Sport Sedan Shootout

 

1. Introduction
2. BMW 135i Coupe
3. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution TC-SST
4. Subaru Impreza WRX STi spec R
5. Volkswagen Golf R32 4MOTION
6. She Says
7. Conclusion
8. Specifications

 

She Says

Let’s face it, when you’re doing the shopping or running the kids to school it doesn’t really matter how many turbos or extra letters your car has to its name, unless you need to get your groceries home in a hurry, but by the same token there is no saying the fairer sex can’t appreciate a bit of grunt, and there was certainly enough of that on offer in this four car comparison.

First up is Subaru’s mighty Impreza WRX STi spec R. It looks great and has a race-like meanness about it while still maintaining a slick persona, quite a looming sight in the rear vision mirror. The large hatch opens wide to offer a plentiful cargo area and I really liked the bigger side mirrors, which provide great visibility.

Although the four door layout is a family advantage and the cabin space certainly ample, the drive just wasn’t as smooth as the three rivals and required a little bit too much effort to manage smoothly. As much as the looks and practicality may be there the Rex just didn’t do it for me. Fourth place.

Moving on to BMW’s lovely 135i Coupe. If a fast luxurious ride is what you are after, then the BMW is it. A myriad of electronic gadgets and the smooth leather interior reminds you of the illustrious badge you are carrying at every glance. Comfort is at an optimum but the power is simply too overwhelming for me, especially with all that torque kicking in just over idle.

There is no doubt you can feel what the car is itching to offer as soon as you push the start button, but I found myself gripping to the leather steering wheel for fear of the rear end stepping out at any moment. Simply put I didn’t feel as in control as I did in the Golf or Evo. Despite great boot space the 135i is very tight in the back seat, and is best thought of as a two seater, which presents a challenge for even small families, and with that the Beemer takes out bronze.

I found a lot to like about the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, but not quite enough to push it to the top of my list. It has the obvious advantage of being a sedan which brings with it added space a hatch or coupe just cannot offer, but the big spoiler for me was literally that, the spoiler. The rear wing cut right across my line of sight in the rear view mirror which made reversing a challenge.

The boot space too is hampered by the water tank, battery and massive sub-woofer, which though I’m sure would sound great belting out The Wiggles, means losing valuable pram and grocery space. The racing seats are an effort to get in and out of but I did like the paddle shifts finding that the quick, responsive changes made the Evo a lot of fun. Behind the wheel I felt in control and felt Lancer gave me a more confidence inspiring drive, a very worthy runner-up.

Coming out on top for me is the Volkswagen Golf R32. I love the look. It is humble about what it carries under the bonnet and doesn’t have the out-and-out statement of a sports sedan. The rear seat access in the three-door version we tested is poor, so if kids are involved forget it, I’d definitely go for the five-door variety. Again the racing seats make an appearance, but that is a small compromise given the overall feel of this car.

Smooth gear shifts and fantastic braking make driving a pleasure and it sticks to the road, taking corners with ease. Even for the uninitiated it is easy to get a good note out of the car which you can’t help but appreciate, no matter what your ranking in the rev head stakes may be.

I could easily see myself driving this car day-to-day to do the usual mundane trips as well as enjoying a long drive out of the city listening to that oh-so-sweet note. Very hard to hand back. First prize!

 

1. Introduction
2. BMW 135i Coupe
3. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution TC-SST
4. Subaru Impreza WRX STi spec R
5. Volkswagen Golf R32 4MOTION
6. She Says
7. Conclusion
8. Specifications

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