Personalization has been Scion’s modus operandi since day one. Mitsubishi did it with the Evolution, though more for weight savings than added sales. The idea is simple: With the burgeoning aftermarket offering everything from clear taillights to superchargers, car makers can sell popular vehicles with less equipment to buyers intent on driving directly from the showroom floor to the tuner shop. Cars continue to be an expression of one’s personality, so it’s not surprising the number of owners who seek to differentiate their rides, and thereby themselves, with a unique exhaust burble, the biggest chrome wheels, or the sound system that spawns the most headaches.

Now it’s Subaru’s turn at the de-contenting wheel. Based on the hugely popular, rally-bred Impreza WRX sedan, the WRX TR adopts the same winning formula with its turbocharged four-cylinder engine – though deletes features like body-color exterior mirrors and replaces the WRX’s automatic climate control system with manual air conditioning. As a result, the 2006 Impreza WRX TR starts at $23,995, which is $1,000 less than the WRX and equal to the price of a WRX upon introduction in 2001.