@@REPLXCVIA 2.0 EJs can push 300-400 safely...ish. I don't see why this new 2.4 can't with good tune. Reliability on the other hand is yet to be tested with that kind of HP.
This is disappointing when you think of the recent resurgence of Japanese sports cars with the Supra, Nissan Z, NSX, Integra, Civic Type R, new generation GR 86 and BRZ. I'm usually not one to make a HUGE deal out of horsepower increase, but damn, this is one of the times it's justified IMO. After all these years... a 3 horsepower increase..? The Crosstrek inspired design I'm kinda okay with, but that rear bumper is disgustingly terrible.
@@nickknee3515 go back and look at the concept and you'll realize the only thing different is the exhaust layup. It's shares nothing alike with the civic.
Going from a 2.0 to 2.4 liter displacement, and only making 3hp and no more torque. That's lawnmower power gains for a 20% increase in displacement. The plastic cladding over the wheels will also make rolling fenders impossible, and wide body a pain which will make installing wider wheels needlessly difficult. Especially if you plan to autocross it and can't cut the fenders for class reasons. This release is a joke.
That and I’m curious as to why Subaru didn’t just keep the stock tune on the FA24. The Ascent produces 260hp 277lbs-ft on 87 octane. WRX 271hp 258 lbs-ft torque, I just don’t get it.
@@ivansolares2448 If I had to guess, it's emissions related, but not how many think. I think emissions are capping what they can do performance wise for the STI. And since the STI has to have a noticeable performance bump over the WRX, the WRX has to be detuned.
Subaru is a small manufacturer. Cars are a big market. Big money moves. Subaru is at the mercy of them. I am grateful that Subaru is still alive. It's an unpleasant era.
Fuck that! Subaru sells hella cars! They just don't care about the WRX. If they were concerned about growing they'd make an appealing WRX that sells like hot cakes
Performance over everything is what made Subaru relevant. The WRX exists to give people an option to choose performance over refinement. Scrap the CVT, scrap the large display, keep the Recaros and give me an option to change out the cladding with Carbon fiber and Subaru fans would rejoice.
No one gets this. Their global platform structure is probably gonna kill it with profits. Cars are gonna look exactly the same though. Just like every other company. Like you said, super unpleasant.
You can't find buttons by feel on a touch screen, so you HAVE to look away from the road to use it. Why are they so popular in such a "safety oriented" industry?
Because a bunch of techbros love it in Teslas and consider Teslas to be the pinnacle of luxury when reality disagrees. I like the idea of a big screen but not as the only controls for the radio/HVAC. Like the big screen on a BMW i3 with tactile controls.
Because it's cheaper to make and maintain. No more buttons to buy or engineer. Sub out the screen and have devs build the digital buttons. Probably saves them .10 a button. I mean, I hate it. We've driving a car, not playing with a phone. Buttons are the only way yo go for me.
@@jshep3564 wasn’t sure if I should get the wing or not. My wife said I’m almost 40 not 18 when Fast and Furious came out lol. Sweet car. Only mod so far is I replaced my dash Harmon Kardon speakers which are mid range with JBL studio GT750t tweeters. Brings the highs out nicely.
That gen was almost the perfect wrx only the rear lights was weird that’s it but it grown on me, but this new wrx I already have a thing for black plastic cladding so it’s a hard no for me lol
Glad to hear mrsubaru himself doesn’t even like the direction they’re going with this car. It fits in well with the rest of their lineup (crosstrek, forester, outback), but that is NOT what the wrx is supposed to be. It’s supposed to be a awd sport sedan that boasts great practicality and performance for the price. It’s like they’re going back to 2008 where they’re trying to turn it from a sport sedan into a mainstream car with somewhat sporty characteristics like a Mazda3 or regular civic (not type r). That’s not what people want, people are driving enthusiasts looking for a practical sports car they can drive year round.
Well if they want sport and luxury along with gobs of power and awd. I would look at a 2021 Mazda 3 awd turbo. It’s what I did. And wow. I was blown away that’s after I test drove a wrx, gti, and a type R Honda . Mazda hit a home run and checks all boxes but it’s not made for kids that go cuckoo for cocoa puffs. It’s more for adults with style and taste. And who enjoy driving and occasional track days.
