2011 Subaru WRX Accepts Its Position as the STI Stand In

For 2011, the 2011 Subaru WRX has ditched the black robe for a string bikini, flaunting some serious haunches in the process. It is the result of what happens when you take a fairly normal economy car and turn it into an all-out-insane rally machine. Designed as road-going versions of the World Rally Championship winning race cars, the all-wheel drive Subaru WRX 2011 offer plenty of power and prodigious grip but can be had for very little money considering their level of performance.

Meanwhile, the car’s big brother – the 2011 Subaru WRX STI – has been fitted with a completely reworked suspension and an all-new four-door body style. The 2011 Subaru WRX carries the same wide, swaggering, come-on-and-try-me bodywork as the STI. The Subaru WRX and the STI offers the same aggressive fascia, the same bulging fenders — the rears actually poke out beyond the taillights — and the same quad-exhaust pipes that protrude from the very BMW M5-ish rear valance.

The 2011 Subaru WRX accepts its position as a stand-in for the STI by adopting the wide body kit and track of its rally bred brother. The 2011 Subaru WRX resemblance to the 2011 Subaru WRX STI is more than skin deep, but stops short of the bone. Where the 2011 Subaru WRX STI is taut and hard, the WRX is compliant, even soft.

The 2011 Subaru WRX STI gets a true sports-car transmission, but the WRX’s gearbox feels like surplus from Fuji Heavy Industries commercial trucks. On the practical side, the new 2011 Subaru WRX benefits greatly from a cabin tech makeover, a new navigation unit that brings in a Bluetooth phone system, and extensive audio-tuning capabilities.

The 2011 Subaru WRX gets its power from a turbocharged 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine with 265 horsepower and 244 lb-ft of torque. Mated to a five-speed manual transmission and an all-wheel drive system, the combination returns to the 2011 Subaru WRX mpg which lead to 19 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

The 2011 Subaru WRX review said, the key for this year’s WRX lies in how the bodywork affected the drive. For one, the 2011 Subaru WRX coefficient of drag is improved by 5 percent, according to Subaru. But, crucially, the 2011 Subaru WRX bodywork necessitated widening of the front and rear track by 1.5 inches; overall width grows 2.2 inches, to 70.7.

The new stance also allowed one-inch-wider wheels (now 17 x 8.0) and 10-millimeter-wider tires (now 245/45/R17). Most important, the 2011 Subaru WRX larger wheels and tires weigh less than the outgoing rolling stock. Overall, the 2011 Subaru WRX increase in size raises its weight by a negligible 33 pounds.

Roadfly.com – 2011 Subaru WRX Review & Test Drive

2011 Subaru WRX Competitors

Aside from the 2011 Subaru WRX STI, the WRX sees its most direct competition from the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart. The 2011 Subaru WRX is cheaper and quicker than both. Pricing and equipment—excepting the shape and capacity of their hindquarters—are the same for the 2011 Subaru WRX sedan and the Subaru WRX 2011 Hatchback, with base models starting at $26,220.

Premium versions of 2011 Subaru WRX are $28,720, adding heated front seats and side view mirrors, a heating element under the windshield wipers, fog lights, a power sunroof, and a sedan-only trunk spoiler. The 2011 Subaru WRX Limited comes in at a grand higher, at $29,720, adding HID headlights and leather seat trim. Although the changes are mostly only skin-deep, the added width means the 2011 Subaru WRX can appeal to a wider audience, now capturing those who would have upgraded to the STI based on looks alone.

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