A
administrator
R26 review
I was curious just how far chassis and car development had come over 17 years. I have experience of recent ( ish ) Subaru’s , but my motoring car collection predominantly includes cars of 10 + years old.
When I first walked up to the car , its yellow hues gave me a retinal burn , after I got over the sun spots , I then noticed just quite how big the car is compared to my current steed. I can only liken the car to Hulk Hogan in his current show Hogan knows best. By this I mean , it certainly looks muscular ,but you can tell it’s getting a bit flabby around the middle.
Inside it’s a different ball game. It’s almost cockpit like. All the dash is “aimed†at the driver. The stalks are in intuitive points that the hand finds easily, the dash is very easily read. Nice features such as trip computers and service intervals are a bonus.
Smashing seats too , although I understand that the 225 cup only has ½ recaros ( their words not mine ) not the full all singing all dancing Thai back massaging seats of comfort the r26 has.
Keyless ignition is the next new bit. It’s a credit card sized black lump of plastic that is inserted into the dash. Foot on brake , and press the starter. A busy start and then a low pitched hum. No real dramatics , just function.
The handbrake is like a passenger planes throttle. Click and lower , find a gear. Oh hang on a minute , I have just smashed the clutch into the bulk head. Just how light is that clutch ? Having found a gear in a very vague box , I find the bite point easily and pull away. I can now feel where the development has gone. The car feels incredibly taught ( maybe due to the 1700 mi on the clock ? ) Initial impressions of the steering is that you know it’s connected to the front wheels , but only just. For my tastes it’s over served. Bit too light.
The next test feature was the brakes. They are keen. Very keen. This was just in the car park when a craaaazy megane driver cut me up to race for an empty parking space. Smashing your foot into the pedal is not done. I had a face – windscreen interface problem. The salesman nearly died of laughing.
Gently accelerated away from the stealership , and noticed how tractable the engine is. Obviously pulling away in first isn’t going to trouble a 230ps car , but I was impressed when eventually I found 3rd and let her pull from 1500 revs to near red line. The engine is a complexly different beast to my 21t. The 21t being a nothing then punch engine. A kick in the kidneys , this engine is like a velvet escalator. A noticeable increase in speed , but no major drama.
Later on in the test , when I made the salesman grab the Jesus handle , I noticed that hoofing it round the bend prompts the car to really dig the driving wheels in , and push you round the bend. Last time I felt grip like this was in my Impreza Catalunya. I was massively impressed. Progression round bends is something I have forgotten about. It surprised me how stiff the whole car is. My 21t is soft , feels the bumps and bends over them - due to the brie like chassis. Incidentally , a strut brace has been purchased but not fitted to my 21t this though , just stays rigid. So firm , so gripping around bends. This is where the cars have come on. I also suspect it has something to do with the tyres. There is more rubber on these than in a rubber fetish exhibition. Massively impressed by that. (the grip – not the exhibition )
Next up in my test was hole and bump handling. Being in Doncaster , either are not exactly hard to find. I think they modelled the speed humps on the slag heaps form the closed pits and the holes on the open cast mining the area used to be known for. Anyway – the chassis seems to taught that the wheel sinks into the hole , but the 3 other wheels keep the car level. On bumps you certainly know about them , but they are composed and not crashy in the slightest.
I finally took the car onto the motorway, to check out how well it cruised. Stick it in 6th and waft away. No massively invasive road noise , no tram lining just progression. 6th is also surprising quick to pick up speed.
Overall I find this car desirable. Very desirable. The gearbox is poor , it’s too vague , too stirring. The engine is good , quick and able to pull you at a rate of knots. The chassis is fantastic , I love the firm ride. The brakes are magnificent ( thanks to HUGE Brembo stoppers and discs) the overall package is great. It’s got some excess weight , but still great.
PreRegged r26 ( new shape ) can be had for a fiver short of £15k , which when you think brand spanking new its £21k is a fantastic deal. The 225 cup which I am interested in is circa £12k , last year’s model , not so quick , but crucially for me £3k cheaper.
Insurance wise confused.com got me a quote for £590 on a 225 cup
For reference on insurance I am 27 , 9 years NCB , Married , Homeowner , 1 child in a reasonable postcode.