@@nachomandetailingservices1057 yeah I just looked it up cause i wasn’t even sure how much power it had. 227 puts it at the same hp as my old 02 wrx was stock, and more hp than the latest civic si, plus crazily enough 310 lb-ft torque?! I still don’t think it’s quite the replacement for say a mazdaspeed3 though in terms of pure performance, not just power. But it does sound like a nice car still.
@@nachomandetailingservices1057 just checked it out. Looks nice and the power is there but… auto trans only for the turbo. I would say those most vocal about their disappointment in the new WRX are gonna want a manual trans.
When I bought my 02' WRX I was killing Mustang GT's at the track. They would not catch me until right after the traps. 260hp vs 227hp. Today the Mustang GT has 460hp vs the WRX 268hp. More money for same power year after year. Subaru needs to step up their game and give us a 6 cylinder twin turbo Sti making 450hp.
I agree with everything you said. The only good thing Subaru did with this announcement is leave out the price because I think that would have resulted in even worse feedback. My only hope is they redeem themselves with the STi and don’t add the big infotainment center, eyesight and other expensive interior features and focus more on performance. If not, a lot of enthusiasts are just going to move on to other brands. I can forgive the weird styling that Subaru is sort of famous for, but 3 horsepower and 0 torque gain from 0.4 liter higher displacement? If the new STi has 320-330 HP for $50k or whatever it will cost, it’s going to be a huge disappointment.
Mate agree it's a huge disappointment....but this is what we get when bean counters and not engineers run car companies its sad Subaru has just lost it!
The wrx should’ve definitely came with 300hp. Most car now are days are just getting faster. A wrx should not be close with a Toyota Camry‼️… now if they Sti has 450 or even 400, I think people will buy the Sti like hot cakes. Styling kinda grew on me besides those black fenders. God take those off
@@brendanfogel4573 Go buy a more expensive car if that’s what you want. Honda could give the Civic all the features an S Class has but that’s not the purpose of the car.
I couldn't keep watching the reveal after the 271 HP. Looks like somebody at Subaru found a 30% off coupon for plastic. Geez, at least paint it the color of the car. Anyone notice that most of their footage was a black car? Helps hide all the crap plastic. STI, maybe 330 HP after all the stink from this. I was planning on buying this new model, not now. The concept looked good so somebody there can design a car. For me a Levorg STI. I'm a fan of Subaru, bought a '02 WRX hatch new in '02 and kept it 17 years. Replaced it with a '05 to tide me over to this model, could not have been more disappointed
Dear Subaru, Import the Levorg into the USA (it doesn’t/won’t compete with the Outback), give us base, Premium, Limited and STi trims. In lieu of that, we really need a WRX hatchback. Period! It was the most versatile performance car that Subaru offered. Every time I see one (2007-2014), I wish I had bought one instead of my 2014 Crosstrek. Love my Crosstrek, but would have sacrificed ground clearance for the performance, if I had known it was the last turbo hatch Subaru would make.
You are the reason Carmakers are doing what they're doing. The market buys suvs but says they want performance cars. Performance cars don't sell in big numbers. Everyone wants a do it all car. They don't exist for a reason.
I really like this car. I ordered an orange GT two weeks ago. I AM one of the loyal customer base this car caters to. I don’t care what the old horsepower numbers were. Subaru hit it out of the park for me.
I agree. It’ll never satisfy everyone. I actually like the car. The cladding makes it feel less fragile and I don’t have to worry about rock chips as much.
@@mojojoji5493 its pretty contradictory that the super performance heavy bolster racing seats are paired with the soft adaptive suspension and weak cvt.
After seeing the 2021 JDM Levorg which has the exact same front end minus the plastic spoiler and wheel well cladding, I think Subaru tried too hard to tie this new WRX to their US market sellers (Crosstrek, Forester, Outback), which is a mistake.
