I went for a test drive in a MY06 Sti on saturday. Was a tiny bit put out when the dealer was double booked when I turned up. However I re-booked for the pm and came back. I was very impressed when the dealer gave me the insurance form to sign and then the keys and some cash for gas! Top chaps at Cheam Motors!!

The car was ok, but not that impressive. It had a lot of good stuff, but gave the impression that nothing was integrated. The turbo lag was ok and there was plenty of go, the steering was horribly light at low speeds and the brakes worked but had a very uninspiring feel. The thing didn't go, stop, turn as an integrated thing if that makes sense.

It was interesting in my roundabout test. I have several good roundabouts that can be used for seeing low-ish speed handling characteristics.

In my P1 it just understeered when you pushed on with the front washing wide and coming back as you lifted off.

My Evo loved the roundabouts, you could just think of an exit and the car just had a way of throwing itself out of the chosen one. It was (next to) impossible to catch out.

The Sti was a bit 'orrible. It started to feel like the P1 with understeer, then snapped quickly into oversteer.

This is all at very low speeds so not that representative of normal conditions. Evo mag said they had to work quite hard to get the Sti to be rewarding and I can fully understand what they mean.

So nowhere near as good as my last test drive in 04 in Ian Litchfield's red Spec C demo car. Now that did feel like one integrated, together car! Wish I had bought one!!

Graham

 

Ian still has plenty of Spec Cs and the MY06 car is even better

A very special car

 

As said in your article go get yourselve a proper car an evo mate, fantastic

 

Maybe it was me that was double booked with you. I tested it at 9am.

I thought it was much more respnsive than my STi8 (non PPP) which surprised me as I thought with it being heavier etc. I actually quite liked it and have a longer test booked for next week.

Really like them dials but the seats are quite different and not as supportive as my current seats. Strange thing is that in the brochure the seats are same as mine. Need to ask if there is an option for the seats like when the MY01 was released.

 

looks like it Neil! I had forgotten the seat...after my 45 mins in the car, my back was beginning to ache.

It was def much more responsive than the Sti8/ppp I test drove both with regard to steering and lack of turbo-lag. It just didn't seem to have it all working together.

The Evo was a good car indeed evonorth, but the ownership experience just didn't work for me!

Graham

 

I've got an MY06 STI but with the prodrive springs - its a different beast - not in the same camp as the evo 9 (which I also drove) - but theres no understeer.

T.

 

ditto

just predictable - and once you get the proper geom set up it is awesome

 

ahhh, that looks interesting. How much are the prodrive springs as an extra? [and why not as standard, I wonder?]

What did you do with the geometry dynamix and who did it?

Thanks
Graham

 

think the prodrive springs were about £200 ish fitted

TSL did geometry - their standard Fast Road set up for Subarus - works a treat and give faster and sharper turn in and very predictable road manners. Still get some tramlining but that is the RE070 tyres doing that.

The RE070 tyres are awesome in the dry though and actually, despite what some say on here, are not that bad in the wet.

Give Graham a call at TSL - he will sort out geometry for you - think that was £85 + vat - best mod that you can get IMO

 

I had mine done at powerstation.

T.