Rear vented brake rotors measure 11.3 inches.
The brake calipers are red, and show brilliantly from between the silver rim spokes. Visit subaru.com for a picture of the wheels/brake calipers - they do look nice and big. I have to be honest in saying that the braking power of the wrx is good, and the ABS once saved my life.
I was in the left lane of a highway, admittedly driving faster than I should have. The big SUV in front of me (that blocked everything in front of it) immediately switched to the center, and the car that was formerly in front of the SUV, seemed to be still. In less than half a second, I had to turn my wheel to the right and slam on the brakes… or I would have been killed…
I must say the standard 4 wheel ABS and tight turning ratio(while I never should have allowed myself to get into that predicament) allowed me to turn beautifully when going from fast-normal-slow in less than a second. I ended up in the center lane driving straight without losing control. Still, I must admit, a performance car must be driven responsibly. Or you’ll never drive your performance car again.
Edmunds.com states complete stopping from 30mph needs 31 feet. Braking from 60mph to 0mph needs 126 feet. To be honest, 126 feet is a little on the long side. Braking distances for the 06 are worse than pre-’06 WRX’s. The more powerful and retuned engine is definitely part of the reason why more time and distance are required to slow down.
So, drive responsibly.
IV. FASCIA
Many websites and people say the new front grille/fascia showing the new three part Subaru logo is ugly. I will be the first to agree that the 3 part grille on the Subaru B9-Tribeca is not attractive. But it is completely different on the lower, sleeker WRX. You have to look at WRX picture to fairly evaluate the front exterior for yourself.
When I first saw the new-for-2006 front grille, I immediately thought of a heart/engine dead center at the front, and the wings of a bird outstretched from that beating engine. And I imagined to myself that the wings of this bird touched restyled headlights that look a lot more aggressive and aerodynamic for 2006.
The front grille is said to remind people of Subaru’s beginnings. Subaru was and is part of Fuji Heavy industries. Fuji HI made high powered airplanes. I think they might have even made rockets at one time. The new 3 part grill indeed is supposed to resemble an airplane.
{Just a note, Toyota recently - 2005 I think - bought a stake in Subaru. I hear in a few years, a hybrid Subaru is supposed to be released. This is many years later.}
SUBARU UNIQUES
I. SUBARU AWD
This is one of two things Subaru always pushes to sell its fine cars. This system is full time AWD. Some other car companies say their cars have AWD, but when you read the fine print, the AWD will only kick in when slippage is detected or when the driver decides to floor it.
More importantly, Subaru claims the many-years and many-models-proven Subaru Symmetrical AWD system always evaluates tire traction. Subaru also claims (and no one has ever disputed this many-years claim), that all their cars are capable of transferring torque away from tires that slip, and reapplying more torque to tires that grip…. Said another way, this small/short WRX, 3,200 pound manual car (3300 automatic) can maneuver very well and confidently, despite road and weather conditions. I will add in that the AWD car accepts driver inputs very well, especially when accelerating straight or speeding up while negotiating a fun curve. The AWD also has proven to me to be stable despite strong wind from the side, rain, sleet, or even a few inches of snow.
Subaru even says their AWD can handle unpaved roads and gravel. I can’t make any comment about this last statement, as most places in NYC don’t have gravel…. well, unless you hit certain streets where finding potholes is like finding hay in a haystack…
Depending on how you drive, the AWD can be variably helpful. A definition of “coasting” would be helpful here. “Coasting” basically means neither the gas nor the brake pedal is pressed. The car simply is already moving from the last pedal-press, and now tire-friction/car’s weight and wind-resistance are the main forces decelerating the car.
When the car “coasts” like this, the AWD system doesn’t seem to do that much, particularly if you’re going around a curve. This is a fact.
In going around the same curve, if you were to apply the brakes (instead of coasting or accelerating via pressing the gas pedal), the car feels more stable than the average car. But here in braking, it’s the brakes more than the AWD that are helping you. The torque-transfer attribute of Subaru AWD is most helpful when there is some acceleration or increase in power/torque.
If you were to speed up a little while going around the same curve, you could almost feel the AWD at work pushing certain wheels more than others. This can make for a good ride, little lean, safe, and reassuring turning/cornering.
The point: Subaru AWD and the slogan “transfers power from the wheels that slip, to the wheels that grip” is most applicable/evident/useful, when the car has some acceleration (even just a minimal press of the pedal).
