I drove our 2008 Subaru WRX STI up to Willow Springs International Raceway and back with a load of equipment for our second-ever consumer comparison test. It handled the following test props and equipment without breaking a sweat:

One 85-pound, 3.5-ton floor jack

Two carry-on roller suitcases

One large international-sized roller suitcase

One Igloo ice chest

Two 15-gallon flip-top storage containers

Not sure what you're looking at? I recently discovered the trick to unlocking all of the navigation system menus while our 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI is moving.

I find it extremely frustrating that some navigation systems, like the one found in our Subaru, will lock out 90% of the menu functions once the vehicle is in motion. Want to program in a new destination? Pull over and stop. Want to change the route from "quickest" to something more scenic? Pull over and stop. What if you're mired in traffic, late, on a highway with no shoulder, or simply want to keep going? Tough.

And this remains the case whether you have a perfectly capable passenger riding shotgun next to you to press the buttons or not. A passenger can read regular maps while underway, and AAA gives them away to members for free. Tell me why I should pay one or two grand for one of these, again?

Our 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI has fairly effective xenon HID (high intensity discharge) headlights. Just about every high-end car with such lights have auto-levelling systems to re-aim the headlights slightly so oncoming drivers won't be blinded when the rear seats or trunk are loaded-down. The STI has a manual headlight adjustment wheel for this purpose, with six positions if you count zero (and you should.)

The zero setting is the highest one, and is the normal setting for everyday use. When you load up the back, you can crank the lights down to avoid blinding others. But the available range of adjustment is significantly greater than the body angle could ever change with load. You probably won't need anything more than position 1 for your most-laden condition, so there has to be at least one other use for this feature. I discovered a good one while tooling around the dirt roads near the dry lake.

We all want tons of light whenever we're driving quickly on any sort of challenging road. On especially tight and twisting roads, like the sinuous low-speed dirt roads I found myself on, it's best to have more of it up close because the driver can't see 300 yards ahead, anyway. With the Subie's manual adjustment set-up, I simply switch-on the high beams, then crank the aim down to position 4 or 5 to pull the lights closer-in to better-illuminate the space between me and the next corner. Brightness and coverage are so much better than with low beams and driving lights. Sweet. 

Dan Edmunds, DIrector of Vehicle Testing @ 2,978 miles

Some pundits have expressed disappointment with the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, singling-out its softer suspension as evidence of weakness. But the WRX STI model exists partly for FIA-homologation for rally competition, so performance on dirt matters, too. A more compliant suspension helps improve mechanical grip on rough roads and washboard dirt and gravel surfaces, so this might be a case of "I meant to do that" on Subaru's part.

The Subie and I are in Las Vegas this weekend. A good-sized dry lake sits about 5 miles south of Interstate 15, so I made a detour to try out the STI on a bit of dirt.

This weekend our new 2008 Subaru WRX STI did little more than daddy duty. Hate to say it, but our black STI spent its 72 hours with the Oldham's without once laying rubber on a curving mountain road, a dedicated racetrack, or gravel covered fire road. Instead we used it like a car. Just a car.

It made a late night run to the supermarket for orange juice with calcium and a half gallon of 1% milk. It hit McDonald's for a chicken McNugget happy meal with apple dippers and a HiC. And the best part, it got myself and my two rug rats to Angel's Stadium in Anahiem for a little dose of the national past time.

Incredibly, it performed these menial tasks as well as any base Impreza. No, better. Angel's Stadium is a good 50 miles from home, and the STI relished in the trip's frequent high-speed accident avoidance manuevers. Um, that is we passed a lot of Prius owners saving the world at 60 mph. But the speed, while impressive, was expected. It was the STI's comfort that suprised.

It was so comfortable on the way to the ball game both my kids sacked out. On the way home too. And the driver's seat, which is too flat for racetrack use, is ideal around town. Very comfortable.

This is going to be a fun year.

Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 2,487 miles

A new STI? We wanted nothing more than to drive it to the nearest canyon road and push it to the limit. Then our conscience spoke up and ruined everything.

"Read the manual, it told us. Isn't there an engine break-in procedure?" Stupid conscience.

We painstakingly followed the guidelines in the manual. Do not exceed 4,000 rpm for the first 1,000 miles and vary engine speed as often as possible. It also warned us above all, "do not race the engine." It was a test of our patience, and surprisingly we passed. 

There are different schools of thought out there regarding engine break-in. Where do you stand?

Mike Schmidt - Vehicle Testing Coordinator @ 2,306 miles

Our WRX STI has 305 horsepower, a six-speed transmission, three limited-slip differentials and enough adjustable driver aids to impress the late Colin McRae...

Continue reading...

Hey gang,

We've added a Subaru STI to our long-term fleet.

It's a stealthy-looking black hatchback with a turbocharged and intercooled 2.5-liter boxer-4 capable of 305 horsepower.

It's also...oh, hold on a second, I think I see SubyTrojan trying to steal the keys. Hey, get back here...

Read the Introduction on Inside Line.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor