Honestly, I hated the cladding at first but it has grown on me. I own a 2020 WRX right now and when I compare the way these two look I actually like the 2022 WRX more. The body looks more aggressive and meaner. Like I said, the cladding grew on me, I think it will be easier to maintain and clean when compared to the current body style. I also ordered the 2022 WRX model last weekend, should be here in 3-5month.
for us older subaru fans, we are used to plastic cheap feeling interiors, but that's the thing we dont care. we seek something more than interior materials and what creature comforts come with what package , when you drove your wrx/sti you are smiling all the time, you feel the road, you hear the sounds of joy, the old trusty legendary EJ20/25/7 engine rumbling at the stop signs and screaming that ulh sound when you mash the pedals, nothing will ever go past the ej, imo the best subaru engine of all time. the new 2022 wrx is just another stepping stone in the evolution subaru is trying to lay on us. i accept it. the wrx was a rally inspired road going car for the masses. i believe they are trying for that rally go anywhere off and on road look with some of the sophisticated modern amenities. the 2015 wrx and sti where not in wrc racing and were more street designed vehicles which everyone loved, they got used to seeing the sti and wrx as this. but wrx, its more than that. subaru made the wrx to be an evolving concept, an idea of what the spirit of boxer is. they know new fans wont like it. but they hold the vision of what they want to design. as time goes on and regulations on emissions and safety, its harder and harder to vision what true enthusiast want, and make that reality. sometimes fans dont know what they want, remember going back to the hatchback 2007 introduction, everyone hated it.. but look today, and everyone wants a hatchback wrx, sti. the sad thing is soon electric vehicles will take over as the new norm. and gas engines such as the boxer will only be noted in the history books as legendary, iconic and truly special engines that broke the concept that only linear and v engines can make it in this crazy and demanding market. i appreciate what subaru is doing in keeping the manual transmission, symmetrical awd, and boxer engine in the wrx, power numbers are what they are. a 2.4L boxer will handle more power and will be more reliable than the 2.0 boxer, better torque response and sound. sorry im just a die hard subaru fan thats been with the company ever since i bought my first car. the spirit of boxer lives on in the new 2022 wrx and im all here for it. LONG LIVE SUBARU AND LONG LIVE THE EJ257.
The weird part is the outback XT has more torque with the same motor and also a CVT...Subaru should make a separate crosstrek STI instead of trying to turn the WRX into a crosstrek
Your yearly update videos had me hyped for the 2022 Wrx. What a let down when they released. Why they didn't style it like the Levorg is beyond me. Here's to hoping for the STI, but that might be too expensive. Was looking for a 30k AWD turbo manual Car and Subaru flubbed it. Also your reasoning about the power and CVT makes a lot of sense.
The fact that the WRX is pretty much the only AWD manual transmission sports car under $30K makes me even more disappointed with this flub. Its actually affordable for many people and it just feels like a swing and a miss.
As a prior Subaru owner (‘12 WRX, ‘15 WRX, ‘19 BRZ) and someone who traded in for a ‘20 Type R, I was hoping for something to excite me about the future of the STI. Instead I’m completely turned off by what I see here. And locking the best features behind the GT trim with CVT is a baffling move especially when Subaru themselves noted that 75% of WRX owners chose the manual option. Looks like my Type R will become cash for a Nissan Z. I’ll happily rock an Impreza for a winter beater. No one does cheap AWD like Subaru…but here’s to hoping Subaru hears the feedback and we get a refresh in 2024. And if the STI is anything short of 371HP it’ll flop. No one is paying 40k for 350hp when the Z exists. Hell, the next CTR will likely get a bump and that car already pushes 320hp on 93 octane…Subaru needs to get their head out of their asses
I agree with everything you said except no one paying 40k for a car with less than 350 hp if the Z exist. People with kids would, shit I have two car seats in the back of my Sti, it’s my daily and honestly 310 hp is plenty of power for street use as a daily. I hate the new design however I went from a 2020 Wrx to a 21 STI limited and let me tell you the sti feels perfectly balanced from factory. It feels like a great DD, now a race car it is not, but with a proper exhaust it can definitely make you forget that it isn’t. The Z for the average family guy would be a fun weekend car, but super impractical regardless of its specs.
@@lucian7182 The "family need" is a weak argument, as it simply opens the door for even more competition like a Model 3. I know, as I bought a 2012 as a family car. $40k opens the flood gates for fun cars with utility.
The part I'm excited for is the tuning potential, the FA24 has already been run at 500+ horsepower with stock internals successfully in a crosstrek for dozens of dyno pulls.
I feel the WRX had become pretty ordinary in the previous series, almost an ordinary sedan for people wanting a Subaru with more get up and go than the realtively gutless non turbo model. I know a few people who surprised me by owning one, but to them it was just a commuter car with the pace to accelerate up an on ramp briskly. I think there's been an identity crisis between what would be a true "WRX" and a volume seller for the masses at large.
people are just following the crowd with the cladding stuff. the car looks good, they finally fixed that ugly front fender. not one has seen in person so stop giving your impressions because cars change a lot in person. I think it looks great and I'm not bothered by the crosstrek looks. NO it does not need more power.
Good point about the relation to cvt and the horsepower, never thought about that. I remember initial speculations spoke of different trims of WRX having different power levels as well. Guess they didn’t go that route.
In japan they have wrx s4 cvt with almost same power 300, as the manual. But I guess they wanna keep that version be their self. Like us and some other countries, the cvt only have about 268 or something
@@Chucketh i understand what you mean. Some people needs automatic. So the best is both. For those who dont want automatic, dont buy. Simple as that 🙂 I dont understand people who say "automatic sucks, they shouldnt make it, people who has it cant drive" We can all share the same hobby. Who cares if you have automatic or manual? Here in sweden i never hear o read "that war"
I’m one of the rare people who likes the plastic cladding. But it should only be optional on a more off-road specific trim. Non cladded models should be the standard look.
Couple of points..... I am a manual guy for sure, but CVTs can hold some power. Nissan makes 300HP on the maxima with CVT so it can be done. My thoughts as to why the power may be lower than expected. This FA24 in the WRX makes 11HP more than in the outback but 19 less TQ. This engine in the outback\ascent runs regular 87 octane fuel. WHAT IF this WRX makes as much peak power as the last gen but with a fatter power curve all while running 87 octane...? That could be a great deal. In many places like here in IL 87 octane costs about 75 cents per gallon less than 93 octane. That adds up. Buuut for those of us who like tuning would then be able to do some light mods and an ECU flash to run premium fuel and make some pretty big power. This isnt really a new engine. Its been in use and modded for a few years now.
Yeah you’re right ! That’s what it looks like , and actually, since the topic has been brought up , they should really make the Outback Wilderness with a manual 6 speed transmission option .
I live in the mountains and AWD/4x4 is a must. I bought a Forester Sport as a holdover a couple years ago waiting for the WRX/STI redesign. The plastic cladding has been phenomenal in protecting the fenders from gravel and branches. It's much smaller than the new WRXs wheel well cladding. I can live with the redesign except for the ugly seats and the rear bumper. They dropped the ball IMO. I called my dealer to take me off the waiting list. I have a feeling that bumper will be a 1 year only thing like the 2019/20 Camaro front bumper.
I hate to agree with you. I made a video a week ago right before the release basically stating why it was gonna be a flop and got SOOOO much hate for it.. until now lol. I’m more disappointed in it than I expected to be BUT I’m going to remain optimistic for the STi. Good video sir!
Totally true comment that always gets me in trouble with WRX owners, as a Subaru owner. The previous gen had 268 bhp and one of the highest fatality rates of any model by a wide margin. What's the point of wanting a bigger number for all of the numbnut kids who ought to be spending money on driving courses instead of Cobb parts?
The way they styled the back end (higher, shorter trunk lid) it looks like they wanted to make this a weird hatchback crossover. I feel like the back end is too high and the actual trunk is too short among many other styling issues.
I’ll wait on this one, hopefully they paint match the cladding!! Big Subaru fan, bought the 2015 WRX first week it came out, still have it! And hope they have the rally blue!!!