**This being true, don’t be crazy and take a curve as if you have the huge tires and brakes of a Corvette or a McLaren. A performance car must be driven responsibly… if not for yourself, then for others in your car… or for the sake of other families around you.**
II. HORIZONTALLY OPPOSED BOXER ENGINE
This is the other thing that Subaru pushes in selling its cars. Consider that most car companies make their engines vertical in the front of the car. It is like a several hundred pound 2′ tall engine standing dead center in the front engine compartment. When their cars turn, the center of gravity is higher, and it is possible the car might lean a little bit in fast and hard turns.
What Subaru does is lay their engine flat/horizontal. In essence, the engine is lying down in the car, and takes up more width of the car. This means a lower center of gravity and a lot more lateral stability. This design is 40 years old for Subaru, and it seems to indeed make the car lean less, and handle better.
Subaru also produces boxer engines to use in their cars. Only two mass production car companies use boxer engines. One is Subaru, the other is Porsche. What the boxer engine means for the average driving enthusiast is that there is a lot more low-end torque, and I agree with that. The WRX has plenty of pickup power from a stop, or when it has to go up a hill. It is not a problem at all for the WRX, and I almost always surge much farther ahead than anyone else from a light that just turned green. And no, you don’t have to floor it to achieve that.
There is one other note about the WRX’s turbo-charged boxer engine that I must write. The boxer engine does seem powerful. It seems so powerful at idle, that I can indeed feel vibrations from the engine after slowly stopping. I can even hear the engine turning at a stop. This might bother some people, but most people will get used to it.
Wind noise on a highway is also not bothersome.
MISCELLANEOUS
I. INTERNAL BODY FRAME
For those of you willing to get a little technical, part of the reason the WRX doesn’t have much body lean is due to it’s reinforced body frame. According to J.P. Vettraino of nctd.com, the WRX body now uses “hydroformed sections and components stamped from tailored blanks. Those techniques have one key advantage: more strength and rigidity without an undue increase in weight. You might think of [the Ring Frame Reinforced body] as a safety cell in roughly a cube shape around the passenger compartment, and Subaru’s primary objective is better occupant protection. Yet the structural improvements pay dividends in many ways, like more responsive handling, better ride quality and improved smoothness in just about every aspect of the Impreza’s operation.”
II. EXTERIOR
This car looks like a little race car. I must admit, I have been side by side, behind, and in front of Lancer Evo’s, G35’s, BMW 3’s…. Yea, those other cars do look a little bigger…. but a smaller size for a race car and a lower hood height can mean more aerodynamics and a lower center of gravity. Both of these qualities help you when you’re slicing through the air from a stop and when you’re taking on a turn.
True, a taller hood/trunk might make a car look more impressive/imposing… but when I consider that those guys paid more for their cars than I did…. I think to myself, enjoy your heavy G35 or boring interior 325. I’m fine with my little WRX and a few thousand dollars I managed to save. Further, the WRX is a very affordable AWD car. As I wrote before, this is great for winter.
Sometimes, people look at my car on the road. One police office actually gave me the thumb’s up once! No, it wasn’t for a ticket. I was actually just stopped at a light and a cop walking by looked at it. I’ve gotten amazed, impressed, “wow” type looks because of the car.
CONS
I. GAS
The owner’s manual for the WRX says that the car MUST have premium fuel with an octane of 91… I even called up Subaru and asked, “Do I really have to use the most expensive gas?” The reply was that if I do not, the engine indeed could be damaged. And don’t use regular gas sometimes and Ultimate other times - you would ruin your car. You always must use the good stuff.
When you consider that the WRX is truly a turbo sports car built to go, it should not surprise you that real-world gas mileage is only in the 20’s. Official MPG is 21 city, 26 highway for the automatic. Manual is less gas efficient on local streets at 20 city, 26 highway. There are lots of SUV’s and pickups that beat that!
Consider this; the gas tank holds a hefty 16 gallons. With gas prices always up, expect to spend $30 every ten days if you’re a 1,000 mile a month driver. If you race this car, expect to pay more. Further, I have to think that the police are going to pay more attention to this car than a BMW.
Something related to this, I don’t think insurance rates are an issue. I pay a very fair number around $1500 in yearly insurance. Considering the speed demon I have, I think this is a good number with Geico. By the way, WRX comes standard with a security system.
