First Drive: 2022 Subaru WRX Review

Backed by 6 World Rally Championship titles, Subaru earned a reputation for creating wild and wickedly fast turbocharged cars capable of conquering the brutal road and weather conditions faced in rally racing. That led to an insatiable hunger for a street-legal version of these oft-airborne beasts, and thus, the first-generation WRX was born.

But that was a long time ago, and it’s been well over a decade since Subaru pulled out of WRC. Sure, they’ve been a dominant force in the Canadian Rally Championship, with 21 titles (and by far the most prolific privately-campaigned car in the series), but many young buyers of today’s Subarus will have no recollection of the glory days of all those rally victories.

Related – 2017 Subaru WRX Review

Driving Experience: What the 2022 Subaru WRX Does Best

• Engine: 2.4L turbocharged BOXER 4-cylinder
• Power: 271 hp / 258 lb-ft
• Transmission: 6-speed manual or CVT (Subaru Performance Transmission)
• Drivetrain: Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (standard)

Despite that, Subaru has just released the fifth generation of the WRX – a car that embodies the philosophical spirit of the first generation, but with a level of refinement and luxury never imagined in those noisy, rough “bug-eye” cars we first saw here two decades ago. 

“The WRX’s rough and raw personality from years ago has been softened over time, and for some it’s a lamentable loss of character. But the changes to the WRX are evolutionary…”

The WRX is meant to be a multipurpose machine that can be enjoyed on any road and in any weather, and during a recent first-drive event in Kingston, Ontario, Subaru proved this is still the case. Turned loose on the remote drive loop that wound through secluded forests and around rocky Canadian shield outcroppings, we faced torrential rains that turned much of the route into muddy, gravel soup; conditions that would’ve stymied most sporty cars, but not the WRX.

Suspension & Steering Improvements

The WRX’s long-travel suspension has been a hallmark of the model since the get-go, and for 2022 has been refined to offer more responsiveness and control that accompanies the more precise steering. It results in a car that simply takes abuse in stride, even if that means throwing it wildly into off-camber corners, over roots and rocks, and with ditches filled with water on each side, while gravel is kicked up from all four wheels.

That’s, of course, another key element to the WRX’s legendary go-anywhere-fast reputation, as Subaru’s full-time all-wheel-drive can direct the appropriate amount of power to each of the four corners, maximising traction and thrust, even on loose surfaces. 

Related – First Drive: 2015 Subaru WRX & WRX STI Review

Engine, Performance & Transmission Options

2.4L Turbo Engine: More Displacement, Similar Numbers

There’s a decent amount of that thrust available, too, with this year’s WRX getting a new 2.4 L, turbocharged horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine. While larger than last year’s 2-litre mill, power is marginally bumped by 3 hp to 271 hp, while torque remains the same. Subaru is quick to point out that peak torque is achieved with fewer revs, making it a more responsive engine, however both power and torque curves are almost the same as last year’s engine.

“In upper trim levels, the 11.6-inch touch screen dominates the centre dash and works well, offering standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.”

Still, if the revs are kept between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm, the WRX produces lusty acceleration, making it tremendous fun rocketing from corner to corner, whether on dry pavement, snow or wet gravel. This engagement is enhanced by the standard six-speed manual that gets a set of ratios better-suited to the power curve, plus the notorious rev-hang of the previous generation car has been eliminated, making the new one much easier to drive smoothly.

Manual vs Automatic (Subaru Performance Transmission)

Subaru continues to offer a CVT transmission for the minority of WRX buyers who demand a two-pedal variant, and happily a tremendous amount of effort has been put into this new SPT (Subaru Performance Transmission) to make it far better-suited to the car’s lively nature.

Up- and down-shifts are dramatically quicker and the ratio changes (programmed to simulate 8 gears) do a pretty convincing job of feeling like a traditional automatic. In manual mode, the WRX will rev right to redline, where it’ll stay until the driver clicks the paddle calling for the next ratio.  

The 2022 WRX is longer, wider and lower than before, giving it fractionally more rear seat and luggage space than the model it replaces, with the exception of headroom that’s diminished slightly. Still, it’s a spacious car that’s competitive in size with other compact sedans in the segment. 

Interior, Technology & Space

Cabin Design & Materials

The interior is notably improved in terms of material finishes, too, giving the new WRX a higher-tech and richer feel than any previous generation. In upper trim levels, the 11.6-inch touch screen dominates the centre dash and works well, offering standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.

Infotainment & Features (WRX Limited & Upper Trims)

Top trim models get a great Harman-Kardon sound system, on-board navigation and grippy ultra-suede seats, too. It all looks pretty good, too, although the exterior’s abundance of thick, black body cladding has caused some head-scratching amongst Subie fans, to put it mildly.

The centerpiece is the 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen, which brings a more modern feel to the cabin and houses most core functions. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, and while the system works well overall, the reliance on the screen for certain controls may take some getting used to.

Takeaway

The WRX’s rough and raw personality from years ago has been softened over time, and for some it’s a lamentable loss of character. But the changes to the WRX are evolutionary, and those who’ve loved the last generation should be delighted by the numerous subtle dynamic improvements to the new car, while making it easier to live with in the process.

Best of all, even with notably more tech on board, the new car’s cost has only gone up a bit, starting at $30,995, and topping out, fully loaded, under $42,000, maintaining its other reputation as a performance bargain.