WRX/sti to Tacoma

It's funny, I know someone that owns a Honda dealership and Subaru dealership and we had a conversation about why there is a particular type of person that buys a Subaru.

Everyone I know and have come across with a Subaru (for the most part) is usually a very informed buyer / owner. They are more concerned about the technical aspects and less about the comfort features as an example. We don't care there is a specific sized cup holder or that the visor swings out a specific way as an example. We are more about the specifics of the technology / reliability of the AWD. The average person see an AWD badge on a domestic and thinks is the same damn thing which it's clearly not.

I bought this Taco for the technical reliability and platform much like I did for the Forester my wife has. The Subaru isn't the best interior but for a vehicle that I had a specific list for it was the only one that met my core requirements.

You see the same reaction here when comparing a Colorado. Sure it has a nicer interior in most people opinion but the core of it motor wise and off-road capability wise the Taco is much better.

Obviously resale value is a big factor because Subaru is the same as a Taco out at my neck of the woods because of the weather we get.

So that's why these forums are very positive for the most part and harsh as hell other times. We all share a similar personality to a point and have the common tie that brings us here, our trucks.

A Subaru buyer won't ever be a Kia buyer when it comes down to it. As well we clearly like a fun vehicle and both companies market and build what we consider fun and reliable.

/my 2 cents.

 

I had the Sport Limited model with the 17" wheels that may have reduced the clearance some from a base model. Not sure. Maybe we just have shitty, uncooperative snow here in WV

 

This is true - My next test drive after the Tacoma "would" have been a Subaru with M/T and awd. I'd have gone to Subaru first but the Toyota dealer was on my way home from work. Took the Taco for a test drive and totally forgot about the Subaru ..... until the OP mentioned it!!

They are both fun to drive - Taco is well a truck. So we have a fun vehicle to drive AND it's a truck with 4wd. I think the same types/personalities of buyers like both vehicles. I may trade in my wife's Honda CRV with M/T for a Subaru next... after I get tired of the Taco... yeah that's not going to happen (getting tired of Taco).

I was also considering the Fiat 500x with AWD but it didn't come with a manual except for the stripped down version that reminded me of a teen's car. That and WAY too small a car for me.

 

I've driven 16 Colorado winters in WRX, Legacy and Outbacks and would agree that the wheel wells suffer from insufficient clearance for some types of snow. I used to carry a truck-sized windshield scraper so that I could attack the buildup with its long handle. Other storms (difference in humidity and water content) didn't build up so much, so it didn't happen every week.

 

So at least I'm not completely crazy...

 

It's because people that drive wrxs know taco as are bad ass trucks and vice versa.

 

Stay away for that Fiat. There is truly only 1 AWD system that's worth mentioning and Subaru has it, second would be the Audi.

I haven't seen or driven one that even comes close to Subaru's. The taco is a 4x4 which is completely different and a different class of vehicle but SUV wise or car Subaru has it down perfectly.

I always remember last year we got hit with a massive storm here and I decided to go out since it was a snow day., keep in mind I am running steels with blizzaks (awesome snow tire), I left to go pick something up. I was the first tracks on my street. I came back about half an hour later to find my road littered with stuck "AWD" suv's and of course non-4x4 suv's stuck.

I asked my wife what the hell happened. She said the minute I left people decided to give it a shot because I can only assume I made it look easy.

Well not so much for them lol. Took one person 5 people to shove one back in their driveway.

 

There is a high bro factor in both

 

My wife drives the STi, and I drive the Tacoma. Kinda like both ends of the domestic vehicle spectrum. Both GREAT vehicles.

Frank

 

This is what I want to do after the forester is ready to move along. Just hoping for a new hatch WRX.

 

Same here

 

Yeah. I can't even begin to describe how toxic that scene is. So much hate for the cars and so much aggression. Muscle guys want to race, import guys want to measure their dick against you all the time and quite frankly it just isn't a crowd I'm into being a part of anymore.

 

Look up the Subaru Levorg, it's a shame they don't have any plans to bring it state-side.

 

The STi was the fastest 4-season car I could buy off the lot when I graduated college (gotta love Northeast snow) and the sporty car market in 2007 wasn't what it is now. You basically had the Evo, STi, G35 or 350Z, unless you wanted a Mustang, which at that point didn't yet have the Coyote motor. I had wanted a Toyota Pickup since I was in high school and when I got my first apartment and had a spare parking space, I searched for 6 months for a 4cyl 5MT Xtracab which I had for about a year before it broke expensively. Ended up catching the truck bug and started saving like mad for a Tacoma, haven't looked back since.

Before I had the STi, I was heavy into the Honda scene. Had a slow car, but had owned my Accord since FnF 1 came out and loved that world in the early days. Since then I've grown out of a lot of that scene and everything that goes with it. At this point the STi is cosmetically stock, minus a small front lip. It's not stock power-wise, but I almost wish it was quieter, go figure. The whole stance movement just makes me scratch my head though.

 

Had a Forester (with an STi turbo) before getting the STi hatch. We've been very happy with it.

Frank

 

Cool. It's a really nice combo of vehicles.

Frank

 

At first I thought the OP was crazy, then I remembered that I traded my '03 WRX in for a '05 Tacoma DCSB.

 

That's still not a wrx hatch. I would just get a Crosstrek instead.

 

I got tired of people in other WRX/STIs waving at me.

 

Cool commercial

https://youtu.be/_-Unb3awDrg