Related to insurance, the WRX has lots of safety features. Subaru AWD, ABS, Electronic Brake-Force Distribution, side airbags, reinforced internal cage… these all are excellent standard safety features. I do have to be fair and say the hood is low. So if I ever went head to head with a drunk driver in a bigger car, I’m not sure how I would fare.
This is how the government rates the entire Impreza line: In head-to-head collisions, the government rated driver safety as 4 out of 5 stars. Front Passenger safety is 5 of 5.
Regarding side impacts: five stars were issued, presumably for both passenger and driver. Again, side impact airbags are standard, in addition to the reinforced, internal cage.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rated the Impreza a “Best Pick” in its frontal-offset collisions.
This all being true, it must be stated that there are lots of cars that are labeled by government and IIHS as “Best pick”. Corolla and Jetta are also very safe cars that score well on government tests. And, as far as safety goes, statistics correlate that the heavier the car, the better your chances of living another day if God forbid anything does happen.
Author’s note: it’s not worth it to drive crazy. There is a difference between enjoying your car on the open road, and trying to cut people off to win a race or impress someone.
II. INTERIOR DISPLAY, BACK SEAT
… I have mixed feelings about the interior. To be honest, I was somewhat pleased and somewhat unhappy with the interior. I was hoping Subaru would put in glowing red lights for the tach and speedometers that show up pure red at night. The Acura RSX (which I would take on any day) has something like that (acura.com). The RSX also has the center console angled directly at the driver, producing more of a fighter-cockpit atmosphere.
I feel the interiors of the Mazda 3 and the new Volkswagen GTI looks better than that of the WRX. When you go to vw.com, you can see a beautiful, expansive GTI interior that has many colors, and beautiful symmetry. It just looks great.
Similarly, Mazdausa.com will show you beautiful Mazda3 gauges that are sunken deep into the dash that glow a brilliant red at night. Also nice, the Mazda 3 and RX8 speedometer needles are vertical when they point to 0mph. While this may seem unimportant, when you first sit in a Mazda 3 or a car that has the speedometer needle completely vertical, pointing to 0, a feeling of “Let’s Go” can take over. You’ll want that vertical needle to hit 60 or 70 in a heartbeat. And when it is night time, and you see nothing but glowing red in front of you… that can put you in a great mood.
Some websites say the WRX interior is cheap, and workmanship is not great. I will not go that far, and I will not say that I am disappointed. I will simply say that I find the interior display of the WRX acceptable and better than the norm.
Regarding driver space: Overall, I find the seat acceptable. I can’t say it’s very comfortable for a 2 hour trip, but it is acceptable.
I am 6′ tall and have plenty of legroom, headspace, hip space, shoulder space - when the seat is lowered so it is close to the floor. If you put the seat as high as possible, your hair is going to act like a toothbrush for the top of the car.
As with all performance cars, the back seat is not spacious. You’re never going to be able to fit a 6′ person in the front passenger seat and a 5.5′ passenger directly behind… at least not comfortably. Three adults really can’t sit behind in the back seat. But consider: most true performance cars have only two inconvenient doors. This one is 4 doors.
The back seat doesn’t fold down at all. So you can’t increase trunk space beyond the already spacious 11 cubic foot trunk. I honestly feel that one reason why the back seats don’t fold in the WRX sedan is so Subaru could sell more wagon WRX’s.
Similarly, the hood on the WRX is the exact same hood as big brother STI. I think Subaru said this was to feed more air into the WRX turbo intercooler, and that the STI already had enough oxygen…. true, but not having to run a different assembly line for a different hood surely entered into the thought process somewhere. That is fine. The WRX looks more like the STI with this bigger hood scoop.
III. PRICE FOR AN AUTOMATIC
As I wrote, a base manual is a good bargain at $24K. The automatic wrx is about $30,000. This is very close to BMW 3-series, Infiniti G35, even a Mercedes-Benz C230. But again, when you consider you are getting an AWD turbo sports car that looks like it belongs on a real track… that’s not that terrible.
IV. HEADLIGHTS
This may sound crazy, but I consider the headlights weak. A wrx was built to be driven a little faster than a basic A to B car. I find that even with fog lights, the standard front projector halogen bulbs only give me a good 15 feet of bright head’s-up vision. When you’re driving a little faster, the ability to see a little farther is safer. I personally am considering spending a few hundred dollars more on xenon-HID lights.
I suspect the reason Subaru didn’t even make HID lights an option on the WRX is to differentiate it better from the STI… or possibly, motive more people to spring the $32K+ for an STI.
