My Take on the New 2022 WRX

I would have bought the WRX genuinely (instead of GLI) if they had a traditional automatic or dual clutch. But no sporty car deserves CVT trans. Sorry, no matter what they call it, it's a CVT and it sucks in a sports car. I'd be totally fine with it if it was for regular Impreza or Crosstrek.

There is always something missing with latest "sporty" Subarus. You either have to pick the STI to have decent AWD system with DCCD, and have to deal with 30 year old dinosaur engine, or have to choose WRX with no DCCD. Hopefully the new STI will have much more modern engine.

If I was shopping for M/T, I'd have chosen the WRX though. Especially base/mid trims offer a lot of value and having AWD is a big plus, and cheaper than a GTI, at least here in Canada.
 
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john_pifer said:
What’s your big issue with it?

I mean, my personal preference is for simple knobs for fan speed and temp, and no “automatic temperature control”, but no vehicle is perfect, right?

I find it to be an attractive setup, and in no way a downgrade from the 15-21 model.
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It looks like it was engineered in MS Paint about 15 minutes before a design meeting and they just went with it.
 
john_pifer said:
If you’re buying a WRX for the interior design and electronics, you’re buying it for the wrong reasons.
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Your just making a generic excuse for the fact that they clearly designed the center stack for only the high end model. We have a very legitimate critism here. Just say "That sucks but i still like the car!"
 
dareo said:
Your just making a generic excuse for the fact that they clearly designed the center stack for only the high end model. We have a very legitimate critism here. Just say "That sucks but i still like the car!"
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Ill say it again - what’s the problem with it? I don’t see anything wrong with it. It’s an improvement over the 2016 I had.

I legit don’t mind it. In fact, it’s almost Teutonic. I’d compare it with Porsche or BMW from a few years ago. Simple. Attractive. Functional.

Everything is a compromise with cars.

Subaru is known for their boxer engine, AWD system, build quality, being tough, resale value. They’re utilitarian. Always have been. But they’re still improving the cabins.

VW/Audi is known for their interiors.

You want nicer interior but less outright performance, buy a VW or Audi. You don’t get the horsepower or the track/mountain road performance of the WRX. But you can get plaid seats 🤣
6CCE45AC-7762-4B0B-B26B-1BB154269065.jpeg
 
john_pifer said:
Ill say it again - what’s the problem with it? I don’t see anything wrong with it. It’s an improvement over the 2016 I had.

I legit don’t mind it. In fact, it’s almost Teutonic. I’d compare it with Porsche or BMW from a few years ago. Simple. Attractive. Functional.

Everything is a compromise with cars.

Subaru is known for their boxer engine, AWD system, build quality, being tough, resale value. They’re utilitarian. Always have been. But they’re still improving the cabins.

VW/Audi is known for their interiors.

You want nicer interior but less outright performance, buy a VW or Audi. You don’t get the horsepower or the track/mountain road performance of the WRX. But you can get plaid seats 🤣
View attachment 71443
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Their Sti has a good awd system, but the boxer is just unique, not good.
 
john_pifer said:
Ill say it again - what’s the problem with it? I don’t see anything wrong with it. It’s an improvement over the 2016 I had.

I legit don’t mind it. In fact, it’s almost Teutonic. I’d compare it with Porsche or BMW from a few years ago. Simple. Attractive. Functional.

Everything is a compromise with cars.

Subaru is known for their boxer engine, AWD system, build quality, being tough, resale value. They’re utilitarian. Always have been. But they’re still improving the cabins.

VW/Audi is known for their interiors.

You want nicer interior but less outright performance, buy a VW or Audi. You don’t get the horsepower or the track/mountain road performance of the WRX. But you can get plaid seats 🤣
View attachment 71443
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At the end of the day, all of them get smoked by a front wheel drive car at the track.

And *surprise* *surprise*, it's more reliable than any VW or Subaru.

DSC0860-1-610x405.jpg
 
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dgunay said:
At the end of the day, all of them get smoked by a front wheel drive car at the track.

And *surprise* *surprise*, it's more reliable than any VW or Subaru.

DSC0860-1-610x405.jpg
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From everything I’ve read, those are incredible cars, and its incredible what Honda’s been able to do with ”wrong wheel drive”.

Id love to drive one!

Still, remember, this is a thread about the lowly WRX...not the WRX STi, which would be the proper comparison to a CTR.
 
john_pifer said:
The boxer engine’s not good?

Wow, too bad Subaru‘s and Porsche‘s engineers aren’t consulting with you!

They sure could save themselves some time, effort, and money! 🙄
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Who DID they consult with? The 90s? Because thats thebhorsepower and mpg they're getting. Straight outta the 90s. Also, this is about Subaru's Boxer, not Porsche's.
 
Ws6 said:
Who DID they consult with? The 90s? Because thats thebhorsepower and mpg they're getting. Straight outta the 90s. Also, this is about Subaru's Boxer, not Porsche's.
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Dude, you’re like a broken record.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve explained to y’all that the output of the WRX IS competitive with its peers.

