Edmunds Video: '08 WRX vs. '07 MS3

[subz]

im sorry but AWD > FWD. I wouldnt touch another FWD. If it snows or rains where you live you need AWD.

not true .. believe it or not my mons saturn ion handeled better in snow than my wrx with 20 k miles on those re-92s lol .. shows how much tires can do

[Sik_WRX]

Anyone seen this video? I wasn't surprised.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6PGMi89qRo

i work for Mazda. i could have gotten a brand new mazdaspeed3 for 19k. look what i got though, its for a reason. the mazdaspeed3 isnt all its cracked out to be...

[jma_1000]

Speak for yourself. I like a number of aspects about both the interior and exterior of the 2008 model.

+1, surprisingly. i love the gauge cluster on the '08, and even though the interior is 'mainstream' i think it looks more comfortable than previous models. my '07 just feels cheaply made. ive already scratched it, just by disassembling it for various reasons.

although i loath the hood scoop on the '08, the headlights are really growing on me. kinda wish there was more fender flare, though.

[DTR rex]

If it was my money and I had to choose between the two cars it would be an MS3 all the way... no questions asked.

I would just pick up a set of dedicated snow tires for the winter.

[rr1911]

hows the resale value on thoes mazdas tho ?

[RayfieldsWRX]

...still doesn't exceed the ms3...I really don't care much about interior to be frank...but the '08's exterior is a no-no, imo...especially the rearlights...

I guess my issue is with the way you worded things. "It decreases our morale", I think it was. You're one opinion in a large group of people here, and should be careful making such assumptions. There's a goodly number of people here that are growing to really like the '08 WRX.

I also think that the MS3 is a solid car; but I'm not a fan of cars with >200hp on a FWD setup.

[KanoWRX]

I guess my issue is with the way you worded things. "It decreases our morale", I think it was. You're one opinion in a large group of people here, and should be careful making such assumptions. There's a goodly number of people here that are growing to really like the '08 WRX.

I also think that the MS3 is a solid car; but I'm not a fan of cars with >200hp on a FWD setup.

...well It's perfectly fine that some people are getting the '08 WRX...I probably would like it also if I test drove one...but the matter is that the '08 WRX didn't make a positive impact on us...Subaru could've made better the int./ext. style...they could've upgraded the tranny and so on......the '08 has received negative feedback from most of us......we, or I, expected more from Subaru......

~Kano~
[God Bless You]

[RayfieldsWRX]

...well It's perfectly fine that some people are getting the '08 WRX...I probably would like it also if I test drove one...but the matter is that the '08 WRX didn't make a positive impact on us...Subaru could've made better the int./ext. style...they could've upgraded the tranny and so on......the '08 has received negative feedback from most of us......we, or I, expected more from Subaru......

Newsflash, kiddo...NONE of the new body styles have been instantly accepted by this forum community. In fact, when the "new age" Impreza, what we now call the Bugeye, was revealed in '01, it was nearly universally HATED by the old skool GC8 Impreza crowd. (You wouldn't remember that, you were in diapers at that point, I think... )

I stand by my prediction; in a few months 86.3% of this forum will want the new car.

[KanoWRX]

Newsflash, kiddo...NONE of the new body styles have been instantly accepted by this forum community. In fact, when the "new age" Impreza, what we now call the Bugeye, was revealed in '01, it was nearly universally HATED by the old skool GC8 Impreza crowd. (You wouldn't remember that, you were in diapers at that point, I think... )

I stand by my prediction; in a few months 86.3% of this forum will want the new car.

...Veterans know best so I'll take your word...I was 13 in '01 ...hopefully it's more than 86.3% btw......

~Kano~
[God Bless You]

[Mikie13]

Newsflash, kiddo...NONE of the new body styles have been instantly accepted by this forum community. In fact, when the "new age" Impreza, what we now call the Bugeye, was revealed in '01, it was nearly universally HATED by the old skool GC8 Impreza crowd. (You wouldn't remember that, you were in diapers at that point, I think... )

I stand by my prediction; in a few months 86.3% of this forum will want the new car.

