Photography Courtesy Subaru
A WRX GT automatic, I guess the Avalon TRD finally has some competition within the market segment.
The WRX already functions as a sports sedan that’s not afraid of the dirt, but now Subaru is apparently looking to make it a grand touring vehicle, too.
Before we get into that, though, here’s the info you really want: The 2022 Subaru WRX, now built on the Subaru Global Platform, is powered by a turbocharged, 2.4-liter flat-four good for 271 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. That engine can be mated to a six-speed manual transmission or what Subaru calls its new Subaru Performance Transmission.
Subaru hasn't shared many specifics about this “new” transmission, but reading between the lines makes us think that it’s a rebranded, potentially reprogrammed version of the outgoing model’s CVT:
Every WRX is equipped with legendary Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and Active Torque Vectoring. Coupled with the Subaru BOXER engine is either the 6-speed manual transmission, which has been fitted with optimized gear ratios and refined for improved shift quality, or the new Subaru Performance Transmission (automatic) which offers up to 30 percent faster upshifts (2nd to 3rd) and 50 percent faster downshifts (3rd to 2nd). The automatic transmission incorporates adaptive shift control that can quickly respond to perform rev-matching downshifts under braking, maintain the ideal ratio through corners, and respond faster on corner exit. Total ratio coverage range has been enlarged, and lower ‘fixed’ gear ratios have been revised to improve acceleration and response.
That automatic transmission brings us back to the first thing we noted: the addition of a new grand touring trim, the GT, to the WRX lineup.
Besides the new automatic transmission, the GT adds a drive mode selector (comfort, normal and sport), electronically controlled dampers, and an exclusive interior with Recaro seats.
For the safety-conscious, Subaru’s Eyesight Driver Assist Technology is now standard across all trims, though only with the automatic transmission.
So, are you excited to get behind the wheel of the new fifth-gen WRX, or are you still hoping for that next-gen Evo from Mitsubishi?
A WRX GT automatic, I guess the Avalon TRD finally has some competition within the market segment.
A few initial impressions and thoughts:
Also, I have a theory that the automatic WRX was introduced to fill the void that was left by the Evo X MR–but again, just a theory.
So the WRX looks like an Aztec Sedan now and Subaru's big new version is an automatic? Well that's disappointing.
Pontiac? Is that you?
Plastic cladding, non-round wheel wells, orange paint, GT trims, automatic... I think I've seen this before.
And here's some more pictures for funsies:
My issue is that Subaru has gotten incredibly lazy and forgotten what it is to make an exciting vehicle.
When the WRX first came stateside, It was the first of the Gran Turismo hero cars to do so. Paving the way for the STI, EVO and GTR to follow it. It was the canary in the coal mine to see if the market would purchase an all-wheel drive turbo manual Japanese performance focused vehicle. Sorry Mazda, the 323 GTX wasn't marketed well enough and Mitsubishi marketed the Galant VR4 as being more grown up and adult.
It created a new segment, within North America, of hot compact sedan with all surface and weather capability that you could drive everyday. Mechanically it was nothing new to the rest of the world, but it had historical significance in North America.
This does none of that. Not even remotely close. To call the effort lazy is an insult to lazy people. This is closer to the legacy GT of the vintage of the original WRX, only with a power bump that percentage-wise doesn't even match the percentage and power bump from competitors in the same time frame.
We lament when manufacturers kill off our favorite models instead of making a new generation. We lament when our favorite bands break up instead of making a new album and continuing to tour. The Subaru WRX is the Rage Against the Machine album- Renegades, you wish that they had called it quits and hung it up instead of producing something that is insulting to their legacy.
Are those tail lights interchangeable with the new BRZ?
Also, can someone please direct Subaru to the "Box Flares make everything better" thread?
Gees, In white it looks almost like my sister's legacy only with more body cladding. I mean it's not ugly but it's also snoozeville.
I'm curious if they'll get more CVT sales by positioning the highest trim GT with only a CVT. Just seems odd unless the pricing is that close to a base STI.
Was reading another article that mentioned 85% of the current WRXs are manuals...
rallyxPOS13 said:Pontiac? Is that you?
Plastic cladding, non-round wheel wells, orange paint, GT trims, automatic... I think I've seen this before.
This made me literally laugh out loud.
Displaying 1-10 of 102 commentsView all comments on the GRM forums
You'll need to log in to post.
