Yes, it should be 'versus'.

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/8924/112090303zcarcomparisonxd0.jpg
The sport compact segment has has boomed in recent years, with automakers from around the globe bringing some serious efforts to U.S. showroom floors lately. Some forgo the comfortable ride for all-out performance, while others attempt to go the jack-of-all-trades route. Which does it best? To find out, we've assembled eight cars from the segment for a comparison, all with four doors, several of them hatches.

We spent the first day driving each car around a 22-mile road-loop near Calabasas, California. Consisting of time on freeways, city streets, and curvy two-lane roads, the loop proved a fine way to evaluate the characteristics of each car in real-world conditions. We hit Willow Springs the next day to flog our rainbow-colored assortment of vehicles around Streets from sunup to sundown.

4th Place: 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX

"Wow...it's potent," says editor at large Arthur St. Antoine. "Didn't expect so much kick."http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/3672/112090303z2009subaruimphg2.jpg

"Nicely planted on the road loop's downhill twisties," adds Markus. While firmer, the suspension is still supple enough for everyday liveability, per technical editor Kim Reynolds: "It just has a relaxed comfortableness about it that's appealing." That said, most judges deemed the suspension still too soft for confidence inspiring track activities. "There's a bit more body roll and motion than might be optimal," notes Markus, while St. Antoine has a stronger opinion: "Suspension is very soft, with tons of body roll in turns." Nevertheless, the WRX managed to record the second-best lap time at the Streets.http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/3348/112090309z2009subaruimpjb5.jpg

Despite being the quickest at the dragstrip and the next speediest at the track, the WRX places fourth in part due to its less-than-invigorating suspension tuning but also because its five-speed, while perfectly acceptable for routine commuting, is often imprecise when attempting to shift swiftly; its boxer four "idles lumpy" and proved noisier than expected; and its styling, inside and out, was uninspiring in light of some others'. Unbelievably, within this collection of eight cars, fourth place is a strong finish.Read the full story here (http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sports/112_0903_sport_compact_car_comparison/index.html).

Hrm, not bad.

The only thing that made me pick the WRX over a Cobalt SS sedan was the AWD.

MS3 Still gettin it huh. Damn.

Hrm, not bad.

The only thing that made me pick the WRX over a Cobalt SS sedan was the AWD.

Um are you leaving out the interior? The Cobalt interior is terrible. Give it two years and it will look like its been 10.

Hrm, not bad.

The only thing that made me pick the WRX over a Cobalt SS sedan was the AWD.

its GM.

the lancer and the wrx still are AMAZING cars, and among the group they are visually the most appealing.

Um are you leaving out the interior? The Cobalt interior is terrible. Give it two years and it will look like its been 10.
Indeed. The cobalt interior is horrid. The e-brake is just a piece of square plastic! :lol:

But man... Drive one and you can see why its doing so well in these comparison tests! :eek:

GTI wins 1st and there are VW ads plastered all over the MT website. Sounds about right.

I think GM slipped Motor Trend a 20 to get their Cava...um, I mean.....Cobalt up to second place. The car looks like absolute garbage, inside and out. It probably needed something replaced or repaired right after they drove it. After all the praise and great reviews you guys have been giving the 09 WRX, there's no way I believe that it got 4th on this list.

Cobalt . . . I hate that friggin car lol

all those cars are appealing to me...

hell if they gave me a good enough deal on the cobalt i'd rock it

When are they actually going to compare the Evo/STI to the Speed3, Cobalt SS, and GTI...

As far as Im concerned, the WRX should be compared to the Mazda3

Um are you leaving out the interior? The Cobalt interior is terrible. Give it two years and it will look like its been 10.



When it comes down to cars, aesthetics are the last thing I see. When I look at a Cobalt SS, I see an engine with proven potential, a prime suspension setup, and a transmission that can take a beating. Who cares what it looks like? Besides, I'm more of a 'sleeper' guy.

That's it... I HAVE to drive this CobaltSS to see what all the hubub is about.

I've had the regular car for a rental and it was... well... not very nice.

This comparison doesn't take into account that a VW/Chevy/Mitsubishi will have MAJOR electrical/mechanical issues to deal with as soon as it hits 60K miles (especially the VW).

Flog a Subaru for 100k and see how reliable it is versus the competition and there's no comparison. Yeah, I'm bias but only because I know VW/Chevy/Mistu owners.

GTI wins 1st and there are VW ads plastered all over the MT website. Sounds about right.

coincidence? i doubt it.

to go along with a car that didn't win in any category that they tested, but yet wins it all? :confused:

they ding the wrx for having too soft of a suspension (yet it posted the second best track time), being "lumpy" at idle (wtf? :confused:), imprecise shifting feel, and looks which are subjective? Got to raise the bs flag on that.

coincidence? i doubt it.

to go along with a car that didn't win in any category that they tested, but yet wins it all? :confused:

they ding the wrx for having too soft of a suspension (yet it posted the second best track time), being "lumpy" at idle (wtf? :confused:), imprecise shifting feel, and looks which are subjective? Got to raise the bs flag on that.

thats what im saying man...we got ROBED HAHAH!

I recently test drove a Cobalt SS to see what was so great about it and yeah its quick and handles pretty well for fwd but the interior and bland exterior couldn't get much uglier. Looking at this group of vehicles I would like to see what 2 or 3 grand worth of upgrades could accomplish on all of them and do another review.

thats a great matchhttp://animepisodes.info/images/a591024321c5e2bdbd23ed35f0574dde.jpg

damn i was all excited to read that they tested all the cars at streets of willow, then i looked at the times and they used the shorter configuration FTL:(

Being an owner of an 08 cobalt ss 2-door i have to say the sedan is horrible to look at, it makes me want to throw up. The coupe on the other hand is much better looking.
and GM really needs to ditch the yellow paint

When are they actually going to compare the Evo/STI to the Speed3, Cobalt SS, and GTI...

As far as Im concerned, the WRX should be compared to the Mazda3

I think MSRP is the reason those are excluded. Other than maybe the GTI, these all come in under 30k.

since when are GM's so unreliable?

my family and I have owned many...

they were great cars/trucks

When are they actually going to compare the Evo/STI to the Speed3, Cobalt SS, and GTI...

As far as Im concerned, the WRX should be compared to the Mazda3

What, the mazda 3 is cheaper than the rs or i the or whatever the hell they call it these days. The wrx should be compared to the speed3 and it should out perform it. This review was justified. Car and Driver had it mid class as well. At the end of the day the wrx is in the same class as every other wrx made, a class of its own.:p Seriously though, if you have to justify awd to someone than they probably won't appreciate it. Mazdaspeed 3 is a great car and deserves a good review. The cobalt is a amazing car for being us born:p it is a little pricey for what you get. My only problem with this review is the lack of consistency they had ranking them. eg. GTI refined exterior and by far the best in class interior, it does lack performance though. But their number two is the cobalt wich posts amazing performance runs but looks like a... cobalt:sadbanana:.They seem to have a lack of direction. I thought Car and drivers review was better. But all in all they did treat the wrx fairly.

getting better..

I think the GTI won because not everyone is looking for a sports car. Obviously if you look at the comparison charts, the STi has it won, but again, not everyone wants that. Some people dont care if their car if the fastest, they want the entire package.

This comparison doesn't take into account that a VW/Chevy/Mitsubishi will have MAJOR electrical/mechanical issues to deal with as soon as it hits 60K miles (especially the VW).

Flog a Subaru for 100k and see how reliable it is versus the competition and there's no comparison. Yeah, I'm bias but only because I know VW/Chevy/Mistu owners.

Those are personal experiences that dont happen to everybody, so they cant take that into account. You said it yourself, you're being bias. It all depends how you treat a car as to how long it will last, not the brand. Granted, some cars are made better than others, but a statement like that is far to judgmental.

wow they did manage to bring my attention to how uncomfortable my lumpy boxer motor idles. this changes everything i must find something that sits still and makes no noise at all. i hate having that character to the car anyways its so boring and not a big reason why i bought a wrx.... sarcasim for you all... what a stupid thing to dock it for points on, motor trend can s..k my boxer lovin' b...s!! bugeye FTW!:disco:

this might be a stupid ? but,why does the gti get first?

this might be a stupid ? but,why does the gti get first?

Yeah, I stopped reading when I found that out. Any review that puts a VW in front of a Subaru must be puffing the magic dragon. :huh::rolleyes::unamused:

There is a thread about this "reviews" in the evoM forums. And basically most of them believe that a car company is paying off motortred. I personally hate motortred I do not think they are a very good source for "reviewing" cars IMO.

They seem to always lean on way or the other on something lame. And the numbers are always strange when it some to performance.

anyway here is the thread Car and Driver Lightning lap Test Falsified? (http://forums.evolutionm.net/evo-x-general/376248-car-driver-lightning-lap-test-falsified.html)

Car and Driver gives the Cobalt SS's tons of love too. I have driven one and was not impressed. The new WRX smokes those others with the new turbo. But, these magazines are all politics on these rankings. They always give too much love to

1. BMW
2. Cobalt SS
3. Mazdaspeed 3s - although I have to admit they are pretty sweet

well you win some and lose some
subaru did neither, owell

its hard for the enthusiast to read a review for "normal" people and walk away satisfied - gotta love the SS for its humble looks but giant killer performance and then its all WRX for me, fastest accel, 2nd lap time, and the handling tests/braking tests? so close the MS3 its almost a wash IMHO. For me the test should have been ss->wrx->ms3->ect ect

but I don't care about interior styel or idle noise so :rolleyes:

didn't like the suspension, the 5 speed and the engine noise.

the only one of those 3 that i dont like is the suspension

I like the 5 speed, I like the engine noise.

:unamused:Motor Trend sucks, its a rag for folks who have no clue about cars but have more money than brains. You can't trust any media now a days, its all juggernaut corporate and someone is always in another's pocket.:mad:

Performance aside, you have to look at the total package. The ONLY 2 cars in this comparison I would drive other than a WRX are the GTI and the Lancer. I had an '02 GTI 1.8T and loved that car.

I'm sorry, but the Mazdaspeed 3 is still a Mazda 3, and the Cobalt SS is still a Cobalt. They are seriously 2 of the ugliest cars I have ever laid eyes on, and I wouldn't be caught driving either one. The GTI, WRX, and the Lancer might not have won enough of the performance aspects of this to "win" overall, but in the looks and fit and finish categories, they KILL the rest of the field.

I'm sorry, but the Mazdaspeed 3 is still a Mazda 3, and the Cobalt SS is still a Cobalt. They are seriously 2 of the ugliest cars I have ever laid eyes on, and I wouldn't be caught driving either one. The GTI, WRX, and the Lancer might not have won enough of the performance aspects of this to "win" overall, but in the looks and fit and finish categories, they KILL the rest of the field.[/QUOTE]


You have got to be kidding right!

I have been a Subaru WRX owner since 2002 and a STi owner since 2004.

Saying the MS3 is a Mazda 3 is much like saying that your WRX is just a impreza. Not sure if you have been in a MS3 but the interior is far better than a 08 WRX and in my opinion the hatch WRX and MS3 look incredibly similar. Aside from the AWD which 98% of the population will never have a need for the MS3 is a better value, Bigger brakes, Direct injection, 6 Speed tranny, better Tires, HID headlights, Bose audio and $22,500. I bet if you were to put them in a lot and ask a average person which is which I doubt they would have a clue.

Now I do have to agree that the rear end of the Cobalt coupe could use a little help.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention I got the wife a MS3 last year, and i will probably never get rid of my STi.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c122/lewsthomas/P3270010.jpg

And the WRX and STI are still Imprezas with big huge ballasts hanging out in the nose of the car.

What is the order? I'm not sifting through that whole article. BTW, I did notice quite a bit of VW advertising on the site.

I am glad that a bunch of people actually have my same point of view on these so called "automobile enthusiast magazines". The fact is that C&D, Motortrend and a few others have done nothing but take pay-off's from bigger corporations.

2 great examples are when they said that the Camaro in the 80's beat the Mustang in most of the classes. That is nothing more than a bold face lie. And when they said that the Toyota Tundra was better than any of the big 3's trucks. I might give them Dodge with a gas engine, but otherwise, it ain't gonna happen.

Actually, MT admitted that the field was so deep, every car from the Ralliart up were good cars. Being forced to rank them with politics, consideration for everyday people, and daily driving- you get the MT ranks. Even then, the test results may have been completely different if done by a different magazine.

I would just like to add that we should be fortunate to have all these badass cars at our disposal. When I started driving, one of the baddest cars available was the GSX, with a 0-60 of 6.6 seconds and MSRP of 24k. It was a fatass with a cramped interior.

Good thing subaru took a chance, brought their best to the US and changed the sport compact game forever.

srt4 is just plain ugly. nobody even wants one. i live in nyc and have never seen on yet. speed3 + wrx ftw.

This is how I read the results:

1. The GTI is the choice for an all around FWD DD
2. The Cobalt is the choice for max performance FWD
3. The MS3 is the choice for max performance FWD with a bit of refinement.
4. The WRX is the AWD Choice
5. The SI is for Honda fans
6. the Ralliart is for Mitsubishi fans
7. the Clubman is for Mini fans who need a bit more space, or max gas mileage
8. the SRT is for Dodge fans, but really, they should look elsewhere

Yawn. Oh, someone woke me up for another lame car rag comparison. I am growing tired of these landing on the home page. Opinion ranking always turns into a WTF are they thinking moment for everyone but the top spot. Best just to ignore them or berate them with hate mail. Consumer Reports still gives VW's black dots. So when I see VW ads all over Motortrend's website, I have to question their opinion.

you guys need to calm down, no one got payed off! I do believe in bias editors, but when you see a cobalt or gti finishing first or second there is a reason behind it. (i.e. GTI-best dd/cobalt ss- best performance bang for the buck)

Yawn. Oh, someone woke me up for another lame car rag comparison. I am growing tired of these landing on the home page. Opinion ranking always turns into a WTF are they thinking moment for everyone but the top spot. Best just to ignore them or berate them with hate mail. Consumer Reports still gives VW's black dots. So when I see VW ads all over Motortrend's website, I have to question their opinion.

Exactly! Whatever though. I'll still buy a Subie over all of those cars.

lol have u read the comments that motor trend fans are posting on that page? they are all favoring the Cobalt. LOL

Im not going to lie i think the GTI is a fun and pretty nice car looks interior and
you get the fun feel from it when driving it. i almost bought one before i found
my leggy GT. A few things that i didnt like about the GTI is that when test driving (my
buddy was also interested in one so we test drove the ones we liked and were in
our price range) he has driven a manual since he was 15 and he didnt grind or stall
out nothing like that didnt even drive it hard but by the time we got back and i
got out of the car i smelled the clutch burning up. also the other thing that i dont like
about VW is that they have always had electrical problems my brother had owned
the 1.8t wolfsberg and ran into problems at 30k miles. my sister had a turbo diesel
bug (great on milage she made almost 50mpg) but she also had issues with the
electrical. I have also had a 4 friends with similar issues in jettas passats and bugs.
all with decently low miles.

The SRT4 when i look at it i still see the piece of **** rusted neon that you always
see and i have driven a few of my friends not a great feeling car nor performance
wise even with the mods.

the Colbalt SS is i think a nice car but i feel like its a rattle trap everytime im in
one i feel like bolts are loose. (i would only buy a GM product if it was a Truck
or SUV thats what they do best) all there cars i feel like im in a rental car!

the MS3 i think is a great car and deserves what it got IMO..

but i think what im getting at is that all these cars a great cars but the reason i
went with a subaru and i know many others of you did the same. is they are
safe, reliable, fun to drive, great looking, have a different feel than other cars, reasonably priced for what you are getting, not to many of them on the road,
and last but not least a solid AWD performance.

thats my 2cents i dont want to fight or argue people have different views!

subscription deleted...

its funny how they knocked on the wrx for its looks, but didnt really say anything about the ugly SS.


looks to me like they favored looks over performance, nothing wrong with that, but wasn't this suppose to be a performance test? :confused:
but either way i'll accept their test-standards.

