1994 Subaru SVX LSi review from North America

Power steering hose failed 45K.

Front brake rotors turned 55K.

I remember seeing my first SVX years ago in traffic on the freeway. I remember thinking "lucky rich guy". The combination of flat six, AWD and that never-before-seen styling made an impression. Life with the Outback was good and so we bought an SVX LSi.

It was on the "Run to the Gorge" through the backroads of southwest Washington State to the Columbia River Gorge where we fell in with a Honda S2000, a Lotus Elan and a Jag XK8. With the Lotus driver as our rabbit, the rest of us followed, ignoring the speed limit and corner speed signs. We drove fast and hard for miles, on the most wonderful turns anywhere. The lightweight Lotus ate up that road; the Jag matched him using horsepower and roadholding; the S2K, with 100 hp for each of its two litres & six-speed, kept up by using the revs and constantly stirring that box.

In that estimable group of blueblood sports cars with capable drivers at the helm of each one, the LSi gave up not one inch. Not for a heartbeat, not even once. The LSi used its AWD all afternoon. As I set up for each turn and headed for each apex, power-on, the feel of four wheels working together was awesome. Understeer? Just input more power, and the 3.3 was there, ready to deliver. No watching the rev's, no waiting for turbo spool-up (no shifting, for that matter). When the power hits all four wheels, the attitude of the car changes from early understeer to near neutral. While accelerating. We were as good as any car on that road that day and better than many. We ran with 'em and we could stand with 'em.

On Sunday morning, with the Run officially over, we left the hotel on our own and did some sightseeing down the Gorge, poking along gawking at views and waterfalls like the tourists that we were. After that, we rejoined the freeway for the three-hour drive back home. Closed the windows and sunroof, turned the climate control on a gentle setting, put in a CD. The LSi wafted us home in comfort and quiet. It's all that too.