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Consumer Reviews for the Subaru WRX
Read recent reviews for the Subaru WRX
Absolutely not what automotive press claims!
Iodoxy, 08/13/2023
2023 Subaru WRX Premium 4dr Sedan AWD (2.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
First of all Rush2112's review is spot on. Here is what you read online: ugly, slower than last version, no STi, not as fast as an Elantra N or CTR, yada, yada, yada. Here is what you get: A powerful driver's car for $30k with AWD. My '19 Q5 was killed by a deer, and I was looking for an AWD sports sedan for the NW PA winters. With my kids almost all driving now, I wanted to get … back to a car for me rather than a CUV/SUV for a part-time family hauler.
My WRX is a Premium, with the Harmon Kardon stereo and moonroof with a 6 Spd. manual.
First of all I think it is a gorgeous car and looks better than the last generation. Mine is the Silica Black. The amount of cladding is no different than my wife's Ascent, which the automotive press had no issues with. Here in NW PA most roads out of town are tar&chipped, and this keeps the painted work free of dings and scratches. The WRX looks like everything else Subaru, which is a good thing because Subaru still believes in making its vehicles look unique. They have always been frumpy and quirkly looking, they are not street show cars. Everything else looks like a bubble. No one will mistake a WRX for anything else.
Second, this is not a drag racing car. The automotive press, especially in the US is obsessed with drag racing. Sorry, if that is what you like, you will live an unhappy life, and never be satisfied with any car, as someone will just have those extra $$$ that you don't and leave you in the dust. I autocrossed through the 90s, and spent tons of time on track days and time-to-distance events. Find a car that makes you smile driving, and that you can learn the art of driving, and you'll be more satisfied for your money. The 0-60 numbers from C&D and others are from people who don't own the car who can do clutch drops and abuse the F out of the car. Don't fall for the numbers game.
The transmission. The torque is amazing, and the clutch is light, direct and incredibly predictable. A new driver of manuals will pick this up easily. I had the STi shifter installed on delivery and it makes a huge difference in tightness. Pushing into each gear has definite tactile feedback. The gears are short, and remind me of the 99.5 Audi A4 I had, where you won't reach 60 in 2nd. Even in 6th gear you are at 2k rpm at 55-60. Yes the mpg is not stellar, but this car is always AWD, and is tuned for the close ratios.
The engine. Roars on startup. If you want a quiet car, this is not the one for you. The cold exhaust does drone for 1-2 minutes after start up at idle. After that it is sheer rumble when you are on the gas, and quiet when you are not. There is a hint of turbo noises, but nothing obnoxious. At my age I still love a rumbling exhaust, but not a fan of turbo noises (those are for the younger set). The engine has almost no lag. The 2.4L could pull the car on its own with no turbo and probably still put down a 7 sec 0-60. That and the twin scroll turbo make any lag minimal. My last car ('19 Q5) had far more lag. Car pulls from 2k all the way to redline linearly. Revs drop immediately on letting off gas to shift. Everything under the hood is accessible (except spark plugs, obviously). My wife's Ascent limited has a cheap prop rod for the hood, the WRX has a pair of real pressurized struts.
Tuning. I tuned my last three turbo cars, but to tell you the truth, I am going to leave this one stock other than an AWE exhaust, some Red Stuff pads and some dress up items. The Audis and Volvos I just had lacked any sense of speed, they were too quiet, too smooth too refined to enjoy any bit of the driving experience. 100 MPH and you thought you were doing 50. This car engages you in the driving experience, and I think it has all the power it needs. I also want to keep the warranty and still drive it hard. That is more genius from Subaru, as this engine has more headroom for tuning, but also gives stock power at lower boost than the previous model. We have 70k in our Ascent and no issues (CVT is another issue). The Ascent has more boost at lower rpm to increase towing torque and moving a bigger vechicle. The WRX works at lower boost peak, but shifts that to higher rpm to get more hp. Ascent takes 87 octane, the WRX takes 91.
Interior. Simple and livable. I can't fault my Q5 or the Audi virtual cockpit, that was flawless. But really once all those gizmos are set up the way you want, you simply need rpm, speed, coolant and oil temperature and won't bother with anything else. The WRX instrument display is straightforward and direct. Two big analog gauges for tach and speedo, and a changeable middle display for instant mpg, average mpg/range, tire pressure, media and then the turbo boost gauge that has a peak function. The 11.5" middle display combines the three from my wife's Ascent into one. A top 1/6 of the screen that scrolls L/R for media and a display for coolant temp, oil temp and average speed is cool. The main screen has the coolest feature in that it will do portrait mode of Apple car play. Bottom 1/6 of screen is HVAC controls, and YES, SUBARU FIXED THE HEATED SEAT CONTROLS!!! One push and you toggle through the heated seat levels, just like a physical button. Physical buttons are there for auto temp and volume, and push to pause music. Yes, the looks of the system are a little Windows Vista era, and I would beg Subaru to allow users to personalize background color and fonts (Volvo does that better than anyone). The system has been labelled as laggy by some reviews, but it is faster than in our '19 Ascent by a long shot.
Seats have great side bolsters for cornering that really hold you in. I'm tall and thin, and can see how a larger person may think they are too tight. Lumbar support actually gives me backaches, so I'm happy without it. Seats raise/lower, setback angle and front back, that's it. Moonroof is simple, but I wish controls were backlit, no biggie. I did have the LED interior lights as an option. No rear seat ducts for HVAC, don't see where that saved Subaru any money, but the car is small enough that it should not be an issue come winter. I can comfortably sit in the rear seat behind my driver seat (I'm 6'0").
Visibitliy is awesome.
Comfort. This is a sports sedan with a suspension made for a dirt track, you are not going to get a comfy detached ride. Buy another car for that. You will feel the road. Is it obnoxious or painful? No way. But the ride should be expected in this type of car. Big impacts ARE smoothed better than a comfy car, little undulations are really what you will feel in return.
Handling? A dream. All reviews of electric steering have been poor from Audi, BMW, etc. don't expect miracles from Subaru in a $30 car. I find no issues with knowing where the car is pointed vs. wheel position, and I used to amateur race. Car corners flat, and with the summer rubber will scare most drivers long before it lets go. Subaru opted for understeer at the limit, which is probably wise. I haven't pushed mine to that limit yet, but we'll see.
Trunk and storage are fine. Only quibble is the center armrest is a joke. I think they cut back since most people get manuals and you don't want your elbow constantly bumping a big console. For the lack of rear ductwork, Subaru could have put some cupholders in back (other than the ones in the rear armrest).
Subaru has a hit!!!
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