I can't understand what is so difficult to comprehend?

• The Golf is a tidy handling car
  
• The Subaru is heavier
  
• The Subaru has 4wd therefore less power makes it to the road (drivetrain losses) as a percentage compared with fwd.
  
• 4wd doesn't really help ultimate cornering speed on dry tarmac.
  
• 4wd does significantly improve traction on poor surfaces and traction on fast starts

Looks like basic physics to me.

The Subaru would have shown better ability in a standing start

4wd is a great way of putting huge amounts of power onto the road without commotion. 230/240 bhp is not a huge amount of power!

"The WRX is pi$$ poor for low to mid range torque whereas the Golf excells in this area."

I have only ever driven an STi, but I would have said a Subaru is all about crushing mid range grunt?

Giving a Subaru Impreza just 230/240 bhp is like having a guard dog with no teeth, no wonder the Golf won.

I can't understand what is so difficult to comprehend?

• The Golf is a tidy handling car
  
• The Subaru is heavier
  
• The Subaru has 4wd therefore less power makes it to the road (drivetrain losses) as a percentage compared with fwd.
  
• 4wd doesn't really help ultimate cornering speed on dry tarmac.
  
• 4wd does significantly improve traction on poor surfaces and traction on fast starts

Looks like basic physics to me.

The Subaru would have shown better ability in a standing start

Have to agree with you

I have only ever driven an STi, but I would have said a Subaru is all about crushing mid range grunt?

Giving a Subaru Impreza just 230/240 bhp is like having a guard dog with no teeth, no wonder the Golf won.

The STi is a different car altogether, WRX can feel positively under powered.

IIRC the bugeye was something like 217 horses. Massive losses through transmission as has already been said.

Have to agree with you

thirded

The WRX looked to have a lot more body roll than the GTI. The Golf does puch above its weight however - remember with Tiff driving on 5th gear it was quicker round a circuit than a Focus ST (not sure whether it was a 230 PS golf however).

The WRX looked to have a lot more body roll than the GTI. The Golf does puch above its weight however - remember with Tiff driving on 5th gear it was quicker round a circuit than a Focus ST (not sure whether it was a 230 PS golf however).

It wasn't - the ED30 wasn't out then.

I think 06octy is referring to this test.. clicky...

I think 06octy is referring to this test.. clicky...

I stand corrected then as that's defo an ED30