We appreciate the feedback and responses. To address some issues:

This was a tight field with some fierce competition. You’d be hard-pressed to make a “bad” choice with the majority of these cars, as illustrated in the story. It may be easy to look just at the hard data and make your own conclusions, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. You can’t put a quantifiable number on refinement or fun factor, etc. This is why we use words and have a final order.

As for the VW ads; ad agency’s pay to have specific ads placed on articles that reference specific cars, as is the case with print. Did Subaru pay to put ads around the page that declares the Forester the Sport/Utility of the Year (http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/suv/112_0812_2009_subaru_forester_suv_of_the_year/index.html)? Yes. Was Subaru present with a Forester loaded with sacks of $100 bills when we decided it was the winner? No. It would be nice to be bought out; we wouldn't have to test at all. We could just run press releases all day and pull winners out of thin air. Not to mention, monthly rent would a lot easier to make. Sadly, we aren’t; ethics and all that. This is why we test and this is why we compare. No talk of advertising was made when we decided final list.

Fact of the matter is everyone has a favorite, evident by the Cobalt fans on our site, the Mitsu fans on EvoM, the MS3 fans on their forums, and you guys here. While we sure can't please everyone, we here to bring you the best news we can. Again, thanks for reading and for your responses.

its funny how they knocked on the wrx for its looks, but didnt really say anything about the ugly SS.


looks to me like they favored looks over performance, nothing wrong with that, but wasn't this suppose to be a performance test? :confused:
but either way i'll accept their test-standards.

All the cars in the test outside of the Ralliart could be considered ugly or bland. I'm okay with the GTI getting first as it is the most sophisticated car of the group and probably the best overall car for a daily driver.

........ Some people dont care if their car if the fastest, they want the entire package.


Then they should def get a subaru :)

Exterior = unique sex
Interior = sexy
Power = plenty
Engine life = amazing [we all know these things go forever]
Suspension = to soft? yet does 2nd best hmm...

Since when do people complain about a suspension being to soft? Specialy the "Targeted Market" supposely that isn't looking for a sports car? I cant think of anyone in my family or relatives (older crowd), that would dislike the suspension. Im sure they all want a comfortable ride, not something stiff.

Subaru #4, i think they should push it up a little to maybe #2 ;o
:banana:

All the cars in the test outside of the Ralliart could be considered ugly or bland. I'm okay with the GTI getting first as it is the most sophisticated car of the group and probably the best overall car for a daily driver.

Im not ok with GTI getting first at all. VW's electrical sys sucks so bad. I know a few VW owners, from jetta's, to golfs, diesel to gas, and that **** breaks down all the time.

Sensor go, power windows stop working, wipers ****ed up after two years, major engine problems, i could go on and on...

I guess it could be in #1 position if you replace it after 2-3 years ;/ :diaf: VW

I would take the mazdaspeed 3 over the GTI anyday

The only opinion I care about is my own....

OP I would like to know how may people voted/tested these cars? Their ages, and what kind of cars they drive? That would say more about why they picked the cars they did over what the data says.

How does a car that didnt WIN any of the competitions get 1st? :confused:, its almost the same thing that happened to Tim Tebow this year at the Heiman banquet, he had more 1st place votes than ALL of the competitors i was pissed and i dont even like him or the Gators.

Magazines look at the past AND present of cars. Compared to the past years, the WRX is lacking looks and feeling. Took a test drive in an 09 last week and was not as impressed as when I took my 07 out for the first time.

Sat in a Ralliart the same day and was more impressed by the seats than ANYTHING else. Sat in a GTI and was more impressed by the Speed3. The Cobalt... Well... give it 2 years like someone said before IF GM is still around. Everyone has to start somewhere... Look where Subaru started back in the day....

wow i knew the 09 rex had quite a bit more power than before but had no clue it was wraping up a 1/4 in 13.5??? thats pretty awesome.
i have an 05 stage 2 wrx and i raced my buddy in his 08 cobalt ss/tc. i raced him from a launch 6 times and beat him every time and from a 50mph roll and he pulled away, but very very slowly. although it feels pretty quick i would much rather drive my wrx and with the awd??? haha the cobalts dont stand a chance from a dig

I just bought an 09 WRX mainly for the power but also because it's the first Impreza design I've liked (hatch only, sedan rear looks like butt) and AWD. I spent my first 10 years driving FWD cars and just got sick of it.

Pulling out onto a fast, busy street? Forget about flooring it in first.

Trying to accelerate quickly from a stop on even a slightly slippery road? Forget it, CRV next you will easily get ahead and cut you off.

Want to go anywhere on a snowy day? That'll be 400$ for snow tires please.

I've never been a track person, so the suspension and brakes don't matter. Well, the suspension does but coming from an 04 TSX, I thought the WRX I test drove exhibited very little body roll :)

As for the others, the only one I liked, style-wise, was the Ralliart but it cost more and was slower, PLUS auto-only = a big no thx.

The Cobalt looks like a rental car and the VW is a VW. Over-priced and a maintenance nightmare. That's my take on it anyway.

How does a car that didnt WIN any of the competitions get 1st? :confused:, i


+ a cohillion.

I had a mk5 GTI. It was ok, an upgrade from the jetta i traded for it. Very nice interior, good ride, good factory sound system. Torque steer FTL, soft suspension FTL, and the traction control was crap. It wasnt even traction control. it was a device that retarded the timing to the point where the car would literally bog all the way down. yes you could temporarily turn it off, but you wouldnt always remember to since it reactivated with every start up.

I traded it for an 05 STI 6 months later. Best decision i ever made.

MS3>WRX>Lancer>GTI>Honda>clubman s>domestic junk>domestic junk

WTF, how does a chevy cobalt beat the wrx.....hmmmm hint hint....someone wants to give american cars a bump

I think the review was fairly spot on, i work for a GM dealership an drove the 09 SS a couple of times. I can tell you that car is plenty quick with very good torque + brembo brakes and the very good suspension, it is a winner though the interior just plain sucksand i will admit to that. Frankly i was a mitsu owner a couple of months back and can tell you the ralliart is very overpriced and lacks the power of any of the turbo competitors + auto-tranny which in my experience on working with mitsus, their auto transmissions suck. The WRX really should have been third as it righted all the wrongs from the 08 models, and the awesome fact of the mighty boxer engine lol. I recently bought a 05 STI and really love it.:banana: But you have to give credit where it's due and GM deserves some for crafting a very good FWD car that competes with the best of them. Anyway that is my opinion.

I'm sorry, but the Mazdaspeed 3 is still a Mazda 3, and the Cobalt SS is still a Cobalt. They are seriously 2 of the ugliest cars I have ever laid eyes on, and I wouldn't be caught driving either one. The GTI, WRX, and the Lancer might not have won enough of the performance aspects of this to "win" overall, but in the looks and fit and finish categories, they KILL the rest of the field.


You have got to be kidding right!

I have been a Subaru WRX owner since 2002 and a STi owner since 2004.

Saying the MS3 is a Mazda 3 is much like saying that your WRX is just a impreza. Not sure if you have been in a MS3 but the interior is far better than a 08 WRX and in my opinion the hatch WRX and MS3 look incredibly similar. Aside from the AWD which 98% of the population will never have a need for the MS3 is a better value, Bigger brakes, Direct injection, 6 Speed tranny, better Tires, HID headlights, Bose audio and $22,500. I bet if you were to put them in a lot and ask a average person which is which I doubt they would have a clue.

