Props to totalburnout for dispelling (or attempting to, anyway) some of the misconceptions about the WRX and the EJ20.
You know, it's funny - the backlash against Subarus over the past year or two is very similar to the backlash that existed against Hondas in the mid-90's. Many of the same arguments, rehashed and thrown at Subaru. Many of the same generalizations about their drivers, too.
There were a few things that coerced me away to Subaru. The obvious was AWD, because I drive into the Rockies at least once a week in the winter to ski, and commute 20 miles a day to work. The other bonus was how well the car responded to mods. I was able to throw $900 at my car and gain 80 crank hp (well, probably less because of the altitude). Try that in many other cars in today's market.
The comment about "a good engine in a family car" is definitely not deserved. There are many of us who can't afford a daily driver and a racecar - some of us also don't want to. The balance between functionality, performance and reliability is what draws many people to the new-ish breed of sport sedans (and wagons!), and personally, I love the trend.
I guess I need to remember that this is what I went through almost 10 years when modded imports were starting to be seen by a vast majority of the public, and consequently judged by a vast majority of the public.
Enough of the rant. I'm sure most of the members of a Honda board don't want to hear it.