Overview & Reviews

For years, the Subaru WRX has been the high-performance version of the otherwise practical-minded Subaru Impreza. This latest WRX has lost the "Impreza" name on its badge to indicate its dedication to performance. The WRX name signifies the presence of a higher-horsepower turbocharged engine and a sport-tuned suspension. The WRX STI model, (from Subaru's in-house tuning division, Subaru Tecnica International) offers even more power, along with a more advanced all-wheel-drive system that enhances cornering grip.

Current Subaru Impreza WRX
Debuting for 2015, the Subaru WRX is a four-door sedan powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter, horizontally opposed ("boxer") four-cylinder engine that produces 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission and an all-wheel-drive system are standard. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is optional. The STI uses a turbocharged 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine rated at 305 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual is the only transmission offered.

Standard WRX features include alloy wheels with summer tires, automatic climate control, sport front seats, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth, a rearview camera and a six-speaker sound system. Upper trim levels add extras like foglights, a sunroof, a trunk lid spoiler, heated front seats, a touchscreen navigation system and leather upholstery. The WRX STI gets the more powerful engine, bigger wheels, Brembo brakes, front and rear limited-slip differentials, driver-selectable modes for the center differential and a more aggressively tuned suspension. Options include an eight-way power driver seat, lighter-weight 18-inch BBS wheels, a performance exhaust and a premium nine-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

The WRX is extremely fun to drive thanks to its strong available engines and responsive handling. The ride quality does suffer a bit, but it's not any worse than you would expect from such a high-performance car. Less forgivable, however, is the large amount of wind and road noise coming into the cabin at freeway speeds. As for the WRX STI, is definitely turns up the performance dial, but it's harsher to drive on a daily basis.

Inside, the WRX is pretty spacious, with simple and straightforward controls. The driver positioning is particularly excellent, as is outward visibility thanks to thin roof pillars and large side mirrors. Previous versions of the Impreza and WRX had lots of hard plastics and unfriendly surfaces. This model is a bit more refined, but most competitors will still feel comparatively upscale. Subaru's touchscreen controls and audio systems aren't very impressive either, and they stand out as a weak point in the cabin.

Used Subaru Impreza WRX Models
The WRX and WRX STI were previously referred to as the Subaru Impreza WRX. Before that, WRX and STI models were simply trim level options on the standard Impreza. Buyers interested in a used model can get additional information on these used Impreza WRXs and WRX STIs in separate reviews.

User Reviews:

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  Subaru continues to refine the WRX - 2016 Subaru WRX
  By Rob Weaver - September 19 - 7:55 am

  I traded my base 5 speed 2007 WRX Wagon in for a 6 speed 2016 WRX Limited in December 2015. After 5 months of driving, below are the good, the meh and the bad. GOOD Engine - The 2.0L Turbocharged engine is excellent. The powerband is very wide for such a small engine and pulls hard. Youll be going over the speed limit before you know it. Handling - The AWD system is terrific and big summer tires just beg you to go around corners at ridiculous speeds. Throw on some snow tires, and youll be tearing through snow cursing at other drivers going at reasonable speeds in their inferior cars. Driving feel - The seats, steering wheel, instrumentation, and visibility are all set up very well. It feels like number one priority of this car is to give you excellent control of it. The seats hold you in place (even the leather ones in the limited) and are comfortable. The steering wheel is beefy and aesthetically fits the car well. The multi-functional display in the center of the dash is very useful and the option to have a digital speedometer is appreciated. The cabin is very open and 360 visibility is suburb. MEH Looks - I didnt like the looks of the car when I first saw it in 2015, but they have grown on me. It could never be considered a handsome car, but it does have a poised and aggressive enough look when you look at it from the right angle (going around a corner at a 45 degree angle). Clutch action & gearbox - The gearing is pretty decent overall, even if you wont spend much time in first gear. I do appreciate it that I can finally shift into first gear while moving in a Subaru. The gearbox is notchy, but that is appropriate for a car like this. The clutch action is grabby, much more so than my old WRX. The revs also tend to hang when you shift up, so that takes some getting used to. The interior - Based on reviews, I was expecting it to be pretty bad, but the interior really isnt too bad. It is a little too plastic-y with fake carbon fiber and whatnot, but you arent expecting luxury car when you buy this one. It is definitely a step up from the 07 WRX. BAD Stereo/entertainment system - The stereo is pretty weak and the bluetooth takes awhile to connect. I probably will try to upgrade this in the future. Wagon??? - Add my vote to the "Where the hell is the wagon?" chorus. I understand they had to concentrate on one design to get the chassis stiffness right, but why wasnt that design a 5 door? OVERALL I bought this car for the power, handling, and driveability. The car is even better than expected in that respect. If youre the type of driver I am, there isnt really anything in this price range that can do the same things as this car can. It is the type of car that makes me look forward to drive it and it makes me want to take the back roads, even if it takes a little longer.