Now I do have to agree that the rear end of the Cobalt coupe could use a little help.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention I got the wife a MS3 last year, and i will probably never get rid of my STi.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c122/lewsthomas/P3270010.jpg[/quote]

100% aggree. if there was one thing also that i could change about my WRX its the fact that it has a T-belt. almost all the other cars if not all are a chain. and a chain is so much more reliable. and you never have to service it.

I own a 03 WRX, owned a '05 turbo Baja, (which I loved) but after looking at and test driving the '08 MS3 GT, I opted to trade the Baja in for the MS3. I love the MS3. Excellent touring car. I've driven to and on the Dragon, Blue Ridge Parkway, and Myrtle Beach.
It has a rattle iin the windshield area every once in a while, but that's my only complaint. I would have traded the Baja for a new STI, but the price differential was to great, and the 08 WRX was less in perforrmace for about the same cash.
My .02....FWIW.
.and I'll never sell my Sonic '03.


L J

How did the MS3 get good ratings before against the WRX. I drove one and the torque steer was crazy. I don't know you could race in a straight line in that car. Still wondering how..

its boxer four "idles lumpy" and proved noisier than expected.

It's a flat 4, it's supposed to sound like that. Personally, I like the extra noise compared to the quietness that was the '08. Subaru had to come up with SOME way to separate the GF chassis from the Corolla's and MS3's. :lol:

ya'know. these reviews are probably rigged, but even if they aren't, I can agree I guess..... until you add any power to any of them. Then you need awd or else the car is all over the place. Don't get me wrong. I have a focus svt and I love it, but it doesn't compare to my wrx. OH.. and that Mugen Civic should've come with a supercharger. That would have been BADA$$

I can't believe my old GTI won out in this comparison. WOW!

I loved the GTI's gas mileage (I avg'd 27 mpg over a year of ownership), I hated the traction control's dangerous habit of cutting power when merging onto any roadway quickly or in the wet. I loved all of the standard features on the car, that I paid $25000 even for OTD. I hated spending my days off at the dealership when everything broke, fell off, rattled or buzzed, or quit working altogether. I loved driving the car on long road trips where I'd average 34mpg or at auto-x's where I'd average 26 mpg (not even joking). I hated the finicky trans when going slow up a decent hill or when creeping in traffic. I loved that damn steering wheel and tartan fabric. I hated the lack of limited slip where it failed miserably on an auto-x course. I loved the rally car feel of paddle shifting a backfire "blurp." I hated the horrible sound system that couldn't reproduce music very well but the fuel pump played a lovely tap dancing tune everytime I turned her over. I loved the awesome HID lights, never used the high beams in 1 year. I hated the car's over-consumption of synthetic oil (qt. every 2.5 weeks) that I was told was normal. I love that I don't own that GTI anymore. I hated that the damn thing left me stranded twice...

Trust me guys (M/T), that one night stand with your average performing GTI is better left a one night stand. That awesome daily driver will quickly become a weekly nightmare.

This was a tight field with some fierce competition. You’d be hard-pressed to make a “bad” choice with the majority of these cars, as illustrated in the story. It may be easy to look just at the hard data and make your own conclusions, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. You can’t put a quantifiable number on refinement or fun factor, etc. This is why we use words and have a final order.
Tell you what I think would be a good idea.

Put a lot of driving on each of these cars, come back in 12-18 months, and then re-rank them according to how well they are still performing, whether these cars are still in one piece, and whether you still find each of these cars performance and drivability appealing after months and miles.

I had an RS for almost 7 years, with 150K on the odometer, sold it to a friend, still running.
The wife had her Legacy for 6 years, with 105K, sold it to another friend, still running.
I have my Saabaru (Aero, Cobb stage 2) for 3.5 years and turned 90K last week.

Every single time I get into my car, turn it on, and pull out of the driveway I get excited about what I'm driving. Every time I got into past Subarus, I loved driving them, even the wagon.

I look forward to the unique sound, the lumpy idle, and the ability to have stable power delivered to all wheels, which has not gotten worse after almost 100K miles. Can't say that about the Saturns I owned (GM). They felt old after 40K. Only 1 lasted to 100K in the family, none over 4 years old.

My wallet loves the fact that I've spent $0 in major repairs to the car, just maintenance and wear parts. I'm still on my stock clutch after 90K (40 of that stage 2). My drain plug came out of the oil pan at 21K miles due to a bonehead at the dealer, no oil in the car for almost a mile, and I've put another 70K miles on since with NO problems. I can't say anything close to that about the Jettas I owned, where one was a lemon (electrical), the other fell apart after 18K miles. Brand new 2001 models, right off the lot.

My kidneys love the fact that I have a slightly softer suspension on the crappy NJ roads I drive on. Yet I still have plenty of fun on the backroads without fear of going out of control. I would have no qualms about tracking the car as is, and then driving it home, and back to work on Monday.

I've ridden in a new GTI. Charming, but not something I think I'd want to put 25K miles on a year. Fun, yeah. Long term? No.

Coworker's daughter has a cobalt, <2 years old. Falling apart, inside rattling, and there's already tranny problems (auto tho). Not impressed by the SS dressing.

One buddy was a Dodge mechanic. He made most of his money off warranty work. Enough said.

Sure, the top couple cars in the test may be powerful, and fun for a test. However, I'd urge you to drive them long term, and see which ones really keep exciting you and still perform as well as they did when you first got them. You'll probably see a whole different ranking.

-Gary

Cobalt . . . I hate that friggin car lol

+9

since when are GM's so unreliable?

my family and I have owned many...

they were great cars/trucks

my dad went through 4 transmissions and a motor in his chevy 2500,it was well taken care of too.After that he got an f-350. Never changed one liquid (except oil ofcoarse) and ran for 6 years without a problem !until he sold it earlier this year. Yes, GM is very unreliable!At least its it has in my case!

If you don't like a loud exhaust and a "lumpy idle" then do me a favor and test the 2.5i. Clearly the WRX is not for you. ;)

This comparison doesn't take into account that a VW/Chevy/Mitsubishi will have MAJOR electrical/mechanical issues to deal with as soon as it hits 60K miles (especially the VW).

Flog a Subaru for 100k and see how reliable it is versus the competition and there's no comparison. Yeah, I'm bias but only because I know VW/Chevy/Mistu owners.


Tell that to 07 STI owners having motor problems at 10k!

ya'know. these reviews are probably rigged, but even if they aren't, I can agree I guess..... until you add any power to any of them. Then you need awd or else the car is all over the place. Don't get me wrong. I have a focus svt and I love it, but it doesn't compare to my wrx. OH.. and that Mugen Civic should've come with a supercharger. That would have been BADA$$

I agree

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj19/juhaniaw/my%20new%20civic%20mugen%20si/DSC01791.jpg

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj19/juhaniaw/my%20new%20civic%20mugen%20si/DSC01596.jpg

and the trade in day
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj19/juhaniaw/my%20new%20civic%20mugen%20si/IMG_0029.jpg

I had a 2008 civic mugen Si, supercharged with bolt-ons (i/h/e) and it did put down decent numbers for what it is, it was faster than a slightly modded '08 WRX, but i still opted out for the STi because:

1/ fwd is not the way to go, especially if you have plans for big power down the road, i know it can be done, but it's not the best way IMO

2/ I couldn't pass the deal on an '08 STi, so i jumped on it, I've always wanted an STi, and the time just came

however, there are a couple of things i'm gonna hand to the Mugen Si compared to a stock STi:

1/ the Mugen handles way better than a stock STi, and believe me, unless you test a mugen (no it's not a regular Si), you won't have a clue what i'm talking about

2/ I can beat the living crap out of the k20, and the only thing i worry about is my clutch, which started slipping in no time after the mods, but i didn't have the fear of blowing the engine up, or anything like that

having said all that, I do not regret my decision, not one bit, I took care of the suspension as soon as I got the car, and I'm gonna get a built motor down the road, before i get a bigger turbo kit, get a good tune, and hope for the best
---------------------

regarding the results, I don't really trust any reviews these days anyways, but the WRX coming 4th is a tough one :(

