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Published
on 31
Dec 2011 |
All rights reserved.
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Since the first
generation, Subaru Impreza has been a niche compared with mainstream
players like Honda Civic. The latest fourth generation model continues
to feature its trademark permanent four-wheel drive system and boxer
engine to distinguish itself from the mainstream. However, most effort
of the development has been spent to make the car more practical, such
as a larger cabin and better fuel economy, in the attempt to lure
buyers from the mainstream. If it succeeds, sales could be
significantly increased from last year's 107,250 units.
In fact, in sedan form (called "G4" at home) the new Impreza looks
quite like the new Honda Civic. This is because it shares a similar
sleek, cab-forward profile, just with edgier finishes. The new
hexagonal grille and so-called hawk-eye headlamps, both developed from
Legacy, are more distinctive than the ones on the outgoing car, but the
general feeling of the whole car is not one of the most modern or
tasteful designs around. Some areas look mess, e.g. the quarter windows
of the hatchback, and the crease lines above wheel arches are too
heavy-handed. It reminds me that Japan is still short of design
talents, and the best of them have already been snapped up by Mazda and
Lexus. Fuji had better to do something.
The best news to would-be owners is increased interior room. There are
considerably more rear legroom and headroom, thanks to a wheelbase
stretch of 25 mm and the use of thinner front seatbacks. The front
occupants will also feel more spacious as the base of the A-pillars
have been brought forward by 200 mm. The A-pillars are also made
slimmer by the use of high-strength steel, improving visibility. The
new Impreza is now roomier than Mazda 3 and comparable to Honda Civic –
it matches the Honda in rear headroom, loses only 20 mm in rear legroom
but trumps its rival in front head and legroom. Brilliantly, the
external dimensions remain the same as the outgoing car, while kerb
weight is either unaltered (according to our figures) or even reduced
by 75 kg (according to Subaru), depending on which models you compare.
Not so great is the styling and build quality of the cabin, which is
best described as basic. The upper half of the dashboard and the top of
door panels are covered with soft plastics, but the rest are hard ones
while switch gears lack the tactile feel of European offerings.
Perceived quality aside, this cabin works well. It has plenty of
storage cubbies and, to delight American, cupholders for each occupant.
The new seats are larger and more comfortable. Hip point is raised by
17 mm to give a more natural seating position and better view forward.
Finally, a smaller fuel tank enables a large and flat load bay on the
hatchback.
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To Japanese and
European
buyers, the new FB20 four-cylinder boxer engine is not a big departure
from the old EJ20, as it is rated the same 150 horsepower and 145
pound-foot. There is a little bit more low to mid-range torque on
offer, thanks to its undersquare combustion chambers and the addition
of exhaust variable valve timing, but real-world performance is not
particularly brisk, no matter hooked to the outdated 5-speed manual or
Lineartronic CVT. To American and Australian motorists, the new engine
is not a good news, as its capacity has been reduced from 2.5 to 2.0
liters in a bid to lower fuel consumption. The switch to twin-cam and
introduction of double AVCS variable valve timing is just not enough to
compensate for the lost capacity, resulting in a drop of maximum output
by 22 hp and 25 lbft. That reflects on stopwatch. According to Car and
Driver, the new car with manual gearbox takes a sluggish 8.6 seconds to
go from rest to 60 mph, a full second longer than the old 2.5-liter
car.
The in-house-built, chain-driven Lineartronic CVT is a better option
than the outgoing 4-speed automatic, as it makes better use of the
limited torque to deliver comparable performance. As we found on
Legacy, this CVT has largely eliminated rubberband effect during
acceleration, thus the engine rev rises linearly as the acceleration
progresses. Nevertheless, it still tends to rev the engine higher than
the manual under hard acceleration, resulting in excessive engine
noise. Furthermore, the transmission itself generates an annoying whine
at high rev and hampers refinement.
Apart from the 2-liter unit, a 115hp 1.6-liter version of the same
boxer engine is offered exclusively in Japan. If you really want
performance, the only option is to wait for the turbocharged WRX
version to arrive in 2013, or at least the European launch of the 150hp
2.0 turbo diesel boxer.
The FB20 engine employs lower friction parts, lighter pistons and
con-rods to deliver 5 percent better fuel economy. The new CVT
contributes to another 5 percent, automatic engine stop-start 5
percent, electric power steering 2% and improved aerodynamics 3%.
Overall, the new car consumes 20 percent less fuel than the old car.
Pretty impressive considering it does not have direct injection and
light turbocharging.
