Throwback Thursdays: Remembering the Impreza in North America

Watch out for that lightning blue heading your way

              I'm sure all of you rally fans know the Impreza. Subaru's great all-wheel driven car that took part in the WRC. The cars that made a name for rallyists such as Richard Burns and even the late Colin McRae. These sturdy cars were built in Gunma, Subaru's home.

Like the beauty of Mt. Kanayama, these blue cars became the symbol of dedication and hardwork of Subaru. The Impreza was made avaiable outside Japan in countries like Australia and Germany yet the US received the Impreza in the form of the sport wagon called the "Outback".

 

Ready for some rally drive?

They would not receive a true Impreza until 2000 when the second generation was introduced. In 2001, North America received the WRX line of the Impreza. With its speed-thirsty turbocharged boxer engine under the hood, the North American Impreza is one good rally car and everyday car as well.

Simple yet organized interior

The WRX STi was released in 2004 with a new engine and improved steering plus a new look known by some as the "blob-eye" Impreza. This Impreza has that meanacing intake scoop on the hood plus cool gold rims on a blue body paint making this car a unique addition to the American Subaru market.

So if you see one of these on the road, be sure to thank Subaru for making this wonderful car. Happy thursdays!

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Loving Your Car #1: A Simple Tire Pressure Check

"It inspires through every corners."

(courtesy of Scion)

               Isn't it nice getting to know your car? Being able to drive your car is already a great way to be one with your car. You get to see all the beautiful sights down the highway. Well, if you always pass by the highway and getting bored with it, why not take some new routes or shortcuts and have a wonderful adventure with your car if you get lost. But is driving with your car is enough?

Like with a certain someone truly special, walking together around the parks or to some food trips won't be enough. Once in a while, you may have to ask them how they are and how they feel. Then you comfort one another with the true love you give. (Lucky for you to say. My car is the only someone special I've got right now)

Scion FR-S wheels plus cornering safety guaranteed
(courtesy of Scion)

Just like a car, you have to fulfill it's needs to keep it going and going. And just like our feet, a car's tires is one thing you have to take good care every once in a while. 

A car isn't a car without wheels. Unless you're brilliant enough and turn it into a hovering car. But for now, wheels make cars a go-go. Have a flat tire and you may feel a bit awkward plus you won't make it to pass a corner smoothly. That gives us this formula: 4 tires - 1 flat tire = 3 times of Driving misery.

What moves you? An FR-S of course.

One basic thing that a car owner must all do, like all driving schools teach you is to check your tire pressure before driving away especially if you're gonna go on a long trip.  Just like what I do before anything else. Better yet, roam around your car like a quality control inspector to see if those wheelies pass your expectations.

And no, you won't look like a sucker looking around your car several times. But you will surely look like one even more if you wreck your car. So choose what you want.

 



Tire's lacking oxygen. CPR?

Like racers and drift drivers do to check for any flaws on the wheels. Of course, you won't get that desired cornering perfection or top speed fun if you got wheels that don't work with each other right? And it is one basic thing new drivers may lack these days because life today is often on the fast lane. Try slowing down for a bit and take a pit stop.

Good thing cars of today have this so-called "Tire pressure warning lights" to warn you if your tires need some air. So if you got lazybones to check them one-by-one, this one is certainly built for you. (Be sure to follow your car's manual for tire pressure requirements)

A typical tire information sticker. All your tire needs are here

But if your car needs some one-on-one tire check, you should see something of a tire pressure sticker near the driver's seat. Be sure to follow those labels carefully. You got those on your car manuals too like I said, follow it religiously or you'll end up with an unbalanced and unstable car. Which means you might bounce off the road like a frog or even turning the car may become difficult to bear.

And where do you fill up your tires with air? Well, the truth is you might find one of these on gas stations around the world. Ask your local gas station mechanic if you don't have a clue on performing "CPR" on your tires. And no, you're not gonna blow 'em up with your mouth. The pump will.


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A good snack for a good drive

French fries with a special 'fry-holder'. Ain't it special?