-AJ

why bother with those toilet rags just be satisfied with top gear and as for the elise well........a damn apache couldnt catch it....need i say more ?
Ewww virgin wagons if they made an awd diesel id be all over it (testing of cours) then we get to the cobalt..........F#@% front wheel drive its more dangerus than rear wheel drive if you ask me.
what the hype rags dont test is real world road hazards similar to something walking out in front or hydroplaning or an ice patch. i bet you everytime the front wheelers will almost always loose. simply put, as soon as you turn the wheel your still going straight. With all that weight and power and braking force it is killing the traction of those wheels that you NEED to controll the vehicle. atlease with the rwd cars all you have to worry about is stopping and thats not being hindered by the engine, still coming down from the revs.
(the average driver isnt going to remember to hit the clutch at the same time)
With a half way skilled driver you can atleast toss a rwd car into a controlled drift (yeah i know contradictory) Now the benefit and the down side of awd has all the good and bad of the above but Subaru has taken awd to the best of its ability. Subaru has made it as light and strong as possable.
Ive put my 98 impreza L (so damn stock its sad still has drum rears with the original old brakes on it) through its paces. i've been over a median strip 5 inches high and 2 feet across, i've tried to jump it over a 3 foot dirt hill and got stuck (literaly teatering on it) i've locked up the brakes 4 times. i still repeatedly do 0-speed limit very much foot to the floor. i've done multiple nuetral dumps in it with the tranny low and the engine over filled. I've never changed the front diff fluid only changed the rear fluid once. it was in one side impact 60mph impact against a newer much larger ford suv.(driver door panel and front fender only needed to be pulled and painted) it makes an hour long trip 54 miles twice a day still ever since i got it in 03-04. it is now 10-11 years old and has 180k miles on it the only major problem i ever had with it is one ignigtion coil pack one maf meter 3 timing belts (because i buggered the first 2) and 2 valves. now lets see a chevy or a virgin wagon or a mazda do that and live just as long afterwards without anything else gone wrong. (i bet you I hit 250k before i get fed up with it)
Now look at that i got side tracked from the handling bit i was trying to do. well i forgot to mention subaru's awd system is the only one ( versus jeep honda volvo toyota and i few others i cant think of ) that can move with only one tire gripping. as for the engine feeling lumpy. **** you didnt give the engine mounts time to wear in i dont feel any lumpyness in mine except for that time the coil pack failed on number 4 boy did i notice then. oh god now you got me started on lumpy running engines every straight 4 i've been in (saturn kia hundia chevy chrysler honda) they all feel like they have a damn lawn mower in there. now.........what was i gonna say.............:huh:

^^You should fire your English teacher.

cant you tell.... i already did that :banana:

Hrm, not bad.

The only thing that made me pick the WRX over a Cobalt SS sedan was the AWD.


cobalt...?? ****ing lame hahahahahaa:banana:

Um are you leaving out the interior? The Cobalt interior is terrible. Give it two years and it will look like its been 10.

I fully agree! Plus its a damn Cobalt!!!

Flog a Subaru for 100k and see how reliable it is versus the competition and there's no comparison. Yeah, I'm bias but only because I know VW/Chevy/Mistu owners.

The big question of flogging an 09 WRX for 100K would be how many engines were replaced in that span. Honestly I would have to say that the 09 WRX would be the least reliable car in the comparison judging by all the rod knock failures of 09's.

GTI wins 1st and there are VW ads plastered all over the MT website. Sounds about right.

Ever hear of the saying.."Don't bite the hand that feeds you"?

Um yeah you hit the nail on the head, I would say that it applies here.

Ever hear of the saying.."Don't bite the hand that feeds you"?

Um yeah you hit the nail on the head, I would say that it applies here.

Or, instead of weaving a web of lies to meet some hidden agenda, they actually like the GTI better...

The GTI is a good car. Lots of Subaru guys love to hate on it. I owned one. It's great fun to drive when traction isn't an issue.

I haven't driven all the cars in the pack, but I have driven an SI, MS3, GTI and (older) wrx, and I liked the GTI best out of all of those.

funny how i test drove most of the cars in this test, and i came up with

1.) wrx (just bought one in nov)
2.) mazdaspeed 3
3.) cobalt ss
4.) civic si
5.) gti
6.) evo x ralliart

this test wreaks of bias and it makes me sad to think the american automotive press can be bought off like this...

funny how i test drove most of the cars in this test, and i came up with

1.) wrx (just bought one in nov)
2.) mazdaspeed 3
3.) cobalt ss
4.) civic si
5.) gti
6.) evo x ralliart

this test wreaks of bias and it makes me sad to think the american automotive press can be bought off like this...

the problem with your list is you added coolness as a factor :cool: in your decision. you have too look at it from MT point of view, and that what company is biggest, or just got billions from us taxpayers and needs there help to sell cars, cause they cant sell junk without professional help. ;)

I would say that the review is probably right - for what it compared for. I also agree that Forester won the SUV of the year award beating out Acura, BMW, etc etc from Motortrend...cant call it biased then....so dont call this review biased.

There is however a big reason the WRX suspension is the way it is and cannot be truly compared with track tuned suspension. The WRX is targetted to a demographic that needs/wants AWD for whatever reason (bad climate, bad roads, dirt roading, for the fun AWD factor etc etc). The WRX has 6 inches of ground clearance and we want it to perform like it has coilovers down to the asphalt...come on.

When the roads get bumpy...its gonna be hard for a GTI, Cobalt SS, MS3 to keep up with the WRX.

this test wreaks of bias and it makes me sad to think the american automotive press can be bought off like this...

LOL. The fanboyism in this thread is truly epic.:lol: The WRX hasn't won any of these comparisons regardless of the magazine so maybe, just maybe it's not the best overall car.

So many here keep talking about how the fastest car should win well I'm pretty sure you weren't complaining last generation when the Neon SRT-4 didn't win any competitions against pretty well the group of cars even though it was the fastest straight line car in all of them.

MT and I came to the same conclusion w/ the GTI, it seems. It is the best daily driver, and seeing as I only own one car (well, my wife has a MINI Cooper S), the GTI was the best buy. It is sporty, attractive, practical, good on gas, and a joy to drive. The seats, steering wheel, and transmission are epic.

I owned 2 Imprezas for 8 years. When I finished college, moved, and got a job, AWD was no longer needed for me. I didn't like the transmission feel of the WRX, and the WRX limited was significantly more money than the GTI for an interior that wasn't all that impressive. I've had my GTI for nearly 2 years now and it has been a great car.

~~Quentin

LOL. The fanboyism in this thread is truly epic.:lol: The WRX hasn't won any of these comparisons regardless of the magazine so maybe, just maybe it's not the best overall car.

So many here keep talking about how the fastest car should win well I'm pretty sure you weren't complaining last generation when the Neon SRT-4 didn't win any competitions against pretty well the group of cars even though it was the fastest straight line car in all of them.

Here we go again with the SRT4 f4stest ev4r... talk about fanboys. :lol: Using the same standards as this comparision, the SRT would have finished 9th out of 8 since it's interior was worse than my 02 WRX's and the GTI's interior is the reason for it's 1st overall placement.

My list was compiled completely from a consumer's perspective since I recently purchased a new car. It was not just determined between what car was faster. The gti is a great car, that's why it was #5 on my list. it weighs the same as a fully equipped, premium wrx and lacks AWD. Sure it's more refined, but the WRX has come a LONG way in that category, but it used to win these comparisons because it was truly a better driver's car.

The interior of car definitely matters, but it should not be the deciding factor in a comparison titled "VERSUS." The fact of the matter remains that GTI is more of a commuter car than a true SPORT compact. For god sakes, the title of the article is "Small, FAST, and fun..."