I was curious just how far chassis and car development had come over 17 years. I have experience of recent ( ish ) Subaru’s , but my motoring car collection predominantly includes cars of 10 + years old.
When I first walked up to the car , its yellow hues gave me a retinal burn , after I got over the sun spots , I then noticed just quite how big the car is compared to my current steed. I can only liken the car to Hulk Hogan in his current show Hogan knows best. By this I mean , it certainly looks muscular ,but you can tell it’s getting a bit flabby around the middle.
Inside it’s a different ball game. It’s almost cockpit like. All the dash is “aimed†at the driver. The stalks are in intuitive points that the hand finds easily, the dash is very easily read. Nice features such as trip computers and service intervals are a bonus.
Smashing seats too , although I understand that the 225 cup only has ½ recaros ( their words not mine ) not the full all singing all dancing Thai back massaging seats of comfort the r26 has.
Keyless ignition is the next new bit. It’s a credit card sized black lump of plastic that is inserted into the dash. Foot on brake , and press the starter. A busy start and then a low pitched hum. No real dramatics , just function.
The handbrake is like a passenger planes throttle. Click and lower , find a gear. Oh hang on a minute , I have just smashed the clutch into the bulk head. Just how light is that clutch ? Having found a gear in a very vague box , I find the bite point easily and pull away. I can now feel where the development has gone. The car feels incredibly taught ( maybe due to the 1700 mi on the clock ? ) Initial impressions of the steering is that you know it’s connected to the front wheels , but only just. For my tastes it’s over served. Bit too light.
The next test feature was the brakes. They are keen. Very keen. This was just in the car park when a craaaazy megane driver cut me up to race for an empty parking space. Smashing your foot into the pedal is not done. I had a face – windscreen interface problem. The salesman nearly died of laughing.
Gently accelerated away from the stealership , and noticed how tractable the engine is. Obviously pulling away in first isn’t going to trouble a 230ps car , but I was impressed when eventually I found 3rd and let her pull from 1500 revs to near red line. The engine is a complexly different beast to my 21t. The 21t being a nothing then punch engine. A kick in the kidneys , this engine is like a velvet escalator. A noticeable increase in speed , but no major drama.
Later on in the test , when I made the salesman grab the Jesus handle , I noticed that hoofing it round the bend prompts the car to really dig the driving wheels in , and push you round the bend. Last time I felt grip like this was in my Impreza Catalunya. I was massively impressed. Progression round bends is something I have forgotten about. It surprised me how stiff the whole car is. My 21t is soft , feels the bumps and bends over them - due to the brie like chassis. Incidentally , a strut brace has been purchased but not fitted to my 21t this though , just stays rigid. So firm , so gripping around bends. This is where the cars have come on. I also suspect it has something to do with the tyres. There is more rubber on these than in a rubber fetish exhibition. Massively impressed by that. (the grip – not the exhibition )
Next up in my test was hole and bump handling. Being in Doncaster , either are not exactly hard to find. I think they modelled the speed humps on the slag heaps form the closed pits and the holes on the open cast mining the area used to be known for. Anyway – the chassis seems to taught that the wheel sinks into the hole , but the 3 other wheels keep the car level. On bumps you certainly know about them , but they are composed and not crashy in the slightest.
I finally took the car onto the motorway, to check out how well it cruised. Stick it in 6th and waft away. No massively invasive road noise , no tram lining just progression. 6th is also surprising quick to pick up speed.
Overall I find this car desirable. Very desirable. The gearbox is poor , it’s too vague , too stirring. The engine is good , quick and able to pull you at a rate of knots. The chassis is fantastic , I love the firm ride. The brakes are magnificent ( thanks to HUGE Brembo stoppers and discs) the overall package is great. It’s got some excess weight , but still great.
PreRegged r26 ( new shape ) can be had for a fiver short of £15k , which when you think brand spanking new its £21k is a fantastic deal. The 225 cup which I am interested in is circa £12k , last year’s model , not so quick , but crucially for me £3k cheaper.
Insurance wise confused.com got me a quote for £590 on a 225 cup
For reference on insurance I am 27 , 9 years NCB , Married , Homeowner , 1 child in a reasonable postcode.
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