He's an engineer, these numbers are scientifically derived and undebatable

[Not-EWRX]

~RAY~
[God Bless You]

[GraysonSubaru]

Speak for yourself. I like a number of aspects about both the interior and exterior of the 2008 model.

+1

I really like the hatch models. The sedan is fine - makes people compare it to the legacy more than previously because of its size.

the interior is leaps and bounds better than previous models. It doesnt roll nearly as bad as some places are making it seem. the whole car seems to be of better quality.

for those yet to drive one, try to do that before many comments. I drove a few of them and 1st gear is very impressive...moreso than my 2.0L stage 2 car was. The turbo still lacks at the top like the others, but in the hatch form, the car is quite impressive.

The VDC in mine has already saved the car once since I have owned it. my wife was driving in the rain awhile back and a truck in the oncoming lane hydroplaned. she swerved hard to miss him in her lane and sad that she could feel the VDC doing something to keep our car from going out of control. she said had it been my old WRX without VDC, she would have either ended up slamming into him or into the guardrail as hard/fast as she had to move to miss him.

[John M]

Subaru needs to quit neutering the 2.5 liter. I know they do it to protect STI sales but they need to realize that 225ish horspower is just too little for that kind of car these days.

The real solution for that is to raise the power in the WRX and the STI. Then there's still no overlap

[GraysonSubaru]

Subaru needs to quit neutering the 2.5 liter. I know they do it to protect STI sales but they need to realize that 225ish horspower is just too little for that kind of car these days.

The real solution for that is to raise the power in the WRX and the STI. Then there's still no overlap

higher HP amounts in the cars would lead to higher insurance and would hurt the people that can afford to buy them because of the insurance.

remember that the hp that subaru says in the cars is usually underrated pretty well, unlike some others (mazda is one that sticks out the most) that overrates their vehicles. They did that on the miata in 99 and with the RX8. even did buy backs on miatas for several months.

it is more about the entire driving experience than just a hp number. you can have 350 hp, but if it doesnt come in a usable power band, its pretty useless, no fun and just noone would care at that point.

[farBeyondDriven]

I had an RSX, it sucked in the snow. More than an inch and it was dangerous to drive. I actually had to launch it up my driveway once only to get stuck half way up due to ice.

My WRX? Bombs through anything. Hell in parking lots i look for the spot w/ the most snow and then park ontop of the snow drift.

I do agree the RSX really does suck in the snow, my ex had one. I'm guessing because it's fairly light. My old FWD VW Jetta ran great in the snow, even with nearly bald all-seasons.

Newsflash, kiddo...NONE of the new body styles have been instantly accepted by this forum community. In fact, when the "new age" Impreza, what we now call the Bugeye, was revealed in '01, it was nearly universally HATED by the old skool GC8 Impreza crowd. (You wouldn't remember that, you were in diapers at that point, I think... )

I stand by my prediction; in a few months 86.3% of this forum will want the new car.

9 out of 10 times any enthusiast devoted to any car company will hate the new model at first. It usually needs time to grow on them.

That being said, the '08 WRX is slightly and I stress slightly growing on me. However, I bought my WRX for handling and acceleration, not looks and comfort. So I felt handling/acceleration should get somewhat better through the different model years. Late '03/04 the upgraded gears came into play, '06 teh fast4rrr 2.5L came into play...

I just felt '08 should have had some kind of fairly significant handling/power upgrade. The VDC is nice and apparently they handle better, although that Edmunds video proves the MS3 beat it in the slalom, lateral G's, braking, etc. just as bad as it beat the '06 in the Motor Trend comparison. I realize this is "magazine racing" and it could be bias, but 2 different organizations compared the '06 and '08 WRX vs. the MS3, the MS3 won with similar variances.

Subaru needs to quit neutering the 2.5 liter. I know they do it to protect STI sales but they need to realize that 225ish horspower is just too little for that kind of car these days.

The real solution for that is to raise the power in the WRX and the STI. Then there's still no overlap

I am content with the power/handling, after all it is a $25k car. I just wish the tranny wasn't practically maxed out with stock power. I know cars aren't engineered to be upgraded, but it seems 95% of all other sports cars can be upgraded to a fairly great extent without tranny failure.

Sorry for the rant, but that's my gripe with the '08.