My only beef is that they used an evo but couldnt use an STI? I could understand if they threw the Lancer ES out there, but an evo X? and you use a WRX but not the STI? hhmmmm...:diaf:

My only beef is that they used an evo but couldnt use an STI? I could understand if they threw the Lancer ES out there, but an evo X? and you use a WRX but not the STI? hhmmmm...:diaf:


THey used the Ralliart, not an EVO!!!

My only beef is that they used an evo but couldnt use an STI? I could understand if they threw the Lancer ES out there, but an evo X? and you use a WRX but not the STI? hhmmmm...:diaf:

wow...:huh:

I had an RS for almost 7 years, with 150K on the odometer, sold it to a friend, still running.
The wife had her Legacy for 6 years, with 105K, sold it to another friend, still running.
I have my Saabaru (Aero, Cobb stage 2) for 3.5 years and turned 90K last week.
-Gary


2003 w prodrive stage 3 and a host of other mods.. just passing 140k miles...and still runs like a dream, wihtout any major repairs, and just normal maintenance, oh and yes I flog the hell out of it every single day.

+9



my dad went through 4 transmissions and a motor in his chevy 2500,it was well taken care of too.After that he got an f-350. Never changed one liquid (except oil ofcoarse) and ran for 6 years without a problem !until he sold it earlier this year. Yes, GM is very unreliable!At least its it has in my case!

the only problems i have ever seen with a GM vehicle is when people didnt take care of them. GM prolly has about the strongest transmission design out of every other company. it has been so reliable that it has been around for over 30 years.

I would like to see this test on snow or gravel, or in the rain. FWD cars and all the power in the rain = Wheel spin!!!

I would like to see this test on snow or gravel, or in the rain. FWD cars and all the power in the rain = Wheel spin!!!

Since snow, gravel, and rain is where the owners of these cars will do their performance driving. :rolleyes:

This is exactly why there was a contest in OT to guess how many n00bs would put their Subaru into a ditch in winter driving because they think AWD will save them from themselves.

~~Quentin

I used to sell cars.

Not every brand is flawless. Every brand has issues, and no car is really more superior as much as in the past.

I have heard many horror storys from every brand.

^^^ Just more stories from domestics :)

I think they forgot about the whole AWD factor... not to mention I love subies for their unique engine configuration. Inline fours sound like garbage anyway (IMO)

One reason they can't quite test the STi/Evo against those cars is the price-as-tested. The WRX price fits, while the Lancer is $2k above the average. The STi/Evo trims costs money. Granted you get a huge benifit with AWD in both (definately worth it up North), they still can't compare based on chassis/engine size - slap a trunk on a S/C'd Atom, and they're all screwed. That brings up another point - give the Honda a snail, and they'd all be screwed again. :lol:

I do agree AWD isnt' a golden parachute. Some people will still be crash-prone as long as they are required to give the car controls ANY input. It makes a small, light, powerful car far easier to drive in all conditions if you know how to use it.

Im suprised the STi is priced so low. Clearly chevy hasn't done to bad of a job with the cobalt, performance wise its preety impressive. Considering it had FWD im suprised it turned out so well. All subaru needs to do is work on the wrx suspension and WRX FTW. 265 hp...AWD...Subie is the shizzit

the only problems i have ever seen with a GM vehicle is when people didnt take care of them. GM prolly has about the strongest transmission design out of every other company. it has been so reliable that it has been around for over 30 years.

Every person I know with a Chevy has had their gauges malfunction. From the speedo reading 130 mph while going below 50, to the gas tank not reading properly or not at all. Even the tach was revving way over the redline lol. All cars are 05+ models ranging from silverado, avalanche, cobalt and cavalier.

I would pick AWD any day~ maybe I'll try Ralliart next time.

lol at dodge.

Cobalt is terrible. Never driven it but I wouldnt even bother buying or looking at one. The looks are terrible and the interior is poor and terrible. I honestly thought that the wrx would have one...

where are the srt-4 fanbois? lol

^^^ Just more stories from domestics :)

I didn't sell domestics.

I sold VW's actually.

I believe all cars have problems. After all, humans make them.

I'm just gonna go ahead and say it. The 09 WRX should have won this test. Why? The unique boxer rumble is a PRO not a con. The suspension is meant to conquer ALL road conditions not just a flat track. All wheel drive what's that? :rolleyes: Also the interior is beautifully simple, everything is where it should be. Storage space, starting price. Oh yeah I almost forgot... it will smoke all the other cars in a straight line.

Oh yeah I almost forgot... it will smoke all the other cars in a straight line.
I agree and that was what I bought it for... I only care about 0-60 cuz I will never go pass it in the street anyways nor I will corner at high speed plus I like the suspension it's comfy!

got to weigh in. I had a rabbit deisel and sold it for $400 cash with 395k miles, reason for sale is I was bored with it after 11 years. Great car, and normal maintenance items. Always had good luck with cars.

Love my '03 wrx and bought it because of performance bang for the buck. Autocross OK, real strength is going fast on non-paved surface. We've RX'd together (car & I like buddies) - 8-12 events a year - for past 6 yrs with zero maintenance issues. Luv my bug eye and am upgrading as necessary with goal to keep.

Also like the purr at idle, step 5 ft away and is it running?? Lumpy idle is a really, really, really stupid comment.

Buy the '09, pop on front/rear swaybars. Maybe Tokico Spec D's (are the oem's too soft??) and you'll have a very stable, potent and reliable platform.

i love when these comparisions come out. i own a cobalt ss and the absolute only reason i bought one was for the performance, it really is a much better driving experience than other cars i test drove (ms3, 08wrx, gti) but i am aware that it has some downfalls such as the fact that its interior is horrible (aside from the seats) even in front of my 05 2.5rs and the domestic auto comunity is filled with douchebags.

Anyway on the ss forums people are actually saying that the ss and the srt-4 are the best in the group and you cant convince my friend who is a civic si lover that theirs a better car than a si, so the point im making is that every community thinks their car got robbed

Huh, they quote the WRX 0-60 time at 4.8 :confused:

"its boxer four "idles lumpy" and proved noisier than expected"

if this were a 05 test i would be lol'ing:lol:

Huh, they quote the WRX 0-60 time at 4.8

A couple of other tests had it at 4.7 and 4.6. Scary how fast this car is for under 27k

I cried a little bit, and laughed once I saw the results of this test.

I really think that MT should hire some better ( professional ) drivers compared to better ( Nerd ) writers to do their reviews. Any one can write a story about the little yellow car that went faster than their Geo they drive every day to work and back. I say let Ken Block Run the cars into the ground...then we will see who comes out on top.


Fyi. thats what I would do.


Cobalts are like tampons......every P**SY needs one

since when are GM's so unreliable?

my family and I have owned many...

they were great cars/trucks

since 1908

Really wouldnt have a problem where the WRX fits in this group but wtf , the GTI in first?

Reading the article I could not find one bit of information in their write up that justified it other than, "car finished mid pack in every result but it was the most fun"

Quite a pathetic article.

I own a 03 WRX, owned a '05 turbo Baja, (which I loved) but after looking at and test driving the '08 MS3 GT, I opted to trade the Baja in for the MS3. I love the MS3. Excellent touring car. I've driven to and on the Dragon, Blue Ridge Parkway, and Myrtle Beach.
It has a rattle iin the windshield area every once in a while, but that's my only complaint. I would have traded the Baja for a new STI, but the price differential was to great, and the 08 WRX was less in perforrmace for about the same cash.
My .02....FWIW.
.and I'll never sell my Sonic '03.


L J

No kidding? I sold my 06 WRX for my MS3, best decision Ive made in a while.

