The reader compares BMW 330 Xd and Subaru Impreza WRX

BMW 330 Xd. Price: 46,700 euros. On sale: since 2005.

Subaru Impreza WRX. Price: $39,000. On sale: since 2006.

BMW 330 xd vs Subaru Impreza WRX
© Photo: 5 wheel

NAME: Mikhail Alekseev

OCCUPATION: Engineer

DRIVES: Subaru Impreza WRX

DRIVING EXPERIENCE: 10 years

Can the Subaru Impreza WRX be considered an unattainable benchmark? The "supercar for bad roads" no longer seems so invulnerable: today's hot hatches deliver more power. This is a frontal attack. We, however, will try to approach from the other side: we will pit the turbo icon with all-wheel drive against a modern diesel and the "x-drive" BMW 330 Xd. The floor is given to the Subaru owner, whom we offered to switch to a BMW.

I need a car that covers several tasks at once: family, work, motorsport. These are the main requirements. In recent years, a front-wheel-drive Golf V 2.0FSI handled them. Now I was looking for a replacement — fast, practical, and with all-wheel drive. I have to drive on a variety of surfaces: from city asphalt to dirt roads where asphalt is rather a rarity. And winter roads are completely unpredictable. If a car has a good engine and proper handling, all-wheel drive turns into a serious weapon against any distances. The problem is that the choice on the market is small. Most all-wheel-drive cars are equipped with naturally aspirated engines, where the drive's potential is aimed more at light off-roading. And for "driver-oriented" all-wheel-drive cars, they ask as much as for a Porsche. So I settled on the Subaru Impreza WRX: personal preferences and sporting ambitions decided everything.

The BMW 330Xd is a classic German sedan with a diesel. Outside it is large, and inside — dense, almost cramped. The ergonomics are mesmerizing: you constantly marvel at how the "dial" control responds to every movement. The engine, which you can only learn about from the badge on the trunk, shatters all stereotypes about diesels: every press of the gas pedal refutes "popular" notions. In dynamics, it is almost as good as the WRX! The automatic — with the familiar harsh kick-down. The short-travel suspension paired with a heavy engine makes you search the asphalt for every crack that threatens a blow to the spine. On a gravel road, such a car, if it doesn't cripple the driver, will break itself. The "smart" all-wheel drive at small slip angles frightens with how quickly it shifts torque between axles. But when slides become serious, behavior on slippery surfaces becomes predictable.

The Impreza WRX is a car where asceticism surprisingly combines with the highest quality. There is nothing superfluous here. Everything that is there is made at the highest level. You shouldn't expect great comfort: everything is subordinated to handling and functionality. Sound insulation is nonexistent, and the driver's seat adjusts as if for an average Japanese person. The trunk is like a VAZ 2105... But you forgive all these little things for the handling. Symmetrical all-wheel drive, honed over three decades: viscous couplings in the center and rear differentials make the car's behavior understandable in all modes. The powerful turbo engine provides a huge reserve in any situation. Fuel consumption of 95-octane — 18-20 liters per hundred in the city and about 10 on the highway. In sport modes, the figures will be noticeably higher. Long suspension travel allows you to ignore even serious bumps. The only thing that limits versatility is the 17-inch wheels. But the solution to this problem is obvious.

The status and comfort of the BMW, of course, are enticing. And with a driver-oriented character, this makes the car a serious competitor. But such a car is designed for an owner who rarely leaves the metropolis. Where there are endless autobahns, the advantages of the Impreza may turn into disadvantages, and against the backdrop of the BMW, it will seem plain, only emphasizing the difference in price. And here, where two troubles constantly compete, the Subaru Impreza is an excellent survival tool that allows you to realize its potential always and everywhere.

BMW 330 xd vs Subaru Impreza WRX
© Photo: 5 wheel

BMW 330 xd vs Subaru Impreza WRX
© Photo: 5 wheel

BMW 330 Xd

Driving

Excellent turbo diesel, good automatic. Confident stability at any speed. The front suspension lacks energy intensity.

Interior

Ergonomics are a luxury. Not cramped, but dense. Huge adjustment ranges, impeccable quality.

Comfort

Stiff and dense chassis. Sound insulation and "climate" are at a premium level.

Safety

Full set of passive and active safety systems.

Price

More expensive than savings.

Subaru Impreza WRX

Driving

Made for driving. An emotional and charismatic machine with a temper: a great friend for an enthusiast who appreciates the WRX character.

Interior

Quality, but very little and old-fashioned. Comfortable and spacious. Modest.

Comfort

The suspension is compliant enough for everyday life. Minimal equipment.

Safety

Depends on the driver and the accuracy of their assessment of their own skill.

Price

Between the clothes and the stride.

Reader's opinion

The status and comfort of the BMW, of course, are enticing. Combined with driver-oriented potential, this makes the 330 Xd a serious player in the market. But such a car is designed for a buyer who rarely leaves the metropolis. Perhaps, where there are endless autobahns, the advantages of the Subaru Impreza WRX will turn into disadvantages, and next to the BMW, it will look plain, only confirming the big difference in price. But here, in the land of two constantly competing troubles, the Subaru Impreza is an excellent survival tool that allows you to use its potential always and everywhere.

Editorial opinion

BMW 330 xd vs Subaru Impreza WRX
© Photo: 5 wheel

The 330 Xd is the "most-most" version of the BMW 3 Series: the most expensive, progressive, and... the heaviest. With a diesel that deserves only superlative epithets, and all-wheel drive, which in Russia is not a luxury but a means of decent movement, this car received an extra 150 kilograms on the front axle. About 100 kg for the letter "X" and 50 in confirmation of the "d" on the trunk lid. This is enough to bottom out the front suspension on typical waves of asphalt on ordinary roads: a serious problem! The diesel will save you from 100,000 to 140,000 rubles on fuel per 100,000 km of BMW driving versus the Subaru. Most of the remaining price difference comes from the luxurious BMW versus the puritanical Subaru equipment, trim, and electronics.

Subaru and BMW will give real joy to those who love to carve wide arcs on winter or gravel surfaces. When the car goes into a serious drift and the all-wheel drive works in rally style, both cars behave predictably and obediently. At the same time, BMW is even friendlier — it lacks that charismatic turbo lag that the WRX has. On regular asphalt, the picture changes. The owner of a powerful Impreza gets used to constant micro-slips — they become part of every day, and over time you either start to enjoy it or end up in a ditch. BMW holds more confidently and passes high-speed corners faster: its chassis and X-drive system work in conjunction with stabilization, and this is the right approach. Disabling electronics here is a rare exception, only for winter fun. If you turn off DSC and try to sharply break the rear of a BMW 330 Xd on asphalt at high speed, not everyone will be able to handle it. But for those who do not interfere with the electronics, the car will allow you to drive fast, safely, and confidently in any weather, earning respect on the road.

Video: YouTube