Cant really decide which one to get. I used to own a 2005.5 A4 2.0 for about 1.5 years then i sold it....biggest mistake of my life. In the mean time i bought a condo and thought i could settle on a Honda Civic....HUGE MISTAKE. Now, with much less disposable income the A3 would be about the top of the line car i could afford. Performance wise the cars are virtually equal...........has anyone test driven both of these vehicles? I will this weekend but I would love to hear if anybody has any opinions on which way I should go.......................... http://www.edmunds.com/new/2007/suba...chlanding.html this is the subaru it looks pretty good.....
and you all know what the A3 looks like.........

 

i did test drove the wrx a while back while im shoping for a car.
it feels heavy like a normal car but prety decent grip and handlingon the road.
the power are prety linear no noticable turbo lag or anything like that. i notice more body roll on the wrx vs my 2.0t sport.
but i hav not test drive the a3 3.2.

 

I test drove one last summer and really liked the performance. Ended up getting the A3 2.0T w/ 6MT.
The interior is what really won out with the A3. For pure performance the WRX was the one - along with bang for the buck. But, when I also checked out the insurance - getting the WRX would have ended up evening out the cost over 4 years because of the outrageous insurance rates for that car. It totally shocked me when our insurance dropped since I got rid of a 540i - it seems that the insurance industries consider the A3 a 'station wagon' which is fine by me.

 

My turn to chime in here, since I now haveowned both vehicles. Neither car sucks, first of all. A quick comparison:
[ul][*]Acceleration is about the same, though the sudden boost of the WRX turbo makes it seem more exciting. The WRX is more free-revving and has a sportier note, as does the A3 2.0T, the 3.2 has more of a drone.[*]Size-wise, the A3 is noticeably shorter and wider.[*]Subaru has more head room but Audi's seats are more comfortable for longer trips.[*]Subaru has the most solid feeling AWD but the Audi tranny is way smoother and probably more durable. DSG rocks.[*]Gas mileage is about the same, though the A3 has a slightly smaller tank.[*]Audi has all sorts of subtle features and 'easter eggs' such as the two trip computers, floor mat anchors that work, dual zone air con, steering wheel audio controls, etc.; the WRX is very stripped down by comparison but is likely going to be more reliable in the long run since there are fewer electronic components that can break down.[*]Subaru sheet metal is extremely succeptible to small dings and dents, and the paint chips VERY easily. Audi build is like a tank by comparison.[*]Subaru reduces weight in the WRX for performance, which makes the car tossable but also very noisy and harsh. Audis are heavier but still tighter and quieter.[*]Fit and finish are worlds apart. Subaru's console layout is well-designed and easy to navigate, but materials are cheap and every one I've ever been in rattles, squeaks and creaks. Mine had more rattles in the first year than my previous car had in seven. Audi's materials and build quality inside are far superior. Tight suspension means it won't be rattle-proof, but it's20 times better.[*]If you are a tuner, you would probably prefer the A3 2.0 to the 3.2. A WRX can take it bone stock, but talk to anyone here about chipping and exhaust mods and you'll learn a lot fast. I'd actually recommend the 2.0 for value and feel unless you specifically want Quattro. I wanted Quattro and don't regret dropping the extra cash, though. [/ul]
Essentially, you will enjoy either car, but you will get what you pay for. Subarus are fun and cheap and go forever, though they will rattle and squeak all the way. Audis have more features and cost more. What sold me on Audi was parking my WRX and an A3 side by side. Audi just plain looks like a better car with the sheen of the metal, the solid stance and the way the doors shut with no reverberation at all.

 

awesome input so far guys i really appreciate it! Hope to see more reply's yet!

 

If you can possibly wait til mid-late summer, you should wait and see what the next generation Impreza will look like. I believe the 2008 redesign should be unveiled in the U.S. this spring and sold in August. If Subaru has any sense at all, they'll step up the performance since everyone else in the subcompact market (Audi included) has more than caught up with the current WRX stats.

In all honesty, the nose on the 06-07 Imprezas are hideous...they're also dropping it with the redesign.

 

i heard the next wrx sti is going to be a hatchback.
im assuming this going to be the same for impreza and wrx model.