This WRX release information is a long way ahead of the vehicle arriving at dealerships. Hopefully, this release information is some cunning masterful marketing for the WRX. I am hoping that Subaru of America release a statement next year when the car arrives, along the following lines. “We listened to what our customers said at release. We have bumped up the horsepower significantly to 290hp. We have removed the rev hang and the plastic wheel arches. We revised the back end tail lights, softened the rear diffuser and the front lower lip significantly." Maybe this is wishful thinking. But it would work, right? On a personal note, the current horsepower is fine by me. I just think that what I mentioned above will pull the rug from any critic. The WRX is a well balanced AWD car. Anyone who knows how to drive, doesn’t need the extra power. A good driver more than makes up for power with settling the car with correct braking, smooth gear changes during cornering, and applying power appropriately as they exit a corner. That is what this car’s DNA is all about. I am sure the new platform will provide benefits that good drivers will appreciate. Separately, I have heard an opinion that the power was constrained because of the requirements of emission standards. :)
I’m hoping they do something about that cladding with the STI. There is still the aftermarket, but I don’t think you should need aftermarket for everything on the STI
Not me. Too much plastic and the rear is terrible. I’ll be keeping my 2020 👍🏼👍🏼 it’s a 4door crosstrek 🤣 I guess we will have too see what the STI has too offer
You echoed many of my thoughts about this car. Bought a '02 WRX hatch new and kept it 17 years. Replaced with a '05 to hold me over to this model. No way am I buying this car. If, a big IF, the STI has a significant increase in power and Subaru does something with this cladding I'll rejoin the clan. "I love Japanese sports cars", I also own a '91 NSX. Excellent video
I'm mixed. I don't like the cladding and the fact it has .4 more liters and 3 more HP, and all the cool stuff in on the GT model with a CVT only, but it still is an AWD, turbocharged, rally bred, manual, sports sedan. And people are forgetting that this isn't a $59,000 sports sedan, it is a WRX. The WRX isn't meant to be a speed demon. It's the best of both worlds: practical sedan, and rally car. Besides, it will be in the ballpark of $30,000. And how many cars have the features that the 2022 WRX has? And it would look better without the cladding but to me it looks good. Yeah sure the rear looks like a 9th gen Civic and the side looks like a Camry but it looks cool to me. And I feel a sense of deja vu. Remember in 2008 when people didn't like the 2008 WRX. It felt soft and more mainstream and less hardcore. Then in 2009 Subaru bumped up the power, and made it more fun? I think Subaru will do that for 2023. People won't like this car but Subaru removes the cladding and adds more power for the 2023 WRX. But I hope the STI has more power like 350 HP and looks better and has no cladding but we will see. 7.5/10 I'd buy one, mostly for a daily and occasionally the weekends. But I'd buy an 09-14 WRX for the weekend.
Our '20 Outback XT Touring has the newer 2.4l turbo w/CVT drivetrain. It's Okay, the CVT holds the drivetrain back from being great. As for the large screen Navi, w/HVAC combo, and Harman Kardon HiFi, etc., on a Good, Better, Best scale, it scores a Better. . Agreed, the CVT's torque limitation becomes a big-phat problem for the WRX model range. . What to do Subaru? .... Go to ZF Germany sourcing a dual-clutch 7sp or better yet tap Porsche AG for their killer PDK 8sp dual-clutch .... Subaru boxed themselves in with this across the board CVT strategy shit.
...good pun. I would even take Mazda's 6spd auto over the '8 speed' CVT. Yes, Subaru clearly needs a different transmission. However, they have two very different customer bases - WRX/STi owners and then everyone else. Guess which one is larger and more profitable.
Dont like the styling, mostly the "Civic" rear end. Horsepower seems OK to me, if the torque curve is better. You dont need to "wring it out" if you have better low end torque. Hopefully the ride/handling compromise will be improved as well. They have addressed the two biggest criticisms of the old WRX -- peaky engine and stiff ride (probably), but nobody seems to point that out. They are trying to appeal to a different market, sort of luxury performance, but this is not the traditional WRX market, as seen by the almost universally negative comments. Really wish they would bring back the 5 door WRX, or at least give the Impreza "Sport" the 2.4L with 200 HP or so. Personally, I dont want a hard core sports car, so I would be happy with the GT with the beefed up CVT and adjustable suspension. I think it will be too expensive though, well over 30K. If it is, I would go for the Mazda 3/CX-30 turbo, even though it has a beam rear axle and less refined AWD system.
Agree the front end is good, but the cladding is bad at the back and the oddly shaped wheel arches. They need to change this, I have emailed Subaru on this.
There are quite a few of us who have previously owned the STI (2004 through now) and we've been waiting for the updated version with no EJ. It's been a very long wait. Subaru stated a while ago that they wanted to separate the WRX and STI from the Impreza, so they dropped the Impreza name from them. But they also wanted to separate the WRX and STI from each other. In Japan, before the VA WRX, they only had the Impreza and the STI. Once the VA WRX came out, they debuted the WRX S4, which only had the CVT. So the anticipation is that the STI will continue to further separate itself in the line-up. Another thing to consider is that Subaru wants to return to World Rally racing and it's rumored that Toyota and Subaru are building another car together. Toyota did renew their Celica trademark a bit ago. And next year they're supposed to debut the GR Corolla, which is also when Subaru is supposed to debut the 2023 STI. So there's a chance the next STI will be different from the WRX because it's being shared with Toyota, which would be a huge relief. Overall your points about the 2022 WRX are spot-on. No one has any clue who the 2022 WRX is for. The NYIAS debuted probably would've helped to clarify this during the official presentation, but with just the online video premier to go off of, the 2022 WRX feels extremely lacking in direction. My theory is that Subaru wants to dwindle WRX sales to the point where they can justify not selling it, same as the Forester XT. Subaru: "Ya'll weren't buying enough, so we nixed it." Customers: "You took away the manual..." Subaru: "Yeah, well, ya'll should've bought all of the cars that were manual and had turbos back in 2005, when we were struggling financially: Baja, WRX, STI, Legacy, Outback and Forester." Customers: "We tried! We REALLY tried!" Subaru: "Should've tried harder. Enjoy your Subaru Performance Transmission!"
On point right here. Also this leaves me extremely hopeful for the STI with this deep seperation of the two you speak of. If they can nail the STI I would be overjoyed.
It appears the engine’s displacement went up without much increase in power, so that might have more to do with emissions than anything. The plastic cladding reminds me of the Crosstrek too much. The rear looks too much like the Honda Civic. Subaru missed the mark of their concept car VIZIV, yet again.
You hit the nail on the head. I had a 2022 on preorder and quickly called on release day to cancel my order. Am trading my 19 base for a 21 limited and will probably be my last new Subaru unless they do something drastic to change the upcoming STI
@@EvolutionIX219 was a great choice. To this day i dont regret it. Also having now driven a VB and seeing them the last 2 years i stand by it even more.
i agree with everything you said. yes, that motor is going to be a beast save for any design flaws. the rods are much more robust in this motor. me like you are waiting for the new sti. i will wait til after the first year though. i have an 18 wrx fully paid off and i cool with keeping it. i also have an old 4runner to drive so i have options.
From the "it's about me" desk. Hell, I'm 71 so my life clock is ticking faster than you guys. I've got options too ('20 F150/'05 WRX hatch/'91 NSX) but I wanted a new car for my stretch run. Yeah I got nothing to bitch about but waaaaa anyway
@@stevethomas760 100% agreed. That's a bad ass car and they have aged well inside and out. I'm pretty happy with the Subaru and Toyota combo. They're both fun in their own way. Plus the 4runner has the V8 in it so it can tow a car if need be.
I had been planning on getting a manual, top-trim WRX as my next car in the next 2-3 years to replace my 2013 Civic Si. In Canada they’re a great car to own year round due to the symmetrical AWD. I was shocked to see this thing. I’m not a fan of the body cladding, especially the wheel wells and rear bumper. I guess they did it to match other Subaru products and due to its rugged “rally” heritage? The second knock is the top “GT” trim being manual only, Huge mistake considering 75% of all WRX sold are manuals. This will alienate most core fans. And finally the 2.4L is a huge letdown. The outgoing 2.0L turbo made 268 HP @ 5,600 RPM and 258 ft lbs of torque @ 2,000-5,200 RPM. The new 2.4L is spec’d at 271 HP@ 5,600 RPM and 258 ft lbs of torque @ 2,000-5,200 RPM (only difference is 3HP difference). This is hugely disappointing as I was hoping for at least 285-300 HP. If it is indeed due to the CVT (which Subaru hides by calling it a ”Subaru Performance Transmission”), why did they not just decrease the power on the CVT models like was done on the BRZ between the auto and manual models? This CVT will be awful, as they are really sluggish when launching from a standstill and there was no mention of any kind of launch control. Subaru should have put an active exhaust system, Rev-matching for the manual, launch control feature and a proper DCT to be competitive in this segment. Unfortunately the older Civic Type R and Veloster N are just way better performance cars than what you get in the WRX (despite price differences and no AWD). I don’t really expect much from the STi at this point. Unless there is a major refresh in 2-3 years I may be forced to get a Golf R now instead. I’m still upset over this WRX and it’s been a few days now. I’m sure Subaru could easily offer the manual in the top GT trim, but I’m sure we’re stuck with the body cladding plastic for at least a few years until a refresh arrives.
