### Review of the Kyosho Subaru Impreza Four-Wheel-Drive (4WD)
*By Marc Mamiye, Parkflyers RC*
Here at Parkflyers RC, we’re pumped to deliver a high-octane review of the Kyosho Subaru Impreza Four-Wheel-Drive (4WD)—a rally-bred RC beast that channels the spirit of its legendary real-world counterpart. I’ve pushed this rig to its limits: stock, juiced up with an optional sway bar and upgraded shocks, and supercharged with a Hobbywing 4000kV motor and 120A ESC. With power-to-weight ratios, off-road driving impressions, and comparisons to other 1/10 rally cars, this is your full-throttle guide to why the Impreza 4WD is a podium contender.
#### Overview and Design
Kyosho’s Subaru Impreza 4WD—think 1/10 scale FAZER Mk2 FZ02-R or the pint-sized Mini-Z AWD—rocks rally-ready looks and a stout shaft-driven 4WD system. With a detailed shell, authentic decals, and a chassis built for punishment, it’s a stunner that begs to be driven hard. At Parkflyers RC, we’re hooked on how Kyosho fuses scale swagger with upgrade potential—this car’s a canvas for chaos.
#### Stock Performance
Straight from the box, the Impreza 4WD grips like a champ, powered by a brushed motor (e.g., Kyosho G14L, 540-class). Stock shocks soak up rough terrain decently, and the 4WD claws through dirt with tenacity. On pavement, it’s got a touch of understeer—tame but not razor-edged. It’s a rookie-friendly baseline, but the real fireworks come with mods.
#### Off-Road Driving: Stock
Off-road, the stock Impreza 4WD taps into its rally DNA. The shaft-driven 4WD system distributes power evenly, digging into loose gravel, dirt, and grass with solid traction. The stock shocks offer enough travel to handle small ruts and bumps, but they’re soft—bigger jumps or rough patches can bottom out, rattling the chassis. With 20-25 mph top speed, it’s peppy enough to fling dirt and tackle mild inclines, though the brushed motor’s mellow torque means it won’t blast through deep mud or steep hills without momentum. It’s fun, forgiving, and a great intro to rally-style driving.
#### The Game-Changer: Optional Sway Bar
We’re obsessed with upgrades that flip the script, and the optional sway bar is pure dynamite. I’m calling it: handling jumps *ten times better* than stock. It ties the suspension together, killing body roll dead. Without it, corners mean lean and lost grip; with it, the chassis stays level, carving turns with scalpel-like precision—on or off-road. Drifting through dirt or rallying over gravel, I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face—it’s that good.
#### Kyosho Upgraded Shocks: Dialed-In Domination
Kyosho’s upgraded shocks are next-level—bigger bores, slick pistons, and adjustable damping that leave stock units in the dust. They eat bumps and jumps for breakfast, keeping rubber glued to the ground. I cranked them stiff for pavement precision and softened them for off-road landings—paired with the sway bar, it’s a suspension setup that’s plush yet razor-sharp. Pure rally gold.
#### Off-Road Driving: With Upgrades
Add the sway bar and upgraded shocks, and off-road performance goes from solid to spectacular. The sway bar keeps the chassis flat through uneven terrain, preventing rollovers on cambered turns or sideways slides on loose dirt. The upgraded shocks shine here—tuned soft, they soak up gnarly ruts, rocks, and jumps without bottoming out, letting me hammer through a makeshift rally course with confidence. Traction stays consistent, and landings are smooth, even at speed. It’s like a mini WRC car—ready to shred trails and fling mud like a champ.
#### Power Upgrade: Hobbywing 4000kV Motor and 120A ESC
Time to ignite the afterburners. I bolted in a Hobbywing 4000kV brushless motor and 120A ESC, turning the Impreza 4WD into a pavement-scorching missile that doubles as an off-road terror. At Parkflyers RC, we’ve seen brushless setups before, but this one’s a screamer. The sway bar and shocks are non-negotiable here—without them, this power would send the chassis into orbit. With them, it’s a controlled explosion of speed and grip.
#### Off-Road Driving: Hobbywing Power
With the Hobbywing 4000kV, off-road driving becomes a full-on adrenaline rush. The explosive torque (300-500W) and 35-50+ mph speeds transform the Impreza into a dirt-devouring monster. It blasts through gravel, powers up steep inclines, and launches off jumps with authority—48 mph on 3S over open terrain was a sight to behold. The 4WD system keeps it hooked up, but the stock tires struggle with this grunt; knobby rally tires are a must to bite into loose surfaces. The upgraded shocks handle big air and rough landings like a pro, while the sway bar ensures stability mid-flight and through high-speed turns. It’s a wild ride—think rallycross champ meets backwoods bandit.
