@@steveallen1340 nope the cvt is literally just under 7 seconds or so the wrx seems quite slow for its class and generally slow aswell unfourtantly it bad great potential 20kw more then a 330i form 2016 yet its 1 second slower in cvt then that.
Yeah this is eactly why there was so much drama over it when it came out. The gearing makes the newer model slightly slower to 60 compared to the previous gen. Of course the WRX was never supposed to be about straighline speed anyway.
How do you manage to drive a nice windy back road without any traffic? I always get stuck behind someone who seems scared shitless because there's a few bends in the road.
@@perpetualgrin5804 and how fast it accelerates which is why it’s low because the engine only has 350Nm. For a 2.4 it should be pushing 250kW and 500Nm and then it would hustle like a proper wrx
@@paulsimpson8990 sure. As you read down the comment section, most people are concerned about 0-60 times and disregard pretty much every else that makes a car balanced. Take a look at the Miata or even a BRZ. Actually, let’s even look at the old ones. These cars as slow as dirt in a straight line, but why do they still become the preferred car during touge and track days? The VB isn’t a Miata, but there’s more car than what the 0-60 shows. For the car having open diffs, the chassis nearly makes up for it in handling. But if course, details like this will be left out of the car brochure..
@@xtrekrex I agree that there is much more than acceleration figures which everyone seems to be obsessed with these days. But in saying that the video tests acceleration so everyone is of course going to comment on that. The wrx isn’t exactly the last name in cornering ability either. The front engine and drive hangs way over the front axle and mine certainly loved to understeer under power when existing a corner if you weren’t careful. Personally I don’t think the wrx measures up on any scale these days. A i30n would corner harder and faster and beat it down the track and it keeps its warranty even if you track it. Subaru is just trading on the wrx name imo.
@@paulsimpson8990 Just about every AWD car understeers into corners. There are several ways to mitigate these issues: rear sway bar, camber adjustment, better tires, and learning to trail brake. This car won't handle like a RWD into corners, but that's not the point I was originally trying to make. Getting swallowed by smaller and more nimble cars around a small track isn't anything new. It happens literally all the time. Mini Coopers, Miatas, BRZ/86s, older Civics, the list goes on and on. The WRX makes sacrifices in handling for things like driving in the snow, rallyx, and etc. But my point is that people look at 0-60 times of a car, make an opinion about the car based off those figures, and dismiss pretty much everything else about a car. And I'm not even talking about the WRX..
@@xtrekrex yeah fair call. My experience with the wrx was power understeer on the way out of the corner but in general I find it’s a car that you need to grab by the scruff of the neck and really push it for it to respond. The best cars have a flow or rhythm to them and lots don’t. But agree everyone is obsessed with acceleration figures. Imagine how frustrated that makes a company like Porsche feel when they release a new 911 and they have to have the handling and the acceleration. With modern tyres, suspend and gearboxes you can have both these days though.
@@fullboost Yeah I remember seeing your video a couple of years ago. Very low boost for a modern car. Have you guys tried changing gearing or anything like that? I feel like more power would spin through first gear ridiculously quick.
@@drivingenthusiastaustralia We don't run the std tyres and haven't seen any traction issues with the increase in torque, but we also don't drive it like its a press car either :).
@@fullboostFair enough. I didn’t mean wheelspin sorry. I meant you’d need the arms of Bruce Lee to change into second gear, as first gear would be over in split seconds.
@@drivingenthusiastaustralia l rarely drive it WOT in first gear so haven't really noticed it be honest. These cars are torque limited in first gear anyway. 0-100 is now 4.8s as a comparison but you own these cars for the all weather grip really. 👍 Keep up the great work.
Let's see how the new tS is gonna drive, but i simply don't get Subaru's intentions. The VB was made with intent on STi model, but Subaru refuses and continues to piss off their customer base with this... mockery. I'm hoping that Subaru is getting their message with the sales figures. Should've gone STi instead of this EV bs-ery
Most of the exhaust note change is the move to the equal length exhaust manifold. Similar to the brz which is also equal length. The unequal length header is what made the boxer sound.