I watched another video a while back which speculated that the manual was going away all together, so I'm happy they kept it along with a manual hand brake. The styling is actually growing on me as I see pictures / videos of this car more. I'm on the fence about the cladding, especially on the sides / fenders. Subaru isn't the only one going the cladding route though, but I'm not sure Subaru has to lead the charge in the industry. I like the tailights, like the front end, interior is nice for the most part, don't like how the eyebrow gauges are gone from the dash (that was a really cool feature in the 15-21 models), drivetrain itself doesn't bother me yet - numbers are one thing but how it drives / feels are what I'm interested in right now (and I agree that a simple tune may really wake this car up!). Thanks for your thoughts.
You make a good point I should have mentioned in the video about driving characteristics. We are up in arms on the power figures but this car could surprise us with how it drives. The WRX is finally on the new global platform and Subaru has made claims of its improvements. On my 2015 the handling was good but not great. I think this will be a big step up in terms of dynamics.
@@straightupgg agree. I had an 04, my son had a 13 and now I have a 20. They improve every generation in overall drivability and fun factor. I’m not a fan of the cladding but I bet anyone who test drives one will walk away thinking “that cladding isn’t really so bad” 😂
I have a theory that this wrx is going to be like the 2019 camaro. In 2018 everyone loved it, but then the 2019 camaro came out with a redesigned bumper and it got destroyed online. For 2020 they did an emergency refresh. I feel like Subaru will have super low sales and do an emergency refresh for 2023 and remove most of the plastics on the back bumper and wheel arches. I think the front will stay because it’s honestly not bad. That’s just my random guess.
I can see this. Same thing happened with the 9th gen civic in the early 2010s. I would think the emergency refresh could be simple too. Just make a new front bumper, side skirt, and rear bumper that is painted and it should appease many without breaking the bank at Subaru.
I love the body cladding, it's not supposed to be a sports sedan, it is the lowest budget mixed terrain rally-ish sedan on the market. They aren't going to make the fastest or prettiest car, but they make the fastest cheap car to throw around low traction corners. These ugly changes are the wrx finally owning its unique identity again. The bugeyes and blobeye were ugly, objectively weird looking, this is a return to that imo.
Honestly, I do not like it, though Sketch Monkies video with the changes and fix would help it out so much, then the only issue is packaging on their end with certain options and trims and a need for a bit more factory horsepower. I honestly felt this new generation should have had 305hp from the base model. I believe we have all been let down.
really on par with you - I'm planning on keeping my '18 WRX. If the STI turns out better I would solidly consider, but I'm really leaning on just biding my time at this point.
I actually like the black cladding, but I understand why some don't. I think this car looks better than the current gen, which I have never cared for. If the sales numbers reflected the amount of internet hate, maybe I can find a great deal on one. Honestly, I bet these sell a whole lot better than the haters think. As far as the CVT goes, I don't personally want one, but I hope they genuinely improved it. I'm curious to drive the new CVT model. For people who traveled a bunch, the ability to have full EyeSight features like adaptive cruise, would probably make sense. Anyway, I'm excited to see these hit the lots.
the huge difference about this and last gen is last gen doesn't need to rely on aftermarket to look good. that should already come out of the box. rather than spending more to make it look decent.
I also think they didnt want the gap between wrx and sti to be too close. Last gen wrx actually performed better in 0-60 based off some launches from the car mags etc. A lot of people recommend the WRX as a better value because of the overall performance for the sub 30k. I think they want this year gap between the two to be huge so if really feel like you need to spend the extra $ for the sti
Ordered a 21 Wrx wanted one within 3 years or under 30k miles but the price wasn’t worth it in this market so for $2k more I got a brand new VA. Tried to wait for this new gen but I cannot stand the looks of the rear end.
Pretty much hit the nail on the head. I have the same opinion as you. Plastic cladding is SUV like and was Subaru's way of making it a true rally vehicle for whatever reason lol. For decades the WRX wasn't a rally car itself but it was a rally inspired AWD turbo charged sporty four door sedan/hatch based of the Impreza chassis. It was able to off-road and compete in rally championships and also have the versatility to be a monster on the street and canyons. In 2015, the WRX became its own platform for Subaru to slowly change. Rip.. It's unfortunate but the target audience for the new '22 models will change drastically due to the body style and its looks. This generation is going to target outdoorsy individuals who like camping but also like ripping around dirt and off-road places. I mean WRX means world rally experimental. What Subaru failed to realize is that the majority of the people buying these cars appreciate the rally heritage behind it but are not actually using them as rally cars and instead are lowering them for the canyons and motorsport and show. There's such a small percentage of people actually making the new generations rally cars.. With that being said, maybe this is Subaru's way of differentiating the WRX and the STI. I'm crossing my fingers that the STI will not have plastic cladding everywhere and will be more motorsport focused and to resemble the old VA generation. (What all WRX/STI enthusiasts REALLY wanted).
Great video... i just bought a 2018 WRX Auto love the car best looking WRX the new 2022 back looks like a Honda Civic that right there i can't get over it also tons of plastic.... and the same power as mine.... just make my 2018 a Keeper.
Totally agree about the cladding. I was actually waiting, thinking of trading in my lifted Jeep Wrangler for the new STI, um, I'm thinking exactly like you are about what this WRX means for the STI. I'm likely to just tint the windows, add a new head unit and stay in the MOPAR family.
You are not alone! I wondered the same thing. Didn't they market research this new car??? Everyone seems to dislike the body. Why make a car almost no one likes? Here in the Northeast the slightly used 2021 models are selling for $3000 over brand new models. It's unbelievable. No one seems to want the 2022. What were they thinking when they designed this? Thanks for your honest review.
For me if they could get rid of all the SUV plastics, and give us the GT trim with a manual, I'd actually buy it. Yeah it only makes 3 more HP, but the engine is way more capable than the last one, so I'm pretty sure that can be fixed.
It's the 3hp bump and the Honda civic tail lights and the plastic all over that's bad to me. The interior and the updates suspension are great also the front end looks good to me. A great video brother stay safe.
Well I'm most interested in the engine. The FA24DIT that is currently in the Ascent made about 500 hp on stock internals when a performance shop swapped it into a crosstrek with an STI 6 speed. The shop then said that if the did a dual injection conversion with the BRZ manifold, they could have progressed further into the horsepower, since there current dilemma was burning pistons due to extremely lean conditions. The STI is absolutely going to slay when it eventually comes out.
I'm with you on the looks. The rear is just a mess, the front is...fine, the side is tolerable, but the rear. Yikes. For the power, good point about the CVT holding it back. I also think that Subaru tends to pick a benchmark and then decide to meet it rather than exceed it. If I remember right, the original WRX's target back in the 90's, was the M3. Today, what's comparable? Look at the CLA 250 coupe from Merc. Actually less HP but the same amount of torque on the base, then the AMG models get near 400 on the CLA 45 (302 on the CLA 35). If I were to guess, this looks kind of like their "target" for this generation.
ive hated the side profile, octagonal fender arches of this new wrx. But I do have one curiosity that might be the determining factor in changing my opinion. Is that plastic fender arch removeable? Does that mean we can potentially see aftermarket support for ez wide body setups? If thats the case, then I can really see the potential of this new wrx. hopefully..
I think the cladding only looks bad on the lighter colored vehicles where it's so contrasted. On the darker colors, it's not bad. Not a deal breaker for me.
Hey when you owned your WRX what garage did you take it to? I've been watching your vids for a while and only now realized you are in the same area as me!
Just another comment about Subaru in general. They really need to up their game in the powertrain department for both the Impreza and Forrester (Legacy/Outback is OK with the optional turbo0. They got by for a long time with unique attributes with Eyesight and AWD. The competition has caught up in those areas though, with driver assist becoming more standard and crossovers having AWD, and have surpassed them in power with several models. Frustratingly, the new stand engine coming for Impreza/Crosstrek is supposed to be a turbo, but smaller dispalcement with no more power. Hopefully low end torque at least will be improved.
