2016 WRX STi test drive - a question

[BeillyNoy]

I had an extended test drive of a new Subaru today. The car had only 7 miles on the clock so I didn't have the heart to really stretch it's legs. However I can confirm that it will happily cruise at healthy motorway speeds, and still deliver 27.2mpg :-)

Anyway, given this is a Subaru forum I'm sure it won't be news to anyone that this is very very impressive car that drives well and also has some less obvious but nevertheless compelling advantages over the usual suspects:
- personality
- great visibility (certainly compared to the focus RS b-pillar from hell)
- 5 seats (Civic type r can only manage 4)

Anyway this isn't a Top Gear audition so I'll cut to the chase....
At low speeds, on typically crappy town roads, it felt like it was pogo-ing (front to back rather than side to side). It didn't feel like torque vectoring, so is this just a trait of their drive? Or is it something that will go away as the mechanicals all loosen up?

I look forward to being educated by the many experts on this forum in advance of making a decision on whether or not this will be my next car.

Thank you
Neil

[Freds]

It possibly comes from you not being used to the car ( Not a reflection on your driving They do tend to drive better with slightly higher revs when the torque builds and a lower gear in slower traffic. With regard to loosening up, they do after a good few thousand miles, they're a brilliant fast road and point to point car rather than a motorway mile muncher or city car. My Son has the current model and neither he or I ever tire of driving it, they're lots of fun.

[BeillyNoy]

Thanks Freds.
I should perhaps expand on my pogo-ing description.

It wasn't a transmission related sensation (although admittedly I did have one or two of those as I misjudged the clutch release). It was more like a front-rear oscillation in the chassis. I've previously owned a TVR Tamora, which had very firm suspension - so firm that when "making progress" on choppy back roads it sometimes felt as if the rear wheels were bouncing off the road. The subaru sensation was sort of similar but, rather than being a momentary heart-in-mouth moment it was several seconds of "what on earth?" And at much lower speeds I.e. 30mph.

Not sure if this will help with diagnosis. I didn't know at the time to try solving it with higher revs / lower gear but if the consensus is that this is easily sorted one way or another then that's reassuring.

Thanks

Edited by BeillyNoy on Thursday 15th September 07:09

[macky17]

STI springs/shocks always were a little jiggly. I've not driven the new car but perhaps it's that. The quicker you drive on a bad surface, the more things smooth out as you put energy into the suspension. Always more noticeable when driving slowly.

[Falsey]

I test drove one a little while ago and didnt notice this. The DCCD wasnt set to something weird was it?

[BeillyNoy]

Falsey said:

I test drove one a little while ago and didnt notice this. The DCCD wasnt set to something weird was it?

You know, that would make sense. I can't recall the setting but it might explain the front/back shuffling feeling.

Another test drive before committing should resolve if that was the cause.

Thanks
N.

[MDMA .]

they do look great in white

[BHML]

MDMA . said:

they do look great in white WR Blue

corrected that for you

[Freds]

BHML said:

MDMA . said:

they do look great in white WR Blue

corrected that for you

My Sons is Grey, it looks great when it's clean but shows every speck of muck and dust. My personal choice would be red, they look fabulous.

[BeillyNoy]

The car I drove was black which looked tremendous. Too be fair, most colours look pretty good but it is a dark grey car that I think I'll go for.

The challenge now is whether I have the patience to do the right thing and hold fire until the new VED rules kick in in April (£140 annual road tax, thank you very much).

First world problems and all that....

[NJH]

With only 7 miles on the clock I bet the shocks haven't broken in yet. Bought a new MX-5 2.0 Sport back in 2008 and that thing was horrifically stiff for the first few hundred miles on its Bilsteins. Same recently when I replaced the shocks on my Megane R26 where the car made a very pronounced po-going sensation at low speeds, went away after a few hundred miles.

How did you find the steering feel? I am also interested in the current WRX STi because the one thing that seems to stand out in the reviews is the fun to drive/feel of the car which is something which seems lacking in so many current gen uber hatches.

[BeillyNoy]

Steering feedback was pretty good, but caveat that observation with the fact that I treated it with kid gloves due to the mileage.

You know, it felt a bit like the GT-R.

Neil

Edited by BeillyNoy on Friday 23 September 18:24