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In the interest of public service...
Many young people come to this forum looking for validation of their quest for a cool, rally-worthy vehicle like the WRX. Many times they are disappointed by the response from more mature members.
Therefore, I would like to offer a couple of thoughts given my 40+ years of driving.
It takes years to learn how to drive well and how to appreciate the qualities that make a car good or bad. I was very lucky with my first cars, as they were safe (for the time anyway), reliable and fun to drive. But not with a lot of horsepower.
I feel I am still learning how to drive! It took me 6 months to find the sweet spot with my shifts and acceleration and clutching and braking with my current WRX--driving a MT is a highly complex task--being a couple milleseconds off with the clutch or timing the acceleration wrong can really crimp your driving style. (My other comment is that people who think this car isn't fast or fun don't know how to drive it, but that's a topic for another time.)
Anyway, I think it's a given that young drivers even up to age 25 or so need a safe, reliable car that won't break down, handle poorly or fail to protect them in the event of a crash. All Subarus fit that bill IMO, also Hondas and Toyotas. Preferably with a low cost of ownership, including insurance.
The important point from my perspective is that for younger drivers it's not the speed or HP you should be focusing on, it's the transmission and the handling. Therefore you need a MT to really learn to appreciate driving. (That's my bias, and I'm sticking with it.)
I learned to shift on an old Datsun 500--what was it, 50 HP? But I found out how NOT to grind the gears or stall out. My first car was actually a Celica with an automatic trannie, though I wanted a MT. (I really wanted a '68 Camaro but my dad talked me out of it. Thanks, Dad--if I had that car now it'd be worth like 30-40 grand...) The rack-and-pinion handling was great, HP not so great, but you know what? I didn't care. It was a pleasant drive that got me where I needed to go.
My friends who were driving 70's-era Camaros and Firebirds could go faster in a straight line but frequently got tickets and not infrequently ended up in accidents--too much HP with too poor handling and too little experience.
My second car, the first I bought myself, was a Saab 900--2L, producing 158 HP--fine enough on flat ground, but take it from me horrible when driving at altitude in Colorado. Nevertheless, I loved that car--again the handling and finely tuned manual transmission made up for the lack of 0-60. And the awesome Blaupunkt stereo.
My own kids started driving with a Honda CRV (AT) and a Honda Accord coupe (MT 4-cylinder). The Accord in particular was a great driving car. TBH I didn't even know it wasn't a V6 until it came time to sell it...
So kids, my advice, for what it's worth...get safe and reliable until you are financially secure in your work. Focus on the details of driving a well-built car, preferably a manual transmission. If you have the mod itch and want to dress it up, start with exterior mods and the stereo. Believe me, your friends or that really cool person of the opposite sex you want to impress will appreciate a clean car with a nice stereo more than 0-60 in under 6 seconds.
If I were starting out driving again, I would look for a Subaru Impreza or a Honda Accord coupe with a manual transmission, though I would be open to other opinions.
If you are 17 and really, really want a WRX for whatever reason, maybe because it's featured in the new Baby Driver movie, well, I probably can't talk you out of it. Just realize the pros and cons of ownership and drive like a reasonable person, maybe a 50-something old guy ;-) so you won't give the rest of us a bad name.
Many young people come to this forum looking for validation of their quest for a cool, rally-worthy vehicle like the WRX. Many times they are disappointed by the response from more mature members.
Therefore, I would like to offer a couple of thoughts given my 40+ years of driving.
It takes years to learn how to drive well and how to appreciate the qualities that make a car good or bad. I was very lucky with my first cars, as they were safe (for the time anyway), reliable and fun to drive. But not with a lot of horsepower.
I feel I am still learning how to drive! It took me 6 months to find the sweet spot with my shifts and acceleration and clutching and braking with my current WRX--driving a MT is a highly complex task--being a couple milleseconds off with the clutch or timing the acceleration wrong can really crimp your driving style. (My other comment is that people who think this car isn't fast or fun don't know how to drive it, but that's a topic for another time.)
Anyway, I think it's a given that young drivers even up to age 25 or so need a safe, reliable car that won't break down, handle poorly or fail to protect them in the event of a crash. All Subarus fit that bill IMO, also Hondas and Toyotas. Preferably with a low cost of ownership, including insurance.
The important point from my perspective is that for younger drivers it's not the speed or HP you should be focusing on, it's the transmission and the handling. Therefore you need a MT to really learn to appreciate driving. (That's my bias, and I'm sticking with it.)
I learned to shift on an old Datsun 500--what was it, 50 HP? But I found out how NOT to grind the gears or stall out. My first car was actually a Celica with an automatic trannie, though I wanted a MT. (I really wanted a '68 Camaro but my dad talked me out of it. Thanks, Dad--if I had that car now it'd be worth like 30-40 grand...) The rack-and-pinion handling was great, HP not so great, but you know what? I didn't care. It was a pleasant drive that got me where I needed to go.
My friends who were driving 70's-era Camaros and Firebirds could go faster in a straight line but frequently got tickets and not infrequently ended up in accidents--too much HP with too poor handling and too little experience.
My second car, the first I bought myself, was a Saab 900--2L, producing 158 HP--fine enough on flat ground, but take it from me horrible when driving at altitude in Colorado. Nevertheless, I loved that car--again the handling and finely tuned manual transmission made up for the lack of 0-60. And the awesome Blaupunkt stereo.
My own kids started driving with a Honda CRV (AT) and a Honda Accord coupe (MT 4-cylinder). The Accord in particular was a great driving car. TBH I didn't even know it wasn't a V6 until it came time to sell it...
So kids, my advice, for what it's worth...get safe and reliable until you are financially secure in your work. Focus on the details of driving a well-built car, preferably a manual transmission. If you have the mod itch and want to dress it up, start with exterior mods and the stereo. Believe me, your friends or that really cool person of the opposite sex you want to impress will appreciate a clean car with a nice stereo more than 0-60 in under 6 seconds.
If I were starting out driving again, I would look for a Subaru Impreza or a Honda Accord coupe with a manual transmission, though I would be open to other opinions.
If you are 17 and really, really want a WRX for whatever reason, maybe because it's featured in the new Baby Driver movie, well, I probably can't talk you out of it. Just realize the pros and cons of ownership and drive like a reasonable person, maybe a 50-something old guy ;-) so you won't give the rest of us a bad name.
