That’s a step above a Mitsu produced vehicle, but not a huge step. Also, Renault-Nissan bought Mitsubishi a few years ago, so we’re likely to see more platform sharing.
I pulled up at my grandparents for Christmas one year driving my new to me Honda Accord when I was 16. My grandmother met me in the driveway and said I better get that thing off the driveway before my Papa saw it. Too late! He just walked to the edge of the garage and was giving me a look like I had never seen before. I backed out and parked at the street. He never mentioned it and I never parked in their driveway again. He was a WWII Marine in the Pacific.
I used to work with a guy who said, "I will ride a horse before I drive a Japanese car". He never let me live down the fact that I bought a Miata.
Guess it's a good thing I am only 50. I went with the WRX. I did not, however, go with the STI edition because I thought the air foil was too much. I decided that after getting a car that wasn't what I really wanted, but was what I needed, back in 2008 that this time I would get what I wanted. Yes, that is one thing about that car. Even in the overdrive gears (4,5, and 6 have a gear ratio less than 1) the acceleration is excellent and absolutely enough to get you in trouble. I small step on the gas and you're going from 35 to 50 very fast. The turbo makes the torque curve very flat so it sustains acceleration, and you can feel it.
That it does. I have gotten used to taking curves at double the suggested speed on the yellow signs. I don't know if it is the same on all the models, but on the WRX the AWD splits the power to something like 63% rear and 37% front, which gives it some advantages and drives a bit more like a rear wheel drive. One potential downside that I've read about to the AWD is that if you get a tire that can't be patched you really should, if not need, to change all four otherwise it is hard on the torque converters which are more expensive than tires.
My nephew and this wife in Salt Lake City have a Subaru Crosstrek and love it. They have driven it cross country W/O any problems. I'd take Subaru over Mitsubishi anytime
