The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX is an all-wheel drive performance car that draws inspiration from Subaru’s rally roots, offering some of the best handling and acceleration available in the Subaru lineup. Found in both hatchback and sedan body styles, the Subaru WRX also offers the Premium trim for those interested in combining a little extra luxury along with their driving thrills.
What makes the 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX Premium (MSRP $27,995) different from the entry-level WRX? The Subaru WRX Premium is offered with the All-Weather Package as standard equipment, which gives the vehicle a definite edge in colder climates. Dual-mode heated front seats keep you toasty and a windshield wiper de-icer system helps to improve visibility through freezing rain and heavy snowfall. The vehicle’s side mirrors are also heated to offer an unfettered rear view all winter long.
The outside of the WRX Premium benefits from the addition of foglights, as well as a spoiler mounted on the trunk of four-door sedan editions. The passenger compartment gains a glass moonroof that can either slide back completely or be tilted open.
These special features found on the Premium trim are over and above the standard equipment found on all editions of the 2011 Subaru WRX. This includes comfort items such as automatic climate control, sport designed electroluminescent gauges, digital trip computer and a leather-wrapped steering wheel that adds both audio controls and buttons for interacting with the vehicle’s Bluetooth connectivity system. A six speaker audio system capable of reading MP3 digital music files is standard, along with an iPod interface, a USB port and an AUX input. The WRX Premium opens up the option of replacing the standard audio system with a navigation unit that features a seven-inch touch-screen.
The Subaru WRX is immediately distinguishable from its regular Subaru Impreza cousins thanks to its wide body, rally-inspired design. Body-colored trim and a quad exhaust system help to round out the WRX’s aggressive image, as do 17-inch, 15-spoke alloy wheels.
The heart of Subaru’s entire WRX offering is a 265-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine that displaces 2.5 liters. Capable of producing 244 lb/ft of torque, this engine is perfectly matched to the vehicle’s five-speed manual transmission, which sends power to all four wheels through Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system.
Helping to maintain maximum traction is a locking center differential and an Incline Start Assist feature that kicks in automatically to prevent the vehicle from rolling backward when pointing uphill. All 2011 models of the WRX are outfitted with a wider track than found on previous models for better lateral stability, and the suspension system has been tuned to provide the kind of responsive ride that WRX fans have come to expect.
The 2011 Subaru WRX Premium is a step above the standard WRX in terms of comfort and features while sacrificing none of the raw performance and passion that this special compact car has to offer.
