[azw131]

Both my mom and girlfriend have been urging me to consider a car thats more practical (drivable in Syracuse winters) and I don't have to worry about cleaning and Zaino-ing all the time, a "real" daily driver. So today, I went out to test drive a WRX. It is really the only car I would consider switching to. Now let me preface this by saying I am in no means set on getting out of the camaro. I don't even think I will end up swapping. The test drive, though, was quite enjoyable. I'll try and cover all the aspects of the car/driving experience in this review of it. The model I drove was the base model sedan. It is similarly equipped to the LS camaros as far as options go, with the addition of bluetooth playback/connectivity.

Exterior: I know this is subjective, but I'd give the exterior looks of the WRX a 6.5/10. It has some nice areas, like the rear diffuser and exhaust, but overall it isnt a very pretty car.

Interior: The interior of these cars are not nice. I'd give it a 6/10. Even the LS camaro interiors, which are rather spartan, are nicer than the WRX interior. The "WRX" embroidered on the seat rest is a nice touch, and I like the gauges, but the rest of the interior looks not unlike any modern econobox interior.

Acceleration: This is where the WRX really shines. These things pull, HARD. To say they love to rev would be an understatement. It's really amazing what they've managed to get these boxer engines to do. They're really a hoot to drive.

Handling: The WRX handles very well. It stays flat through turns with very little body roll. Also, it feels extremely light compared to the Camaro. That said, for some reason I don't feel as confident with it's handling as I do in my Camaro. The steering wheel is much lighter in the WRX, so maybe I'm just not used to it (it would be unfair to not mention I have the ZL1 sways and BMR springs on my car, so it's not necessarily fair to compare the stock WRX to my aftermarket equipped car)

Transmission: All WRX's come equipped with a 5 speed manual (the STI has a 6 speed). The clutch engages right off the floor and has a much shorter total travel than the Camaro. This is a positive for me, and I found I was able to shift much easier and quicker. Many people have complained about the shifter feel in the WRX's but I actually preferred this to the feel of the Camaro. The two feel equally vague, but the shifter is much lighter in the WRX and thus easier to throw quickly. As far as gearing goes, it pulled very hard down low and even harder over 4000 RPM. I hit 40 in second gear before I knew it. My camaro, in contrast feels sluggish down low.

Overall, I really enjoyed driving the WRX. It is much quicker than my LS, despite all my bolt ons). It is also much more practical for me, because it has AWD. On the other hand, the camaro is much sexier, has a nicer interior, and feels to be of higher quality. Not to mention, I am emotionally attached to the camaro, and have invested a lot of time and money in it. Both cars are very enjoyable to drive, but suit people with different needs. It comes down to whether you want an AWD car that is quick but a little lacking on looks and feels a little cheap. Or, a retro styled beauty, that is not too good in the winter and has more show than go.