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Subaru WRX vs. Volkswagen GTI | Under-$30K fun

If financing a new car purchase for 60 months, you'll spend roughly $200/month for those five years on every $10K you finance. Subaru's WRX and Volkswagen's GTI, each with a base price of around $25K (which equates to roughly $400/month with 20 percent down) can easily become $40K (in WRX STI and Golf R trim). That extra $15,000 will cost you almost $300/month over the life of a 60-month payment book. A $40K Subaru or Volkswagen is cheap in terms of enjoying the additional performance, but if your goal is only to get places in a fast hatch or sedan, you can keep your outlay far closer to the base price. Just mind the options. VW GTI: In the increasingly popular hot hatch segment, the GTI was arguably the first. Based on the revolutionary (for the mid-'70s) Golf hatchback, the GTI offered upgraded power, improved handling and just enough cosmetic enhancements to let others know you were driving something special. Consumer response was immediate, and imitators came out of the woodwork. Now in its seventh iteration (as of the 2015 model year), the GTI has consistently evolved. Its 2.0-liter turbocharged four makes 210 horsepower and — more important in day-to-day driving — 258 pound-feet of torque. Its footprint remains comfortably small, with easy access to front and rear seats and, if you need to carry something large, it has an expansive hatch and fold-down rear seat. Like most of the VW/Audi family, its interior design and appointment bat well above the $25,000 price point. Whether selecting the six-speed manual transmission or six-speed DSG automatic, know that a responsive, agile hatchback is just a throttle tip-in away. It's perfect for the in-town commute, weekend getaway or cross-country romp. And it appeals to a wide demographic, so resale value will remain high. Subaru WRX: This once was a performance derivative not shared with American consumers. But with its success globally, Subaru brought the WRX to the States, with the high-performance STI variant not long after. Having been offered in the U.S. as a sedan, wagon and hatchback, today's WRX is available only as a four-door sedan. As on every Subaru available in the U.S. (except the BRZ), all-wheel drive is standard. Power is supplied by a turbocharged flat four displacing 2.0 liters but upping the horsepower to 268, while available torque is numerically identical to the GTI's at 258 pound-feet.

2020 Subaru Ascent Review & Buying Guide | A family adventure

The 2020 Subaru Ascent is a full-size, three-row crossover that caters to the Subaru faithful, while welcoming new customers whose larger families might have precluded them from something with just two rows. It looks a lot like a bigger version of the Outback, and, like it, seeks to satisfy active, outdoorsy, dog-loving customers wanting something to take them to off-the-beaten-path places to play with standard all-wheel drive, ample ground clearance and sturdy, functional roof rails. Subaru even went so far as to introduce the Ascent with a pack of eight golden retrievers to prove the point to dog owners. So whether you’re heading to the ski hill, campground or taking the kids to soccer practice, the 2020 Ascent offers a practical, capable, no-frills way to get people — and pets — where they need to be. While itÂ’s not our favorite three-row crossover in this segment, itÂ’s near the top, and it could be the perfect vehicle for a wide variety of customers. ItÂ’s roomy, capable and safe, but it's also a bit plain and thereÂ’s only one powertrain option, a turbo-four paired to a CVT that's less powerful than those of competitors. If youÂ’re considering the Ascent, do yourself a favor and take a look at the practical but characterful Kia Telluride or Hyundai Palisade. You just may — or may not — find one of those meets your adventurous needs while making a stronger emotional impression. What's new for 2020? Pricing remains the same for 2020, but the Ascent has a couple new tricks up its sleeve. Across the range, it gets Rear Seat Reminder as standard, to help prevent you from leaving a child or pet behind in the vehicle. Premium, Limited and Touring trims will come equipped with "one-touch interior illumination on/off controls." The Touring trim also adds new power-folding side mirrors with integrated turn signals. What are the Ascent's interior and in-car technology like? From the driver's seat, the Ascent's packaging displays Subaru's pragmatic philosophy to car design. All the gauges are easy to see and read at a glance, knobs and buttons are easy to locate — both those of the software-based touchscreen infotainment system and the physical ones on the steering wheel and center stack. We were able to find a good seating position, thanks in part to the manually tilting/telescoping steering wheel, but we have a feeling that smaller drivers may find the driving position more awkward than larger drivers.

Subaru WRX hatchback mule spotted

Despite on-again, off-again rumors, this latest set of spy shots seems to indicate that yes, a five-door Subaru WRX is indeed in the works. Subtlety is key with this test mule, but there are clear bits of evidence that indicate a hotter hatchback is what's being developed here.
First, notice the WRX-spec front fascia grafted onto this ordinary-looking Impreza hatch. From there, we can clearly see the tiny bit of added width - most obvious on the roof and at the rear, near the fuel door and taillamps. And of course, let's not forget about that bulge in the hood, consisting of a metal panel that covers the hood scoop and can apparently be removed thanks to a series of screws, according to our spies. The WRX's more robust exhaust and larger wheel/tire package have not been added to this mule, though we're told that this is commonplace for Subaru prototypes - those bits should be added on as the car's development progresses.
We fully expect a WRX hatchback to be, well, just that - mechanically, it should be identical to the sedan brethren, though our spies indicate that Subaru could be testing an updated version of the WRX-spec boxer engine. Of course, there's always a chance that this could be something else entirely, given the on-and-off reports of the five-door 'Rex's existence in the first place...