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At first glance the Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS looked like some soupedup vehicle riding the fence between a sportscar and a compact, with a slight lift for rugged terrain. My uncertainty on how to peg the car was understandable for a couple of reasons. First, I hadn't seen many of them - this is the first year they've been sold in the U.S. Second, the version available to consumers has roots in an on/offroad race car. In fact, last year Impreza won the FIA World Rally Championship for the second time in a row. (The WRC is a worldwide series of races with production vehicles running on courses ranging from jungle trails to city streets.) The versatile performance required for the WRC is evident in the Impreza. The car's sporty design combined with its all-wheeldrive handling let it deftly handle a variety of driving conditions.
The Impreza uses the same type of engine as Subaru's other models. Its horizontally opposed boxer engine has two rows of pistons laying 180deg from each other. This lowers the car's center...