Video: How much faster will your Impreza WRX family hauler get with new springs?

The Driven Media team has obtained a second-gen Subaru Impreza WRX estate for some track testing and was disappointed with its swaying and side-rolling antics. Thus was a question born: will a $1,000 spring set be enough to set things right?

In theory, stiffer coilovers with adjustable shocks can hold the car firmly in its lane and enable faster cornering. In practice, many enthusiasts tend to neglect the upgrade, thinking their OEM springs are probably of passable enough quality.

As you can easily see from this video, nothing could be further from the truth. Once the old springs are out and the new ones are in, the wagon hits the test track and manages to complete the slalom test more than a second faster than usual. Per the driver, it also feels way easier to steer than before.

The Impreza then hits a racing course to see whether it can beat its old lap time. Spoiler alert: it can, and it does, albeit by a small margin.