1994 Subaru Impreza WRX STi IMPORT WAGON review from UK and Ireland

Wow I'm at a blank! nothing that was not my own fault!

Japanese IMPORT STi 250BHP STANDARD.

RIGHT, LET ME FIRST START BY SAYING HOLY COW THIS CAR IS FASSSSSST AND FAR SUPERIOR IN EVERY DEPARTMENT THEN THE RIP OFF UK VERSION (215 BHP). WHEN I MEAN FAAAST I MEAN DANGEROUSLY FAST. THE IMPORTS HAVE BIGGER TURBOS AND LIGHT WEIGHT PANELS, YOU CAN LIFT THE BONNET WITH YOUR LITTLE FINGER.

A FORD ESCORT COSWORTH RUNNING 1.5BAR BOOST COULDNT KEEP UP AS SOON AS I HIT 3RD GEAR, THE ESCORT JUST GOT LEFT BEHIND LIKE A STANDARD CAR THAT'S WHEN I STARTED WONDERING IF IT WAS MODDED, A QUICK TRIP TO GRAHAM GOODES (SUBARU SPECIALISTS) CONFIRMED IT WAS RUNNING STANDARD BOOST.

THE HANDLING IS INCREDIBLE HELPED BY THE 4WD SYSTEM (MY SUSPENSION HAS BEEN MODIFIED BY THE PREV Japanese OWNER) BUT THE BEST HAS TO BE THE UNIQUE ENGINE NOTE FROM THE H.K.S EXHAUST. YOU CAN TELL OF AN IMPREZA APPROACHING STREETS AWAY, Can't SAY THAT ABOUT MOST CARS NOW CAN YOU (EVO DRIVERS ARE YOU READING)! THE STI IS A LITTLE SPECIAL AND HAS THE FOLLOWING: BLUEPRINTED ENGINE, FORGED PISTONS ETC, ROLLERBEARING TURBO?, DIFFERENT ECU MAP AND MANY OTHER ENHANCEMENTS.

BAD BITS:

HORRENDOUS FUEL CONSUMPTION EVEN IF DRIVEN LIGHTLY.

BUY A BAD ONE AND YOU WILL HAVE TO RE-MORTGAGE FOR REPAIRS.

IMPORTS SHOULD ONLY RUN ON OPTIMAX OTHERWISE SAY GOODBYE TO PISTON NO 3.

STEEP INSHURANCE AND SERVICING.

BUT THE NEGATIVES ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO THE PERFORMANCE YOU GET FOR THE PRICE AND THE LATE IMPORT CLASSICS COME WITH 280BHP STANDARD.

ALL I CAN SAY IS IF YOU ARE THINKING OF GETTING ONE OF THESE MONSTERS PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU KNOW ABOUT THESE CARS. IMPORTS ARE GENERALLY VERY WELL LOOKED AFTER AND SERVICED REGULARLY.

IF YOUR IN THE MARKET I ASSURE YOU THAT YOU Won't FIND ANYTHING AS PRACTICAL OR FUN AND FAST FOR LITTLE MONEY, but MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE BUYING AS THE IMPREZA IS AN ATTENTION SEEKER ;-)