So... They made an i30N-Line and Cerato GT competitor? The WRX is barely a traffic light princess anymore if you have to clutch dump it just to beat those...
The Subie sound has nothing to do with the mufflers. It was the unequal length headers. gearing is too low/close. synchros suck. boost doesn't hit until 4500. the rev limiter is way way too harsh.
You have to really ride the clutch off the line to make up for the lack of torque and first gear is just ridiculous how quick the rev limiter cuts in. The car is amazing on the back roads but it’s just disappointing that Subaru hasn’t developed the car to give us something interesting. They are too focused on the suv line up and it’s sad but It seems like they are just letting the Wrx dwindle out, the sales volume proves that.
@@pk-so1mj Yep, that’s how I got 5.93s in previous tests. But it’s not good for the clutch at all lol. It is a shame they missed the mark with this one. It has some great attributes but just a bit underwhelming in a few areas. Might be the last before hybrid as well.
The speed at the quarter mile shows it just doesn’t have the power.. the i30n is travelling a good 10km/h faster at the quarter mile and despite a much softer launch being front wheel drive.. the wrx is all launch and then not much after.. they also buck and vibrate through every full throttle gear change.. today the wrx is just a nice cruiser with a turbo engine lifted from the Subaru ascent.. not really a performance car like it once was
There normal for 4 cylinder manuel cars I've owned an this car gets best fuel economy sitting around 2700 rpms cruising stock I avg 27.5 mpg doing 70 on freeway got 31 an like 30 at 80 even fbo tuned now I avg 25 freeway speeds taking the hardest hit in mpg getting like 27 but cruising in 5th at like 55 to 60 on a pretty flat road it get 35mpg but slow speeds stumping on it or very hilly terrain kills mpg
Also a 6000rpm rev limit shows Subaru isnt serious with this car. A short ratio gearbox and low rev limit don’t match up too well. Plus the engine is still laggy so very very narrow power band. The older wrx/sti at least rev to 6700rpm. Like that song from topgun….Subaru “you’ve lost that loving feeling, oh that loving feeling, bring back that loving feeling, it’s gone, gone gone, oh oh ooo.
@@paulsimpson8990 the first time I drove a vb wrx I went flat on first gear and hit the rev cut… I was shocked as car basically stopped.. the rpm limit Is unacceptably Low for this style of car.. because it’s a suv engine not intended for performance driving
Most people are clueless on how to assess a car here This car runs too low boost psi from factory. For a 2.4, change diff or gearing. Rpm is too low for this type of vehicle with the short gears corners well it seems, brakes good, lots of space. To me, its a liberty Gt not a wrx anymore, its just marketed as a wrx
It’s a controversial car for sure. But here’s my 2c if anyone’s interested in reading.. im a Subaru die hard fan, owned several WRX’s over the years and other Subarus as well, so I was eager to see how the new VB was, with the serious intent to buy. After test driving both the manual and auto (both RS grade), I honestly felt that the auto was the better car. At the end of the day it surprised me with how smooth and good it was where as the manual did not meet my expectations. The Subaru cvt as far as cvt’s go are actually very good. But at nearly $70k for the TS auto sedan with some accessories and aftermarket fitted I just couldn’t dive that deep into it. I chose an i30N which is currently on order. At age 40 I found myself still in my boy racer phase and although the VB series WRX is a very very good car, and fits its place in the market well imo, it just left me a little disappointed for what I was and still am looking for in a performance car. People complaining that it’s nothing like the WRX’s of old…I’m adamant that the VB is a very good car and there’s no way an older generation WRX of old would work or sell in todays market if it were new today. The laggy throttle response then kick in the back whoosh which the EJ motor provided was tried and true for over 25 years and was all well and good for that time, but with todays market and demand it just wouldnt work. So I get it, I really do, but for me personally, this die hard Subaru freak went astray and went for an i30N which is an absolutely sensational car in every way. My MY25 updated N hatch is due in a couple of weeks
I also bought i30N when I was a rusted on Subaru WRX man. The wrx is a really good car but the i30n is a far more focused car for the same Money. In the 1990s, The wrx was a sensation as it was a giant killer for little money.. but the opposition has well surpassed it and Subaru has sat still.