    Driving home from work makes you hungry sometimes. Even on long trips while driving your fancy SUV and enjoying some music. You may have thought about bringing some homemade sandwiches. Then you spot a fastfood drive-thru and treat yourself to some fries and burgers. You cruise along munching your way with that delicious treat like there's no tomorrow. How about some healthy-conscious drivers? I'm sure they anything greasy and fatty is off their list. Will there be hope for these folks? 

A lot of candy treats to choose from. Sweet!

If you take a visit to a grocery and convenience store, there are a lot of options to keep you full while on the driveway from potato chips, to candies, to a lot of chocolate selections. You ask yourself, is this healthy for me? 

Some health experts say that eating too much candies and all that potato chips may give you some kidney problems plus some extra calories to burn down when you go to the gym. As the Lonely Driver, I too am watchful of my health. But I get hungry easily. I tried some low-sugar candies but it still is packed with some cals. Then I found out some good snacks that won't gain a much fats in my system. Well ain't that a good news? Let me show you some snacks that I'm sure you might want to try out. 

Senbei on a bowl anyone? Reminds me of mixed nuts

Senbei. If you happen to come across a Japanese store, you might want to check out their food section. They usually have some sort of translation stickers on the back of the packs. Don't be shy to check them out. You won't be a sucker if you're take a look one of them. 

Now you might think these Japanese treats aren't heathy. Well actually, they only have lesser fats that is almost close to being an oatmeal treat. And the fact that they're crispy, they taste pretty good. You won't believe that these Japanese treats are mostly made up of rice and vegetables and some with Nori (dried seaweed). I happen to love rice crackers with Nori and believe me, it tastes heavenly.

Packed Nori. Fresh from the sea

And no, I am not desperate to eat anything but you can also try out packed Nori. Yes, dried seaweed to eat it on its own like how you eat potato chips. 

Not only it taste as salty as potato chips but these seaweed strips are nutritious like your typical vegetable favorites. Add some steamed rice on it and you'll know you're in for a bountiful treat while driving home. Saves you some grocery as well. I love eating some Nori even if I'm home watching some paranormal shows online. I take a bite with one of these while waiting for the red light to go green. And they're not hard to crew. Think of it as a salty delicious version of those breath strips that you get from a beauty store. Well of course, these won't make you breath smell good. But if you craving for someting sweet, you might want to try out this one.

Tasty chocolatey granola bars

Granola bars. The sweet taste of a chewy granola bar will keep you craving back for more. Of course they come in different flavors like chocolate, peanut butter, or cookies and cream. Not only sweet but good for the heart. These also contain some packed energy to keep you awake. I usually eat one of these when I worked in the night shift.

It helped me a lot when dealing with my extreme sleepiness. Go browse some of these in a convenience store or when you buy some groceries, be sure to check your aisles for these yummy bars. I assure you, you don't need to burn some caffeine while staying awake when driving all night.



There, these are some of my tasty treats. I don't have to go and buy some heavy meals to keep me full while on the road. But of course, it's up to you. I'm not stopping you and your craving tummy.

And remember to always stay fit and if you really feel the need to sleep, pull over to a motel for a sleepover. Don't act like you're superman or you're gonna regret it.


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RS Watanabe Eight Spoke's for Oldies?

A pair of RS Watanabe Eightspoke beauties
(courtesy of Club4AG)

      You might wonder what is a Watanabe? What is an Eight spoke? You may see them on some notable Japanese oldschool cars (especially drift cars) like the AE86 or the Datsun 240Z. I started loving these rims when I started watching Initial D a few months ago. At first, I  wondered what those dark wheels are called?

 

They look like spider legs. I thought they were called spiderims. Something Spiderman will choose for this own 'Spidermobile'. Batman has a batmobile, why can't spiderman? He deserves to rest his arm-spitting spiderwebs for a change.

 

One of Racing Lagoon's CGI showing BLR Team
(courtesy of Square)

Often times I see them on some videogames especially an old Playstation game from my childhood, Racing Lagoon. They were called RS-Spider in-game and came in various colors too just like in real life. Red, Yellow, Gold, Blue even. Crazy game it was and you can put them into almost any vehicles. (Imagine putting those on a bus with some crazy tuned engine and some Aero parts from the game). Racing Lagoon deserved a sequel. Alright, enough about videogames.

