2008 Subaru Impreza WRX Breaks Cover

By the time the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX makes its way to the U.S. later this year, much of the whining about its conservative styling will have subsided. The WRX die-hards will have calmed down, put their blue-and-gold socks back on and started to appreciate the 2008 Impreza's modest improvements.

The rest of the car-buying public will probably take notice, too. A much improved interior, additional features and a new hatchback body style to go along with the standard sedan should give this Impreza considerably more mainstream appeal than its predecessor.

Courting mainstream buyers has led Subaru to focus its engineering resources on improved packaging and build quality instead of higher-horsepower engines and more complex transmissions. The result is an Impreza lineup with more spacious, higher-quality interiors powered by carryover engines hooked to four- and five-speed transmissions.


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Dante - 3/29/2007 8:43:33 AM

+2 Boost

looks lik a Madza 3

305vice - 3/29/2007 8:46:45 AM

+3 Boost

Every new Japanese car look like the Mazda 3, damn I even read one time when someone said the RX 330 look like the Mazda 3.

Dante - 3/29/2007 9:07:03 AM

+2 Boost

no but this really looks like the Madza 3 and i was looking forward to seeing this car

NARunner - 3/29/2007 10:42:13 AM

+2 Boost

well who wants a hatchback anyway? let's wait to see the sedan AND let's wait to see the STi.

Although, in terms of first impression, I am much more impressed with the Lancer than this new WRX.

zorbeeze - 3/29/2007 12:24:49 PM

+1 Boost

Everyone outside the US loves hatchbacks, Europeans, Canadians, Asians, even in Africa and S. America.

hookmann - 3/29/2007 10:55:14 AM

+2 Boost

yes, side-view is really like new Mazda 3 ;)

KeyserSoze - 3/29/2007 12:02:19 PM

+2 Boost

I hope Subaru does not fall into the me too syndrome, and start trying to be like the mainstream manufacturers.

The reason why these cars have such a cult following is because of their raw unpretentious approach of being what it is, who cares about how the interior looks like!

This is a hardcore racer that does its job well and can out handle most of its opposition on the track period full stop!

JCF110 - 3/29/2007 12:07:38 PM

+2 Boost

This looks like the 2007 Hyundai Elantra... boring! [yawn] NEXT!

ElSparquito - 3/29/2007 12:26:30 PM

+1 Boost

Not feeling it. Subarus, specifically the Impreza, are the only cars that change so drastically from one redesign to another. What happended to the "jet-inspired" corporate grille that they were pushing so hard? They've removed all of the aggressiveness from this car's exterior except for the hood scoop and rear diffuser...sad.

SilverAero - 3/29/2007 1:17:56 PM

+1 Boost

I was on the fence but now i am forced to favor the EVO. Damn

KeyserSoze - 3/29/2007 1:33:38 PM

+1 Boost

Subaru should not chase sales! They should instead focus on maintaining their image as a company with a niche!

drew630 - 3/29/2007 1:53:17 PM

+1 Boost

I see more of a Saab 9-3 front end then a Mazda 3.

Carboy - 3/29/2007 3:58:26 PM

+1 Boost

COVER YOUR EYES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

trd1 - 3/29/2007 5:53:36 PM

+1 Boost

please tell me this is the wrong picture.

MookGmbH - 3/29/2007 6:42:06 PM

+1 Boost

This is the first time ever that I have agreed with RICEMASTER. Subaru changes the face of its WRX STi way too much. How many times did they change the face of the GDB chassis? Now we re forced to look at this monstrocity? I hope that the aftermarket makes some amends on this "butterface". Their engineering of powertrains and the appilcation of the output is definitely competitve to the market; but I think that their stying dept. needs to go back to school. Maybe it needs a "Bangle Butt" to be cool these days.

louisvuittondon - 3/29/2007 7:11:50 PM

+1 Boost

Subaru can't seem to get the front of their cars right!
From last gen wrx to tribeca. Not a decent smug out of all of them.

Oh well at least its got awd and turbo. Makes up for some of it fugliness.

VinnyP - 3/30/2007 4:31:30 AM

+1 Boost

"The WRX die-hards will have calmed down, put their blue-and-gold socks back on and started to appreciate the 2008 Impreza's modest improvements"

I think I just vomited in my mouth...

This think is nothing but ugly, and the previous version of the WRX actually grew on me.

Maybe its the fact that this model is a hatch, and that the grill isn't body colored like the old ones that throws me off...but still, betcha now prodrive won't touch the hatch with a 1km pole.