You're clearly a Subaru fan
You're clearly a Subaru fan boy. You do so much cherry picking of data I'm a little surprised you wrote that review professionally to be honest. The biggest problem with your review is you imply that the quantifiable attributes you selected directly correlate with what people are looking for in a car. More gears, quicker steering, more space, more power...
Also, you don't acknowledge that these are vehicles people buy to live with on a daily basis. "More is better" is just childishly simplistic. Turbo lag, boost threshold and engine noise are all engine characteristics that can't be easily quantified but can massively affect the real life usability of the power and pleasure of driving.
Saying a CVT is a better option over a DCT in any sort of performance car is just blasphemous. An automatic will always lose the owner credibility points, but a CVT with simulated gears is about as cool as simulating engine noise through the audio system. Automated manuals are the undeniable trend of the sports car industry, and the only acceptable compromise to a manual. The CVT is just a reminder that the WRX can't get entirely away from the Impreza.
The WRX easily is the best handling car because of its AWD, but realistically the bar for the WRX is higher than the competition. The "hot hatch" field was meant to be upgraded economy cars with only a bit of excitement. They have made big strides in power recently, but their affordable and practical nature is why the WRX is not really in the same class.
Feeling the road through the steering wheel is the most important attribute of a car's handling, and bad EPS destroys the feel of even a tight steering ratio. Without a test drive the best steering system can't be determined. The Focus ST obviously has very tight steering, but the variable ratio is not for everyone. A lot of reviewers don't like the inconsistency.
Consumers want a car that FEELS spacious more than they want a car that leads in cubic feet. How well the space is used can easily be the determining factor in which car is right for a wide variety of drivers and passengers.