    

Rims of an AE86 Initial D replica
(courtesy of Club4AG)

Often times I think if these rims look good on newer cars of today. Well? Oldschool cars looked cool with these rims. The only time I saw an actual Eightspoke wheels is when I was going to work. It was a 90's Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 with  gold Watanabe eight spokes.

 

I wished to look at them at close and touching them. That Galant looked nice having those Watanabe rims. They especially look great if you have a Toyota AE86 Trueno or Levin perhaps. If Bunta Fujiwara is alive in real life, I might ask him if I can do an in-depth review of his AE86 with Takumi.

Now comes for the hard part. Will these rims look good on newer cars such as the new Toyota 86? Maybe some of you might think they look ridiculous. Or you might think they look out of place or outta time. Think again...

 

A 2012 Toyota 86 with Eightspokes
(Courtesy of FT86Club)



In my eyes, the eightspokes fit like a glove and it looks good especially the magnesium F8's with the right size and the right weight. These rims will make you drift like the Drift King in style retrotastically cool.

 


A 2012 Toyota 86 racer with Eightspokes
(Courtesy of FT86club)

Now what do you think? Let's talk about it.


As Takumi said in Initial D 3rd Stage. What a boring Christmas. It's fine for me. I'm used to it. And I got this blog to keep me company.

Special thanks to Club4AG and FT86club for featuring these nice 86's with watanabe eightspoke rims.

*Be sure to stay tuned for more car reviews and other tips. Follow the Lonely Driver at Twitter: @LonelyDriverTWT

Driving Wishlist #1: 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STi

A black Subaru Impreza WRX STi on Gran Turismo 6

      If there is one car I would love to drive and own, its a 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STi. This car has got to be one of the best I've seen so far in car reviews and online test drives. Even in Gran Turismo 6, this car handles like a champ. I guess even the real-life counterpart drives like a champ too.

Side/Back view of the Impreza with its huge wing

This car really puts up a great handling at its finest. The 2005/2006 model is perhaps on of the best Impreza model of its generation. With those cool red STi badges on the front bumpers, STi rims, turbocharged boxer engine, plenty of room inside plus those stunning bucket seats to keep you from wiggling down the fast lanes. Amazing.

Tail lights and the red STi badge plus "Impreza" label

Too bad these cars are so rare at my place. I don't see them much except a few later models but they don't attract my attention much. 4WD sedans are amazing. You have total control of the roads and the corners. Tweak this Subbie and you might slide it around like the DK (Drift King). I just wish I'll have an opportunity to drive and own one of these someday. Happy Holidays to you all.

*Be sure to stay tuned for more car reviews and other tips. Follow the Lonely Driver at Twitter: @LonelyDriverTWT

Happy Holidays from the Lonely Driver

I just started this blog early and whoever views this, I wish you all happy holidays. It won't be a lonely holidays after all.

The King of Bestsellers: The Toyota Vios

 

A White Pearl-colored Vios "G" Trim
(courtesy of Toyota)

         You might see them everywhere. They swarm in the streets almost everyday. You may also see them as government or police vehicles. You may ride them as taxi cabs. If you're lucky enough to enroll at a nice driving school, you might drive one of these. Toyota's offer of true reliability, great quality plus the relaxation of everyday driving makes this the bestselling sub-compact sedan in the Asian markets.

"Trivia: The name 'Vios' is latin for 'To move forward'. One of Toyota's slogan in Asia."

Interior comparison, "Base" to "G" Trims

(courtesy of Toyota)

Interior quality? Well do you think it's enough? You got a very generous interior space for you, your cups or bottles, comfy seats, a USB port for MP3s, a center console along with a sophisticated feel-at-home design. This car clearly shows Toyota's "fun-to-drive" factor at it's best. Even the base model of the car looks decent with an option to add an aftermarket radio later (a touchscreen would be cool).

There are slight changes with the dashboard design which was a departure from both the first and second generation models. The criticized "center-dash cluster" no longer exists on the third generation models. It returns to a conventional location. You might wonder where is that. On the driver's seat of course. The dashboard design looks like it took some design cues from the Toyota Avalon (Toyota USA's flagship sedan) and the Toyota Auris (Toyota Japan's Sports Liftback). 

