In its almost constant fiddling with the Impreza over the years, Subaru has displayed an inconsistency bordering on the perverse. Back in 1997, the best car in the range was the naturally-aspirated 2.0 Sport, which had a handling balance which I still take to be the benchmark for judging anything with more than two seats. The first WRX, so-called after Subaru dropped Turbo as a name, was superb - vastly better than the GL of the same time - but the 2005 version (see road test) was inferior both to the less powerful GL and the much more powerful STI.In the 2006 model-year range, the WRX regains previously lost ground. David Morgan, in his launch report of the new cars, rated it as the highest of them all on the basis of a brief drive. I've just had one for a week, and I see what he means. The WRX is once more a fine beast, greatly to be recommended to enthusiastic drivers.Yet at the same time it is showing its age. Great cars can't stay great forever - even Mazda had to design a new MX-5 eventually - and as an Impreza fan of long standing I have to admit that I wouldn't be sorry to see a replacement being introduced in the near future.The core values are as important as they ever were. The huge advantages of the Impreza (and indeed the things that have made it so unreasonable that Subaru should have dropped the catch so badly in the past) are its low-centre-of-gravity engine, with four pistons pumping out sideways from the crankshaft rather than operating above it, and its remarkably soft but nearly always beautifully damped suspension.Combined with a transmission which divides the power among all four wheels, these aspects mean that, for a given cornering speed, the Impreza never gives its tyres much to do. The limit of the rubber's adhesion is therefore much higher than it might otherwise be, and the result is that the WRX achieve quite remarkable cornering speeds with almost no fuss at all.The suspension set-up has just one flaw, and it's apparent only when you're driving in a straight line. On medium to large bumps the front end bounces heavily and jarringly in a way that you'd think someone would have identified and dealt with during the pre-production stage. It's a shame, because in all other respects the ride quality is very good, not least because Subaru has not felt the need to fit especially low-profile tyres.The other thing that can happen in a straight line, of course, is rapid acceleration. The WRX is undoubtedly quick, but not to the extent you'd imagine on learning that the engine has been enlarged from two to 2.5 litres. This is something which must have seemed like a good idea at some point, but the improvements are marginal.Maximum power is up by just 4bhp. Maximum torque is the same as before but occurs 400rpm further down the rev range. Top speed is down by 1mph, and the 0-62mph time has improved by 0.2 seconds to 5.4 seconds - and most of the gain must be down to the fact that Subaru has lowered the overall gearing.Faced with these awkward facts, Subaru's PR people in the UK concede that the new WRX's performance is, on paper, about the same as that of the old car, but "real-world driving characteristics reveal a much sprightlier car with an effortless power delivery and stronger turbo response from low speeds".To some extent that's true, but I reckon you'd have to drive a 2006 WRX and a 2005 one on the same day to notice much of a difference. There is, however, a significant difference in fuel consumption. The combined economy figure is 10% worse than before, having dropped from 30.4mpg to 27.4mpg.Nearly all of the above is relevant only if you are an existing Impreza customer. Subaru's chances of attracting new buyers are dwindling all the time, thanks to the obvious ageing of the design referred to earlier. The 2006 facelift is effective enough, but there are several elements which hark back to the car's origins over a decade ago.Poor packaging is one of them. The Impreza isn't really suitable for drivers on the high side of six feet, and room in the back is minimal considering the overall size of the car. The interior design is better than it used to be, but hardly state-of-the-art.If you're sitting inside when the central locking is operated (as you may well be, since the engine will start only within a certain time of the doors being opened) it sounds as if four members of the riot police are trying to beat their way in with truncheons. And is there any other car costing more than £20,000 whose boot has no handle, but has to be opened with the key if you're standing outside?These are the things you put up with if you want to enjoy the Impreza driving experience, which is still in a class of its own. But if the Impreza story is to last much longer, that experience must be carried over into a car which more obviously deserves its place in the 21st century.
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