As before, most of the Imprezas are to be sold with permanent 4-wheel
drive system (only the base 1.6-liter model is front-drive). On cars
equipped with manual transmission, front/rear torque split is
implemented by viscous-coupling, which is default at 50:50. CVT cars
use a multi-plate clutch to transfer power to the rear wheels only when
needed. The superior traction it offers is still a big advantage to the
Subaru.
The suspensions are barely lightly adapted from the old car's. The
basic geometry remains, with MacPherson struts up front and a mult-link
setup at the rear (note: Subaru calls the latter "double-wishbones" but
in fact it consists of an upper wishbone, 2 lower links and a
toe-control link). New front rebound springs and rear bushings provide
better control of shock absorption. Compare with the old car, its
handling is more composed, with less body roll in corners. The ride is
firm yet more compliant. Its driver appeal is not as strong as a Ford
Focus or Mazda 3, but its balance between control and comfort is close
to Volkswagen Golf. The pinion-assist type electric power steering
delivers good precision, weighting and decent feel, if a little numb
on-center.
That said, the Impreza fails to match its benchmark, Volkswagen Golf,
in a number of critical areas. Its high-speed refinement is below
average, as there are lots of road noise and transmission noise allowed
to enter the cabin. Its interior looks and perceived quality are one of
the poorest on new cars, even compared with Korean offerings. Its FB20
engine does not offer as much improvement as claimed, failing to match
new generation direct-injected and turbocharged motors for performance
and flexibility. Finally, the exterior design is underwhelming beside
the elegant Volkswagen or the increasingly imaginative Kia / Hyundai.
Although larger cabin and better fuel economy makes the new Impreza a
smarter choice than ever, overall speaking it is not good enough to
recommend. As we always know, the highlight of Impreza should be the
high-performance WRX / STI rather than the bread-and-butter models. Why
not take next year to save money for the 2013 performance models?
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Verdict:
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Published
on 26
Dec 2013 |
All rights reserved.
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WRX
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21 years and 3
generations have passed since the birth of Impreza WRX, but the essence
of this car remains unchanged. It is still a very fast A-to-B car
powered by a turbocharged boxer engine and driven through all 4 wheels.
The only big change is the name – now it is no longer an Impreza but
simply WRX, because Subaru wants to distant it further from the cooking
model. Anyway, no one would believe that. No matter how it is called,
its relationship with the Impreza is just as obvious as ever.
Built on the 4th generation Impreza, the new WRX enjoys benefits like a
30 mm longer wheelbase (hence a roomier back seat) and a much stiffer
chassis (hence reduced NVH). In fact, the new body shell is 41 percent
stiffer than the old one. Compare with the regular Impreza, torsional
rigidity is increased by 9 percent, thanks to extra reinforcements like
a sturdier floorpan, additional bracings and high-strength-steel
A-pillars. Pronounced fenders add 55 mm to its width and enable the
fitment of 235/45WR17 rubbers as well as wider tracks. Predictably, its
suspensions are heavily modified. Spring rates are increased by a
massive 39
percent up front and 62 percent at the rear, accompanied with stiffer
dampers, thicker anti-roll bars, harder bushings and new aluminum lower
control arms up front. Sadly, there are no adaptive dampers, so it is
not going to challenge German premium hot hatches for ride comfort.
Under the bonnet, the old 2.0-liter EB20 (JDM) and 2.5-liter EB25
(export) engines have been replaced by a brand new 1998 cc FA20 DIT
(direct injection turbo) engine, which is the turbocharged version of
the BRZ engine. The introduction of direct injection and a higher, 1.1
bar boost pressure from its twin-scroll turbo allow it to increase
output to 268 hp, 18 hp more than the old JDM engine and 3 ponies more
than the old export engine. Meanwhile, maximum torque is improved to
258 lbft, and it is available across a wider band, from 2000 to 5200
rpm. Having said that, one should remember that the first generation
WRX was already good for 280 hp from 1996. I am quite disappointed for
the lack of progress through the years. In contrast, European rivals
like Audi and AMG are now capable of producing 300 hp or even 360 hp
from the same capacity. Obviously, Subaru is reserving its potential
for the forthcoming STI.
The new engine pairs with a new 6-speed manual gearbox (upgraded from
5-speed) or a new Sport Lineartronic CVT (replacing 4-speed auto). The
latter is easily forgettable if you are keen drivers. Although in
Sport# mode it avoids the annoying rubberband effect by giving you 8
manual ratios to select through paddles, there is a noticeable delay in
each gearshift as the CVT takes time to vary its ratio from one preset
value to another. The manual is not perfect either. Its gearshift is a
bit notchy, but at least it is short-throw and precise. The 4WD system
is the same as before. On manual gearbox car, a viscous-coupling
differential lock normally splits torque 50:50 front to rear. CVT uses
a planetary center differential to split 45:55 while a multi-plate
clutch provides the locking function. A new torque vectoring system
brakes individual front wheels to correct under/oversteer.
