The Evo has been branded as "more mature" just as often as the new Impreza, by Mitsubishi, and early tests of prototypes have even said it's less manic. That, and it has far more computer-controlled acronyms than the Subaru's set, but somehow the Subaru gets tagged "softer" or "no longer a driver's car".
Quite right, and I've criticized the Evolution for many of the same issues. Its become too heavy and too computer-controled to be nearly as "fun" as it's predecessors, but at the same time, I often find the Mitsu less off-putting than the Subaru simply because of their more highly-stylized appearance and the seemingly more "genetic" pre-determined nature towards sportier driving.
Then again, I do prefer the R32 over both of them, so clearly I have brain issues...
The reasoning for moving to a hatchback made sense. The Impreza's class is primarily hatches the world over, so it made little sense to keep it as a less-practical sedan.
I don't find this point disagreeable, I love hatchbacks just as much at the other guy, but when Subaru clearly dropped the ball on the overall design and feel of the car (I do have to ask if you've been in a new Impreza yet?), adding some nice outside dressings and more muscle under the hood won't immediately save it from mediocrity. It would be like taking the Mustang, adding "luxury" equipment, but still trying to make it "cool"... Oh wait, they tried that, the Cougar didn't go over too well...
Sure, I wouldn't mind a 3-door either, but can someone point out to me where it suddenly became a "non-driver's car"? It's now better value, better built, and probably faster around a track than the previous model.
Based on the impressions of the "normal" Impreza and the tests of the new WRX, my expectations for this STi are anything but stellar. The previous model, while certainly having an on/off nature to it, was very exciting... This one just doesn't get the blood flowing to the right places. However, I do have issues with some of your other statements here;
Better value? I'd say no, really. The "regular" Impreza at the local dealer was staggeringly expensive for what you were getting, at least that was my impression, as I recall a fair bit over $20K and still lacked some pretty major standard features compared to say a VW Jetta or Honda Civic. Sure, AWD is a bonus, but it still is not a deal-maker for me...
Better built? I'd say no, again. I was very un-impressed with the overall quality of the car, hard plastics, not-too-solid feeling of the doors shutting, old-school cloth seats that really weren't too great, etc.
Faster? We'll have to wait for a full-test, but with the weight gain and really no dramatic increase in power, I'm not expecting numbers to go up as of now...
And if we're going to argue that nobody wanted a wagon, because of some notion of right-ness... why did Mitsubishi feel the need to make a IX wagon? Or showcase the X concept as wagon first? Or the continued rumours of the next Lancer wagon getting the Evo treatment? People do want wagons. Hatches have always seemed to hold the upper-hand in rallying, so this just made sense to me.
Please take note that the Evolution Wagon was never sold in the United States. As a matter of fact, the Wagon version of the Lancer was sold in the US for only two years as I recall... However, does that mean that I don't like the idea? Certainly not!
Once again, the WRX and STi both
should have remained sedans in my book, better yet a coupe, mainly for tradition and indeed what does sell best in North America. Certainly we are not the only market in the world, but we are in fact the largest, so that (you would think) would mean something.
Wagons are cool, and they are coming back, but when the execution of the overall package is as unpleasant as this one here, you have to at least understand the reasoning behind mine (and other's) issues with the choice to go hatch/wagon-only. While I did like the previous WRX wagon, it was an option to make it so, something that I was not forced to choose. The STi was sedan-only, and that made sense... Now making it hatch/wagon-only? No, that does not...
I'm probably bellyaching far too much, given that I'd never consider one anyway. But I do care, as this is a big and important version of a big and important car in the market, and Subaru managed to screw it all up while possibly being at their highest point ever in the history of the company. I care because I should, and at the very least I try, but I apologize to the fanboys who find it so appalling that my distaste for these models is so great; They just don't do it for me.
), I haven't really read anything too negative about this new Impreza.
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(I know I've said that before 
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Its sad too because they use to be really big on junkyard setups and such. And this recent USCC challenge has a Z06 in it... thats not really a compact car last I checked 
