the wrx is OK...gas mileage is OK...and srt dude is right, it only snows a fraction of the year; and unless you suck at driving, giving up all the gas mileage throughout the year is dumb just to have awd for a few adverse days out of the year.
i came from a 2003 gti 20th anny. the car was amazing for the price tag. i wanted awd so bad that i gave up a sweet car. it was fwd but never had trouble with traction. drove it in snow with z rated rubber on 18s and it was fine.
go drive a gti and you will not drive anything else in that category. its just a different experience, its like going from a gm (shitty interior, but quick) to a german engineering work of art (quality interior, quick, shitty electrical haha). and the only thing the civic has working it its favor is resale value (big deal)