The last time I drove a Subaru WRX, in 2017, I complained that it was too loud and I was too old. Something has changed. And it’s not getting smaller for me. In my week of running it around town and on the highway, the redesigned 2022 Subaru WRX was never too loud, too tight, or too whimsical, even when I was.
It was a pleasure to drive, one of the reasons it achieved this TCC rating is 6.2 out of 10. There are a few more reasons.
Hit: Solar Orange Pearl.
Some may think that orange is a color suitable only for one fruit, but my tester’s Solar Orange Pearl coat was different from the stylish and not offensive. It says that life is too short for beige, but it doesn’t matter what you think. Other Subaras Pleiades may converge under the blue, or coexist in the subararu neutral earth tone, but orange is perfect for WRX.
Miss: Up to that cladding
“What did they do to it?” One wallet said to another. Their views on moving his SUV plastic cladding from Subaru Cross trek The AWD rally was divided into cars, but at least they were united in what I heard. The cladding protects the bumper and quad exhaust pipes, just like the tram line on the side of the head, then runs over the trapezoidal wheel arches and under the rockers. The cuts on the rear wheels are particularly pronounced, the door splitting the cladding in half, its covered lips appearing unfinished every time the rear door is opened. But they are effective at protecting the paint, and the front cladding has effective air absorption.
2022 Subaru WRX
2022 Subaru WRX
2022 Subaru WRX
2022 Subaru WRX
Hit: The hand of a kind, gentle machine gun
The fifth-generation WRX rides on a new platform used throughout the Subaru lineup, creating a more rigid structure that allows Subaru to dial suspension settings. This leads to more restraint rather than bolts on rough-and-build in everyday driving. The vibe of its predecessor, But it feels stable when pushed. Cloverleaf ramps lacked wheel hops, the predecessor of the WRX, with a diminished winter road mark. At the sharpest angle, it has turned predictably and evenly and let me figure out more speed. Some body fat and it is stronger than other compacts, but the tradeoff for sports car experience makes it more livable.
Miss: No STI
There is nothing wrong with WRX, however Subaru’s decision not to give STI topping range Its performance lineup leaves a gaping hole in the worst places — at the top. The brand welcomes young buyers with the second-generation BRZ rear-drive sports coupe, co-developed with Toyota, while WRX adds more practicality while upholding the Subaru AWD Rallycross tradition. STI remains the ambitious Subi, the car purchase horizon before the crossover blanket deal.
Hit: Sweet manual action
The Subaru offers a constantly changing automatic transmission for the WRX, but this car delivers its best with a 6-speed manual. Not only is it more fun, but its forgiving clutch and seamless gate make it a fine vehicle for learning to ride a stick. The clutch take-up is not too springy or too sensitive, and the leather-wrapped stick slides easily through the gate. If anything, Starter Vibe might persuade WRX enthusiasts to call this iteration too forgiving and too soft. It is much more enjoyable in the wide range of driving between Rally fantasies.
Hit: External vision
Like every subaru except the BRZ I can remember, the long windshield and low cowl provide excellent exterior vision, even with the bumps ahead for the hood scoop. Thin A-columns and door-mounted side mirrors keep the line of sight clear.
2022 Subaru WRX
2022 Subaru WRX
2022 Subaru WRX
2022 Subaru WRX
Miss: Touchscreen infotainment
At the moment in Automotive 2.0, it looks like we’ve compromised with a touchscreen for nav and apps, but please retrieve physical climate control buttons, not screen-based. Maybe it’s in my head. To my tester, the Subaru was like a 11.6-inch touchscreen tablet. That’s fine, but I’d rather avoid it or just use Apple CarPlay. At the bottom of the screen are climate control buttons that go up on the screen to access the seat heater, fan speed or vent position. Subaru has made a half-step with hard buttons for defrost and temperature, but why not add the rest?
Hit: Rumiar
Subaru’s more metallic real estate may have something to do with the exaggerated styling of the new WRX: the WRX is 2.9 inches long, with a wheelbase about an inch long, and 1.2 inches wide. But it weighs less than 80 pounds. There’s more passenger and cargo volume, and rear riders get an extra inch of foot space. Life’s milestones are easier to turn into by adding more passengers and more things
Without compromising on what makes it fun in the first place to make WRX more usable. It’s a win across the board.
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2022 Subaru WRX Premium
Cost: $ 30,100, $ 995 including destination
Priced as tested: 32,600
Drivetrain: 271-hp 2.4-liter Turbo Flat-4 with a 6-speed manual and AWD
EPA Fuel Economy: 19/26/22 mpg
Hit: Orange, rumier, kinder, softer, a sweet stick and more powerful plane-4
Miss: Cladding and touchscreen