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2020 Subaru WRX Series.White Road Test | Making the case for an STI

For 2020, Subaru has launched another round of color-themed limited-edition WRX and STI models. They’re called Series.White, and, big surprise, come in a bright white paint scheme. TheyÂ’re also limited to 500 units a piece, and in the case of the WRX model we tested, it comes with a variety of performance upgrades including an exclusive Bilstein suspension. ItÂ’s an attractive model that makes a strong case in a vacuum, but itÂ’s a questionable value even against other Subaru variants. The 2020 Subaru WRX Series.White is basically a WRX Premium with the Performance Package, plus a few extra things. That means it has the Recaro power seats, Brembo four-piston front calipers and two-piston rear calipers, and no sunroof for weight savings. Specific to the Series.White is the aforementioned Bilstein suspension as well as the exclusive Ceramic White paint, dark bronze wheels, steering-adaptive LED headlights and LED fog lights. The price for all this is $34,895. ThatÂ’s just $1,450 more than the Performance Package-equipped WRX Premium, and youÂ’re getting exclusivity, a stylish color combo and ostensibly better suspension, so things seem pretty good starting out. The good feeling sticks around when you take the WRX Series.White out for a spirited drive. What really shines is the chassis and drivetrain. ItÂ’s solid as a rock and super responsive. Every little input from the fast, accurate steering gets an immediate and eager response from the car. It feels neutral on back roads, something helped by the all-wheel drive that has a splits power 50/50 front/rear and features a viscous limited-slip center differential. With minimal body roll and maximum grip, the WRX eggs you on, asking you to push it harder and faster through corners. And when itÂ’s time to slow down, the Brembo brakes provide excellent feedback and a solid, firm pedal feel. Speaking of pedals, theyÂ’re laid out nice and close to each other for easy rev-matched downshifts. Be careful of the clutch, though, as itÂ’s on the long side and has light-switch engagement, but works great when youÂ’re driving hard. And yes, the six-speed manual is the only transmission available. The engine is more of a mixed bag. With the same 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque as any other WRX, the 2.0-liter turbo flat-four puts up good numbers, but the delivery isnÂ’t great. At low rpm, it feels sluggish as you wait for the boost to build, and at high rpm, you can tell itÂ’s running out of huff.

2017 Subaru Impreza makes a stand in the compact segment

If the 2016 Honda Civic was a revelation for the brand as a rebuke of the past couple of generations of their brand-and-butter compact, the 2017 Subaru Impreza appears to be on a parallel trajectory for the lauded all-weather performance brand. Unveiled Tuesday at the 2016 New York Auto Show, the 2017 Impreza brings in an all-new platform that is stiffer, sportier, and a much-needed improvement to stay competitive as the segment tightens up. The car features styling cues that are potentially the most attractive we've seen on a non-WRX model since the turn of the century. The car looks downright European in either sedan or hatchback form, stealing much of the thunder that the Mazda 3 and Civic had brought just a short time ago. Its lines are clean all around, the front and rear are largely without aerodynamic clutter, and much of that style is carried over to the interior that gets a much needed refresh. Gone are the overly utilitarian surfaces and buttons; a clear shift has been made to make the car seem on-par with class leaders like the Civic and Mazda 3, albeit with its own distinctive Subaru style. The dashboard seems just as straightforward as before, but packs the necessary technology to remain competitive in the segment. It seems that Subaru has listened to critiques of the outgoing Impreza, and sought out a way to continue the tradition of making AWD alternatives to the mainstream compacts, but this time without compromises on content. Up and down the four-trim model chain (2.0i, Premium, Sport, Limited), standard equipment is greatly improved. Even the standard 2.0i model will come with the necessary power features that anyone would expect, along with a much-needed 6.5" touchscreen interface that dual-boots with Android Auto and Apple Car Play - something that even the base trim Honda Civic LX does not have, and perhaps, that should put Honda on notice. In the very competitive compact segment, content is king. With standard equipment being on par with or exceeding the headlining Civic and Corolla, the added convenience of AWD is the cherry on top in places with cooler climates. Without major changes to the powertrain (slight power gains for the standard 2.0 H4 and an updated CVT), fuel economy perhaps remains to be the only caveat to the Impreza being a class-leading choice. With the current model rated at 28/37 compared to the Civic's 31/42, a slight improvement wouldn't be much in the grand scheme of things.

Watch Higgins' mind-blowing Subaru WRX STI Isle of Man record lap in first-person

Have you gotten sick of Subaru and the Isle of Man? Good, we'd hope not, because of all the videos we've posted so far, today's is the crown jewel. In-car, around the notoriously treacherous race track, with commentary from David Higgins himself.
It gets better, though. Overlaid with the video is the same biometric data that we showed you last week. The result is a heart-pumping, 22-minute video of the record-breaking sprint around the entirety of the Isle of Man TT circuit at a truly wild pace. Higgins commentary, meanwhile, simply adds to the experience of hurtling across the landscape. Subaru has also put together a second video, highlighting the WRX STI that was used in the lap.
You can view both of those videos, as well as a short press release from Subaru, below. Scroll down and take a look.