The Inside

The interior is quiet enough at idle that one time I didn't even realize it was running. That's when I recognized Subaru finally seems to have licked this engine's chronic idle vibration. In this model and others, the turbo four previously exhibited a rough idle that caused the car to bounce gently but irritatingly when waiting at a stoplight.

Even back at the 2007 New York auto show, where we first saw the 2008 WRX, it was clear that its interior had been much improved — enriched and definitely up to date. The sport seats are comfortable and supportive, with modern tight-weave fabric and sky-blue stitching. The dashboard shares its overall design with other newish Subaru models. Though plentiful, the faux-metal trim is inoffensive, maybe even effective. The gauges are bright and supplemented by a centrally positioned display at the base of the windshield that includes stuff like a trip computer and clock. The optional navigation system is right below it — nice and high and with a touch-screen interface. Well done.

    See also:

    Navigation monitor (if equipped)
    To clean the navigation monitor, wipe it with a silicone cloth or with a soft cloth. If the navigation monitor is extremely dirty, clean it with a soft cloth moistened with neutral detergent then care ...

    Reclining the seatback
    Reclining the seatback Pull the reclining lever up and adjust the seatback to the desired position. Then release the lever and make sure the seatback is securely locked into place. The seatback plac ...

    Security setting - Setting PIN code
    The PIN code is a 4-digit number and is used when locking the phonebook. 1. Select the “SET PIN” menu. Then “CURRENT PIN?” is displayed. 2. Input the current PIN code by operating the “TUNE/TR ...