6:20 What a good sight. Can't believe the Type R look so much menacing than the WRX😅 Good and insightful comment relating the addition of merely +3 horsepower might be limitation of the cvt and kudos to bring up the side by side comparison with the predecessor raptor. Ive the raptor eye WRX 😁
Agreed 100% with all said, and a very cool and interesting point you have about the max power the CVT can take. On a separate note, I never understood why young car owners (older folks typically don't want the hassle or are not familiar with the process) ever traded in their cars. I am 36, have owned dozens of cars over the years, including family and friends. I have never traded in a car in my life. I always ask dealers for a quote just to check if they are that far off my asking. I just don't understand why people choose to burn $3-4k on average!
Yeah private party typically is the way to go but in my state (Ohio) you only pay sales tax on the net value of a vehicle purchase. So if you trade in a car for $20K at a dealer you would eliminate around $1,500 in sales taxes. Private party would still typically net more but the sales tax offset helps to soften the blow.
@@projectWRX15 BTW what you have described is pretty much done in all states that have sales taxes. But yep, you would simply choose what's more important time or money. For me though it's more than that, it's a principle. I hate sleezy sales men taking even a bigger advantage of the consumer. Greed could be endless
You can’t remove the cladding as it’s part of the overall design the same with the part of the bumper. They have holes and clips which holds them in good luck removing them.
I'm sure you can easy enough. Like you said, it's likely clips. The bigger problem is even if aftermarket offers some painted plastic to replace it, will it really look better? It will either have an ugly open seam or be made to lay over the outside a bit and look stuck on.
Not feeling it at all. It's time for me to get a newer car with more power. The new stuff is crap and I want a manual with a turbo. Solid Subaru fan here, I'll probably go for an older STI.
wondering what the average torque is from idle (say 900rpm) to red line. compare to current gen. I always hate the narrow power band on current gen WRX.
You are far from alone in your thoughts. With how they spec out the manual vs. automatic versions, it almost feels like they are pushing people towards the automatic. I would not buy the manual when the automatic GT has all the ride customization and Recaro seats, but I have little interest in a CVT. They better knock the STI out of the park.
I think they are moving the WRX to more mainstream and will have the Sti model for the fan boys. Im guessing they might have 2 models of the Sti- a base trim with regular brakes, wheels and ~ 290 hp. And a premium trim with 330ish HP, bigger brakes and wheel etc.. The Sti will not make 400, probably wont even make 350. The problem is that you cant make big HP with a TMIC. It creates alot of heat soak and engine knock. All FA20 pushing big HP have FMIC.
I never understood the TMIC. Heat rises and it seems like the IC would suffer from heat soak quicker. I guess the functional hood scoop combats that to some extent.
The thing that bums me out, they were kinda close on it but still missed badly, the current VA body style had sooo much potential to look even better with the next generation but they dropped the ball.
Feel exactly the same way. The current body was a little understyled but looked great with a few aftermarket items. Lots of opportunity to build off this in this upcoming gen and they just went backwards.
I hated it, I was so mad, and said I was not going to give up my 2018 wrx....but its been a few days and now I don't mind it at all. It's starting to grow on me, I think I'm going to get the 2022 wrx GT, getting older my feet are starting to hurt. It would be nice to know the 0-60 but its nowhere to be found.
Yeah theres no particular reason to even do that they’re literally just seats. That’s just Subaru giving a big middle finger to manual drivers (vast majority of wrx buyers)
Tough call. Subaru is making you choose btwn passion (3 pedals) and technology (GT). If no one buys the WRX, it could be seen as a failure and production could be stopped (shift in market preferences) . If ppl choose the manual, it shows we don't care about technology; however, on the flip side, if we choose the GT, it shows we like technology despite the transmission (or worse, that we prefer a CVT transmission). This is just as bad when VW took the MK4 R32 (with manual) formula and made the the MK5 R32 auto only. Sales showed the MK5 as a dud in comparison to the MK4.
I hope the 400 Hp rumors are true! Most likely I plan on the new STI being the first brand new car I ever bought. I bought my 2016 wrx a few years ago and I love it to this day, but if the new STI is a flop I really don't know what I'm going to look for...
Thanks young fellah - I’ve owned 10 Subarus here in Australia being a GC98 WRX Hatch, Liberty, 20@0 Forester XT, 1996 Outback etc - since the introduction of the industry-flawed CVT around 2014 with many failures occurring around 60k-100k and heating issues along with it hating towing I will not buy another until a more conventional auto transmission is introduced - the Nissan Xtrail has one of the worst CVTs with a global class action law suit for numerous failures and now used in the new Mitsubishi Outlander - plastic cladding is ugly 👎🏻 John in SA
The styling is definitely a personal opinion kinda thing I feel. I don't mind the front, just the rear looks so bad. The biggest headscratcher is the GT trim is CVT only which is very weird. They want people to drive automatic/CVT so bad
Wrx did not have a power jump since it was introduced, I guess. Those numbers were close to 911 back in the day. Now, it's 50 hp below golfs. Not that horsepower is everything, but the car doesn't seem to have much else going for it anyway.
This doesn't surprise me at all. Horsepower has gone from 265, to 268, and now 271. STI horsepower has gone from 300, to 305, and currently 310. Subaru has to do two things: Move 268 hp WRX's off of dealer lots while announcing a new model. If said new model had 300 hp, an unsold 2021 model would be a tough sell. They have to warranty these cars. 300 hp for
Honestly, I hated the cladding at first but it has grown on me. I own a 2020 WRX right now and when I compare the way these two look I actually like the 2022 WRX more. The body looks more aggressive and meaner. Like I said, the cladding grew on me, I think it will be easier to maintain and clean when compared to the current body style. I also ordered the 2022 WRX model last weekend, should be here in 3-5month.
for us older subaru fans, we are used to plastic cheap feeling interiors, but that's the thing we dont care. we seek something more than interior materials and what creature comforts come with what package , when you drove your wrx/sti you are smiling all the time, you feel the road, you hear the sounds of joy, the old trusty legendary EJ20/25/7 engine rumbling at the stop signs and screaming that ulh sound when you mash the pedals, nothing will ever go past the ej, imo the best subaru engine of all time. the new 2022 wrx is just another stepping stone in the evolution subaru is trying to lay on us. i accept it. the wrx was a rally inspired road going car for the masses. i believe they are trying for that rally go anywhere off and on road look with some of the sophisticated modern amenities. the 2015 wrx and sti where not in wrc racing and were more street designed vehicles which everyone loved, they got used to seeing the sti and wrx as this. but wrx, its more than that. subaru made the wrx to be an evolving concept, an idea of what the spirit of boxer is. they know new fans wont like it. but they hold the vision of what they want to design. as time goes on and regulations on emissions and safety, its harder and harder to vision what true enthusiast want, and make that reality. sometimes fans dont know what they want, remember going back to the hatchback 2007 introduction, everyone hated it.. but look today, and everyone wants a hatchback wrx, sti. the sad thing is soon electric vehicles will take over as the new norm. and gas engines such as the boxer will only be noted in the history books as legendary, iconic and truly special engines that broke the concept that only linear and v engines can make it in this crazy and demanding market. i appreciate what subaru is doing in keeping the manual transmission, symmetrical awd, and boxer engine in the wrx, power numbers are what they are. a 2.4L boxer will handle more power and will be more reliable than the 2.0 boxer, better torque response and sound. sorry im just a die hard subaru fan thats been with the company ever since i bought my first car. the spirit of boxer lives on in the new 2022 wrx and im all here for it. LONG LIVE SUBARU AND LONG LIVE THE EJ257.
The weird part is the outback XT has more torque with the same motor and also a CVT...Subaru should make a separate crosstrek STI instead of trying to turn the WRX into a crosstrek
Every current application of the FA24DIT has more torque than the new WRX. :(
@@way2faded it makes me think it's the cvt that was in the NA 2.5L engines because that was different than the one in the ascent and outback xt
Your yearly update videos had me hyped for the 2022 Wrx. What a let down when they released. Why they didn't style it like the Levorg is beyond me. Here's to hoping for the STI, but that might be too expensive. Was looking for a 30k AWD turbo manual Car and Subaru flubbed it.
Also your reasoning about the power and CVT makes a lot of sense.
