Yahoo Autos 2022 Subaru WRX Road Test Review | Subie's new turbo top dog
We’ve entered a new era of new-but-not-so-different enthusiast cars. Whether it’s a Blackwing, a GR86 or a Fairlady, “new” has taken on a different meaning. Take the 2022 Subaru WRX. Its platform is “new” even though it debuted six years ago on the standard Impreza. Its engine is “new” even though it shares most of its architecture with the smaller boxer it replaced. Its sheet metal is "new" even though, at least apart from the rather deliberately in-your-face plastic fender cladding, it’s pretty hard to tell the difference.
Last year, I praised the WRX’s poise and balance, and I dinged it for its perhaps-too-short gearing — oh, and the fact that it can’t be equipped with the adaptive suspension or drive mode selection systems that were firewalled behind the new GT trim. “STI is coming,” I said. Yeah, sorry about that.
You probably know the rest: Subaru came along with the internal-combustion STI’s death certificate and turned the whole formula on its ear. So, this is it — the only way to get a manual, gasoline-powered Impreza. And, so far at least, Subaru has no intention of offering it with all the bells and whistles that will be available on the new, CVT-only WRX GT. That means Subaru has put all of its AWD enthusiast eggs into this single World Rally Blue basket.
They’re some reasonably shiny eggs, at least. Its new 2.4-liter boxer-four makes 271 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. Subaru says the larger engine offers a much broader torque curve than the one it replaces. All of that goes through a six-speed manual gearbox (in this case, anyway) and standard all-wheel drive.
And while the roads I traversed in northern California last year were far from immaculate, they have nothing on the cratered suggestions of old infrastructure that pass for roads in greater Detroit. Subaru said the WRX’s new, stiffer chassis allowed them to soften the ride. We already know that it didn’t dull the WRX’s reflexes any; time to see if it paid dividends in ride comfort.
But first, I have to confess something: I’ve never really been a huge fan of the WRX. Sure, it’s great on paper and I’ve always enjoyed turbocharged sport compacts, but every time I’ve piloted a plain-Jane WRX, I’ve found it underwhelming. Blame it on the Impreza’s characteristically rough edges, the parasitic loss of the AWD drivetrain or the ho-hum interiors, take your pick, but I’ve just never been that fond of the experience.