Just curious, why did you chose going for the i30 N hatch rather than the sedan? Did you go for the manual or the auto (DCT)? Whilst you were at the Subaru dealership, did you have a look at the WRX Sportswagon? Wishing you all the best with your new Hyundai i30 N hatch. Cheers.
@@nicholasmatthews5989 I actually had a 24 update sedan on order and as the months rolled past waiting for it to arrive, it no longer felt right and I found myself not looking forward to it at all. The hatch was what I’d always been interested in but at yeh time I ordered the sedan. But after some thought from my head and heart lol, I cancelled the order on the sedan and ordered a MY25 hatch instead. I chose premium dct in performance blue and sunroof, in both cars. Both were exact same price as well. I didn’t look at the wrx sport wagon. Personally of if I were looking at that style of car I would rather go for an Outback turbo than WRX sport wagon
@@jvvoid I haven’t noticed any but I don’t flog the guts out of it either. Just because it’s a quick car doesn’t mean I drive it that way all the time. As far as front wheel drive performance cars go the N is one of the better ones. Journos all over the world praise how well it handles and how clever the front end is. And me as an owner can agree 100%. Really though how often are you going to be driving in the wet versus the dry? Not much. Even if I wanted to take it further, the Powerflex bushes are an extremely popular mod on the N cars and they eliminate any axle tramp by means of swapping out torque pitch mounts and also engine and gearbox mounts if desired. Popular with those that track their N’s
@@xtrekrex it’s hard trying to find verified Dragy/VBox testing of stock older vehicles, but PDrive tested a 2015 Manual WRX at 5.9secs. I’m pretty sure GC and GD models were around those times too. So this 2024 model is certainly slower than the cars they made 10years ago, but will require older magazine numbers to get the 20 year older versions. Which from memory were very late 5’s
For a performance car this is really underwhelming, not only is it severly underpowered, it lacks in most departments compared to other cars within its price range. Subaru use to own the road with the WRX, 20-25 years ago this car use to demolish V8’s that had 3x its capacity, nowadays it struggles to go past your everyday soccer mum SUV or some random Uber driver in a Camry, it’s absolutely embarrasing. Most modern sports cars and hot hatches have pushed the boundaries so far and yet Subaru is stuck in the year 2000. For a 2.4L it is horribly detuned since most 2.0L turbo’s far exceed it in both hp (kw) and torque, it looks lackluster, to give the automatic variant a CVT rather than a proper performance tuned gearbox such as a DCT or ZF Auto is bad on Subaru’s part just to simply cut costs, a Civic Type R, i30 N, Golf R, GR Yaris/Corolla would absolutely leave you in the dust and lining up against any V8 would be simply embarrasing, besides having a solid AWD launch and cornering abilities there really isn’t much going on for this car. It’s a dissapointment at how far the WRX name has been tarnished, I no longer see as a proper perforance car, just a everyday family sedan with a turbocharger and bonnet scoop. I really wanted to upgrade my VA WRX to this but honestly it felt like taking a backward step, so I decided to purchase a Sonata N Line instead, looks sleeker, has better interior, a better transmission in having a DCT from the i30N (Elantra N), and it would absolutely blow the doors off this thing as it has exceptional performance and shreds its front wheels like a maniac, I keep telling myself that is what the WRX should’ve been, but Subaru is ok with being at the bottom of the barrel, sure 0-100 times are similar but in a roll on the Sonata would leave this thing for dead.
I have no problem with the new platform. Have done track days on it as well as taken the car through winter storms. The chassis on this car is something people barely talk about. Too much focus on horsepower these days, and people forget about what makes a car balanced.
