2022 Subaru WRX First Drive Review

HEALDSBURG, Calif. — Our first take a look at the 2022 Subaru WRX was temporary and suffered from a definite lack of driver’s seat time. That demonstration was additionally geared towards exhibiting off the competency of its overhauled “Subaru Efficiency Transmission,” which is a tarted-up CVT by one other (simply as lengthy, by some means?) title. This time, we obtained the automobile to ourselves and the one fashions accessible have been Premium and Restricted trims outfitted with the six-speed handbook – the meat and potatoes of WRX gross sales quantity with a take charge that exceeds 75%.

Sending energy to that gearbox is a brand new 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer-four that makes 271 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. These figures are successfully the identical because the previous 2.0-liter boxer-four, however the bigger engine affords a wider torque curve than the one it replaces. The bottom mannequin checks in at simply 3,297 kilos (not dangerous for AWD, even for a compact), the Premium at 3,320 and the Restricted at 3,390. All of these figures are nearly similar to the outgoing WRX.

Subaru has made a giant to-do in regards to the 2022 WRX being the primary to be totally differentiated from the Impreza on which it has traditionally been based mostly. We’re fairly positive one thing comparable was mentioned final time, however in sensible phrases, the brand new WRX rides on an evolution of the identical world platform shared by most Subarus, together with the Impreza, and shares no physique panels with that automobile regardless of each being compact sedans. Even the greenhouse form was tweaked barely. Plus, , that cladding. Subaru says the honeycomb texture on the plastic smooths out turbulence close to the wheel wells, enhancing the automobile’s efficiency aerodynamically and perhaps even chopping down on some wind noise.

The six-speed is sort of good. The clutch pedal feels alive in a approach you don’t typically discover in sporty automobiles based mostly on a mass-market providing, making it a snap to find the engagement level and time shifts. If we’d change something, we’d ask for some barely taller gearing in first and second, as you are out of each so shortly because of the 2.4-liter’s 6,000 RPM redline. Third gear is fairly versatile, however low-speed switchbacks will catch it flat-footed.

Once we weren’t busy dodging freshly fallen rocks and timber on a route that took us from Santa Rosa, Calif., to Level Area on CA-1, it nonetheless managed to be chilly, windy and within the shady components, nonetheless slick from days of rain. We even noticed the occasional burst of graupel – not fairly hail and never fairly sleet however positively frozen. AWD fans would have authorized. Regardless of the often hostile temperatures (elevation-dependent), the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tires gripped admirably, and the WRX supplied no objections as we enthusiastically scrubbed up their sidewalls.

It’s straightforward to dismiss Subaru’s claims in regards to the boxer’s low middle of gravity as mere advertising and marketing bluster, nevertheless it does make a distinction. Even the Impreza, with its completely uninspiring engine, nonetheless handles lovely for a reasonably primary compact sedan. The WRX is that, solely sharper and with far more final grip. Whereas Dan was ready to jot down off the perceived lack of understeer in his ride-along as a testomony to the ability of the skilled behind the wheel, we noticed for ourselves simply how eagerly the brand new WRX turns in.

Whereas its method to placing energy down could also be an software of brute pressure in any respect 4 wheels, it’s not merely a muscled-up Impreza. It’s gentle on its toes for its measurement, it responds to steering inputs superbly and the all-wheel drive imparts super confidence.

The WRX’s new platform is stiffer each laterally and torsionally, and Subaru took benefit of the added chassis rigidity to melt up the damping a bit in an effort to enhance trip high quality. Since our testers all had the fastened metal suspension, we obtained to see the outcomes of this firsthand. Our route took us over some heinously pockmarked Sonoma County roads, and whereas the WRX was removed from supple, it wasn’t punishing. We did observe some fairly vital highway noise on the rougher surfaces, however nothing out of line with our expectations for the automobile.

The inside is exclusive to the WRX. Mushy surfaces are few and much between, however Subaru at the very least put some effort into design and materials aesthetics. Carbon weave sample on one part breaks up the internal door trim properly, for instance, and the stitching and match all through the cabin all current nicely. The brand new WRX is barely decrease than the previous one however is a contact roomier inside excluding rear headroom, which suffered barely from the lowered roofline.

The accessible 11-inch infotainment display that is shared with the Outback moderately than the Impreza and different Subarus, completely dominates the sprint and is fairly straightforward to make use of. We’ll dock them barely for the dearth of wi-fi Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, at the very least within the pre-production automobiles we have been capable of pattern, however that’s our solely main gripe with the tech. It’s not essentially the most strong system on the market, nevertheless it works. The bottom system fills the identical area with two screens separated by buttons inside a black plastic panel – it is most likely straightforward sufficient to make use of however seems to be like an aftermarket software.   

This offers us one other probability to gripe about the truth that a number of the coolest driver’s devices are relegated to the brand new GT mannequin, which is accessible solely with the CVT SPT. Adaptive dampers? GT solely. Recaro seats? GT solely. Selectable (and configurable) drive modes? You guessed it. And if this have been nearly every other automobile, we’d settle for at face worth that Subaru’s bean-counters couldn’t justify the stickshift in a premium providing. However when the automated is the rarer selection, that excuse simply doesn’t fly.

Subaru has one other one within the chamber although: conquest gross sales. The GT is “white area” for Subaru, which means it didn’t exist earlier than, and Subaru says it was created nearly intentionally to draw folks apart from conventional WRX patrons. Those that need the automated, the totally loaded cabin, the digital gizmos and the total EyeSight security suite, in different phrases – not the observe junky who desires the most affordable trim with all the efficiency components and not one of the pointless frills. We’re unsure the place this hypothetical purchaser stands on vaping; we forgot to ask.

For all of this consternation concerning Subaru’s determination to firewall a number of the WRX’s extra attention-grabbing options behind the CVT SPT, there’s a path to redemption. The GT just isn’t the head of WRX efficiency, nor will it’s the best-equipped model for lengthy: We do not know the small print, however a brand new STI is coming.  

Till then, the WRX variations we drove basically show that the Impreza has a beautiful chassis in quest of extra energy. If you will get previous the seems to be, which work surprisingly nicely in particular person, and the transmission kerfuffle, what you’ll discover is a refined tackle a tried-and-true method. The quasi-redesigned Nissan Z, Cadillac CT4 and CT5, and even Subaru’s personal BRZ (alongside the Toyota GR86) have confirmed that gasoline-powered fanatic automobiles will not be the place automotive product growth is devoting its effort and {dollars}. That’s a chorus fanatic patrons ought to get used to – except they’re keen to look past fuel engines.

We’ll get one other shot on the WRX when Subaru is ready to crank out just a few extra early builds with the totally-not-a-CVT. The corporate says the hole needs to be comparatively small, so that you received’t have to attend too lengthy. Even in the event you’re within the 75% of potential patrons who do not care about it, it’s a milestone value watching out for, as a result of it means the subsequent factor coming down the pipeline is STI.