The Australian model has had significant changes over the American models according to Subaru Australia. Read on
"It's under the skin where the real work's gone on in the changeover from 08 to 09... Thanks to an injection of STI-sourced parts and significant local development of the suspension package, the MY09 WRX is a much sharper offering.
There have also been changes to the five-speed transmission for better shift feel, but most drivers will best notice the change in suspension tune. While the engine changes will be adopted across most WRX markets worldwide, the new suspension tune is specific to Australia." by Subaru Australia in conjunction with Fuji Heavy Industries own development team, in Subaru's own words, the MY09 Impreza WRX has been "retuned to provide a more sports biased handling performance while still retaining good ride comfort with a slight deterioration to impact harshness in favour of higher levels of grip and stability under more spirited driving styles."
In hardware terms, the MY09 gets higher spring rates front and rear and larger diameter antiroll bars. In addition, the 08 model's front strut mounts have been ditched, replaced by STI sourced units.
Damping rates have also been revisited. The fronts have significantly increased rebound rates, while the rear dampers' 'bump' (compression damping) settings have been raised to decrease squat and generate more rear grip.
While the brakes and the size of the 17-inch alloys are carried over (the MY09 does get a new design), the WRX now rolls on wider Dunlop SP Sport rubber -- 225/45R 17s, in lieu of 205/50 Yokohama Advans.
The steering too has been tweaked, with a damper valve incorporated in the steering system to reduce kickback. On the rutted dirt section of the launch drive it worked a treat."
This is why so many 3G MY08 WRX owners feel shafted.
And to those who are stating the bleeding obvious such as "you know what you bought when you bought it, blah blah blah resale values always drop, blah, my old gt lost x amount, blah blah, sell it and buy an 09, blah, put a bigger pipe on it etc, etc." sadly means you have missed the point.
This issue also isnt about whether or not we like our MY08s. I like mine.
Its the yawning and formally unheard of performance gap/difference in the TWO 3Gs models, and the flow on from that, that is the issue. Two third gen vehicles with the same name and body only.
Ask yourself this, 'would you care for a 3G MY08 over a3G MY09'?
They are the same price here,......new that is.
"It's under the skin where the real work's gone on in the changeover from 08 to 09... Thanks to an injection of STI-sourced parts and significant local development of the suspension package, the MY09 WRX is a much sharper offering.
There have also been changes to the five-speed transmission for better shift feel, but most drivers will best notice the change in suspension tune. While the engine changes will be adopted across most WRX markets worldwide, the new suspension tune is specific to Australia." by Subaru Australia in conjunction with Fuji Heavy Industries own development team, in Subaru's own words, the MY09 Impreza WRX has been "retuned to provide a more sports biased handling performance while still retaining good ride comfort with a slight deterioration to impact harshness in favour of higher levels of grip and stability under more spirited driving styles."
In hardware terms, the MY09 gets higher spring rates front and rear and larger diameter antiroll bars. In addition, the 08 model's front strut mounts have been ditched, replaced by STI sourced units.
Damping rates have also been revisited. The fronts have significantly increased rebound rates, while the rear dampers' 'bump' (compression damping) settings have been raised to decrease squat and generate more rear grip.
While the brakes and the size of the 17-inch alloys are carried over (the MY09 does get a new design), the WRX now rolls on wider Dunlop SP Sport rubber -- 225/45R 17s, in lieu of 205/50 Yokohama Advans.
The steering too has been tweaked, with a damper valve incorporated in the steering system to reduce kickback. On the rutted dirt section of the launch drive it worked a treat."
This is why so many 3G MY08 WRX owners feel shafted.
And to those who are stating the bleeding obvious such as "you know what you bought when you bought it, blah blah blah resale values always drop, blah, my old gt lost x amount, blah blah, sell it and buy an 09, blah, put a bigger pipe on it etc, etc." sadly means you have missed the point.
This issue also isnt about whether or not we like our MY08s. I like mine.
Its the yawning and formally unheard of performance gap/difference in the TWO 3Gs models, and the flow on from that, that is the issue. Two third gen vehicles with the same name and body only.
Ask yourself this, 'would you care for a 3G MY08 over a3G MY09'?
They are the same price here,......new that is.