Subaru WRX Advice

Cars with a manual gearbox are becoming a rare breed on our roads as vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions now dominate the market. But, fear not my gearbox-loving friend, for there are still new cars with manual transmissions for sale in Australia.What is a manual car?Here's a super-simplified explanation. A manual car is a vehicle that has a manual gearbox, not an automatic transmission.A manual car has three pedals - from the driver’s point of view, left to right, a clutch, brake and accelerator.The clutch must be physically engaged/depressed by the driver (that is, left foot flat to the floor on the clutch pedal) before the gear stick can be moved in order to change gears and then the clutch must be disengaged/released in order for the car to then move forwards, via first, second, third gear etc, or backwards in reverse.A vehicle with an automatic transmission has two pedals. From the driver’s point of view, brake on the left, accelerator on the right.There is no clutch in a car with an automatic transmission because the auto does all of that aforementioned engaging/disengaging for the driver. However, the auto shifter needs to be moved to the ‘D’ (Drive), ’N’ (Neutral), ’R’ (Reverse), or ‘P’ (Park) position.Are they still popular in Australia? Yes, there are still new manual cars in Australia but they’re much less popular than in years gone by when manual cars dominated the roads, way back in those sweet pre-internet days…Are manual gearbox cars still being made? Yes, but there are fewer of them being made and cars with manual gearboxes are generally small, cheap cars or workhorse vans or high-performance sports cars.What has changed in the trends of manual car sales in recent years? When it comes time to decide manual or auto, people have increasingly favoured auto transmissions because these tech-advanced transmissions are generally smarter at selecting the correct gear ratios than the drivers themselves.What should you look for when buying a new manual car?Apart from any usual signs of misuse, damage or lack of maintenance of the vehicle itself, take the car for a test-drive and note any clunking or grinding noises emanating from the gearbox or if it slips out of gear, or if there are strong burning smells (transmission is overheating, low fluid level), obvious leaks (worn-out seals or gaskets) and/or the ‘check engine’ light comes on.Here are the top five manual cars available in Australia as new or, in the case of one particular vehicle listed here, near new.Read on.This all-wheel drive Rexxy has a 2.4-litre turbocharged, horizontally-opposed direct-injection 'boxer' four-cylinder, petrol engine (202kW at 5600rpm and 350Nm at 2000-5200rpm) and a six-speed manual gearbox.Punchy off the mark and gutsy on the move, this is a driver’s car, through and through, with the added bonus of Recaro front seats, Brembo brakes (with ventilated and drilled brake discs) and 19-inch matt-grey alloy wheels.The WRX made this list because what’s not to like about this Subie?Price: From $67,540 (MSRP)Small manual cars are still popular as they’re at the cheaper end of the market and so more budget-friendly than their automatic stablemates or rivals.This Hyundai has a punchy 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (206kW and 392Nm) and six-speed manual. This neat all-rounder offers plenty of driver enjoyment in a modest package.This compact car made the list because of its bang-for-buck appeal.Price: From $50,000 (MSRP)This range of traditional workhorses retain its appeal – and its manual gearbox options across WorkMate, SR and SR5 variants.Manual utes are still popular in Australia, as is a manual 4x4 or manual 4WD or manual SUV. An SR5 with a six-speed manual gearbox and a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (150kW and 420Nm) is a solid mid-range choice in the HiLux line-up.This ute made the list because it’s a manual labour legend.Price: From $60,670 (MSRP)Manual hybrid cars offer a great compromise between driving an EV and driving an internal combustion engine vehicle; you get the self-satisfied smugness of knowing you’re helping to prevent the world from turning into even more of a natural disaster-riddled hothouse than it already is, and you can drive around without any EV-related range anxiety.The cheapest Suzuki Swift Hybrid variant is this one, with a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated three-cylinder petrol engine (with 12-volt mild-hybrid assistance; 60kW and 110Nm) and a five-speed manual gearbox.This Zook made the list because it’s an impressive little all-rounder in a hybrid package.Price: From $24,490, drive-awaySure, it was technically released last year, but how could we not include the Ford Mustang Dark Horse?This wild beast of a car is a driver’s dream; it’s like driving a go-kart which has ingested a heavy dose of some kind of illicit substance.With a 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine (345kW and 550Nm) and a super-slick six-speed manual gearbox, the Mustang in Dark Horse is a barrel of laughs to steer around.The Mustang made this list because it’s a shedload of fun.Price: $98,017 (MSRP)

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We’re talking about the Subaru Impreza WRX. So what’s it all about?

Two Subaru starlets headlined a Hollywood-style LA premiere at the city’s motor show. The WRX has the leading role and the coming Liberty is playing support with a pointer to a fresh showroom contender early in 2015.The production-ready WRX is a predictable revision of a Japanese classic, still with a turbocharged engine and all-wheel-drive but in a new body with a new approach, while the Legacy Concept hints at a significantly bigger and tougher looking Liberty for Australia. There have been all sorts of heady predictions about the new WRX, but the reality is much less adventurous than it could have been - particularly in the styling. And there is no hybrid boost.There is direct fuel injection on a new-age 2.0-litre boxer engine (199kW/349Nm) and Subaru's SI drive adjusts the driveline response. A six-speed manual is standard but, as generally hated by Carsguide, the WRX now comes with a constantly variable automatic. The four-door sedan body is well watered down from the WRX concept that got hearts pounding around the globe, but Subaru says it's much more rigid and has significantly more cabin space.It has a much curvier roofline than the Impreza sedan but there are only two common body panels, the boot being one of them. Inside, it gets a flat-bottom steering wheel for the first time and lots more soft-touch plastic. Safety improvements include an airbag for the driver's knee. The WRX will hit Australia early in 2014 and the STI hot rod will follow within six months, with a likely first appearance at the Detroit motor show in January."The biggest difference for the new WRX is in the driving experience. There is a step change to the driving response," says Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior. "From day one, the engineers have concentrated on the driving experience. It's in the chassis, the suspension, and even the body, to elevate the driving experience. And it's got the direct-injection turbo for the first time." Senior also says WRX buyers can expect more than just a $20,000 car with a lot of go-faster gear."This is, without a doubt, the biggest change since we launched the WRX back in March 1994," he says. "It has stepped away from an Impreza as a donor car. There is a dramatic uplift in the quality of the interior, which is where customers have shown the most tolerance in the past."It's been benchmarked against some top European names, in terms of earning its stripes." The new WRX is the final piece in a three-pronged small-car attack by Subaru, joining the XV compact SUV and Impreza.It will only be sold as a four-door sedan in Australia because only 16 per cent of local deliveries in the outgoing model were hatchbacks. Senior refuses to talk pricing yet but admits it could be difficult to hold the showroom sticker at the current level. "It's going to be very tough with the additional specification in the car," he says. He confirms there will be several levels of equipment in the new car."It will be late in quarter one next year. For the last 10 years we've had a basic WRX and a premium model, so that will continue," he says. "We're hopeful the STI will be a couple of months later. There won't be a huge gap. I'm reluctant to talk too much about it." But Senior is certain of the bottom line on the WRX. "It's a car, not a badge," he says bluntly.This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover_______________________________________ 

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