Subaru WRX 2013 News

Subaru has launched a major 121,754-vehicle recall to fix a potential fault which can cause the brake lights to fail (though the brakes themselves will still work), with every Forester, WRX, Impreza and XV sold over a particular timeframe impacted.

Volvo, Subaru, Land Rover, Citroen and GM have issued safety recalls for some vehicles due to defective manufacturing issues.

NSW Highway Patrol evaluating high-power four-door replacements for Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon.

That might sound like a silly answer to a serious question, but it's the best solution for optimum shopping in the back end of 2013. You see, Korea now makes better Japanese cars than the Japanese. And that's a fact.There are some exceptions, and some categories where the Koreans are still getting a foothold, but a Hyundai i30 or a Kia Cerato is a far better choice than a Mitsubishi Lancer, a Kia Sportage makes more sense than a Honda CR-V, and a Hyundai Santa Fe is much better buying than a Toyota Kluger.This Korean tide has been rising for a while, but it's now filled showrooms with quality cars that are backed by industry-leading five-year warranties with capped-price servicing costs. The two Korean juggernauts are also serious about tuning their cars for Australian drivers and roads, which is becoming a serious selling point and also a battlefield for bragging rights between Hyundai and Kia.Even Daewoo, which was absorbed into the Holden empire to provide cut-price cars such as the Barina and Captiva, is now doing a better job as the engineering and design expertise from Fishermans Bend is absorbed deeply into the Korean content on the cars. And don't forget that the Aussie-made Cruze compact, despite its local tweaking and assembly in Adelaide, began its life at the GM Daewoo division in Korea.Without getting into a history lesson, the seismic shift between Japan and Korea comes down to three things. First is the deep-seated rivalry between the two countries, second is the well-lit path to success blazed by Japanese makers including Honda and Toyota, and third is the Global Financial Crisis. How's that?Well, nothing makes a Korean businessman happier than beating a Japanese rival, even though the Japanese were the first Asian companies to achieve success in motoring thanks to cars like the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and the classy machines that followed. These days, the Nissan GT-R is a legend and the Toyota LandCruiser is an icon.So the Koreans assimilated the Japanese business model for cheap, reliable and sensible cars - think of the Hyundai Elantra and Kia Rio - and then found a way to build them with similar quality at a lower price. There was a time when the cabins of Korean cars stank - because of the 'release agent' applied to plastic parts - and the assembly was slipshod and downmarket, but not today. They also have aircon with Japanese efficiency, always a pointer to intelligent engineering in Australian weather.But it's the GFC which has made the biggest difference. While the Japanese brands panicked, cutting costs and stretching the lifetimes of their cars, the Koreans accelerated their development plans, brought new models, and invested in their dealerships in Australia.The results are obvious now as many Japanese cars - we're talking about the Honda Civic and Subaru Impreza - have lost their previous edge, while others - think Mitsubishi Pajero and Subaru WRX - are way overdue for a remake.In the meantime, Hyundai is now plotting a move upmarket with its luxury Genesis models and Kia is setting a global standard for quality styling thanks to its recruiting of design genius Peter Schreyer. Best of all, when you're buying, it's the driveaway pricing that's been a Korean signature since Hyundai blazed that trail in the 1990s to get nervous shoppers over the line.This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover 

The WRX is heading for the biggest makeover since it was created in the 1990s as part of the product renewal plan that's already seen the new Impreza on the road and will soon produce a next-generation Forester. But the workload at Subaru in Japan, including development of the BRZ sports car and then getting it into full-scale production, means there is no chance of an early update to the WRX."I don't know where talk of 2013 would have come from. The WRX has always been 2014," the managing director of Subaru Australia, Nick Senior, confirms to Carsguide. "The strategy that was put in place three years ago was that the WRX and STi would take on a life of their own. And the Impreza becomes a standalone model as well."From a timing point of view, Impreza was first cab off the rank, then the introduction of the BRZ as well. The timeline for WRX and STi slots into 2014." Senior refuses to discuss rumours of a radical remake of the WRX that turns it into a sportier compact hatch, despite persistent talk around the world and dozens of artist's impressions of how the car could look." It will be performance oriented, and a visually exciting car," is all he says. "I think the enthusiasts will not be disappointed. It has been a mandate from day one when doing this next generation that it is not to lose its edge." While the WRX is over the horizon, the new Forester is closing fast and brochure pictures of the newcomer have recently hit the internet.Senior says the car is locked for Australia and hints at a motor show appearance in the USA soon, either at Los Angeles in November or Detroit in January. "We'll have a new Forester in quarter one. They are working through the launch plan as we speak. They haven't decided where they will show it."Turning back to the WRX, Senior says he is not worried about the 18-month run-up to the arrival of the new-model. "The WRX has been oner of the most consistent performers we've had in the stable. Month-in and month-out, we are regularly around 150 to 170 cars in Australia."But it also reacts extremly well to special editions, and we sold over 300 last month with the latest Club Spec with organge and black colours. It's almost a sellout." He says there will be extra editions through 2013 but refuses to give any detail. "We're looking, obviously, at keeping it fresh with one or two special editions between now and the end of the model life. Short and sharp and sweet. "There is a lot of competition in that segment but the WRX is still recognised and admired.Iconic is an over-used word, but to have somethign that's been around since 1994 and still kicking along at 150-plus a month ... "We're not at the supersonic levels of the dot-com era, but a lot of people would like 150 units of a $40,000 sports car every month."And what about the BRZ, and hopes of getting extra cars for Australia?"We're tyring desperately without much success. We're out to July next year," Senior says glumly.

There's nothing like leaving it to the last minute to maintain suspense. From the moment Subaru announced the new Impreza WRX STI last year we've been on the edge of our seats

That their idol has been defiled by marketing executives.

This is despite new STi's ability to sprint to 100km/h in about 5.0 seconds, a little quicker than its predecessor.