Although it may be fairly easy to find a car which is fast, it can be incredibly difficult to find a car which is fast, stylish and practical. Of course, there are those rare models that manage to be all three of these things, but they are generally either very expensive or very hard to find. However, this does not always have to be the case.
One such example of a vehicle which combines all three of these elements is definitely the 2006 Subaru WRX. From it’s stylish, but simplified outer appearance, to the amazing power the vehicle puts out, the WRX seems to have a little bit of everything going for it.
The outward appearance of the WRX is, as stated before, simple but still sporty. The slight rear wing mounted on the trunk, along with the hood scoop on the front of the car, all contribute to a look, which is aggressive but not overblown. The rims and tires which come stock with the car are nice, not too large but not too small either.
Of course, the WRX is based off of the Impreza model, and, as such, the two look very similar, although the WRX has enough sporty touches that manage to set it apart from it’s more boring cousin. However, while the Subaru may look aggressive, the car can also be found without the hood scoop or rear wing, in which case, the four door design still manages to look good without being too boring. It is unlikely that one will mistake the WRX for any other car on the road, and although it stands out, it is definitely one of the nicer looking four door vehicles on the market.
Much of the design ideas from the exterior also continue on the inside of the vehicle. The cloth seats have a blue design down the center, the car is basically finished in grey/black plastic, although there is some silver here and there to spice up the design a little bit. Although the interior is definitely nice looking, and fits the bill for the type of car that the WRX is, Subaru has never been known for great interiors, and although the design is there, the quality really isn’t.
Those looking for really high quality interior materials are going to have to go elsewhere. However, those who really don’t car what the interior is made of as long as it looks nice are going to be just fine with the WRX, as will most of the buying population. The car has plenty of interior room and trunk space is good as well. The car is comfortable in every possible way, which is truly a rare thing for a vehicle which badges itself as a sports car.
However, all it takes is one drive with the WRX to realize that the sports car badge is no joke. The turbocharged engine really has a lot of power behind it, and the five speed manual gearbox translates that power perfectly to the road. Even though the WRX may not have the power of it’s big brother, the STi, it definitely has enough power to stand on it’s own. Add this to the great all-wheel drive, and the WRX becomes a monster on back roads. The car handles any corner thrown at it with the precision and balance of cars costing twice as much.
At no point while sitting inside the vehicle does the driver feel anything other than incredible confidence. Of course, there are a couple of downsides that come with driving the car, although this is due mainly to the nature of the car. Firstly, gas consumption suffers slightly because of the nature of the engine and the way that one is encouraged to drive the car. Also, at speeds over 60 miles per hour, engine noise starts to become an issue. As the car has a sport tuned suspension, bumps and the like tend to be a bit rough, although not unbearable by any means.
Even though the WRX may not be the perfect vehicle on the road, it is definitely one worth notice, and one that has enough features and enough driving strength to catapult it to the top of it’s class. From the powerful engine, to the quick shifting transmission, and even to the incredible all-wheel drive, there really isn’t anything about the WRX that stands out as being bad.
Even though noise may sometimes become a factor, it isn’t likely that the major audience of the car is really going to care that greatly about it. For those who are looking for a sports-oriented car that can still carry around four or five people, gets reasonable gas mileage, and looks as good as it performs, the 2006 Subaru WRX is a car that really has no equals.