On the road, the new boxer engine is slightly calmer than the old one,
but it still emits a distinctive exhaust note. Performance is fine but
no better than the old car, blame to the increased weight. 0-60 mph in
5.4 seconds is no longer eye-popping these days – an Audi S3 is good
for 4.6 seconds, while A45 AMG is faster still – ditto the 145 mph top
speed. There is also a bit more turbo lag than the best European
counterparts. What the WRX excels is not on straight line but in the
twisty. Its new electrical power steering feels natural; Turn-in is
sharp and precise. The permanent 4WD, unlike the part-time versions on
Audi and AMG, offers superior traction and grip, while understeer is
kept to the minimum. The stiff suspension leads to tight body control
and quick steering response. On the downside, the ride is harsh and
busy, the wide tires roar loudly and the brakes lack initial bite. The
WRX is not destined to drivers who seek a balance between comfort and
handling. It is a hardcore choice, even though without the STI badge.
The packaging also lacks the finesse of European hot hatches. Like the
lesser Imprezas, it is far from beautiful, if not ugly, and the
interior is built to the standards of 1990s. Not even a flat-bottom
steering wheel and faux carbon-fiber inserts can change this
perception. Nevertheless, its good driving position, excellent
all-round visibility and supportive front seats guarantee high
practicality. The only complaint is the lack of hatchback version –
sadly, Subaru has abandoned it to cut cost. Speaking of cost, the WRX
remains to be highly affordable for its ingredients and performance, so
its lack of quality and refinement is somewhat forgivable.
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Verdict: |
Published
on 3
Apr 2014
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All rights reserved.
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WRX STI
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Time seems to stand
still since 1997. That year, Impreza WRX STI was good for 150 mph and
capable of hitting 0-60 in 4.6 seconds – what a cannonball for its
time! Now the latest WRX STI is still good for 150 mph and 4.6 seconds,
not so fast beside a Mercedes A45 AMG, BMW M135i or Audi S3. Moreover,
it doesn't show a leap in technology as we expected. Most notably is
the EJ25 boxer turbo engine, which is disappointingly carried over
intact from the outgoing generation. Very unmodern sounding, it has
neither direct fuel injection, auto stop-start, on-demand
cooling/lubrication nor regenerative alternator, so its efficiency is
out of sync with the market trend. Neither the good old 6-speed manual
gearbox sounds edge-cutting in the seas of dual-clutch transmissions.
If Subaru kept racing in WRC, the STI would not have earned so little
progress. Maybe racing people are right: motorsport improves the breed.
The new STI is a dream for lazy engineers as they didn’t need to work
overtime during its development. The chassis is taken straight from the
lesser WRX. Because it is already a lot stiffer than the old car, no
more structural reinforcement is considered necessary, not even the
usual tower bars. It is also wide enough to skip any extended wheel
arches. Therefore the only cosmetic changes are the larger, 18-inch
wheels, slightly wider rubbers and a big rear spoiler. Further effort
and money are saved by abandoning hatchback body, leaving the mandatory
choice of sedan form. To my eyes it looks less convincing
aesthetically, although you might say all hot Imprezas since Mk2 have
not been renowned for style.
Lazy engineers also love its drivetrain, which is again carried over
from the old car. Nevertheless, there is nothing wrong for a 4WD system
consisting of a helical front LSD, Torsen rear LSD and an active center
differential called DCCD (driver controlled center differential). The
latter normally distributes 41:59 power front to rear but you can
adjust that to 50:50 in 6 fine steps. These are the last heritage of
the Group A era, and are yet to be matched by its new European rivals.
The WRX-based suspensions get some parts from the old STI catalogue,
such as inverted front dampers (for higher rigidity) and forged
aluminum L-arms (to reduce unsprung weight), and the tuning is
sportier. 22-percent stiffer springs, thicker anti-roll bars and harder
bushings make better use of the stiffer monocoque to improve handling.
Meanwhile, the steering remains old-fashioned hydraulic assisted, but
its 13.0:1 ratio is significantly quicker than the 14.5:1 of WRX. The
Brembo brakes, with 330 mm discs and 4-pot calipers up front, 315 mm
and 2-pot at the rear, are carried over from the old car. Now they also
serve the new function of torque vectoring.
