[The HACK]

I had an '09 WRX Wagon. My buddy who just bought his 340i had a '14 Outback and just bought another '18 Outback.

Of ALL the major auto manufacturers, there's maybe 2 or 3 that sort of hold true to what they do and who they are, and built cars with character and soul that few other manufacturers bother to emulate and compete with. There are few that don't let a few features define them, but define those segments for who they are.

Subaru is one of them.

They've taken the boxster 4 banger mated to a symmetrical AWD to perfection. So much so to a point that no other manufacturers try to copy that successful formula. And they stay relatively true to that "soul" in about everything they make, but instead of letting time pass by and try to catch up to technology, they've always kept their eyes on the prize...Not to be the best selling car company in the world, but built cars for those that LOVE who they are.

So yeah. They tend to draw some of the hippy love-fest crowd that likes the outdoors. There's no denying that. But they also build cars that hold up to the test of time, are very reliable, have incredible RESALE value, and do what they do incredibly well. That '09 WRX Wagon I had? I went from packing up 2 8' folding tables, a 20' tent, and all the stuff that goes with the street fair that my wife volunteered for to the very next day, lapping BMWs at a local track in torrential rain. And the next weekend camping with the family up in the desert and driving on dirt roads. And for an '09 it had all the requisite USB integration and whatnot that was lacking in our '08 328i and my '06 MZ4 Coupe. It wasn't until our '11 335D that the USB port integrated with my iPhone as well as the '09 WRX Wagon.

The interior wasn't all leather and soft touch plastic, but it wasn't meant to be a luxury car. But it wasn't cheap looking either. It was quality parts built to be practical. I bought the car for $24K and sold it for $20k 3.5 years later. Yes you read that right.

But back to the Outback. Sure, my friend just picked up a 340i to compliment his 3 other BMWs in the garage. But guess which car he was bragging about the last time I saw him? The Outback. That's right. He was more excited about his new Outback than he was with his 340i. It was "iSight" this and "AWD" that and "lane change avoidance" this...On and on and on. On the 340i? He showed me the digital gauge. That's mostly it.

Subaru, as a brand, now elicits the same sort of response as a fanboy I used to have for BMWs. For people who enjoy the outdoors (as evident by your FJ Cruiser) and want a car that does EVERYTHING well, not just cruise around the freeway and pretend you're something you're not? Very few brands give you that sense of belonging without pigeonholing you to a specific image like a Subaru.

I would love to have my '09 WRX Wagon back.