Well, here it is, the first week of April in Canada and we get the usual Ice/snowstorm that wipes out the roads. This one however was particularly bad. Most of the cities snow removal equipment had been put away until next year. I got stuck going to work in my Mustang and had to call a coworker to pick me up at 5:30 in the morning. Embarassing. So I start thinking, this weekend would be great time to test drive a 2004 WRX and see how it performs in the snow. (considering I only test drove a 2002 wrx in the summer)


But first, a little digression if I may. My wife and I first headed down to a Nissan dealership to test drive the new award winning and best in class Nissan Murano sport "crossover" with "AWD". I was drawn by the styling and the immense cargo space it advertised. Indeed, it did have a very nice interior and tons of cargo room, and it was also extremely roomy for six adults. ( I often haul lots of stuff that has been a problem with the mustang) But the test drive however left us VERY uninspired. It felt like every other ordinary vehicle out there despite the claims of a fast, sport tuned SUV. I've driven worse but in the end there was nothing unique about it's drive at all. And, on a final note, it's "AWD" slid all over the thick, snowy city backroads.


Next up was the Subaru dealership where we were about to take our second WRX test drive. This one was a 2004 model. Let me just say my wife and I were blown away all over again. This thing with only all-season tires ripped through both snow and ice like it wasn't even there!

The salesman (by the way I actually like him) insisted that both my wife and I throttle the car athrough a 40kph bend at 80kph caked in ice and snow. I was very reluctant, first because I wasn't that confident that I, or the car could manage it (remember me getting stuck and sliding all over in a mustang) and secondly I have so many speeding tickets I didn't want to risk getting another one. But I thought what the hell and put my foot down and blasted through the bend at @ 80k (55mph) I felt like I was in a friggin' sweedish rally! It cornered on the snowy road like it was on rails. Then we proceeded to a frozen, desolate parking lot where I was instructed to make the car do donuts in effort to demonstrate the AWD capabilities and how the car's outer wheels would adjust for the traction. I managed to do a nice 360 donut but it took a lot of effort. And not once did the car lean and roll through the whole test drive. After that I was instructed to blast through low snow banks on the side of the road. Again, it proved no problem for this car. I wondered if the salesman was having more fun than me because he kept laughing his *** off the whole time. After that we did some acceleration and braking tests. Again, totally impressive. And all the while the guy kept saying, "and the sti will be better than this."

Back at the dealership, the deal was sealed for us both. I succumbed and the dealership scored another sale. I put a $1000.00 deposit down for a Sti. I'm not going to get the room I'd hoped for but I am going to get one incredible performing car that I will actually feel. On my way out, no kidding: I got my mustang stuck in the Subaru parking lot and the manager had to come and help push us out.

 

Can't wait till STi!!!