Subaru Impreza WRX STi

The reason behind the decision to oust the boxy iconic Impreza saloon in favour of a near-mainstream hatchback was to widen its appeal.

Which means the wolf looks slightly sheepish and no longer such a direct rival to its alter ago, the Mitsubishi Evo.

A colleague keen to see the new model went in search of it in the office car park and came back grunting something about it looking like a Ford Focus. That’s an exaggeration, but the new Impreza is not too far removed in appearance from the Focus ST.

True, the Impreza will no longer poke you in the eye from 50 yards away, but the Impreza WRX STi is still full of exciting detail. You just have to look more closely.

Underneath the skin is a longitudinal, horizontally opposed and turbocharged 296 bhp engine that propels it at very fast speeds. Only the quickest of the premium brand offerings can live with the pace of the STi, which can reach 60mph from standstill in only 4.8 seconds.

The range now features six models, all five-door with multi-link rear suspension to improve the ride quality.

Subaru has also improved fuel economy, given it a flexible “boxer” engine and brought about lower running costs.

Standard equipment includes all-wheel drive (AWD), alloy wheels, climate control air conditioning, radio/CD player, fog lamps, front and rear electric windows and height and reach steering wheel adjustment.

Most models are lighter, and the lower centre of gravity provided by the engines provide increased grip and a more agile steering response.

The hatchback is shorter and wider than the saloon, but has a longer wheelbase and premium class touches like LED tail lamps, metallic interior decoration, gas strut-assisted bonnet, double-stitched seat cloth and padded armrest cushions that enable it to compete with rivals such as the Honda Civic and VW Golf.

But the most attractive feature will be the price. The entry-level 1.5R costs £12,995, and that’s quite an eyebrow raiser when one considers the equipment level, inclusion of AWD, and insurance rating of 4E.

For another £1,000 you can move up to the 1.5RX, which adds steering-wheel mounted cruise control, xenon headlamps with pop-up washers, leather-covered gear-knob and handbrake lever and six-disc CD autochanger.

The 2.0R, priced at £15,495, gets larger 16-inch alloy wheels, dynamics control, windscreen-wiper de-icer, xenon headlamps with washers and heated door mirrors. The RX version of the 2.0-litre model gets front and rear spoilers, side skirts, 17-inch alloys, a leather-covered steering wheel, ten-speaker radio/single disc CD system, an engine push-start button and satellite navigation. It costs £17,995.

The £20,095 price of the 2.5 WRX is £1,002 less than the previous model, and its features on top of those of the 2.0 RX include a rear limited-slip differential.

And so we arrive at the top-of-the-range 2.5 WRX STI Type UK, which costs £25,695. It is a more aggressive offering, with the badging, four tailpipes and bonnet dome providing the key indicators to its outrageous performance qualities.

Get past the fiddly key entry system, which requires a double-press on the fob to open more than the driver’s door, and you step into an inviting cabin that has the required ambience of sportiness and quality.

The seats are lovely – a mix of suede and leather in sports styling with STI emblazoned on the headrests – and the instrument panel is a seductive mix of bright colours.

The engine still sounds slightly raucous, but you now have to strain to hear it. This is a more grown-up car targeted not at boy racers but the more mature driver.

It will corrupt and tempt you, thrill and consume, such is its appetite for speed. You might even say it is ridiculously quick, and I could not argue with that.

But the occasional few seconds of exhilarating acceleration when conditions allow is addictive.

The clutch is on the heavy side and torque-steer will catch you out if you are not on top of your game. Quick working of the short-throw gear shift is essential, so be prepared to stay with it.

The STI has an adjustable centre differential, called Driver’s Control Centre Differential. You can set it manually, but you don’t really need to switch it out of automatic mode.

Just be careful with your licence. The more conservative styling should help.

AT A GLANCE

Model: Subaru Impreza WRX STi

Price: £26,595

Engine: 2457cc four-cylinder turbocharged petrol

Power: 296bhp @ 6,000rpm

Torque: 300lb ft @ 4,000rpm

Transmission: Six-speed manual driving all four wheels

Performance: 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds, maximum speed 155mph

Fuel economy: 27.4mpg combined

CO2 emissions: 243g/km