[R_E_L]

I like the new proportions, particularly the side profile is improved and that was one of my hang ups with the previous car. While proportions are not 1 to 1 with the concept car, these are much closer than the previous gen.

The rear is pretty bad as everyone has said. The King of the Hill pic is actually a real good comparison haha. Something about the taillights really narrows the rear in an odd way, and that's never a good thing. Performance cars should be wide in the back. The cladding isn't that bad until again, you get to the rear. It's too much plastic back there, and I think the concerns about it fading and looking bad after a few years of sun exposure are more than valid.

Finally, the performance numbers are really disappointing, particularly when you consider the implications for the STI. I don't see there being a 400 hp STI when the WRX cant even crack 300 hp. I'm sure the overall curve is improved, but such a small peak increase despite a 20% increase in displacement is not great. How did an NA BRZ increase by 23 hp and this could only manage 3? This also makes me wonder how much is left on the table for the aftermarket, if Subaru didn't feel comfortable adding more power, maybe these engines wont be able to take much more in the long term. All speculation of course, but it certainly affects my confidence.