That shape is growing on me a bit too, but it does feel like the WRX has lost some of the magic. I actually like that old school feeling of the slight lag, it adds a bit of personality. All the clever variable geometry turbos are very clever but the lag and then the boost hit are what used to give me the WRX grin! The gearing is an issue though, it would get tiresome on a long trip. The redline is disappointingly low too, seems like as soon as it starts to hit its straps you're on the rev limiter. Getting the best time by shifting at 5 grand isn't very "WRX"! It did look like fun on the mountain road tho, and kudos to Subaru for trying to put a bit more fun into it. This model and the CVT really broke my heart when they arrived. I guess we have to cling to these old school things anyway while we still have them. Enjoyed the vid, thanks Brett.
There still is some lag but not as much as the older models. And the minor lag kinda sucks during performance driving. The gearing can definitely be taller. But I can understand the nostalgic feeling of boosted cars back in the hay days.
@@xtrekrex yes I had a GC8 back in the day and loved that. Was an MY99 so wasn't as laggy as the earlier ones but it was a fun challenge to get the best out of it and even tho it wasn't brutally fast by today's standards the shove in the back when it hit boost never failed to make me smile. We had an i30N until recently which was absolutely superb and had virtually no lag because of the VGT but it never made me smile like the old school Rexy did.
Shows how much the game has moved on and how far behind Subaru really is. Would anyone who doesn’t live in the snow actually buy one of these over an i30N which would be faster, better, more reliable, warranted on the track? Alternatively if you want a faster and more comfortable daily driver then buy a rwd Tesla model 3. You can guarantee that in 5 years time the Subaru will be leaking bf oil from its rocker covers and will be on its 3rd clutch. Subaru is just so far behind these days.
What do you base your assessment of Subaru reliability on?! I have quite a few WRX friends... and none of them have had to replace the clutch yet - well past 5 years / 100,000km. No oil leaks either... The i30N is a great car, but I haven't see any evidence that it's more reliable.
Subaru has a proven quality record, they had like all manufacturers some issues but what they did in the 80s and 90s still hasn’t been achieved by other brands. These cars today are far more refined and better built than any before. The AWD makes for a different sensation when you drive.
@@paulsimpson8990 Personal experience of unreliability sucks severely. Nevertheless, "renowned" is a bit strong. You could say worse for Hyundai, who have a class action for their engine failures (and who settled a similar class action in USA for billions). My own experience with Subaru is good (although not as good as my experience with Toyota and Mazda).
3 gearshifts to get from 0-100 kph definitely hurting its times.
Unless they limit torque I’d imagine the CVT is quicker.
@@steveallen1340 nope the cvt is literally just under 7 seconds or so the wrx seems quite slow for its class and generally slow aswell unfourtantly it bad great potential 20kw more then a 330i form 2016 yet its 1 second slower in cvt then that.
Yeah this is eactly why there was so much drama over it when it came out. The gearing makes the newer model slightly slower to 60 compared to the previous gen. Of course the WRX was never supposed to be about straighline speed anyway.
Nice review! Your launch & gearshifts are impressively consistent.... Subaru should definitely offer a taller final drive.
@@RodneyW that shift into 3rd is killing its 0-100…..the rev counter goes to 8000rpm…..must be for a different engine though
I felt sick watching those launches, poor car.
How do you manage to drive a nice windy back road without any traffic? I always get stuck behind someone who seems scared shitless because there's a few bends in the road.
I love tall gearing, watching the speed rise and the revs staying low is bliss. Gearing plays a huge part in how the car ' feels '.
@@perpetualgrin5804 and how fast it accelerates which is why it’s low because the engine only has 350Nm. For a 2.4 it should be pushing 250kW and 500Nm and then it would hustle like a proper wrx
Great detailed review. Thanks
Mine has a button on the trunk to open the trunk, but mines a 22 and I’m in America so not sure if it’s different here
Most of the people here on this comment section are absolutely clueless on how they assess actual performance of a car.
@@xtrekrex educate us?
@@paulsimpson8990 sure. As you read down the comment section, most people are concerned about 0-60 times and disregard pretty much every else that makes a car balanced. Take a look at the Miata or even a BRZ. Actually, let’s even look at the old ones. These cars as slow as dirt in a straight line, but why do they still become the preferred car during touge and track days? The VB isn’t a Miata, but there’s more car than what the 0-60 shows. For the car having open diffs, the chassis nearly makes up for it in handling. But if course, details like this will be left out of the car brochure..