The fact that the WRX is pretty much the only AWD manual transmission sports car under $30K makes me even more disappointed with this flub. Its actually affordable for many people and it just feels like a swing and a miss.
... I bet the STi will be more in line with the Levorg...
@@projectWRX15 Besides the manual transmission, there's plenty of competition and the WRX becomes less competitive with each passing year.
@conchobar "besides the manual transmission" that's a pretty huge factor there champ
As a prior Subaru owner (‘12 WRX, ‘15 WRX, ‘19 BRZ) and someone who traded in for a ‘20 Type R, I was hoping for something to excite me about the future of the STI. Instead I’m completely turned off by what I see here. And locking the best features behind the GT trim with CVT is a baffling move especially when Subaru themselves noted that 75% of WRX owners chose the manual option.
Looks like my Type R will become cash for a Nissan Z. I’ll happily rock an Impreza for a winter beater. No one does cheap AWD like Subaru…but here’s to hoping Subaru hears the feedback and we get a refresh in 2024.
And if the STI is anything short of 371HP it’ll flop. No one is paying 40k for 350hp when the Z exists. Hell, the next CTR will likely get a bump and that car already pushes 320hp on 93 octane…Subaru needs to get their head out of their asses
I agree with everything you said except no one paying 40k for a car with less than 350 hp if the Z exist. People with kids would, shit I have two car seats in the back of my Sti, it’s my daily and honestly 310 hp is plenty of power for street use as a daily. I hate the new design however I went from a 2020 Wrx to a 21 STI limited and let me tell you the sti feels perfectly balanced from factory. It feels like a great DD, now a race car it is not, but with a proper exhaust it can definitely make you forget that it isn’t. The Z for the average family guy would be a fun weekend car, but super impractical regardless of its specs.
@@lucian7182 The "family need" is a weak argument, as it simply opens the door for even more competition like a Model 3. I know, as I bought a 2012 as a family car. $40k opens the flood gates for fun cars with utility.
I agree with you completely. I am glad I did not wait and I ordered the 2021, I hopefully take delivery of it Sept 29th
The part I'm excited for is the tuning potential, the FA24 has already been run at 500+ horsepower with stock internals successfully in a crosstrek for dozens of dyno pulls.
dozens!
This is the comment I was going to do, Also why I may get it… Just for the motor you can always paint the rear bumper 👍🏼
I hope they don’t sell any of these. Subaru needs to go back to the drawing board lol
that will just mean they stop making the wrx all together
@@robertrowland9334 At this rate they should. Rather let the WRX/STI line die as legends like the EVO than become a meme.
@@robertrowland9334 no they will restyle it quicker
...or buy all the Sports/Base while the GTs languish on dealer lots...
I feel the WRX had become pretty ordinary in the previous series, almost an ordinary sedan for people wanting a Subaru with more get up and go than the realtively gutless non turbo model. I know a few people who surprised me by owning one, but to them it was just a commuter car with the pace to accelerate up an on ramp briskly. I think there's been an identity crisis between what would be a true "WRX" and a volume seller for the masses at large.
people are just following the crowd with the cladding stuff. the car looks good, they finally fixed that ugly front fender. not one has seen in person so stop giving your impressions because cars change a lot in person. I think it looks great and I'm not bothered by the crosstrek looks. NO it does not need more power.
Good point about the relation to cvt and the horsepower, never thought about that. I remember initial speculations spoke of different trims of WRX having different power levels as well. Guess they didn’t go that route.
In japan they have wrx s4 cvt with almost same power 300, as the manual. But I guess they wanna keep that version be their self. Like us and some other countries, the cvt only have about 268 or something
The CVT has no place in this type of car unless you want to drive your fanbase to something else...would've been cheaper to just not make another one.
@@Chucketh i understand what you mean. Some people needs automatic. So the best is both. For those who dont want automatic, dont buy. Simple as that 🙂
I dont understand people who say "automatic sucks, they shouldnt make it, people who has it cant drive"
We can all share the same hobby.
Who cares if you have automatic or manual?
Here in sweden i never hear o read "that war"
I’m one of the rare people who likes the plastic cladding. But it should only be optional on a more off-road specific trim. Non cladded models should be the standard look.
Couple of points.....
I am a manual guy for sure, but CVTs can hold some power. Nissan makes 300HP on the maxima with CVT so it can be done. My thoughts as to why the power may be lower than expected. This FA24 in the WRX makes 11HP more than in the outback but 19 less TQ. This engine in the outback\ascent runs regular 87 octane fuel. WHAT IF this WRX makes as much peak power as the last gen but with a fatter power curve all while running 87 octane...? That could be a great deal. In many places like here in IL 87 octane costs about 75 cents per gallon less than 93 octane. That adds up. Buuut for those of us who like tuning would then be able to do some light mods and an ECU flash to run premium fuel and make some pretty big power. This isnt really a new engine. Its been in use and modded for a few years now.
Awesome they made a Wilderness WRX version.
Haha you’re exactly right. Is a WRX Crosstrek Wilderness trim.
Its an impreza wilderness... definitely not a wrx🤣
Yeah you’re right ! That’s what it looks like , and actually, since the topic has been brought up , they should really make the Outback Wilderness with a manual 6 speed transmission option .
7 years later and this is what Subaru gives us? I just don't know, well, I know enough that I will be keeping my 2016 WRX for a bit longer.
Honestly all I know is that my 2021 WRX just got a whole lot more valuable lol
I live in the mountains and AWD/4x4 is a must. I bought a Forester Sport as a holdover a couple years ago waiting for the WRX/STI redesign. The plastic cladding has been phenomenal in protecting the fenders from gravel and branches. It's much smaller than the new WRXs wheel well cladding. I can live with the redesign except for the ugly seats and the rear bumper. They dropped the ball IMO. I called my dealer to take me off the waiting list. I have a feeling that bumper will be a 1 year only thing like the 2019/20 Camaro front bumper.
I hate to agree with you. I made a video a week ago right before the release basically stating why it was gonna be a flop and got SOOOO much hate for it.. until now lol. I’m more disappointed in it than I expected to be BUT I’m going to remain optimistic for the STi. Good video sir!
Totally true comment that always gets me in trouble with WRX owners, as a Subaru owner. The previous gen had 268 bhp and one of the highest fatality rates of any model by a wide margin. What's the point of wanting a bigger number for all of the numbnut kids who ought to be spending money on driving courses instead of Cobb parts?
Don't make valid, good points, on the internet... People hate that because people are dumb.
The way they styled the back end (higher, shorter trunk lid) it looks like they wanted to make this a weird hatchback crossover. I feel like the back end is too high and the actual trunk is too short among many other styling issues.
So true. It looked almost like a hatchback at the first glance.
Why would Subaru want to give the WRX an off-road look. That's not why people buy this car.
@@combatveteranusnavy2012 not anymore anyways
I’ll wait on this one, hopefully they paint match the cladding!! Big Subaru fan, bought the 2015 WRX first week it came out, still have it! And hope they have the rally blue!!!
This WRX release information is a long way ahead of the vehicle arriving at dealerships.
Hopefully, this release information is some cunning masterful marketing for the WRX. I am hoping that Subaru of America release a statement next year when the car arrives, along the following lines.
“We listened to what our customers said at release. We have bumped up the horsepower significantly to 290hp. We have removed the rev hang and the plastic wheel arches. We revised the back end tail lights, softened the rear diffuser and the front lower lip significantly."
Maybe this is wishful thinking. But it would work, right?
On a personal note, the current horsepower is fine by me. I just think that what I mentioned above will pull the rug from any critic. The WRX is a well balanced AWD car. Anyone who knows how to drive, doesn’t need the extra power. A good driver more than makes up for power with settling the car with correct braking, smooth gear changes during cornering, and applying power appropriately as they exit a corner. That is what this car’s DNA is all about. I am sure the new platform will provide benefits that good drivers will appreciate.
Separately, I have heard an opinion that the power was constrained because of the requirements of emission standards.
:)
..you can't seriously not like the look of this car when you own a wrx 2015-2021
I’m hoping they do something about that cladding with the STI. There is still the aftermarket, but I don’t think you should need aftermarket for everything on the STI
Not me. Too much plastic and the rear is terrible. I’ll be keeping my 2020 👍🏼👍🏼 it’s a 4door crosstrek 🤣 I guess we will have too see what the STI has too offer
The STI will come with a big giant black plastic wing on the back...
