For the same reason that others like a V8, I like the idea of a car with a touch of pick-up. No, I'm not going to justify my decision, just why the WRX and not something with more cylinders and the cubes that go with it.

Firstly green is not just the colour of the car, there's a certain mind set that made it my choice. Take away the snail and the intercooler and you have that type of car at which the Japanese excel, a two-litre, four cylinder econobox. Over my daily commute, it's boring safe and - thanks to the AWD - remarkably sure-footed (yes, I am aware of snap-oversteer, but that can be overcome). Build quality is another argument in the car's favour. There may be some small niggles about materials, but at 140,000 km there's not a rattle to be heard, that's with the radio off and the windows up.

So I drive a car that uses around town what a V8 uses on the highway (well, most of the time ;-)) and when threatened with the boot, can pull to 100km/h in about 6 seconds. Oh, that doesn't have to be in a straight line, either.

Did I mention that it goes like a bastard?