@@xtrekrex I agree that there is much more than acceleration figures which everyone seems to be obsessed with these days. But in saying that the video tests acceleration so everyone is of course going to comment on that. The wrx isn’t exactly the last name in cornering ability either. The front engine and drive hangs way over the front axle and mine certainly loved to understeer under power when existing a corner if you weren’t careful. Personally I don’t think the wrx measures up on any scale these days. A i30n would corner harder and faster and beat it down the track and it keeps its warranty even if you track it. Subaru is just trading on the wrx name imo.
@@paulsimpson8990 Just about every AWD car understeers into corners. There are several ways to mitigate these issues: rear sway bar, camber adjustment, better tires, and learning to trail brake. This car won't handle like a RWD into corners, but that's not the point I was originally trying to make. Getting swallowed by smaller and more nimble cars around a small track isn't anything new. It happens literally all the time. Mini Coopers, Miatas, BRZ/86s, older Civics, the list goes on and on. The WRX makes sacrifices in handling for things like driving in the snow, rallyx, and etc. But my point is that people look at 0-60 times of a car, make an opinion about the car based off those figures, and dismiss pretty much everything else about a car. And I'm not even talking about the WRX..
@@xtrekrex yeah fair call. My experience with the wrx was power understeer on the way out of the corner but in general I find it’s a car that you need to grab by the scruff of the neck and really push it for it to respond. The best cars have a flow or rhythm to them and lots don’t. But agree everyone is obsessed with acceleration figures. Imagine how frustrated that makes a company like Porsche feel when they release a new 911 and they have to have the handling and the acceleration. With modern tyres, suspend and gearboxes you can have both these days though.
These cars respond VERY well to tuning, they only run 9psi boost for most of the rev range.
@@fullboost Yeah I remember seeing your video a couple of years ago. Very low boost for a modern car.
Have you guys tried changing gearing or anything like that? I feel like more power would spin through first gear ridiculously quick.
@@drivingenthusiastaustralia We don't run the std tyres and haven't seen any traction issues with the increase in torque, but we also don't drive it like its a press car either :).
@@fullboostFair enough. I didn’t mean wheelspin sorry. I meant you’d need the arms of Bruce Lee to change into second gear, as first gear would be over in split seconds.
@@drivingenthusiastaustralia l rarely drive it WOT in first gear so haven't really noticed it be honest. These cars are torque limited in first gear anyway. 0-100 is now 4.8s as a comparison but you own these cars for the all weather grip really. 👍 Keep up the great work.
@@fullboost by responding we’ll do you mean lspi and ring land failure?
Let's see how the new tS is gonna drive, but i simply don't get Subaru's intentions. The VB was made with intent on STi model, but Subaru refuses and continues to piss off their customer base with this... mockery. I'm hoping that Subaru is getting their message with the sales figures. Should've gone STi instead of this EV bs-ery
Most of the exhaust note change is the move to the equal length exhaust manifold. Similar to the brz which is also equal length. The unequal length header is what made the boxer sound.
I like the short gearing for a road car, everything happens that little bit quicker which is more fun.
So... They made an i30N-Line and Cerato GT competitor? The WRX is barely a traffic light princess anymore if you have to clutch dump it just to beat those...
So basically you gotta clutch dump this car like crazy to just (slightly) beat some random Uber driver in a V6 Camry at traffic light GP 😆
@@mrx168 Lol
😂
Clutch jobs on those cars is like a car down payment. lol
The Subie sound has nothing to do with the mufflers. It was the unequal length headers. gearing is too low/close. synchros suck. boost doesn't hit until 4500. the rev limiter is way way too harsh.
So its a shitbox basically.....
boost hits at 2k rpm
You have no idea about machines lol
You have to really ride the clutch off the line to make up for the lack of torque and first gear is just ridiculous how quick the rev limiter cuts in. The car is amazing on the back roads but it’s just disappointing that Subaru hasn’t developed the car to give us something interesting. They are too focused on the suv line up and it’s sad but It seems like they are just letting the Wrx dwindle out, the sales volume proves that.