@@mojojoji5493 yeah that pisses me off. Subaru really fucked this car up. Did they not learn from the backlash they got with the 2008 wrx?? I know it’s different complaints, but they should’ve learned not to make stupid decisions again
Thanks for this frank assessment - more than any other review, this video showed me I made the right choice putting a deposit on a 2021 WRX this week to replace the 2002 Bugeye I've had since new. 242,000 miles and the head gasket finally showing signs of failure, or a tiny crack in the head (bubbles in coolant while running). Stock EJ205 motors FTW. And yes Subaru, I still want a CD player in the car.
Love my WRX. Great sleeper car. I have a very mild tune on it and it absolutely rips. Handles great too. No other car made gives you the same level of speed, handling, comfort, and utility for the money.
Oh shit. The climate controls are worth a double comment. i LOVED the 3 knob layout of subarus. So simple and intuitive. Even my Mazda with hard buttons sucks in comparison for ease of use. Shame that they went to a touchscreen that by nature makes it more cumbersome to make adjustments.
True, but just because the Crosstrek has been stuck with a weak engine doesn’t mean putting an underwhelming performance engine in their “performance” car is a good thing
SUV body cladding, and front-end style on a sports car: This is not the kind of quirky us Subaru fans have grown to "love." IMHO, anyways. With that said, that 2.4 liter turbo engine should have been in the new Wilderness Forester.
Agree 100%. So disappointing. Makes my 2019 STI look like an upgrade...guess I'll just keep it for a while and see where they go but my years with Subaru are at risk.
I treasure my 2006 Legacy Wagon. The well-maintained engine runs smoother than many of their new vehicles on the lot. I sadly continue to be disappointed in their new offerings although I try hard to remain open. Not much excites me in their lineup today. It seems that the engineering team of 15-20 years ago have either lost their way or have been replaced.
Hell, even a 1998-2002 legacy Twin Turbo makes 276-290hp with 2 liters of displacement, has a good amount of features (you could even call it modern), and is relatively reliable and can be had with very low mileage. People shouldn't buy this car but they will
Seems strange that the old fans would be so dissatisfied. I'm a new owner, just bought a 2022 WRX, my first subaru. I actually like the looks, even the plastic, I know the torque is the same but the power curve is amazing. It has power ALL the time, from 2k up it just goes, no turbo lag, no constant shifting, it's just really good. The power delivery is so constant and linear that it FEELS slower than other turbo 4's while actually being faster. Do I miss how my old Speed3 would occasionally try to kill me? Yeah maybe I do, this WRX is not only NOT out to kill me, it cradles me gently and whispers a sweet lullaby as we fly down the road like a rocket on rails. It's so civilized, I guess it is missing that raw character that previous years had. I do wish the red line was higher, even like another 500 RPM's, it comes on QUICK. The infotainment system is shit though, I just need a place to put my phone and the screen is so big there isn't one.
I have the big touch screen in my 21 Outback. The icons you hardly ever use are enormous and you can't remove them. Most of the icons you use regularly (e.g. fan controls, recirc, temperature) are either hidden or barely bigger than your fingertip (or both), making them difficult to hit while you're bouncing down the road. It's ironic that you have this huge screen but the icons you actually use are teeny tiny. It's remarkably bad design.
I couldn’t agree more with everything you stated in this video. I am thankful I got my 21 WRX instead of the 2022. Also I believe all the Subaru WRX fan base all agrees that 2022 is a “dud”.
I agree with your opinion. 99% of comments I read online were negative & mine is one of those. Subaru have really dropped the ball on this one. It’s beyond me how they ditched the WRX wagon back in 2014. I imagine Subaru has lost a lot of customers to say the Golf R & this new WRX is a total disappointment. 3HP “gain” is a joke. The big infotainment screen made me think it was an Outback or a Tesla. The exterior styling made me wonder if Honda had “designed” the rear & the Crosstrek “designer” for the wheel flares! Let’s see what the STI will look like, but I’m sure that will be a disappointment too.
I think most fans are too young to remember the origins of these cars, they were AWD econobox's with turbos that gained notoriety in rally racing. People complain because they don't fit their perceptions of what they think the car should be today according to what the car scene has done with them. When these hit the US in 2001 (2002 MY) they absolutely bizarre looking compared to other cars on the market, now they're relished. As far as the HP goes, how much factory power do you want, and why so much emphasis on it? The 2.4 liter FA I'm betting has plenty of headroom aftermarket for those interested.