And why is it, do you think, that both Subaru and Porsche, use boxer engines?

Since you’re such an expert, explain it to us.
 
john_pifer said:
From everything I’ve read, those are incredible cars, and its incredible what Honda’s been able to do with ”wrong wheel drive”.

Id love to drive one!

Still, remember, this is a thread about the lowly WRX...not the WRX STi, which would be the proper comparison to a CTR.
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What I was trying to say is that "wrong wheel drive" can be faster than AWD if manufacturers really want to invest, as both Type-R and Veloster N is faster than STI (not WRX) on a straight line or track when you compare them stock.

Not saying that WRX is a bad car, in fact I think it's a perfect balance of daily driving and sportiness. I would have bought one for myself if my wife was able to drive manual. But AWD system does not make it magically better than others in terms of handling and driving dynamics.

Where AWD shines is when you have absurd amount of power (400-500+ hp) it feels like a roller coaster whereas FWD becomes a stupid tire shredding machine and RWD gets dangerous. Been there, done that.
 
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dgunay said:
What I was trying to say is that "wrong wheel drive" can be faster than AWD if manufacturers really want to invest, as both Type-R and Veloster N is faster than STI (not WRX) on a straight line or track when you compare them stock.

Not saying that WRX is a bad car, in fact I think it's a perfect balance of daily driving and sportiness. I would have bought one for myself if my wife was able to drive manual. But AWD system does not make it magically better than others in terms of handling and driving dynamics.
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Eh, I don’t know if you can necessarily say that the Veloster N is ”faster than the STi”, when you compare manual to manual.

I think they‘d be pretty darn close and it would probably come down to driver skill.

The CTR is an impressive car, and from what I’ve read, has an absolute monster of an engine that is far superior to the EJ in the STi. Yeah, an STi would have a tough go of a CTR in skilled hands around a track or up and down a mountain road. But a skilled STi driver could definitely use that AWD to his advantage.
 
john_pifer said:
Eh, I don’t know if you can necessarily say that the Veloster N is ”faster than the STi”, when you compare manual to manual.

I think they‘d be pretty darn close and it would probably come down to driver skill.

The CTR is an impressive car, and from what I’ve read, has an absolute monster of an engine that is far superior to the EJ in the STi. Yeah, an STi would have a tough go of a CTR in skilled hands around a track or up and down a mountain road. But a skilled STi driver could definitely use that AWD to his advantage.
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Launching a manual EJ25x is an art in itself. I brought mine to the strip a decent amount and ran 13.4’s once or twice. The rest of the time it was 13.6+. Getting the thing to launch and not bog because of the turbo lag or slip the clutch cause I tried to launch at too high an rpm was really difficult, like walking a tightrope.

Once in a while i would catch it just right where it wouldnt bog and wouldnt slip and launched really well.

This and the fact that the sti 6 speed is pretty close ratio make it a poor strip car. My SpecB had the same trans but the ratios were spread a little more and still felt like I was constantly shifting
 
john_pifer said:
Dude, you’re like a broken record.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve explained to y’all that the output of the WRX IS competitive with its peers.

And why is it, do you think, that both Subaru and Porsche, use boxer engines?

Since you’re such an expert, explain it to us.
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For low CG
Porsche evolved theirs and uses a flat 6, though, and it's beautiful. Subaru hasnt evolved much. EJ22G makes similar power to our current STi 20+ years later, for example.

Subaru used to have power competitive with mustangs and camaros and so forth. Not anymore.

Look, if 20mpg and 300hp in a 3500# car excites you, cool, lol. Id want more.
 
This doesnt excite me too much. I understand its a niche car being awd and manual, but I would rather go buy a used BMW 3 series, Pontiac G8 GXP or Chevy SS manual. Something like that if I really wanted a quick 4 door.

Awd, sure, whatever. I live in Utah and it snows but if its really an issue ill take my Lexus GX, F150, or 4Runner. My first car in highschool was a Lincoln LS V8. Rwd, no lsd, and I got around just fine in the Massachusetts winters.

And if I didnt care about 4 doors, i’d be looking at a used Mustang, M3 or something like that. Ive had a Legacy GT specB and my wife had a Legacy 2.5i so I have been there done that with the subarus. I also had a Pontiac GTO and that car was way more fun to drive. The torque, the sound, the oversteer at part throttle, it was just a more exhilarating car even if it didnt pull as many G’s or was not as fast on a twisty mountain road.
 
Ws6 said:
For low CG
Porsche evolved theirs and uses a flat 6, though, and it's beautiful. Subaru hasnt evolved much. EJ22G makes similar power to our current STi 20+ years later, for example.

Subaru used to have power competitive with mustangs and camaros and so forth. Not anymore.

Look, if 20mpg and 300hp in a 3500# car excites you, cool, lol. Id want more.
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Porsche uses a 2.5L H4 in the 718 Caymen and Caymen S.
 
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