@@pk-so1mj Yep, that’s how I got 5.93s in previous tests. But it’s not good for the clutch at all lol.
It is a shame they missed the mark with this one. It has some great attributes but just a bit underwhelming in a few areas. Might be the last before hybrid as well.
The speed at the quarter mile shows it just doesn’t have the power.. the i30n is travelling a good 10km/h faster at the quarter mile and despite a much softer launch being front wheel drive.. the wrx is all launch and then not much after.. they also buck and vibrate through every full throttle gear change.. today the wrx is just a nice cruiser with a turbo engine lifted from the Subaru ascent.. not really a performance car like it once was
Its running 9 psi, through an ok size turbo, should be running at least 1 bar.
You know this is ideal as a performance car if you want to keep your license and not kill any one.
revs are way too high on 6th gear highway speeds.
There normal for 4 cylinder manuel cars I've owned an this car gets best fuel economy sitting around 2700 rpms cruising stock I avg 27.5 mpg doing 70 on freeway got 31 an like 30 at 80 even fbo tuned now I avg 25 freeway speeds taking the hardest hit in mpg getting like 27 but cruising in 5th at like 55 to 60 on a pretty flat road it get 35mpg but slow speeds stumping on it or very hilly terrain kills mpg
Regular for 4 cylinder manuals
Also a 6000rpm rev limit shows Subaru isnt serious with this car. A short ratio gearbox and low rev limit don’t match up too well. Plus the engine is still laggy so very very narrow power band. The older wrx/sti at least rev to 6700rpm. Like that song from topgun….Subaru “you’ve lost that loving feeling, oh that loving feeling, bring back that loving feeling, it’s gone, gone gone, oh oh ooo.
@@jonttran1092 but the tacho goes to 8000 so you can at least pretend it’s a performance car
@@paulsimpson8990 the first time I drove a vb wrx I went flat on first gear and hit the rev cut… I was shocked as car basically stopped.. the rpm limit
Is unacceptably Low for this style of car.. because it’s a suv engine not intended for performance driving
they make bulk torque from 2000rpm, they arent laggy at all.
@@fullboost should have longer gearing then
@@paulsimpson8990 which would reduce acceleration
Most people are clueless on how to assess a car here
This car runs too low boost psi from factory. For a 2.4, change diff or gearing. Rpm is too low for this type of vehicle with the short gears
corners well it seems, brakes good, lots of space.
To me, its a liberty Gt not a wrx anymore, its just marketed as a wrx
Short gearing a negative for such a large country. Did you look for 7th gear ?😅
Thanks for the review, good to see these are still rubbish !
@@__PJ__ 😂
I test drove an auto version of this car and it felt sluggish and there was a noise coming from the rear end
It’s a controversial car for sure. But here’s my 2c if anyone’s interested in reading.. im a Subaru die hard fan, owned several WRX’s over the years and other Subarus as well, so I was eager to see how the new VB was, with the serious intent to buy. After test driving both the manual and auto (both RS grade), I honestly felt that the auto was the better car. At the end of the day it surprised me with how smooth and good it was where as the manual did not meet my expectations. The Subaru cvt as far as cvt’s go are actually very good. But at nearly $70k for the TS auto sedan with some accessories and aftermarket fitted I just couldn’t dive that deep into it. I chose an i30N which is currently on order. At age 40 I found myself still in my boy racer phase and although the VB series WRX is a very very good car, and fits its place in the market well imo, it just left me a little disappointed for what I was and still am looking for in a performance car. People complaining that it’s nothing like the WRX’s of old…I’m adamant that the VB is a very good car and there’s no way an older generation WRX of old would work or sell in todays market if it were new today. The laggy throttle response then kick in the back whoosh which the EJ motor provided was tried and true for over 25 years and was all well and good for that time, but with todays market and demand it just wouldnt work. So I get it, I really do, but for me personally, this die hard Subaru freak went astray and went for an i30N which is an absolutely sensational car in every way. My MY25 updated N hatch is due in a couple of weeks
I also bought i30N when I was a rusted on Subaru WRX man. The wrx is a really good car but the i30n is a far more focused car for the same Money. In the 1990s, The wrx was a sensation as it was a giant killer for little money.. but the opposition has well surpassed it and Subaru has sat still.
