IF there is one car that deserves the title of modern day classic it is Subaru's iconic Impreza STi. A road car created to allow Subaru's entry into the World Rally Championship, it's become a legend in its own lifetime on the rally circuit, on the streets and even as the star of video games.
Changing the in-your-face boy racer saloon with its huge tail spoiler - a design that defined the car from its mid-90s launch - into a more family-friendly five-door hatchback didn't go without criticism and made aficionados wonder if its scorching performance had also been dumbed down.
They needn't have worried. A few days with the STi proved the latest generation Scooby is still as hot as it ever was, even though it's now a lot more practical. The superb driving experience is still there and you still have room for luggage, family and friends.
The wheelbase of the stiffer platform has been stretched by four inches which means much more interior space, especially in the rear.
Rear seats split 60:40 and fold flat, creating over 44 cubic feet of cargo space if needed. Up front, a pair of rally-style sports seats keep you firmly planted as you test the car's handling potential.
The 2.5-litre boxer engine that's at the heart of the Impreza now throbs with 296bhp and 300lb/ft of torque that kicks in at 4,000rpm.
The STi only comes with a six-speed manual gearbox which shifts smoothly between gears. There are some other hot hatches with almost as much power as the STi but they don't have four-wheel-drive, as well as a rally pedigree, to draw on. This is evident the moment you take to the road through the precision of its controls and the firmness of its ride.
The STi demands concentration, a badly thrown gear change is rewarded with a lurch. Get it right and the Impreza will race to 60mph in under five seconds and, where allowed, on to 155mph.
On any surface and in any weather conditions, the Impreza sticks to its line. The steering is light and progress blindingly rapid.
You do have to learn to live with the car's firm ride, though. It may not be quite as harsh as before but it still gives you a kick over every lump and ripple in the road's surface.
Costing over £26,000, the car comes with plenty of kit including automatic climate control, a top sound system and DVD-based satnav.
- Alistair Coull
EVEN in its shrunken state and crammed into a compact hatchback, Subaru's ultimate mean machine still looks ...mean.
There's not a single aspect that jumps out to signify that this is a rallying bruiser, heavily disguised as an everyday road car: there's an amalgamation of many.
But this isn't any old road car, it's a high-profile, high-octane, high-performance warrior that delivers wall-to-wall, on-tap adrenalin.
It's as near to anything you'll get that can provide motorsport driving dynamics without going for the red light on race tracks or scrabbling along hilly rally circuits - and in relative comfort.
The Impreza 2.5 WRX STi hasn't got the ludicrous piece of spoiler architecture stuck on the back of saloon Impreza's of yore. The 08 hatchback spoiler version is a much more subtle affair than the Thunderbird contraption.
Subtlety is a key theme in the design of the high-performance hatchback - but there's no mistaking that pronounced predatorial stance, with bulging haunches, biceps and large blistered wheelarches, not to mention the macho bonnet with its air dam atop.
Add specially-designed sporty skirts, Full Monty wheels - in gold, if you must - and despite its downsized reincarnation, it still looks the business.
Subaru install four exhaust pipes twinned in pairs which alert to its driving DNA, while reducing exhaust air-flow resistance by 38% and increasing power and reducing noise.
Competition livery is the only thing to set it apart from the World Rally Championship version - at a quick glance.
The WRC look-alike comes with a completely revised 2.5-litre turbo 'boxer' engine which punches out 300PS and rapidly catapults the 'hardcore' Impreza from zero to 60mph in just 4.8 seconds.
Exhaust vocals may have been reduced but there's still a tantalising roar to get you in the mood and when driven hard, you're treated to a rallying symphony.
Dab the gas pedal at low revs and the STi 155mph unit sometimes stutters but you soon learn how to overcome this and get the best from the engine for a rewarding and smooth surge onto better things.
The STi's two hallmarks are amazing handling and grip and even on seriously slippery surfaces, the car doggedly digs in.
Chubby wheels and an intelligent four-wheel-drive system allow the hot hatch to manoeuvre tightly into corners, accurately and safely while the steering is very direct with just slight understeer at times.
The AWD Impreza feels quite heavy but this instils confidence. However, it doesn't dull down the engine's potency or take away from driver involvement .
Braking characteristics, courtesy of Subaru engineers and Italian specialists, Brembo, are totally reassuring, with the system incorporating four-channel, four-sensor anti-lock with electronic brakeforce distribution.
The 'downsized' hot hatch is 50mm shorter than the old car yet it boasts a wheelbase which is 95mm longer. This compacting minimises front and rear overhangs and thereby contributing to stability.
Inside, the Impreza has a more simplistic, contemporary look, still with a good deal of plastics, but in keeping with its sporting character. There's decent head, leg and shoulder room up front and for two in the back, although three would be pinched.
- Val Jessop
FAST FACTS
Subaru Impreza 2.5 WRX STi AWD 5dr
Price: £26,595
Mechanical: 300ps, 2,457cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving four wheels via 6spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 155mph
0-62mph: 4.8 secs
Combined mpg: 27.4
Insurance group: 19
CO2 emissions: 243g/km
BiK rating: 35%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 12yrs anti-rust