The 2.5-liter boxer engine is old fashioned in every way – 8.2:1
compression and a single-scroll turbo that runs up to 1.0 bar of boost
guarantee a slightly sluggish low-end response. By modern standards, it
displays a lot of turbo lag, thanks in part to the long pipes
connecting the single turbo (note: new generation turbo engines have
turbos located close to the exhaust manifolds, but this is just
impossible on a boxer engine). While peak output of 305 horsepower and
290 pound-foot aren’t bad, you need to work hard on gearshift to keep
it on boil at above 4000 rpm. This mean, it fails to catch the fastest
European rivals in straight line, and it feels lazier still in normal
driving. Fortunately, the 6-speed gearbox has a short-throw shifter
thus is a pleasure to use.
The hydraulic steering is also a joy to use. It is quick, precise and
truly feelsome. Yes, it kickbacks on bumps and shows a hint of torque
steer at times, but it also relays tactile information to your hands
like no electric rack can do. Keen drivers will love it. However, the
most notable improvement from the old car is how it deals with
understeer. The old car always lived under the shadow of Mitsubishi
Lancer Evo X because it understeered strongly. In contrast, the new car
is much more neutral. On mountain roads, it turns keenly and precisely,
with little understeer to speak of. On racing tracks, where the old car
simply hate to perform, the new car flies in colors. It is slightly
biased to stability (oversteer just isn’t in the scope on tarmac), but
it never refuses to turn into a corner. Moreover, it is forgiving at
the limit thus you can drive it incredibly hard. Back on mountain
roads, you will find its rally-derived suspensions and stiff chassis
soak up the worst bumps without unsettling the traction and balance.
Such a superb handling should allow the car to claw back the
disadvantage in engine. In fact, Motor Trend compared it with the more
powerful BMW M235i and Mercedes CLA45 AMG and found the STI lapped a
circuit slightly quicker, even though it is the slowest in straight
line acceleration.
Yes, the STI is no perfect machine. Its brakes are a bit on the weak
side (fine for road use, but get soft on tracks after a couple of
laps). Its ride quality is hardcore. NVH suppression is no match for
its German premium rivals. The cabin is cheap and outdated, though the
front seats are supportive and the driving position is perfect. It is
short of showroom appeal. The lack of low-end torque and the manual
gearbox also make it harder to drive than many modern hot hatches.
However, none of these flaws matter to hardcore drivers whose first
priority is to enjoy driving. Old school it might sound, the Subaru is
still a great driver’s car.
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Verdict: |
Published
on 24
Feb 2015
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All rights reserved.
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Levorg
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Performance versions
of Legacy wagon, such as GT and GT-B, used to be a highlight of Fuji
Heavy Industries. Subaru was unique in combining turbocharged engines
with up to 280 ps and permanent 4WD into wagon bodies, well before Audi
did the same thing to its S2 Avant. Many car enthusiasts in Japan and
here in Hong Kong loved them. Unfortunately, the idea was dropped in
the last and current generations Legacy as the latter became larger and
more American-oriented, and you know, American don’t buy performance
wagons. However, the spirit of fast Legacy wagons is not dead yet. It
has been resurrected in the form of Levorg, which means Legacy
Evolution Touring.
Yes, you might as well see Levorg as the wagon version of Impreza. In
fact, it
is derived from the latter, sharing its short 2650 mm
wheelbase, much the same floorpan, mechanicals and interior parts. It
even looks remarkably close to Impreza fore of B-pillars. Nevertheless,
its tail has been lengthened considerably to enable a large cargo
space. Its overall length is stretched by a massive 275 mm compared
with the Impreza 5-door hatchback. Compared with a typical C-segment
wagon like Ford Focus Sportbreak, it is also considerably longer, even
though it is no wider and its rear seat is not necessarily more
spacious. In terms of size it might not be qualified for a D-segment
car, but since Subaru sells it as a premium product – not only 4WD is
standard, its entry-level engine has 170 hp – it should be compared to
the higher class. Undoubtedly it is going to be a niche in the market.
With slightly more curves in its exterior, the Levorg looks a little
more tasteful than Impreza. Likewise, its interior gets a slightly
better finished center console and smarter-looking trims. Still, no one
would buy it for looks or perception of quality. Instead, its
mechanical package is still the prime reason. The base 1.6 GT model is
powered by a new FB16 boxer with 1.6 liters of displacement, direct
injection, dual-VVT and turbo. It produces 170 horsepower and 184
pound-foot of torque, the latter is available from 1800 to 4800 rpm.