I remember meeting you at the Dragon and seeing the Sonic '03 you speak of. Its hawt. :D

That said, I see alot of people saying "FWD sucks in the rain, you cant pull out into traffic quickly, you cant take off quickly etc etc". Funny thing is, people like this just cant admit that they suck as drivers. I have no problems doing any of the above mentioned things. Whats also funny is I see so many people saying "...but the torque steer is so BAD!", yet those same people are driving a WRX with an open front diff that will literally yank the wheel out of your hands over any sort of broken or loose pavement.

Blatant fanbois at their finest. :unamused:

I just bought an '09 WRX and labored over the decision between the MS3 and it. I ended up with the WRX because it was AWD, since I was trading in my A4 with quattro. My boss has an '08 MS3 and hammers it. He's got the cold air and stage II and it is very fast, I do admit. I almost regret my decision since I now have 945mi on the car and my SECOND motor. I couldn't get past the MS3's crappy stick. I'm not the best manual driver, but it sucked!

Decent tests...GARBAGE standings. Do you not award points per test? And WTF does sound at idle have to do w/ anything? IMO Subaru's have one of THE best sounding exhausts around for smaller engine cars. GJ MT. Tools.

MS3 is a great car too. WTF? MKII GTI FTW. New WRX prob wasn't the BEST, but 4th? Eh.

Couple months ago I traded my 07 FXT 5speed in on a 09 Mazdaspeed3. Like cucamelsmd15, I have no regrets and couldn't be happier. I sheared 2 gears in about a year with the FXT, 3rd gear at 6800 miles and 2nd gear at 20,500. I cringe everytime I see reviewers launch or dump the clutch on wrx's.

On the Speed3, torque steer isnt bad at all and ironically most of it vanished when I mounted goodyear eagle gt tires for the fall/winter (im guessing more contact surface than the RE050's). And no, I have no problems getting around in the snow. As for shifter complaints, I enjoy the six speed. I've never had a problem finding a gear and it's normally a smooth transition, even during spirited driving. I was heavily debating a 08 Sti or 09 Speed3, but overall I preferred the interior, feel and sound of the Speed.

As for this comparo, I don't quite get their reasoning on making the GTI the overall winner, but everyones views and opinions are different. I say take it with a grain of salt, gather what information you can from it and come up with your own conclusion.

I didn't sell domestics.

I sold VW's actually.

I believe all cars have problems. After all, humans make them.

Glad I don't have any of those problems. :banana:

Yeah, I have heard some Horror stories!!! WOW!!

The suspension is soft and cushy in the WRX compared to the STI.

spend the extra 10K for the superwagon.

Listen to you. You are no car enthusiast. You are a little cult boy. Fallen prey to the Subaru cult. First go learn about cars and race them on a circuit or an autocross. Then after you have raced FWD, RWD, MR and the variants of AWD we will talk again. BUT wait there's more!

Are you a professional driver? These guys do this for a living and after all it is an opinion just like yours. Although in YOUR case you appear to suffer from extreme Subaru Bias. SO if you don't KNOW and I stress KNOW any better shut the hell up.


I cried a little bit, and laughed once I saw the results of this test.

I really think that MT should hire some better ( professional ) drivers compared to better ( Nerd ) writers to do their reviews. Any one can write a story about the little yellow car that went faster than their Geo they drive every day to work and back. I say let Ken Block Run the cars into the ground...then we will see who comes out on top.


Fyi. thats what I would do.


Cobalts are like tampons......every P**SY needs one

This comparison doesn't take into account that a VW/Chevy/Mitsubishi will have MAJOR electrical/mechanical issues to deal with as soon as it hits 60K miles (especially the VW).

Flog a Subaru for 100k and see how reliable it is versus the competition and there's no comparison. Yeah, I'm bias but only because I know VW/Chevy/Mistu owners.

This is correct. I am the owner of a 2007 VW GLI (sedan version of the GTI) and the right rear break light has gone out. The car only has 15k miles.

Im going back to Subaru as soon as possible.

Yup for sure. VW's are notorious for electrical issues. As soon as you have one dump the car and fast. DUMP DUMP DUMP.

I personally would never own one unless it was old school.

MS3 still...

I have to say subaru has in my opinion the best awd system out there...and thats something you need here in massachusetts..there alot of fun in the snow and they're gettin up there in power....

Listen to you. You are no car enthusiast. You are a little cult boy. Fallen prey to the Subaru cult. First go learn about cars and race them on a circuit or an autocross. Then after you have raced FWD, RWD, MR and the variants of AWD we will talk again. BUT wait there's more!

Are you a professional driver? These guys do this for a living and after all it is an opinion just like yours. Although in YOUR case you appear to suffer from extreme Subaru Bias. SO if you don't KNOW and I stress KNOW any better shut the hell up.

Sorry, he's actually right. These guys are not professional drivers. The WRX is the best all-arounder of the bunch. PERIOD. Nicest interior styling to go along with the best straight-line speed. I've raced many of these vehicles head to head in my STI (I've murdered the Cobalt SS and the Mazdaspeed 3 as well as the jokingly slow GTI) The ability of AWD is too obvious. I watched a friend of mine take his AWD EVO 8 with 660 horses lay waste to a Dodge Viper that was spraying nitrous. This all happened had Jackson Raceway. That AWD EVO ran a 9.7 quarter and won by a very solid 6 or 7 lengths. I'm kind of surprised that the magazine didn't declare the 1977 Pontiac Bonneville the winner at the track even though it wasn't in the test. The magazines say one thing one week and another the next. I also believe Ken BlocK would make a much better judge in this test as well.

Subaru lost a comparison?? what? jk. Why does motor trend or car and driver always come on here to show how bad they think the subaru, first it was that bs track test against other cars and now this.

When are they actually going to compare the Evo/STI to the Speed3, Cobalt SS, and GTI...

As far as Im concerned, the WRX should be compared to the Mazda3

The magazines will probably do this when those cars cost the same.

since 1908

Yeah thats why every Chevy truck that my family has owned in the past 25 years has only had normal wear and tear issues. One of those trucks lasted for over 300,000 miles and was still going strong when it was decided that it was time for a new one. Its replacement has 110,000 on it now.

Jeez omg. I am sorry that you are also lame. You have driven all of the cars they tested? You do it for a living too? What magazine do you write for?

Shut up. Congratulations the Subaru can drag race well. OMG a 660 hp EVO with AWD beat a Viper with nitrous!

Just ignorance is all that is coming from your mouth when you talk about what you beat with your STI. Lets get real glue factory. Dump 8 grand into the Colbalt then it is at your STI's level. Dump 4k into the WRX and it makes your STI look stupid as hell. I could go on about every car on their test list that you said you have beaten with your STI.

The AWD is way too obvious I guess! What is next from you and others with your opinion.

"Well this test is so biased, God oh man if only they tested them on dirt and rallied them then they would see."

This is a bias test from bias people just like you are bias. It seems though you are not trying to be neutral about it like they are supposed to be.

When I read the statistics for these cars they speak for themselves. They all matter including warranty coverage, interior quality etc.

For these guys and what they do to make a living they are professionals. More than you could ever be.

So if you want to rebut this come at me with something solid. Why don't you explain to me why the WRX is the best over all the others including the super comfy GTI and the faster Colbalt. And don't bring up your STI again because it is not in the league of these cars being it is a 32k+ car.

I would have to say Ken Block would not be the best tester of these cars. He would be the best on the track I imagine but anywhere else what he knows wouldn't equate to the knowledge these testers have.

Sorry, he's actually right. These guys are not professional drivers. The WRX is the best all-arounder of the bunch. PERIOD. Nicest interior styling to go along with the best straight-line speed. I've raced many of these vehicles head to head in my STI (I've murdered the Cobalt SS and the Mazdaspeed 3 as well as the jokingly slow GTI) The ability of AWD is too obvious. I watched a friend of mine take his AWD EVO 8 with 660 horses lay waste to a Dodge Viper that was spraying nitrous. This all happened had Jackson Raceway. That AWD EVO ran a 9.7 quarter and won by a very solid 6 or 7 lengths. I'm kind of surprised that the magazine didn't declare the 1977 Pontiac Bonneville the winner at the track even though it wasn't in the test. The magazines say one thing one week and another the next. I also believe Ken BlocK would make a much better judge in this test as well.