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  The CVT WRX is really awesome! - 2016 Subaru WRX
  By Don Dumas - September 16 - 5:18 pm

  Yeah I know I am a sissy cuz I got the paddle shifters WRX but in traffic the 6m is a Pain! So I opted for the WRX Limited 8spd 2016 that has ALL the new electronics (Eyesight etc.) that make it easier to stay out of accidents and all The only issue is the mileage-I am averaging 23-24 mpg on average hit 30+ on highway ..So have to fill it up every 300+ miles. Meanwhile my black on black REX is a ton of fun!! Ride is a bit rough on bad roads but, hey, its a sports sedan that Everyone likes!! UPDATE-The forward collision Saved Me a day or so ago-A guy pulled in my lane, then went into a turn lane then crazy quick came back in before I noticed it-The forward collision slowed it way down smoothly and save me a accident!. So I have it all-A fun sports 4 dr car that is dependable, gets decent mileage (29 mpg if all hwy), and looks great and stereo is awesome w sub and can fit 4 adults comfortably. Plus, my 26 year old son Wants It!!! (Im 61 but feel 39 in this car!!)

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  Best Car for the price.. - 2016 Subaru WRX
  By Jesse Schurman - September 9 - 8:21 am

  This car is absolutely amazing. I have owned one since December of 2015 and have loved everything about it. The car is fun, practical, good in the snow, and many more great things. The only cons I could think of are the rough suspension and the loud road noise, but I knew what I was getting when I made the purchase and just feel that it makes the driving experience better. The car is my daily driver and it is perfect for it. If you do not love driving cars for fun then maybe this car isnt for you. For me as a younger person I love it and HIGHLY recommend it.

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  Best car Ive had to date, and had a 911 turbo - 2017 Subaru WRX
  By jb - July 5 - 1:50 am

  I love this car. It doesnt attract too much attention. It is reliable. Oil changes only. No rattles. Interior panels are durable and the ones you might wear (door) are literally 3 dollars or so each online...so you dont have to baby/worry/avoid using it...get in, drive, go. For the real world, this car is every bit as good as a 911. Less attentiona seeking for sure - which to me is a very good thing. Getting 34mpg hwy, 28city...the p car was 24/15.... The ride is comforable. I love the cvt on S# - whatever you read about the cvt, it is likely wrong...it is great and if you live in a metro area (most of us now), it is equal to the stick or perhaps even better....just do a traffic jam every day with a stick.....

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  2016 WRX 1 year and 26,000 miles later - 2016 Subaru WRX
  By valerysbills@gmail.com - May 19 - 6:50 pm

  Bought one after being urban and car-free for 2 years. Had SAAB turbos before and wanted something fun with a stick which is becoming harder and harder to get in the US. Always wanted a WRX and was hoping for a 2nd hand clean STI which turned out harder to find than I though. Bought new since the Prem was within my budget (should have ordered Limited for the lights alone). The Good: Nothing offers AWD and this much fun for the price. Tons of aftermarket goodies for tuning. Good fuel economy for a near 300 hp car. Little turbo lag. Beast in the snow when I put snow tires on it. Far better interior quality than that FisherPrice plastics that Subies have been known for. The Bad: Interior is still cheap with a lot of rattles. Stock ECU tune is crap... falls flat on its face at 4,300 rpm and a COBB tune is a must (or a pro-tune). Headlights on prem and base have poor output. Interior ergonomics are 3/10.... One-touch window for driver only (in 2016!!!), no light sensor to adjust dashboard brightness (in 2016!!!!). A lot of engine movement which leads to sloppy shifter feel. Good car for the money but you will spend a lot of time and $$$ on aftermarket bits to remove/resolve some of the penny pinching that Subaru did.