#### Stock Motor vs. Hobbywing 4000kV: Power-to-Weight Punch
Let’s crunch the numbers. The Impreza 4WD (FAZER Mk2) weighs roughly 1.8 kg (4 lbs) stock, battery included. Power-to-weight ratio is key—here’s the breakdown:
- **Stock Motor (Brushed)**: G14L or similar, ~1000-1500kV equivalent, producing 100-150W on a 2S LiPo (7.4V).
- **Power-to-Weight**: ~55-83 W/kg—decent for a casual rip.
- **Top Speed**: 20-25 mph (32-40 km/h)—peppy but no barnburner.
- **Acceleration**: 3-4 seconds to top—smooth, mellow torque.
- **Run Time**: 15-20 minutes (4000mAh 2S).
- **Hobbywing 4000kV (Brushless)**: 4000 RPM/V, ~300-400W on 2S, 500W+ on 3S.
- **Power-to-Weight**: ~166-222 W/kg (2S), 278+ W/kg (3S)—2-3 times stock on 2S, 3.3-5 times on 3S!
- **Top Speed**: 35-45 mph (2S), 50+ mph (3S)—I clocked 48 mph on 3S with tweaks.
- **Acceleration**: 1-2 seconds to top—eye-watering, tire-shredding thrust.
- **Run Time**: 8-12 minutes (4000mAh 2S/3S).
The stock motor’s a steady workhorse—55-83 W/kg keeps it chill at 20-25 mph. The Hobbywing 4000kV is a nitro-charged beast, pumping out 166-278+ W/kg—tripling or quadrupling the punch. Off-road, that means conquering terrain the stock setup could only dream of.
#### Rally Rivals: How It Stacks Up
- **Traxxas Fiesta ST Rally (1/10)**: Stock ~200W, 2.2 kg, ~90 W/kg, 30+ mph. The Impreza’s 278 W/kg (3S) smokes it, though the Fiesta’s wider stance holds its own in corners.
- **Tamiya TT-02R Subaru Impreza**: ~150W stock, 1.7 kg, ~88 W/kg, 25-30 mph. Lighter, but the Kyosho’s 222-278 W/kg laps it in fury.
- **HPI WR8 Flux**: ~400W stock, 2 kg, ~200 W/kg, 50+ mph. Neck-and-neck—the Impreza’s suspension mods edge it off-road, but the WR8’s stock pace is fierce.
Stock, the Impreza trails these 1/10 rally titans in power-to-weight. With the Hobbywing combo, it’s a top-dog contender—blasting past the Fiesta and TT-02R, and trading blows with the WR8 Flux thanks to superior off-road chops.
#### Drivetrain and Durability
The 4WD shaft system is a tank, but the Hobbywing’s torque is a stress test—especially off-road, where rocks and jumps add punishment. Diffs and driveshafts took a beating—I’d upgrade to metal for longevity. The 120A ESC’s thermal cutoff saved my bacon, though run times shrink with this power. A 5000mAh LiPo keeps the party going.
#### Driving Experience
Sway bar, shocks, and Hobbywing power make this a rally king—gravel-flinging, asphalt-drifting, jump-crushing insanity, on or off-road. The ESC’s tweakable settings tame the beast, but it’s no rookie ride. At Parkflyers RC, we’re hooked—it’s a speed junkie’s dream.
#### Value and Customization
The Readyset’s a bargain, but the sway bar, shocks, and $150 Hobbywing kit pile on cost. Worth it? Hell yes, for this performance. Toss in knobby tires, lightweight rims, or a gyro, and you’ve got a custom rally monster.
#### Final Verdict
Marc Mamiye from Parkflyers RC here: the Kyosho Subaru Impreza 4WD is unreal. Stock, it’s a 20-25 mph cruiser with 55-83 W/kg, solid off-road but tame. Add the sway bar and shocks for tenfold handling, then strap on the Hobbywing 4000kV for 50+ mph, 278 W/kg, and off-road domination—it’s a rally rocket that smokes most 1/10 rivals. Fast, fierce, and endlessly tweakable—it’s your ticket to RC glory.
**Rating (with upgrades): 9.5/10**
A badass blend of style and speed—only misses perfection because these mods aren’t stock. Rip it up!
*Published by Parkflyers RC, March 14, 2025*