Just curious, why did you chose going for the i30 N hatch rather than the sedan? Did you go for the manual or the auto (DCT)? Whilst you were at the Subaru dealership, did you have a look at the WRX Sportswagon? Wishing you all the best with your new Hyundai i30 N hatch. Cheers.
@@nicholasmatthews5989 I actually had a 24 update sedan on order and as the months rolled past waiting for it to arrive, it no longer felt right and I found myself not looking forward to it at all. The hatch was what I’d always been interested in but at yeh time I ordered the sedan. But after some thought from my head and heart lol, I cancelled the order on the sedan and ordered a MY25 hatch instead. I chose premium dct in performance blue and sunroof, in both cars. Both were exact same price as well. I didn’t look at the wrx sport wagon. Personally of if I were looking at that style of car I would rather go for an Outback turbo than WRX sport wagon
Doesn't the i30N suffer from axle tramp, especially in the wet, even if not going ten tenths?? That's where AWD pays off and I'd go rex instead of N.
@@jvvoid I haven’t noticed any but I don’t flog the guts out of it either. Just because it’s a quick car doesn’t mean I drive it that way all the time. As far as front wheel drive performance cars go the N is one of the better ones. Journos all over the world praise how well it handles and how clever the front end is. And me as an owner can agree 100%. Really though how often are you going to be driving in the wet versus the dry? Not much. Even if I wanted to take it further, the Powerflex bushes are an extremely popular mod on the N cars and they eliminate any axle tramp by means of swapping out torque pitch mounts and also engine and gearbox mounts if desired. Popular with those that track their N’s
Don’t the Japanese still have power/torque limits? 202kw is a joke compared to modern standards
Can you so the Sportswagon again please? In Japan the CVT levorg VNH does 0-100 in 6.5s, albeit with 25nm more torque and better fuel.
Time and technology have moved on. I think this is slower than 20 year old versions?
No it’s not actually lol. The VB is about head-to-head with a VA STi in a straight.
@@xtrekrex it’s hard trying to find verified Dragy/VBox testing of stock older vehicles, but PDrive tested a 2015 Manual WRX at 5.9secs. I’m pretty sure GC and GD models were around those times too. So this 2024 model is certainly slower than the cars they made 10years ago, but will require older magazine numbers to get the 20 year older versions. Which from memory were very late 5’s
@@xtrekrexfirst ever wrx 5.4 to the 100
For a performance car this is really underwhelming, not only is it severly underpowered, it lacks in most departments compared to other cars within its price range.
Subaru use to own the road with the WRX, 20-25 years ago this car use to demolish V8’s that had 3x its capacity, nowadays it struggles to go past your everyday soccer mum SUV or some random Uber driver in a Camry, it’s absolutely embarrasing.
Most modern sports cars and hot hatches have pushed the boundaries so far and yet Subaru is stuck in the year 2000.
For a 2.4L it is horribly detuned since most 2.0L turbo’s far exceed it in both hp (kw) and torque, it looks lackluster, to give the automatic variant a CVT rather than a proper performance tuned gearbox such as a DCT or ZF Auto is bad on Subaru’s part just to simply cut costs, a Civic Type R, i30 N, Golf R, GR Yaris/Corolla would absolutely leave you in the dust and lining up against any V8 would be simply embarrasing, besides having a solid AWD launch and cornering abilities there really isn’t much going on for this car.
It’s a dissapointment at how far the WRX name has been tarnished, I no longer see as a proper perforance car, just a everyday family sedan with a turbocharger and bonnet scoop.
