Subaru WRX GR

The GR WRX (2008-2014) dropped the Impreza name but stayed closely related underneath and grew up: first as a five-door hatchback, then a sedan again from 2011. Power comes from the EJ255 (2.5T) throughout — torquier than the old EJ205, but carrying the same EJ inheritance when it comes to ringland sensitivity under aggressive tuning. Run a GR stock or mildly modified and engine trouble is rare; run big boost tunes without proper calibration and you risk the bottom end here too. The same buying rule as the GD applies: data logs, original ECU, and service records beat any seller's promise. The headline safety item is the WQK-47 brake-line recall: in salt regions (the US salt belt, but relevant for any GR driven in salty environments) the brake lines corrode through a gap in the tank protector, in the worst case losing brake fluid. Confirm the recall was completed — and on a rusty underbody, inspect the lines closely. Rust at the rear arches stays a recurring theme, as do worn strut top mounts (clunk on lock). On the drivetrain, the clutch and throwout bearing are the typical wear items, precisely because GRs get driven hard and launched at lights — a shuddering or poorly disengaging pedal signals the next clutch (several hundred to over a thousand depending on spec). US cars add the Takata airbag recall, which must be completed. On the test drive: check the cold start for rattle and smoke, shift cleanly through every gear, test the clutch on a hill, tap the rear arch and underbody, and pull the recall status by VIN. The GR is today's sensible entry into the EJ world: cheaper than a good GD, more livable than the STI, with that characterful boxer and real all-wheel drive. Clean, lightly modified examples with complete history are the right call — the hatch is more practical and often a bit cheaper, the later sedan more sought after among collectors. Insider pick: a tidy, near-stock GR with WQK-47 done, a fresh clutch, and a rust-free underbody. If you're looking at a brutally tuned GR with no logs, price in a possible engine failure — a forged-piston ringland rebuild runs into the thousands here too.