So, considering trading in my '09 STi this weekend on a Crosstrek (better known as the XV). Heck, what a cooler thing to ask myself, "Do I want to drive the VX or the XV today?"

If I do go through with it, I surely will miss the STi. She is essentially light track ready with a tune, track suspension, complete aftermarket turboback, and just plain fast and fun (roughly 360hp now). But, after 70k miles commuting around the Capital Beltway with a manual 6spd tranny that is absolute torque, I need something easier and more comfortable. My left leg, which was rebuilt after a nasty accident years ago, is simply not getting better with old age, and that hard clutch is taking it's toll. I LOVE stick, but I think it's time to hang up that mantle.

The hardest thing will be the hp tradeoff. From 360 to roughly 170, and on an automatic CVT tranny (could opt for the 5spd manual, but that only comes in the lower end model, and again, there's that stick vs leg thing). However, the XV has some damned nice options, and for the price, I imagine all of them to be a good deal.

Already researched and been talking on an XV forum concerning "possibilities". Yes, there is a spring lift option. Yes, folks have scaled up their tire size on the CVT and been having success (not THAT big of course). And yes, I have some wild plans for a new project car.

So, from this....





To this....



Fingers crossed....