You echoed many of my thoughts about this car. Bought a '02 WRX hatch new and kept it 17 years. Replaced with a '05 to hold me over to this model. No way am I buying this car. If, a big IF, the STI has a significant increase in power and Subaru does something with this cladding I'll rejoin the clan. "I love Japanese sports cars", I also own a '91 NSX. Excellent video
My only slither of hope is the new sti.
If it looks the same, I'm going a used 2020 or 2021 sti
I'm mixed. I don't like the cladding and the fact it has .4 more liters and 3 more HP, and all the cool stuff in on the GT model with a CVT only, but it still is an AWD, turbocharged, rally bred, manual, sports sedan.
And people are forgetting that this isn't a $59,000 sports sedan, it is a WRX. The WRX isn't meant to be a speed demon. It's the best of both worlds: practical sedan, and rally car. Besides, it will be in the ballpark of $30,000. And how many cars have the features that the 2022 WRX has?
And it would look better without the cladding but to me it looks good. Yeah sure the rear looks like a 9th gen Civic and the side looks like a Camry but it looks cool to me.
And I feel a sense of deja vu. Remember in 2008 when people didn't like the 2008 WRX. It felt soft and more mainstream and less hardcore. Then in 2009 Subaru bumped up the power, and made it more fun? I think Subaru will do that for 2023. People won't like this car but Subaru removes the cladding and adds more power for the 2023 WRX.
But I hope the STI has more power like 350 HP and looks better and has no cladding but we will see.
7.5/10 I'd buy one, mostly for a daily and occasionally the weekends. But I'd buy an 09-14 WRX for the weekend.
Our '20 Outback XT Touring has the newer 2.4l turbo w/CVT drivetrain. It's Okay, the CVT holds the drivetrain back from being great. As for the large screen Navi, w/HVAC combo, and Harman Kardon HiFi, etc., on a Good, Better, Best scale, it scores a Better. . Agreed, the CVT's torque limitation becomes a big-phat problem for the WRX model range. . What to do Subaru? .... Go to ZF Germany sourcing a dual-clutch 7sp or better yet tap Porsche AG for their killer PDK 8sp dual-clutch .... Subaru boxed themselves in with this across the board CVT strategy shit.
...good pun. I would even take Mazda's 6spd auto over the '8 speed' CVT. Yes, Subaru clearly needs a different transmission. However, they have two very different customer bases - WRX/STi owners and then everyone else. Guess which one is larger and more profitable.
The CVT has been drastically re-engineered for the wrx.
@@cav1991 ... Yeah, right.
@@michaelschneider- it has been. Look it up. I ordered one today. Comes in July 🤙🏽
Great review, and I agree with what you are saying here. I hate the black side and rear molding. Looks like a crossbred from the side. 2020 wrx owner
Dont like the styling, mostly the "Civic" rear end. Horsepower seems OK to me, if the torque curve is better. You dont need to "wring it out" if you have better low end torque. Hopefully the ride/handling compromise will be improved as well. They have addressed the two biggest criticisms of the old WRX -- peaky engine and stiff ride (probably), but nobody seems to point that out.
They are trying to appeal to a different market, sort of luxury performance, but this is not the traditional WRX market, as seen by the almost universally negative comments.
Really wish they would bring back the 5 door WRX, or at least give the Impreza "Sport" the 2.4L with 200 HP or so.
Personally, I dont want a hard core sports car, so I would be happy with the GT with the beefed up CVT and adjustable suspension. I think it will be too expensive though, well over 30K. If it is, I would go for the Mazda 3/CX-30 turbo, even though it has a beam rear axle and less refined AWD system.
Agree the front end is good, but the cladding is bad at the back and the oddly shaped wheel arches. They need to change this, I have emailed Subaru on this.
Haven't seen anything from you in a while, are you doing okay?
There are quite a few of us who have previously owned the STI (2004 through now) and we've been waiting for the updated version with no EJ. It's been a very long wait. Subaru stated a while ago that they wanted to separate the WRX and STI from the Impreza, so they dropped the Impreza name from them. But they also wanted to separate the WRX and STI from each other. In Japan, before the VA WRX, they only had the Impreza and the STI. Once the VA WRX came out, they debuted the WRX S4, which only had the CVT. So the anticipation is that the STI will continue to further separate itself in the line-up.
Another thing to consider is that Subaru wants to return to World Rally racing and it's rumored that Toyota and Subaru are building another car together. Toyota did renew their Celica trademark a bit ago. And next year they're supposed to debut the GR Corolla, which is also when Subaru is supposed to debut the 2023 STI. So there's a chance the next STI will be different from the WRX because it's being shared with Toyota, which would be a huge relief.
Overall your points about the 2022 WRX are spot-on. No one has any clue who the 2022 WRX is for. The NYIAS debuted probably would've helped to clarify this during the official presentation, but with just the online video premier to go off of, the 2022 WRX feels extremely lacking in direction. My theory is that Subaru wants to dwindle WRX sales to the point where they can justify not selling it, same as the Forester XT.
Subaru: "Ya'll weren't buying enough, so we nixed it."
Customers: "You took away the manual..."
Subaru: "Yeah, well, ya'll should've bought all of the cars that were manual and had turbos back in 2005, when we were struggling financially: Baja, WRX, STI, Legacy, Outback and Forester."
Customers: "We tried! We REALLY tried!"
Subaru: "Should've tried harder. Enjoy your Subaru Performance Transmission!"
On point right here. Also this leaves me extremely hopeful for the STI with this deep seperation of the two you speak of. If they can nail the STI I would be overjoyed.
It appears the engine’s displacement went up without much increase in power, so that might have more to do with emissions than anything. The plastic cladding reminds me of the Crosstrek too much. The rear looks too much like the Honda Civic. Subaru missed the mark of their concept car VIZIV, yet again.
You hit the nail on the head. I had a 2022 on preorder and quickly called on release day to cancel my order. Am trading my 19 base for a 21 limited and will probably be my last new Subaru unless they do something drastic to change the upcoming STI
Bad choice
@@EvolutionIX219 was a great choice. To this day i dont regret it. Also having now driven a VB and seeing them the last 2 years i stand by it even more.
i agree with everything you said. yes, that motor is going to be a beast save for any design flaws. the rods are much more robust in this motor. me like you are waiting for the new sti. i will wait til after the first year though. i have an 18 wrx fully paid off and i cool with keeping it. i also have an old 4runner to drive so i have options.
From the "it's about me" desk. Hell, I'm 71 so my life clock is ticking faster than you guys. I've got options too ('20 F150/'05 WRX hatch/'91 NSX) but I wanted a new car for my stretch run. Yeah I got nothing to bitch about but waaaaa anyway
@@stevethomas760 wow that NSX is amazing!
@@jameskocks4734 Not because I've got one but they are something. Had to wait 23 years to afford it, worth the wait
@@stevethomas760 100% agreed. That's a bad ass car and they have aged well inside and out. I'm pretty happy with the Subaru and Toyota combo. They're both fun in their own way. Plus the 4runner has the V8 in it so it can tow a car if need be.
I had been planning on getting a manual, top-trim WRX as my next car in the next 2-3 years to replace my 2013 Civic Si. In Canada they’re a great car to own year round due to the symmetrical AWD. I was shocked to see this thing. I’m not a fan of the body cladding, especially the wheel wells and rear bumper. I guess they did it to match other Subaru products and due to its rugged “rally” heritage?
The second knock is the top “GT” trim being manual only, Huge mistake considering 75% of all WRX sold are manuals. This will alienate most core fans. And finally the 2.4L is a huge letdown. The outgoing 2.0L turbo made 268 HP @ 5,600 RPM and 258 ft lbs of torque @ 2,000-5,200 RPM. The new 2.4L is spec’d at 271 HP@ 5,600 RPM and 258 ft lbs of torque @ 2,000-5,200 RPM (only difference is 3HP difference). This is hugely disappointing as I was hoping for at least 285-300 HP. If it is indeed due to the CVT (which Subaru hides by calling it a ”Subaru Performance Transmission”), why did they not just decrease the power on the CVT models like was done on the BRZ between the auto and manual models? This CVT will be awful, as they are really sluggish when launching from a standstill and there was no mention of any kind of launch control.
Subaru should have put an active exhaust system, Rev-matching for the manual, launch control feature and a proper DCT to be competitive in this segment. Unfortunately the older Civic Type R and Veloster N are just way better performance cars than what you get in the WRX (despite price differences and no AWD). I don’t really expect much from the STi at this point. Unless there is a major refresh in 2-3 years I may be forced to get a Golf R now instead. I’m still upset over this WRX and it’s been a few days now. I’m sure Subaru could easily offer the manual in the top GT trim, but I’m sure we’re stuck with the body cladding plastic for at least a few years until a refresh arrives.