No kidding? I sold my 06 WRX for my MS3, best decision Ive made in a while.

I remember meeting you at the Dragon and seeing the Sonic '03 you speak of. Its hawt. :D

That said, I see alot of people saying "FWD sucks in the rain, you cant pull out into traffic quickly, you cant take off quickly etc etc". Funny thing is, people like this just cant admit that they suck as drivers. I have no problems doing any of the above mentioned things. Whats also funny is I see so many people saying "...but the torque steer is so BAD!", yet those same people are driving a WRX with an open front diff that will literally yank the wheel out of your hands over any sort of broken or loose pavement.

Blatant fanbois at their finest. :unamused:

I just thought I would comment on this thread...

I was cross shopping an 09 WRX or MS3 GT for daily driver, and it was a tough decision but after test driving them both the MS3 was a no brainer to me. I was stuck on AWD until I drove the mazda, and was sold after an extensive test drive. WRX is a great car with TONS of potential, but I couldn't stomach putting down money on a car where so many people were on their 2nd motors. Every day I checked the warranty section, a new person had blown their motor.

I came from an 04 STi, and I actually prefer my MS3 better as a daily driver. Call me crazy, but it feels faster (I never really launched my STi) and feels as though the handling is more dialed in. Torque steer is not really a problem believe it or not, and the car takes pretty much anything you throw at it. Brakes are amazing too with no fading even after long track runs.

well enjoy it man! they are good cars....until the engine falls out. FYI - it's still happening to a few diff. years of the ms3.

yea what about all the 09 wrx owners w/ popped motors? its just a magazine article, every1 should pry the panties outta your cracks...

i personally prefer AWD, but id drive any of those little rice rockets :)

I test drove an SS and was not impressed. My 08 WRX, not even an 09, but yes my 08 pulled loads harder. From a dig, from a roll, the thing just felt sluggish to me. Now it had some really REALLY nice turbo spooling noises, and a cool loud obnoxious blow off valve. But the rest of it was lack luster.

I test drove an SS and was not impressed. My 08 WRX, not even an 09, but yes my 08 pulled loads harder. From a dig, from a roll, the thing just felt sluggish to me. Now it had some really REALLY nice turbo spooling noises, and a cool loud obnoxious blow off valve. But the rest of it was lack luster.


:confused:

This is pure bs. The cobalt lacks many things, but power is not one of those. Your 08 wrx will trap low 90 mph vs the balt low 100. Every wrx I encountered could not keep up from a roll. From a dig they jump about 1 car but after 2nd gear it's over for the rex. I never had the chance to play with a 2009 wrx though, but they still trap a bit lower, with a similar 1/4 et. The best proved stock 2008-2009 cobalt ss 1/4 is 13.56 @ 104 mph fyi. The main ''problem'' is the way they build power. It's so linear that you never feel like you are going fast. For example, a ms3 feels 2x more violent when you punch it (I test drove one too).


Btw, I am not a wrx hater, as it was on my list when I was car shopping last winter. ;)

06-09 wrxs all trap faster than low 90s just so you know.

The 09 WRX is trapping almost identical times as the new Cobalt SS.. And if ask me, the new Cobalt is rather impressive.. Much better than it's predecessor with the roots charger.. Those cars were garbage until you upgraded.

06-09 wrxs all trap faster than low 90s just so you know.

Maybe I should have specified 08. The best I have seen from them is 93-94 mph. (I should have said mid 90, lol). The 09 on the other hand are impressive. 3200+ lbs with 265 bhp and the greater powertrain losses that comes from awd and still trapping over 100mph. :banana:

However, the cobalt front suspension is crap, mine is going through sway bar link like crazy. The brakes are crap too, I got all 4 disk turned once and replaced once in 18k miles, 12k of them being highway driving. But, at the same time, a friend of mine blew his 08 wrx engine at 2k miles, so I don't know what's worst.

the only car i would buy besides the wrx would be the gti.. theres just something about volkswagens that appeal to me

the only car i would buy besides the wrx would be the gti.. theres just something about volkswagens that appeal to me
not exactly a gti... but: http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/10/vw-rabbit-is-the-new-top-researched-car-on-gaywheels-com/
i keed i keed :p
but, i thoroughly hate volkswagens because they break down all the time (built in mexico) and for some reason people still think they're "cool". this review proves it. horrible at everything it tries except keep you comfortable which, half the time, it can't because it's in the shop and shift nicely (dsg, but no thanks i'll take the MT). i'd take any of those cars 'cept the srt-4 over the gti any day.

I find it interesting that they showed a nice cockpit shot of all the cars except the WRX. Don't expect much from the mags these days.

^ This. The VW looks like cheap burberry **** imo. It also shares the straight dash line of the "screams rental" cobalt interior. And the GTi really REALLY sucks it up performance wise... And as many have said, Cobalt: lol.

Yup for sure. VW's are notorious for electrical issues. As soon as you have one dump the car and fast. DUMP DUMP DUMP.

I personally would never own one unless it was old school.

Yeah, +1 to that... Old school vw's are pretty cool. But nowadays.. fughtaboutit

not exactly a gti... but: http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/10/vw-rabbit-is-the-new-top-researched-car-on-gaywheels-com/
i keed i keed :p
but, i thoroughly hate volkswagens because they break down all the time (built in mexico) and for some reason people still think they're "cool". this review proves it. horrible at everything it tries except keep you comfortable which, half the time, it can't because it's in the shop and shift nicely (dsg, but no thanks i'll take the MT). i'd take any of those cars 'cept the srt-4 over the gti any day.
The new GTI and Rabbit are built in Germany. and my 02 GTI VR6 was built in brasil...and never had any problems...was the best car I ever owned.. and I sort of miss being able to stomp on it from a standstill all the time, plus the power band on it was amazing. I could take any stock WRX until the 09...wich is one of the reasons I bought one. I love it so far, but time will tell wether I consider it the best car I have owned

I live in Upstate NY. Here is a post from when I owned an 07 MKV GTI. Not only is 2wd a pain in the balls (even with snows)...but there were other fun things I got to deal with that winter! This isn't even talking about the parking break freezing up, radiator hose blowing off and spraying fluid every where in the engine bay, the air intake falling off into the radiator fan and the non-stop rattles and squeeks from that lush interior! They did post a TSB for this...2 F**king years later:
http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13667&highlight=ICE

I just thought I would comment on this thread...

WRX is a great car with TONS of potential, but I couldn't stomach putting down money on a car where so many people were on their 2nd motors. Every day I checked the warranty section, a new person had blown their motor.


Um that's because a lot of kids buy the car and turn up the boost, don't spend there right time researching the right things to do or do some crazy motor mods that don't add horsepower but make the engine work harder to run normal,and just cut corners because they wanna be "ken block" LOL
there will always be a bad bunch of motors assembled with any car company out there anyway. its only normal.

are there any where that did the wrx265 comparison to the MS3

they say the suspension is to soft all the did was complain when the sti was a " log wagon "

Aside from all the "trap speed, I drove more cars than you, and I beat a viper" talk. What about value. We can all agree that turbo subarus i.e. WRX, STi's all hold their value much better.

The new GTI and Rabbit are built in Germany. and my 02 GTI VR6 was built in brasil...and never had any problems...was the best car I ever owned.. and I sort of miss being able to stomp on it from a standstill all the time, plus the power band on it was amazing. I could take any stock WRX until the 09...wich is one of the reasons I bought one. I love it so far, but time will tell wether I consider it the best car I have owned

i stand corrected. the mk5 was made in brazil for north america. still, no thanks. electrical issues are the primary complaints i've heard of personally also.
anyway, the ms3 was the only other car i was thinking of getting. alas, the awd clinched the deal since we see snow 'round these parts.