Just
like most modern turbo engines, it is flexible, refined and largely
free of turbo lag – the latter is helped by a high, 11.0:1 compression
ratio. It pairs with a standard CVT – unlike Impreza, there is no
manual gearbox for the wagon – whose response is faithful enough for
the majority of driving conditions.
However, better still is the FA20 boxer, a 2.0-liter direct injection
turbo developed further from the Impreza WRX. Here its output is
enhanced to a full 300 horsepower and 295 pound-foot of torque, 22 hp
and 37 lbft respectively more than the WRX. Its mate is again that CVT,
although the SI-Drive control system has an extra Sport Sharp (S#) mode
to speed up the throttle and transmission response. The 4WD system has
a default torque split of 45:55, but can vary according to needs. It
also gets Bilstein shock absorbers and bigger boots than its 1.6-liter
sibling.
Out on the road, the Levorg 2.0 GT-S drives like a more civilized WRX.
Its extra weight of about 100 kg offsets the power gain, while the CVT
dampens the response and results in a smoother delivery. Likewise, the
more civilized suspension setup and narrower rubbers trade some body
control and cornering prowess for a smoother ride, which admittedly
suits the character of wagon (the 1.6 car is more civilized again).
However, this is still a pretty good driver’s car. It offers excellent
traction, an accurate steering, reassuring braking and decent control
in the twisty. That said, it still have plenty of shortcomings, such as
a cheap interior and the lack of a driver-oriented gearbox. It is
neither as pretty nor as fast as some European rivals. That is perhaps
why Subaru does not export it overseas.
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Verdict: |
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Impreza 1.6i
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2011
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Front-engined,
FWD |
Steel monocoque |
Mainly steel
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4dr: 4580 / 1740 / 1465 mm
5dr: 4415 / 1740 / 1465 mm
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2645 mm |
Flat-4
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1599 cc |
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT
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- |
- |
115 hp
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109 lbft
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CVT / 5M
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F: strut
R: multi-link
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- |
195/65R15
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1260 kg
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- |
-
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-
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Impreza 2.0iS
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2011
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Front-engined,
4WD |
Steel monocoque |
Mainly steel
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4dr: 4580 / 1740 / 1465 mm
5dr: 4415 / 1740 / 1465 mm
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2645 mm |
Flat-4
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1995 cc |
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT
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- |
- |
150 hp
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145 lbft
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CVT / 5M
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F: strut
R: multi-link
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- |
205/50R17
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1350 kg
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120 mph (c)
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CVT: 10.1 (c)
5M: 8.0* / 7.8**
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5M: 25.5* / 21.2**
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WRX
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2013
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Front-engined,
4WD |
Steel monocoque |
Mainly steel
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4595 / 1795 / 1475 mm
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2650 mm |
Flat-4
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1998 cc |
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT
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Turbo |
DI |
268 hp / 5600 rpm
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258 lbft / 2000-5200 rpm
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6M
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F: strut
R: multi-link
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- |
235/45WR17
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1482 kg
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145 mph (est)
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5.4 (c) / 4.8* / 5.5***
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13.1* / 14.5***
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Performance
tested by: *C&D, **R&T, ***MT
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WRX STI
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2014
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Front-engined,
4WD |
Steel monocoque |
Mainly steel
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4595 / 1795 / 1475 mm
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2650 mm |
Flat-4
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2457 cc |
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT
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Turbo |
- |
305 hp / 6000 rpm
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290 lbft / 4000 rpm
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6M
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F: strut
R: multi-link
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- |
245/40WR18
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1535 kg
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159 mph*
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4.8* / 4.6**
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11.7* / 11.9**
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Levorg 1.6GT
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2014
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Front-engined,
4WD |
Steel monocoque |
Mainly steel
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4690 / 1780 / 1490 mm
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2650 mm |
Flat-4
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1599 cc |
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT
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Turbo |
DI |
170 hp
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184 lbft
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CVT
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F: strut
R: multi-link
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- |
215/50R17
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1520 kg
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130 mph (c)
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8.4***
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24.6***
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Levorg 2.0GT-S
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2014
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Front-engined,
4WD |
Steel monocoque |
Mainly steel
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4690 / 1780 / 1490 mm
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2650 mm |
Flat-4
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1998 cc |
DOHC 16 valves, DVVT
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Turbo |
DI |
300 hp / 5600 rpm
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295 lbft / 2000-4800 rpm
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CVT
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F: strut
R: multi-link
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- |
225/45R18
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1560 kg
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149 mph (est)
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5.8 (est)
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-
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Performance
tested by: *C&D, **MT, ***Autocar
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Copyright©
1997-2015
by Mark Wan @ AutoZine
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