WAGON ITS TAIL

A new WRX Sportswagon presents an interesting option. Priced from about $55,000 to $64,000 drive-away, it comes with the same engine as the sedan, and is only available as an automatic.

It is loaded with Subaru’s arsenal of driver assistance features as standard, and a 492 litre boot is appropriately roomy – particularly when you fold the seats down and load it to the roof. But it misses out on the sedan’s wide bodywork, fat wheels and high-performance Dunlop rubber.

Soft suspension and skinny tyres return a frustrating lack of bite when you approach a corner, less grip than expected at the apex, and occasional wheel spin – even in the dry. Victorian high country roads pushed the wagon out of its comfort zone, the five-door struggling to control its mass and body movement. It’s better with adaptive suspension reserved for the range-topping tS. There is no WRX wagon in Japan, Europe or the US – it’s a model made for our region. One that misses the mark for keen drivers.