I watched another video a while back which speculated that the manual was going away all together, so I'm happy they kept it along with a manual hand brake. The styling is actually growing on me as I see pictures / videos of this car more. I'm on the fence about the cladding, especially on the sides / fenders. Subaru isn't the only one going the cladding route though, but I'm not sure Subaru has to lead the charge in the industry. I like the tailights, like the front end, interior is nice for the most part, don't like how the eyebrow gauges are gone from the dash (that was a really cool feature in the 15-21 models), drivetrain itself doesn't bother me yet - numbers are one thing but how it drives / feels are what I'm interested in right now (and I agree that a simple tune may really wake this car up!). Thanks for your thoughts.
You make a good point I should have mentioned in the video about driving characteristics. We are up in arms on the power figures but this car could surprise us with how it drives. The WRX is finally on the new global platform and Subaru has made claims of its improvements. On my 2015 the handling was good but not great. I think this will be a big step up in terms of dynamics.
@@projectWRX15 Drive an old impreza 02-07 and 08-14.. the 2015+ had the best handling out of any WRX.
@@straightupgg agree. I had an 04, my son had a 13 and now I have a 20. They improve every generation in overall drivability and fun factor. I’m not a fan of the cladding but I bet anyone who test drives one will walk away thinking “that cladding isn’t really so bad” 😂
I...
actually....
like it.....
:(
I feel like this would give off a nice contrast with a white paint job design.
Cladding and rear looks GOD AWFUL. As 2018 owner, I have 0 interest in the new WRX.
Pick up one of the 21 Sti if you can you won’t regret it I promise.
@@lucian7182 Nah, I'm done with Suburus til I see a worthwhile car. I'm looking at the new Z and gonna wait for reviews.
I have a theory that this wrx is going to be like the 2019 camaro. In 2018 everyone loved it, but then the 2019 camaro came out with a redesigned bumper and it got destroyed online. For 2020 they did an emergency refresh. I feel like Subaru will have super low sales and do an emergency refresh for 2023 and remove most of the plastics on the back bumper and wheel arches. I think the front will stay because it’s honestly not bad. That’s just my random guess.
I can see this. Same thing happened with the 9th gen civic in the early 2010s. I would think the emergency refresh could be simple too. Just make a new front bumper, side skirt, and rear bumper that is painted and it should appease many without breaking the bank at Subaru.
Same thing they did with the 2008-2010 Wrx
Let down is an understatement. That's all I can say
I love the body cladding, it's not supposed to be a sports sedan, it is the lowest budget mixed terrain rally-ish sedan on the market. They aren't going to make the fastest or prettiest car, but they make the fastest cheap car to throw around low traction corners. These ugly changes are the wrx finally owning its unique identity again. The bugeyes and blobeye were ugly, objectively weird looking, this is a return to that imo.
They went full rally cross with the design..its too much.
I wish they went full rally cross... that means a proper hatch.
@@HydraliskX the fact that they wont give us a hatchback here is very disappointing
Introducing...the new WRX Crosstrek Sedan! 😃
Nope, this is definitely a hard pass. 🙁
Honestly, I do not like it, though Sketch Monkies video with the changes and fix would help it out so much, then the only issue is packaging on their end with certain options and trims and a need for a bit more factory horsepower. I honestly felt this new generation should have had 305hp from the base model. I believe we have all been let down.
really on par with you - I'm planning on keeping my '18 WRX. If the STI turns out better I would solidly consider, but I'm really leaning on just biding my time at this point.
I actually like the black cladding, but I understand why some don't. I think this car looks better than the current gen, which I have never cared for. If the sales numbers reflected the amount of internet hate, maybe I can find a great deal on one. Honestly, I bet these sell a whole lot better than the haters think. As far as the CVT goes, I don't personally want one, but I hope they genuinely improved it. I'm curious to drive the new CVT model. For people who traveled a bunch, the ability to have full EyeSight features like adaptive cruise, would probably make sense. Anyway, I'm excited to see these hit the lots.
the huge difference about this and last gen is last gen doesn't need to rely on aftermarket to look good. that should already come out of the box. rather than spending more to make it look decent.
Could not agree more. Who wants to drop a few thousand more on a new car. Same goes for the HP
get rid of the plastic change the tail lights and offer the gt with the manual and add at least 20 more hp and it would be really nice
I also think they didnt want the gap between wrx and sti to be too close. Last gen wrx actually performed better in 0-60 based off some launches from the car mags etc. A lot of people recommend the WRX as a better value because of the overall performance for the sub 30k. I think they want this year gap between the two to be huge so if really feel like you need to spend the extra $ for the sti
Ordered a 21 Wrx wanted one within 3 years or under 30k miles but the price wasn’t worth it in this market so for $2k more I got a brand new VA. Tried to wait for this new gen but I cannot stand the looks of the rear end.
I see a 2023 Civic Type R in my future.
Pretty much hit the nail on the head. I have the same opinion as you. Plastic cladding is SUV like and was Subaru's way of making it a true rally vehicle for whatever reason lol. For decades the WRX wasn't a rally car itself but it was a rally inspired AWD turbo charged sporty four door sedan/hatch based of the Impreza chassis. It was able to off-road and compete in rally championships and also have the versatility to be a monster on the street and canyons. In 2015, the WRX became its own platform for Subaru to slowly change. Rip.. It's unfortunate but the target audience for the new '22 models will change drastically due to the body style and its looks. This generation is going to target outdoorsy individuals who like camping but also like ripping around dirt and off-road places. I mean WRX means world rally experimental. What Subaru failed to realize is that the majority of the people buying these cars appreciate the rally heritage behind it but are not actually using them as rally cars and instead are lowering them for the canyons and motorsport and show. There's such a small percentage of people actually making the new generations rally cars.. With that being said, maybe this is Subaru's way of differentiating the WRX and the STI. I'm crossing my fingers that the STI will not have plastic cladding everywhere and will be more motorsport focused and to resemble the old VA generation. (What all WRX/STI enthusiasts REALLY wanted).
I actually think new gen looks more aggressive than current gen. The cladding would be sick if its carbon.
That cladding on the trunk can’t be fixed lol. No matter the material.
The cladding does protect the paint somewhat …I do miss my hatchback WRX….:0(
...yes, I believe it was styled for Vermont back roads. In fact, Vermont Sports Car may have has a say in the design...
Great video... i just bought a 2018 WRX Auto love the car best looking WRX the new 2022 back looks like a Honda Civic that right there i can't get over it also tons of plastic.... and the same power as mine.... just make my 2018 a Keeper.
I think people who wanted a legacy outback would be happy with this
Totally agree about the cladding. I was actually waiting, thinking of trading in my lifted Jeep Wrangler for the new STI, um, I'm thinking exactly like you are about what this WRX means for the STI. I'm likely to just tint the windows, add a new head unit and stay in the MOPAR family.
You are not alone! I wondered the same thing. Didn't they market research this new car??? Everyone seems to dislike the body. Why make a car almost no one likes? Here in the Northeast the slightly used 2021 models are selling for $3000 over brand new models. It's unbelievable. No one seems to want the 2022. What were they thinking when they designed this? Thanks for your honest review.
Without a wagon/hatch, the sedan bodystyle is of no interest whatsoever to me. Worst of both worlds, IMHO.
I liked the WRX, a rugged rally sport car. I will go to dealer as soon it arrives to my country to check it out live.
“ The horror, the horror.” Kurtz uttered with his last breath.
For me if they could get rid of all the SUV plastics, and give us the GT trim with a manual, I'd actually buy it. Yeah it only makes 3 more HP, but the engine is way more capable than the last one, so I'm pretty sure that can be fixed.
It's the 3hp bump and the Honda civic tail lights and the plastic all over that's bad to me. The interior and the updates suspension are great also the front end looks good to me. A great video brother stay safe.
Well I'm most interested in the engine. The FA24DIT that is currently in the Ascent made about 500 hp on stock internals when a performance shop swapped it into a crosstrek with an STI 6 speed. The shop then said that if the did a dual injection conversion with the BRZ manifold, they could have progressed further into the horsepower, since there current dilemma was burning pistons due to extremely lean conditions. The STI is absolutely going to slay when it eventually comes out.