Similarly, the two tone racing seats of the STI are not even an option on the WRX. I wish they were. The STI seats look hot.
V. AFTERMARKET PITFALLS
In mentioning HID lights, performance seats, nice looking gauges, and Tuner Ready WRX…. a few words about aftermarket modifications must be written.
If you ever do anything to your WRX as far as aftermarket goes, you may lose your warranty. One of the first things Subaru service-dealerships do when you bring it in for something is put the WRX on a lift and look under it. If they see any mods under the hood or under the car, your 3 year warranty on basic stuff (and 5 year on power train), may be out the window.
VI. CAN BE TOO STIFF IN STOP AND GO
One website said the wrx can handle bumps in the road well. I personally don’t believe that. The WRX was built primarily to go, not stop and go, stop and go. Driving in the city with potholes everywhere, this car does show its stiffness. But this is something a WRX owner must accept in exchange for less body lean/roll when cornering.
VII. REAR VIEW
The car has a big rear A pillar, and a wide headrest. These structures and an acceptable but narrow body width result in a big blind spot when turning behind to see if someone is behind you in the left or right lanes. It takes an extra second or two (and a little leaning) to see if there is someone there.
I would recommend buying little auxiliary side mirrors to paste onto the car’s side mirrors. They cost $1.50 each, and take out much (but not all) of the blind spots. Personally, I think every car driver should get auxiliary mirrors for whatever car they own. The mirrors are cheap, easy to install, take out much of the blind spots, and help u stay looking ahead longer.
While the rear spoiler isn’t huge, it isn’t small either. When parallel parking, it can be misleading. When on the road, while the rear spoiler isn’t going to distract you much, it does block a small amount of your view. This can best be evaluated during a good test drive. For reference, images of the rear (including a 360 degree interior view) are at the Subaru web site.
FINAL WORDS
This car, so far, is the car of my dreams. And as I say, sometimes it still surprises me how fast and powerful this little 4 cylinder car is.
I have had my eye on the WRX for years. But the headlights of the 2002 wrx were so unattractive to me. Now that I have the ‘06, I really do feel that it was worth all the waiting, and all the saving up. The ‘06 is the best performing WRX ever, as many websites state. And it was worth every penny. If I had to do it all over again, I definitely would, even if I had to spend a little more or wait longer than I did for delivery. It took about 6 weeks to get the car in light silver and as an automatic.
I tip my hat to the outstanding engineering and manufacturing of this quality car. When I was seriously considering getting a brand new car, Acura TL, Subaru WRX, and BMW 330i were all at the top of my list. After I test drove the turbo-WRX, I didn’t even want to think about the Acura or BMW anymore. I didn’t even bother to test drive them.
The 2006 WRX, as many websites and car magazines say, is one of the funnest cars around to drive. It is unique in that the AWD can shift torque around to help you master a curve or turn better.
One of my friends drives a rear wheel drive Mustang. He says he regrets getting a RWD car. It is so much more uncontrollable in winter snow. Sometimes, he says he can’t even use his car in heavy rain. I will state the facts and say that my wrx feels very stable in high winds, rain, and snow. You still must drive sanely and slowly, but the car does indeed feel very stable and reassuring.
When you consider that the wrx is still several thousand dollars cheaper than other cars with near/greater than 230 horses and 235 torque…. this is a great purchase.
And given all the upgrades to the 2006 WRX, including the bigger engine, tighter handling, stronger brakes, I really do think the WRX should be at the top of any new sports car buyer’s list.
The WRX is the car of choice for French special police who need to chase down bad guys really fast…. no joke!
I’ve researched it extensively before, during, and after the purchase. I’ve pushed the car and tested it well. And yes, before I signed that $30,000 contract to buy it, I definitely thought about it. But it really wasn’t a hard decision… The 2006 WRX is the best one ever made, and it will bring glee to almost any driver.
One more important note: customer service. I will also always remember the dealership experience at Lynne’s Subaru in Bloomfield, NJ. I will also remember the pre-purchase/post-purchase customer service that created excellent memories. My salesman was an excellent person to work with. Whenever an all-new, mightier WRX comes out, I may even decide to place an order with him before it ever hits the showroom.
Many thanks to J.P. Vettraino of nctd.com for ideas/info used in this review. Other sources of info used in this review include consumerguide.com, subaru.com, edmunds.com, and cars.com.
If you like specs, check out the official specs at subaru.com. Test specs from third-party edmunds for the Tuner Ready trim line are here.
