High-Res Photos: 2008 Subaru WRX STI

In our frequent exploits on challenging roads and tracks, we've certainly been in our share of cars that leave us completely exhausted at the end of the day. We're referring to cars like the Dodge Viper, which are rewarding in their own right and prompt an adrenaline rush at every corner, but they also demand full concentration if you're staying safe yet making it fun…the kind that wears at you.

Don't get us wrong. Those pure sports cars are a hoot to drive. But to get that occasional burst of adrenaline, we'd rather be behind the wheel of the new WRX STI, which manages to be entertaining yet tenacious, utterly forgiving, and - shock of all shocks - quite comfortable at the end of the day.

Yet, just to remind you, it's a little hatchback with 305 horsepower under the hood.

Here's where we pause for the gasp, if you're one of those enthusiasts who's been out of the loop for a while and still thinks 200 high-revving horsepower in a compact hatchback the STI's size is hot. It has, after all, only been three years since the STI went on sale in the U.S., and less than seven years since Subaru released its WRX on these shores, shaking up the small-car equation.