It was hard work driving the old STi fast. No doubt it had the potential to be blisteringly quick in the right conditions, but even in the best of times you’d have to live with the notchy gearchange, pronounced driveline shunt and extremely harsh ride.

The first thing you notice about the new car is that it doesn’t take each bump on the road and multiply its severity tenfold before transmitting it to passengers’ behinds. For something riding on massive 245/40 R18 tyres, the STi’s ride suppleness at all speeds is nothing short of a revelation.

But no one buys an STi for limo-like comfort, so it’s just as well that it delivers on the promise of its rally car looks when it comes to the business of on-the-road entertainment.

At first the steering feels disconcertingly light, but you soon come to appreciate the measured feedback and consistent weighting. There’s a reassuringly analogue feel to the STi’s responses, one which reassures you that for all the high-tech hardware underneath, it’s you and not some computer which is in full control of things.

As with all the new Imprezas, the STi displays exemplary poise around bends, the longer wheelbase and sophisticated multi-link rear suspension really making their presence felt. It turns in crisply, settling quickly into a neutral stance while maximising its tyres’ grip.

Keen drivers will love the way they can use the throttle to trim the cornering line, an option not open to owners of the old STi. With the stability control system offline, dramatic-looking power slides out of low-speed corners are also there for the taking.

The three-stage switchable stability control is just one of the various driver-controlled systems on board.

There are also three settings for the Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-Drive) system, which modifies the throttle response and engine torque characteristics, plus three automatic and six manual modes for the centre differential. It’s like a PlayStation game come to life.

The most aggressive ‘Sport Sharp’ SI-Drive setting is really the only one to use, though. The car feels slightly sluggish in the default ‘Sport’ mode and downright indolent in ‘Intelligent’.

There’s a heady rush of acceleration once the tachometer needle swings past 3,500rpm and the turbocharger is cranking out full boost, but with the rev limiter set at a relatively low 6,700rpm the usable power band is quite narrow.

Thank goodness the gearchange is a joy to use – frequent shifts are needed to keep the car in its peak rev range. The strong Brembo brakes deserve special mention too.