I really wanted to upgrade my VA WRX to this but honestly it felt like taking a backward step, so I decided to purchase a Sonata N Line instead, looks sleeker, has better interior, a better transmission in having a DCT from the i30N (Elantra N), and it would absolutely blow the doors off this thing as it has exceptional performance and shreds its front wheels like a maniac, I keep telling myself that is what the WRX should’ve been, but Subaru is ok with being at the bottom of the barrel, sure 0-100 times are similar but in a roll on the Sonata would leave this thing for dead.
I have no problem with the new platform. Have done track days on it as well as taken the car through winter storms.
The chassis on this car is something people barely talk about. Too much focus on horsepower these days, and people forget about what makes a car balanced.
That shape is growing on me a bit too, but it does feel like the WRX has lost some of the magic. I actually like that old school feeling of the slight lag, it adds a bit of personality. All the clever variable geometry turbos are very clever but the lag and then the boost hit are what used to give me the WRX grin!
The gearing is an issue though, it would get tiresome on a long trip. The redline is disappointingly low too, seems like as soon as it starts to hit its straps you're on the rev limiter. Getting the best time by shifting at 5 grand isn't very "WRX"!
It did look like fun on the mountain road tho, and kudos to Subaru for trying to put a bit more fun into it. This model and the CVT really broke my heart when they arrived.
I guess we have to cling to these old school things anyway while we still have them. Enjoyed the vid, thanks Brett.
There still is some lag but not as much as the older models. And the minor lag kinda sucks during performance driving. The gearing can definitely be taller. But I can understand the nostalgic feeling of boosted cars back in the hay days.
@@xtrekrex yes I had a GC8 back in the day and loved that. Was an MY99 so wasn't as laggy as the earlier ones but it was a fun challenge to get the best out of it and even tho it wasn't brutally fast by today's standards the shove in the back when it hit boost never failed to make me smile.
We had an i30N until recently which was absolutely superb and had virtually no lag because of the VGT but it never made me smile like the old school Rexy did.
Unfortunate that the distinctive Subaru WRX "rumble" exhaust note of years gone buy has been lost.
Looks like a fun car
My 2010 Legacy with 5at done better than this.....0-100 just 6.0 sec hanging with 2000rpm launch
A good all rounder..
Ffs give it another 20kw we know the motor can handle it.
Thing is getting left behind by ops.
@@tellyawhatmate needs another 100 to make things interesting
Old hat and past its time. When a FWD hot hatch can leave you in the dust its time to give it up Subaru.
@@user-vk4vd7vr5t 💯
When a mid 2010''s FWD can leave you in the dust lol
0-100 in 6.2 seconds is a bit slow considering you have an AWD launch.. it’s like a fwd car going 7.0 seconds
@@jonttran1092 it’s the shift into 3rd that kills it
It’s straight line acceleration is barely faster than a V6 Camry (Aurion)… that’s just embarrassing.
Who buy one of these shit box s
People who can’t afford inflated GRC prices I guess.
Shows how much the game has moved on and how far behind Subaru really is. Would anyone who doesn’t live in the snow actually buy one of these over an i30N which would be faster, better, more reliable, warranted on the track? Alternatively if you want a faster and more comfortable daily driver then buy a rwd Tesla model 3. You can guarantee that in 5 years time the Subaru will be leaking bf oil from its rocker covers and will be on its 3rd clutch. Subaru is just so far behind these days.
What do you base your assessment of Subaru reliability on?! I have quite a few WRX friends... and none of them have had to replace the clutch yet - well past 5 years / 100,000km. No oil leaks either... The i30N is a great car, but I haven't see any evidence that it's more reliable.
Subaru has a proven quality record, they had like all manufacturers some issues but what they did in the 80s and 90s still hasn’t been achieved by other brands. These cars today are far more refined and better built than any before. The AWD makes for a different sensation when you drive.
@@RodneyW my brand new 2017 was total rubbish. Subaru engines are renowned for their issues
@@A861967 no the new ones are shockers. Do your research
@@paulsimpson8990 Personal experience of unreliability sucks severely. Nevertheless, "renowned" is a bit strong. You could say worse for Hyundai, who have a class action for their engine failures (and who settled a similar class action in USA for billions). My own experience with Subaru is good (although not as good as my experience with Toyota and Mazda).