It?s been almost a month now since we attended the long lead-time launch of the all-new Subaru Impreza WRX, but under strict orders that the details were under embargo until now, the beginning of November. So, with that gag-order fulfilled, here?s the complete picture?

Since the Impreza burst onto the scene in the early '90s, and rapidly established itself as a hardcore performance icon with an impressive series of title victories in that most demanding field of public motorcar development, the WRC, the name has stood for one thing and one thing only: big-money performance without the elitist price tag.

As each successive generation was launched, the company tried many different things, predominantly in terms of styling, to bring the Impreza package up to date. But throughout this evolution ? which matched the climbing of the number behind the name of its one true archrival, Mitsubishi?s Lancer Evo ? the basic appeal remained exactly the same. And that's a heavily-boosted four-cylinder boxer motor up front powering all four wheels through Subaru?s own Symmetrical AWD setup to produce one of the most hardcore road-rockets in the business. Oh, and that seemingly un-copyable warble from the boxer four mated to a bazooka-sized exhaust pipe.

But the WRX has largely always been a second-stringer in Subaru?s lineup. It?s the understated one, the introverted Impreza aimed at performance-oriented but not ultra-hardcore everyday drivers. The STI has always been the icon for the nuts with an unquenchable appetite for speed and lateral Gs. But of course that hasn?t been the image which has attracted buyers, and the WRX has fallen more into the "STI for someone without STI money" class. And Subaru has been happy with that.

Now everything has changed though. Since the introduction of its fourth model line last year, in the shape of the Tribeca SUV, Fuji Heavy Industries has come to realise the indefatigable mathematics of one simple equation: appealing to a wider market means higher sales volumes, and higher sales volumes means more revenue. Porsche realised this same fact at around the time when the electric-blue 555-liveried icons were getting champagne sprayed all over them on rallies around the world, and gave birth to Boxster, Cayenne, and finally Cayman to capitalise on this knowledge. This German company is now the most profitable car-manufacturer in the world, no small feat for such a niche-focussed sports-car builder.

Rather than introducing a fifth model line, however, Subaru is moving on this knowledge using the new-generation Impreza as its base platform. Makes sense, the Impreza is the bread-and-butter of the Scooby range after all. So at the SA launch, we not only got our hands on the WRX range-topper (at least until the new STI arrives next year), we also got to pedal NA 2.0-litre models around, and were bundled into the latest 1.5-litre entry-level Imprezas for our trip back to the airport.

Signs of softening

Great thinking really, introducing these models to bolster the appeal of the six-starred brand to a broader market. But the WRX I was more concerned about? You see as part of this broadening, Subaru has decided that the WRX should become less enthusiast-focussed and be a viable purchasing option for customers who aren?t necessarily full-time boy-racers. That will be the playground of the full-fat STI, end of story.

So to effect this shift in market appeal, not only has the latest WRX gone all strangely hatchback-shaped, the entire dynamic package has been remoulded as well. The motor remains the same, 2.5-litre blown lump that SA Subaru customers have become accustomed to, channelling all 169kW of power through the same five-speed gearbox (albeit dramatically improved over the imprecise shifter of previous models) to the same AWD chassis.

But it?s the suspension, primarily, that Subaru has allowed to sag a little in these middle-aged years. It is much softer, now pampering your derriere over rough tarmac rather than punishing your spinal column. All right?

Surely this gel-like ride-quality can?t come without its compromises, however? Surely the new setup will yield a WRX which, despite being built on similar mechanical underpinnings, will be a tad limp, vague, and uncommunicative? Surely the character of the company?s core product, the Impreza lineup, will have been lost in translation?

Flaccid but fast

Luckily, though, we can report that it hasn?t. Yes, the five-door body takes on a lot more roll through the bends than previous incarnations of Impreza WRX, but once the suspension is loaded up the max-grip handling and on-the-limit adjustability remain. Hell, it even understeers quite a bit, just like the old car, although it is a touch faster to turn-in than previous generations.

Barrelling around the long-dead Roy Hesketh circuit in KZN, the new Impreza WRX comes clean. And not just because the circuit is streaming with rainwater for our entire day with Subaru SA. No, while the WRX might now wear a smarter, more sobre-suit emphasised by an interior which has definitely improved by still makes use of far too much cheap-feeling plastic bits, beneath this gentle exterior its rough heart still beats strong.

It is rather a pity that you can?t really hear that heart anymore though. The new cabin architecture is so well insulated, and the engine-bay itself packed with so much more sound-deadening, that your 2.5-litre turbo monster sounds a lot like something far more mundane. Like a Golf GTI for instance, although VW at least engineered that low-end boominess which gives this car it?s fruity sound.

Taming the track

Still, unleashing the motor on the small portion of Roy Hesketh that survives proves that this Clark Kent is very much still up for flying about through the air, just without necessarily the lycra and exterior undies. Boy does it grip, the WRX! It feels a bit odd at first, because of the substantial angle you?re tilted into due to the body roll, but there?s enormous grip still on offer when you?re at this point.

The gooey suspension does make the inertia of the vehicle more of a factor when transitioning for the short slalom area setup for us at the start of the lap, but that just makes it a little easier to throw into some flagrant oversteer. Then simply pin the throttle and you?re four-wheel drifting, and without any more input from you, apart from the slightest amount of corrective lock and constant throttle pressure, the WRX will pull itself straight and start going in the direction you?ve pointed it. Very quickly as well.

The brakes are strong, and the punch of the motor is still thrilling as is the very addictive lateral grip. So it remains a very good car overall and would almost certainly give the older, stiffer, more hardcore-feeling WRX a good challenge on a track, but it adds an element of maturity which earlier cars were entirely lacking.

But this is also our major criticism. The hardcore, unrelenting nature of the original which captured the hearts and minds of so many a motoring enthusiast is tamed down, damped, and layered-over with sound-proofing. It?s a shame to see this people?s hero moving into middle-aged spread, even if it remains just as competent and quick as it?s predecessors. The gearbox action has been improved, with a slicker throw and more positive engagement, but remains a tad agricultural compared to the class leaders. And the interior, although inviting and more upmarket than it was, is still clearly produced fairly cost-effectively at the same Japanese plastics moulding plant.

Oh, and of course, the exterior. It?s better in the flesh than in photos, but still lacks the visual swagger and sheer impact of the iconic, boxy saloon. A few seasons getting dirty in the WRC will fix this psychologically, but for now it lacks the power of the iconic saloon.

Still, the Impreza WRX remains a uniquely exciting car to drive, on road or track, and the new direction taken by the company with the entire Impreza lineup can only do it good in the greater scheme of profits... errrr... things. Me, I?m waiting for the STI now ? shots of it from the Tokyo Motor Show look absolutely fantastic and genuinely hardcore! I?m also hoping that we get the Japanese-spec 2.0-litre variant, although we won?t unfortunately? Far Eastern manufacturers tend to keep their best for the Far East.