Is it worth testdriving?

 

NO......cheap

 

Yes, very fun cars. And faster than the 8

 

but awd right?

 

I second that. I definately put a smile on my face.

 

is that a typo? or an ego trip?

 

I drove the STi today, man its differnet (duh).. VERY MUCH DIFFERENT. Since my friend owns an STi, I was able to push it a bit. I am not a pro racer or antying, so its just my own point of view. I think the Subaru STi understeers much MUCH earlier then the RX8. Yes, its normal to understeer a bit in AWD but man... its not fun to drive or as fun to drive. If you like the turbo feel, to I guess the STi is for you or Evo. However, its not fun to drive a turbo car ... it kicks in about 3700 or something and bam redline.. and redline and redline.. well you are up there in speed

so well.. I dun know.. handling RX8 really wins hands down... drive feel I lvoe the RX8 twenty times better. I was goign to trade the eight for teh STi.. well after today.. I guess not

 

Ike where are you, this is your thread!

 

Try driving a 3rd-gen rx7 - handles like an rx8, accellerates like an STi... Turbos are fun

Out of curiosity, what is the redline on the STi ?

 

The STi redlines at 7000rpm i think.

 

Its definitely worth test driving! I test drove the WRX and the STI and both of them were fun behind the wheels. Yes, definitly faster than the 8, and yes, the Turbo "feel" is awesome, and yes, it feel cheaper on the inside than the 8. Aside from the performance, the interior of the car felt like it was put together by monkeys... (no offense to Subaru owners, my personal opinion). The console and the material used for the interior felt really cheap in quality, loose, and not sturdy.

But aside from the interior, I wish the 8 had a Turbo!!!

 

Yes it's worth driving, but it's not for everyone, and it's takes some time behind the wheel to really get the most ouf of an AWD turbo car. It's fast and fun, handles well, and will handle much better once you lose the lame all season tires on it.

The interior is simple and not bad as those that bash it say, most importantly it has great pedal placement, great clutch feel, and a notchy shifter (some like notchy, some don't). The seats on the 04s aren't as nice as previous year, but if you're a bigger guy you'll appreciate the change.

As for the STi not handling as well as the RX-8, you just didn't know how to drive it properly, if you want to get rid of understeer just give a little flick It may not be as tailhappy as the RX-8 but the roadholding abilities for the STi in the slalom and latteral acceleration numbers are remarkable and in some case up to suercar type numbers. Oh, and it redlines @7500 with a couple hundred more to spare before fuelcut.

AWD Turbos aren't for everyone, and the most of the fun to be had in this car will never take place during a testdrive. To really appreciate it you need to own one and allow it to own you (corny, I know). Best of all, it brightens up my rainy and snowy days.

<waves to Navybeard>

 

And the wagon versions are faster than the sedans. :p

Turbo and AWD together really takes some time, as others have said, to get the most out of. But once you do, you'll find it is a car that's easy to drive at it's limits. and VERY forgiving.

The WRX is better for those that are on the commuting end of things. The STi is much more performance oriented.

 

I have a WRX wagon, but I've driven the RX-8 and am a big fan of it. The WRX's combination of utility and performance makes it one of the few "have your cake and eat it too" vehicles (the RX-8 offers some practicality, but nothing like the WRX's). The WRX is faster and its turbo boost puts a smile on my face every time. AWD provides better handling during inclement weather and drifting is a blast, especially on slick roads (you just have to be careful to do it someplace safe).

However, the WRX has more body roll, turbo lag is severe, throttle response is mediocre, the shifter sucks, and steering feedback is poor. The WRX handles competently (AWD helps a lot), but it feels like a boat compared to nimble and neutral car like the RX-8... you just don't get the same feel for the road in the WRX.

The WRX is easy to mod and some of thoese issues can be improved. I put in a short-throw shifter which made a huge difference, but it's still nothing like the RX-8's. I also put in a bigger rear swaybar, but that only helped marginally. I considered upgrading the suspension, putting in strut-tower-braces, etc... but ultimately I know I can't lower its weight, improve its weight distribution, make its chassis stiffer, and lower its yaw moment enough to make it feel like a *real* sports car.

Some more comments:

RX-8:
- engine spins up faster
- nicer seats (but the WRX's are good too)
- better build quality
- better looking, IMHO
- doesn't require 91 octane

WRX:
- better MPG
- has a spare tire (you can get one in the RX-8, but it costs extra and you lose trunk space)
- very easy to change the oil (I haven't actually changed the oil in the RX-8, but given the filter's placement and that it's upsidown, I'm figuring it'll be messier)
- costs less
- Subarus often rattle (I already have a few)

Clearly, both cars have strengths and weaknesses, but both are fun.

 

I like movies and I like playing my guitar. Both are fun but completely different.

To answer your question, it's absolutely worth test driving. You should test drive any car you have an interest in.