Less in-your-face, but still formidable

As we drove our 2008 model across first the Tobin Bridge to the Zakim Bridge and into the Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Tunnel, the driver of the older WRX took perverse delight in passing on the right, then letting me pass, before repeatedly dropping in behind me and zooming by on one side or the other. The invitation was clear. "Let's play in traffic and see what you've got." The unspoken slur was: "Your new WRX is a cop-out."

Sorry, I wasn't buying. I watched as the other blue WRX wove through traffic, eventually disappearing up ahead. Of course, I thought, my WRX was plenty capable of keeping up.

And there you have, in essence, the difference between the last version of the WRX and the new one. The former was more aggressive, while the new model takes the performance genes from that vehicle and repackages them in a variety of configurations designed to appeal to younger drivers on their way up in the world.

Performance and mechanical ability remain the same, but a layer of comfort and near-luxury is added. Our WRX wasn't cheap - the final price tag nearly hit $30,000 - but it was designed to appeal to an upscale buyer who appreciates a compact performance car equally at home in commuter traffic or on back roads.

Dual chrome exhaust tips and an understated (in size) rear spoiler tell other drivers this isn't an "econo-box." The turbocharged 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder boxer engine puts out 224 horsepower and 226 lb.-ft of torque, more impressive because it kicks in at low rpm (2,800).

That's impressive, but you could spring for the STI version and be driving a hotrod with 305 horsepower and 290 lb.-ft. of torque. That's a story for another driver on another day. Still, the fact that our turbo kicked in at 2,800 rpm was significant because it's 800 rpm sooner than the previous model's.

Our power went through a five-speed manual transmission and Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel-drive system. It handled an ice storm in Southern New Hampshire with the same restraint and control as it did on our trip through Boston, showing big steps forward in comfort and practicality, while keeping that "true blue" DNA.