I'm with you on the looks. The rear is just a mess, the front is...fine, the side is tolerable, but the rear. Yikes. For the power, good point about the CVT holding it back. I also think that Subaru tends to pick a benchmark and then decide to meet it rather than exceed it. If I remember right, the original WRX's target back in the 90's, was the M3. Today, what's comparable? Look at the CLA 250 coupe from Merc. Actually less HP but the same amount of torque on the base, then the AMG models get near 400 on the CLA 45 (302 on the CLA 35). If I were to guess, this looks kind of like their "target" for this generation.
ive hated the side profile, octagonal fender arches of this new wrx. But I do have one curiosity that might be the determining factor in changing my opinion. Is that plastic fender arch removeable? Does that mean we can potentially see aftermarket support for ez wide body setups? If thats the case, then I can really see the potential of this new wrx. hopefully..
I think the cladding only looks bad on the lighter colored vehicles where it's so contrasted. On the darker colors, it's not bad. Not a deal breaker for me.
Hey when you owned your WRX what garage did you take it to? I've been watching your vids for a while and only now realized you are in the same area as me!
THis new model is so polarising...I actually like it...that thick rear bumper should be a US specific detail...ours should be less thick (hopefully).
they took off the side badging of the wrx so it seems like STI couldn't even be mistaken for a wrx
Just another comment about Subaru in general. They really need to up their game in the powertrain department for both the Impreza and Forrester (Legacy/Outback is OK with the optional turbo0. They got by for a long time with unique attributes with Eyesight and AWD. The competition has caught up in those areas though, with driver assist becoming more standard and crossovers having AWD, and have surpassed them in power with several models. Frustratingly, the new stand engine coming for Impreza/Crosstrek is supposed to be a turbo, but smaller dispalcement with no more power. Hopefully low end torque at least will be improved.
6:20
What a good sight. Can't believe the Type R look so much menacing than the WRX😅
Good and insightful comment relating the addition of merely +3 horsepower might be limitation of the cvt and kudos to bring up the side by side comparison with the predecessor raptor. Ive the raptor eye WRX 😁
I seen a pict of the posible STI and it shows with the rear bumper half color matched and the wing a little smaller. It looks great I hope they do it.
Agreed 100% with all said, and a very cool and interesting point you have about the max power the CVT can take. On a separate note, I never understood why young car owners (older folks typically don't want the hassle or are not familiar with the process) ever traded in their cars. I am 36, have owned dozens of cars over the years, including family and friends. I have never traded in a car in my life. I always ask dealers for a quote just to check if they are that far off my asking. I just don't understand why people choose to burn $3-4k on average!
Yeah private party typically is the way to go but in my state (Ohio) you only pay sales tax on the net value of a vehicle purchase. So if you trade in a car for $20K at a dealer you would eliminate around $1,500 in sales taxes. Private party would still typically net more but the sales tax offset helps to soften the blow.
@@projectWRX15 BTW what you have described is pretty much done in all states that have sales taxes. But yep, you would simply choose what's more important time or money. For me though it's more than that, it's a principle. I hate sleezy sales men taking even a bigger advantage of the consumer. Greed could be endless
I agree with your comments. Well Done!
You can’t remove the cladding as it’s part of the overall design the same with the part of the bumper. They have holes and clips which holds them in good luck removing them.
I'm sure you can easy enough. Like you said, it's likely clips. The bigger problem is even if aftermarket offers some painted plastic to replace it, will it really look better? It will either have an ugly open seam or be made to lay over the outside a bit and look stuck on.
Not feeling it at all. It's time for me to get a newer car with more power. The new stuff is crap and I want a manual with a turbo. Solid Subaru fan here, I'll probably go for an older STI.
The best thing about the new generation WRX is the orange paint.
wondering what the average torque is from idle (say 900rpm) to red line. compare to current gen. I always hate the narrow power band on current gen WRX.
You are far from alone in your thoughts. With how they spec out the manual vs. automatic versions, it almost feels like they are pushing people towards the automatic. I would not buy the manual when the automatic GT has all the ride customization and Recaro seats, but I have little interest in a CVT. They better knock the STI out of the park.
4:54 the 12" infotainment system is not standard. Look up the standard infotainment system and you'll think it's out of a 2002 nissan versa
Haha I just saw the base infotainment and it looks so bad.
Oh my that looks horrible! 😞 I thought the 11.6” was gonna be the standard infotainment.. I wish I knew that for my last video lol
I think they are moving the WRX to more mainstream and will have the Sti model for the fan boys. Im guessing they might have 2 models of the Sti- a base trim with regular brakes, wheels and ~ 290 hp. And a premium trim with 330ish HP, bigger brakes and wheel etc..
The Sti will not make 400, probably wont even make 350. The problem is that you cant make big HP with a TMIC. It creates alot of heat soak and engine knock. All FA20 pushing big HP have FMIC.
I never understood the TMIC. Heat rises and it seems like the IC would suffer from heat soak quicker. I guess the functional hood scoop combats that to some extent.
The thing that bums me out, they were kinda close on it but still missed badly, the current VA body style had sooo much potential to look even better with the next generation but they dropped the ball.
Feel exactly the same way. The current body was a little understyled but looked great with a few aftermarket items. Lots of opportunity to build off this in this upcoming gen and they just went backwards.
I hated it, I was so mad, and said I was not going to give up my 2018 wrx....but its been a few days and now I don't mind it at all. It's starting to grow on me, I think I'm going to get the 2022 wrx GT, getting older my feet are starting to hurt. It would be nice to know the 0-60 but its nowhere to be found.
Love the aggressive styling. Agree about the Recaro seats, only with automatic transmission models really?!?!?!?
Yeah theres no particular reason to even do that they’re literally just seats. That’s just Subaru giving a big middle finger to manual drivers (vast majority of wrx buyers)
@@Rumblefan 100%
Tough call. Subaru is making you choose btwn passion (3 pedals) and technology (GT). If no one buys the WRX, it could be seen as a failure and production could be stopped (shift in market preferences) . If ppl choose the manual, it shows we don't care about technology; however, on the flip side, if we choose the GT, it shows we like technology despite the transmission (or worse, that we prefer a CVT transmission). This is just as bad when VW took the MK4 R32 (with manual) formula and made the the MK5 R32 auto only. Sales showed the MK5 as a dud in comparison to the MK4.
I feel like the giant Sti wing will balance the whole thing out. It looks like they designed it with the wing on it then took it off for the wrx lol
How long until we see a remap/reflash for this new WRX?
I hope the 400 Hp rumors are true! Most likely I plan on the new STI being the first brand new car I ever bought. I bought my 2016 wrx a few years ago and I love it to this day, but if the new STI is a flop I really don't know what I'm going to look for...
Thanks young fellah - I’ve owned 10 Subarus here in Australia being a GC98 WRX Hatch, Liberty, 20@0 Forester XT, 1996 Outback etc - since the introduction of the industry-flawed CVT around 2014 with many failures occurring around 60k-100k and heating issues along with it hating towing I will not buy another until a more conventional auto transmission is introduced - the Nissan Xtrail has one of the worst CVTs with a global class action law suit for numerous failures and now used in the new Mitsubishi Outlander - plastic cladding is ugly 👎🏻 John in SA
I like the 22 WRX, and the cladding...
The styling is definitely a personal opinion kinda thing I feel. I don't mind the front, just the rear looks so bad. The biggest headscratcher is the GT trim is CVT only which is very weird. They want people to drive automatic/CVT so bad
This is reminding me of 2008 when that ugly ass thing came out and the hawks became extremely valuable im going with the 21 STI to update my 19 STI
Wrx did not have a power jump since it was introduced, I guess. Those numbers were close to 911 back in the day. Now, it's 50 hp below golfs. Not that horsepower is everything, but the car doesn't seem to have much else going for it anyway.
Hope the sti will be better
They always are. I just hope it looks better, too - not just badges and a wing...
Just pop the cladding off, paint it, and now you have the looks you want while also having a much better all around car than the outgoing wrx.
May i ask what is the brand of the racing rig behind you thx
This doesn't surprise me at all. Horsepower has gone from 265, to 268, and now 271. STI horsepower has gone from 300, to 305, and currently 310.
Subaru has to do two things:
Move 268 hp WRX's off of dealer lots while announcing a new model. If said new model had 300 hp, an unsold 2021 model would be a tough sell.
They have to warranty these cars. 300 hp for