We found this in last Sunday's Republican.  What a nice way to start the day!

You can see the full article by G. Chambers Williams III  online here: 

"The newest generation of this performance-oriented version of Subaru's compact sedan arrived for 2008, offering a level of excitement somewhat above that of the entry-level Impreza model that competes against cars such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.  With its turbocharged, 224-horsepower, 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder engine, the 2008 WRX offered a serious upgrade to the 170-horsepower normally aspirated boxer under the hood of the base Impreza.  But for 2009, Subaru decided 224 horsepower just wasn't enough for the WRX, and cranked it up to 265 — an 18 percent jump. Torque output was increased as well, to 244 foot-pounds from last year's 226."

"The WRX engine reaches full horsepower at 6,000 rpm and peak torque at 4,000 rpm. And even with the big boost in power, EPA ratings are nearly the same as last year's — 18 miles per gallon city/25 highway versus 19/24 for the '08 model.  This additional power is largely the result of an increase in the boost from the turbocharger to 13.3 psi from the previous model's 11.4, along with the use of a larger-diameter exhaust system with reduced back pressure.  What was already pretty cool for an otherwise average-seeming compact sedan now has become quite impressive. Couple that with the tight five-speed manual gearbox — the only transmission offered on the WRX — and you have the recipe for lots of fun.

Oh, did I mention the all-wheel drive? Where vehicles such as the Civic and Corolla are stuck with front-wheel drive, not exactly the optimum arrangement for sport driving, the WRX comes with Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, which actually is standard on all Subaru vehicles sold in the United States (even the base Impreza).  This full-time system includes a viscous-type locking center differential, which normally sends torque equally to front and rear wheels. But when wheel slippage is detected, more power automatically is directed to the wheels with the best traction. No driver input is required.

Of course, this isn't the most fun you can have with an Impreza. There's also the WRX STI model, which arguably is a completely different vehicle (although built on the same basic architecture).  The STI (base price $34,995) essentially is a street-legal race car taken from the rally circuit. It has 305 horsepower and 290 foot-pounds of torque, and is the perfect companion for weekend autocross and track events.  For $10,000 less, though, the regular WRX is pleasing enough for those of us who can't quite afford the STI, and it outshines just about everything else of its size and class on the road. It's suitable for those weekend competitions, as well."

"I can't say enough about the handling on this car. I gave it a great workout on some fun twisty roads in the hills, and the car hugged the pavement in the turns like a sports car, not a family sedan. Steering is precise and predictable, which allows for some spirited sport driving (within the speed limits, of course).  Subaru says the Impreza's engine was placed lower in the chassis in this new generation to help lower the center of gravity and to improve steering response.

My only regret was that I didn't have a chance to play with the WRX on a track, as I did with the 2008 model during a Subaru ride-and-drive program in Phoenix."