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Snow Driver: Subaru Impreza WRX $25,000

Mountain Life

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The WRX is the auto equivalent of Mighty Mouse: guts and bravura in a small, zany package. The bravura is supplied by a turbocharged 227-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. With a five-speed manual, it gets down the road from zero-to-cop’s-attention in 5.7 seconds. More importantly, it clings to asphalt with gecko-like footing. I tested it in the spectacular country off of Highway 1 in Central California, and I was confident enough to take my mother, who lives nearby. Even she was amazed by the low-to-the-ground stickiness of the car, how it never chattered on the sharpest corners.

The WRX is also practical, offered as a four-door sedan or a wagon, with ample space for ski gear. It looks a bit quirky, but this is a car for independent thinkers. Especially when you realize that you get almost unlimited power and superior handling with a tiny sticker price. My mom declared that she wanted one.

Behind the Scenes of Our 2023 SKI Test

Testing skis and winter gear is hard work (just ask our boot testers)—but someone's gotta do it.