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  The Best WRX yet - 2018 Subaru WRX
  By Vlad - April 22 - 12:49 am

  I drove 2018 WRX Premium with Performance package. Outstanding! This car handles like a king and the RECARO seats deliver great support and firmness. Shifting is precise and steering gives you a great feedback. I would recommend to test drive different trims and packages before you make your decision. Now Subaru has a car for every driver

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  A long time dream fulfilled - 2017 Subaru WRX
  By Vernon Meade Jr - April 13 - 7:55 pm

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  Practical and a blast to drive. - 2016 Subaru WRX
  By Robert Van Ackooy - March 24 - 8:02 am

  This is my second AWD turbo (I had a 91 Eagle Talon TSi AWD for about 16 years) and first with an automatic. I picked up my white WRX in August of 2015. I love a manual with AWD, but with a 5 speed Mach 1 as my other car, I wanted one of my cars to be an automatic. The CVT in the WRX really mimics a manual very well. Responsive and not too smooth, so that you feel like you are driving a performance car and not a family sedan. Not gonna deny that a manual would be awesome in this car, but the CVT is not time spent in the penalty box at all. The technology in this car is pretty amazing. Never thought I would ever drive a fun, sporty car like this with so many bells and whistles. Lots of safety technology too. Maybe my all time favorite interior (I like it even better than my previous 2011 VW GTI). Seats are comfortable and the instrumentation looks terrific in red. The upgraded (HK) stereo really sounds amazing. The car is fast and feels fast. Very satisfying to drive. Love the signature hood scoop and the quad exhaust looks very sharp. I havent had one regret about buying this car. Practical (4 doors, plenty of rear seat space, spacious trunk), safe (blind spot monitoring, lane change alert, rear camera, awesome AWD), and fun (great acceleration, nice exhaust note, athletic handling) all combine to make this car a total package. No boring drives in a WRX. Update (2/8/18): I had a Borla Catback Exhaust installed recently and it made a big difference in the sound. Factory exhaust was fine, but a bit tame. The Borla Exhaust added more tone and a lot more personality to the car. It simply has made a fun car to drive, even more fun to drive.

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  Everyday Dad Mobile!!! - 2016 Subaru WRX
  By Lance - March 24 - 1:09 am

  This car can easily fit a family of 5 as long as your kids are all 12 and under. A lot of fun to drive and extremely easy to drive. I do agree the clutch is a little touchy compared to others Ive had before. I see myself enjoying this car for years to come, and who knows I might get another one when I pass this on to the kids!!

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  A blast to drive!!! 2016 base WRX - 2016 Subaru WRX
  By Josue Lopez - January 17 - 2:03 am

  Im loving this car, I had a 2009 WRX and this car is completely different, interior, engine and suspension wise. This car turns flat there is no roll, the suspension is stiff, you feel like you are really driving a sports car. Tire and wind noise can be improved. Interior is a big improvement over old WRXs, now it is a nice place to be. Materials and design are much better and the sound system even though is not the best is much better than the one that I had before. ( Hate that sound system ). I got the short shifter and is also way better than the long throws of the old 5 speed WRXs. The engine delivers very good torque starting from 2300 RPMs. When driving on the highway on 6th gear you dont need to downshift to get the car going, with the old engine you had to wait until 4000RPM for it to really start moving. As one reviewer said on this new engine, it feels like in Research and Development stage. When you press the gas pedal halfway (maybe much less) from 2300RPM you feel like a nice surge of power that decreases around 4300RPMs it feels very nice and fast without using the whole tachometer. Now if you press the gas pedal all the way down there is no linearity in the power delivery, is like you can feel the turbo easing up then spooling up a couple of times before reaching redline. It is part of its personality. The sense of solidity and good grip give you a nice secure feeling. The WRX that i had got flooded 5 years ago with 7k and truth is I didnt like that car. After reading the reviews of the 2015 model year I decided to give it a shot , test drove it, like it, and now after 2k I want to go to work, and after work home just to drive it. It is not perfect but you learn to appreciate how good it is!!