"Though I wish they retained the central instrument panel for more visibility on the road. That way, drivers can learn to maintain speed and acceleration without looking at the speedometer and tachometer most of the time. That is something unique from Toyota."



Third generation Instrument panel
(courtesy of Toyota)

As I said about the instrument cluster, it no longer has that cool fading optitron but it does have a bright LED lights on the meters and the needles for easy reading at night. The cluster design is neat and sporty.

With the bluish color and lighting, it feels cool when you take a peak at night. Glad to see the dashboard design the same for all trims. Even if you drive one of the base models, I assure you it won't make you feel boring when you check your mileage or fuel gauge.

"S" trim Instrument panel
(courtesy of Toyota)

There is however the "S" trim only exclusive to Thailand since the Vios originally was designed in Thailand alongside Japanese collaborators. The "S" trim has a reddish hue with a darker blue on the edges. Aside from that, both gauge designs are similar. And the "S" trim offer automatic climate control as an added bonus.

I just wished they added a temperature meter. The fuel meter is already readable. But it's alright. I know Toyota's commitment of safety and quality they put in their most reliable cars. These Toyota's last forever if you take good care of them. It may last an eternity if you do. I own a second generation "G" trim and it still runs smooth like it was fresh from the factory.

 

Trunk space that fits even the biggest of bags
(courtesy of Toyota)

Worry about Trunk space? Will it fit even golf clubs for golfers? If the first and second generation of the Vios can, the third generation surely can. Trunk space is decent.

There is more space you can put in. You can even fold the seats at the back if you have to. Just make sure you know your weight limits. Don't expect a sub-compact sedan to act like a pick-up truck or you'll strain it's nicely tuned suspensions faster than you expect.



Bottles fit like a glove!

(courtesy of Toyota)



"I ain't gonna lie to you. Even the second generation of Vios has the one of the best trunk space for a sub-compact sedan in the market so far."



A Brief History of the Toyota Vios

Toyota Platz
(courtesy of Wikipedia)

The Toyota Vios was based on a small sub-compact sedan called the Toyota Platz. It was known for its fuel economy. A true gas saver. However its main roots traces back to the sub-compact Toyota Tercel which was the first front-wheel driven car ever produced by Toyota.

Just like the Vios, the Tercel and it's later successors, the Platz, the Soluna and the Echo/Yaris were designed to produced lesser emissions for a eco-friendly environment. 




Known as the Soluna Vios in Thailand. Soluna being the Tercel.

I was able to test drive the first of the Vios generation both in automatic and manual gearboxes. I have to say it felt sporty at the same time comfortable. I love how the digital dash is viewed despite some adjusting times I had to make. It was a fun drive in the end.
 

 

Known as the Belta in Japan. Yaris/Yaris Sedan in US/Canada and Australia

This generation of the Vios is the one I came to know and love. The Belta in Japan. This generation also improved it's interior design and space bearing more than the previous generation has to offer. A really nice touch I have to say.



The Vios reliable "NZ" engine
(courtesy of fastmotoring)

When talking about engines, people want the fast and the furious. The Vios doesn't need high horsepower but a reliable engine built by Toyota, the NZ engine. This engine originated from the roots of the Prius, a hybrid car that utilizes both petrol and electric.

No wonder why the Vios is one of the most fuel efficient cars until now. The Vios comes with both the 1.5 liter and 1.3 liter petrol engines. Since the car is mostly lightweight, this car takes off quite fast no matter what trims you're in. You will feel the rush of speed once you get the car working some speed. You won't get disappointed at all. Handling-wise, it takes corners nicely and more responsive as compared to its earlier generations. The comfortable trips and driving experience will always be memorable.

Final Verdicts

"G" Trim logo with chrome panel treatment
(taken from a local Toyota Showroom)

After test driving one of the third gens out on the road, I'd say Toyota did a great job with handling and acceleration. The guys from Toyota Thailand kept their promise by improving the Vios even further. Though one thing that bothers me is the radio position. It should have been on the bottom of the middle A/C vents. That is one note I have to point out. Hope they will release a fading optitron effect on the instrument clusters next time. All I can think of is the letter "G" for Greatastic!

Lonely Driver feels: Very Impressed
My Ratings:4.8 out of 5 stars.

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*For more information about Toyota products and services. Visit Toyota Global