STRETCH THE FRIENDSHIP

The wagon version of Subaru’s revered WRX sacrifices some performance for practicality

Subaru has brought back the WRX Sportswagon. A popular choice for revheads in the nineties, the sporty wagon combined performance with practicality. The new WRX is bigger, more powerful and more refined but it’s also more expensive.

Here are five things you should know about the Sportswagon.

THE SEDAN HAS A SHARPER FOCUS

Sportswagon buyers will have to be prepared to trade some performance for practicality.

The wagon is slower to 100km/h and its suspension tune is softer, which translates to less fun when the road gets twisty.

The wagon takes a fraction longer to settle after bumps and it leans on its skinnier tyres more through corners, making it more suited to long sweeping corners than hairpins. It’s stable and predictable and the brake pedal feel is reassuring, but it lacks the grip and balance of the sedan. For people with young families who need the extra space, the wagon will be an acceptable compromise.

The more expensive ts model has multimode shock absorbers that allow you to select a softer setting around town and more control at speed on a country road.

THERE’S A BIGGER DONK UNDER THE BONNET

The new WRX has a bigger 2.4-litre turbocharged Boxer engine, up from 2.0 litres in the previous generation.

The extra size doesn’t translate to a big leap in performance, though. Power is up by only 5kw to 202kw, while torque is unchanged at 350Nm. Subaru claims a 0-100km/h time of about six seconds for the manual sedan, but independent tests suggest the auto wagon takes about 6.5 seconds.

Fuel use of 8.5L/100km is slightly better than the previous model – and much better than the manual, which slurps 9.9L/100km – but it’s hardly frugal and premium is required.

The continuously variable transmission doesn’t help off-the-mark performance, either. It takes a while to wind up and isn’t as responsive as rival dual-clutch autos.

PRICES HAVE INCREASED

The new WRX is roughly 10 per cent more expensive than its predecessor, starting at almost $50,000 on the road for the base manual. The CVT auto costs another $4000 – a big jump, although it comes with an electronic parking brake, high-beam assist and auto braking in reverse, which aren’t available on the manual.

At about $62,600 drive-away, the rangetopping ts model is more expensive than the previous generation STI. The premium for a wagon is reasonable, though, at just $1000.

SAFETY IS COMPREHENSIVE

The WRX has all the bells and whistles from a driver-assist point of view.

Standard equipment includes auto emergency braking with cyclist and pedestrian detection, lane-keep and blind-spot assist, radar cruise and rear cross-traffic alert with braking.

Cameras in the cabin scan the driver’s face and eyes for signs of fatigue or distraction, sounding a warning when necessary. Speedsign recognition can help you avoid fines.

THE CABIN IS OLD SCHOOL, BUT OOZES QUALITY

Unlike some rivals, which have configurable digital driver displays, Subaru has continued with analog dials, supplemented by a small readout between the tacho and the speedo.

It looks a little dated, but the big central touchscreen has a more modern look and the attention to detail elsewhere in the cabin is topnotch. There are soft surfaces and plush materials throughout, with sporty touches such as red stitching on the seats, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and alloy pedals.

Rear passengers have their own vents and USB ports, while more expensive models are fitted with an excellent 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio unit.