Subaru should have delivered 300hp, from stock, with a warranty. This +3, +6, +4 hp gain per generation is ridiculous when everyone else genuinely gives a performance bump nearly each generation.
Love the commentary from you every week. Thank-you. Guess I won't be in any hurry to replace my 2004 STi. Still love it after all these years. A basic driver's machine...mine is one with no radio. A thought...did Subaru lose focus on performance when Mitsubishi quit producing the Evo?
You've given the best input as to why this reveal is such a let down. We waited all of these years for this....? For this???? They opened showing wrx and their owners just do this to us?
I dont care what Subaru claims the hp of the 2022 is, I want to know how it performs against the previous year model. There are numerous reasons a manufacturer would choose to underrate the HP of their vehicles .
It’s really sad, honestly the end of an era I feel. This was likely the result of the economics AND the fuel economy standards they need to hit. We need to accept that the old days really are gone. And I guess that’s ok - nothing gold can stay, but it is sad, and I almost feel bad for Subaru here, they are getting destroyed in the comments of every single platform. I think the BRZ/GR86 will be a really fun time over the next couple years. This car, not so much. It’s now become a car for commuter dads to have a little more fun, but that’s it. We just have to accept it for what it is and keep the memories we’ve had over the last 20 years alive!
I'll be stacking JDM imported ej257s/trannys in a shed to endlessly feed my 2010 wrx in the meantime, 2 of each is cheaper than a new wrx! Plan B is to reinforce Plan A.
This just solidified my views of the wrx being a Frankenstein car Subaru is in the car business I know now especially they wanna save money on everything especially a sports sedan
i'll stick with my 98 GF8 WRX i think, the STI should be pushing 400HP like you say, but after today's announcement there's no way it will be anywhere near that. They are going to lose a lot of people with this one i'm afraid.
I had a 2020 WRX with the performance package. Just wasn't feeling it with that car and it felt huge when driving. Sold it and got myself a simple GD and have been happy ever since.
I'm calling it, the new STI will be the S209 in the new chassis. Not a bad thing as that car is slightly faster than the Type R. All these reports about it being closer to 400hp are baseless.
I agree 100%! They really dropped the ball with this new WRX. They’ve been making a lot of silly decisions lately which keeps further alienating loyal Subaru customers. I feel like Subaru is becoming a victim of its own success. Hopefully they wise up go back to what made them unique and great.
It looks like Subaru is taking the WRX in a different direction to make a clear distinction between the STI. Now, if you want that STI performance and style, you'll have to buy STI.
This is what I was thinking honestly. The WRX might be more of the "rally" style car and the STI will be the high performance track weapon. Subaru might be be trying to separate the purposes for both cars. This is only a theory of course. Only time will tell.
Call me old school about the Subaru. I have a 2019 STi and I know everyone is talking about the EJ25 motor being a dinosaur. I don't care about how other people talk about the EJ being around for so long. If you do your regular maintenance, you won't have any problems. I'm glad I got this current body style. We all haven't seen the STi yet but it might be similiar to the WRX with all the body clading probably. I maybe wrong....
The best part of a 25-30 year old engine is there are no surprises. You want 500,700, or 1000hp? The recipe is out there and it's tried and true. This new crap is like starting over.
Why does everyone hate on the plastic cladding so much? I really liked it on the OB Wilderness and I like it on the WRX. It adds this strange Toyota Tacoma look to it that I think adds to the quirky nature of Subarus. I also think it protects more of the car, especially around the wheel wells where the dirt and rocks are going to be kicking up. With the orange color, I like it a lot too. Yes it's obviously a copy of the Crosstrek but I liked the color on the Crosstrek too. The engine and performance, yyyyyeah I kind of agree. I've never drive/owned a WRX, but I've heard what people say about WRXs in comparison to other performance cars. But, you made the engine bigger and barely added anything? The 6th gen Outback makes just about as much HP and seems more capable at this point. And the touchscreen in the middle, I think they're trying too hard to make this infotainment system (which is in the 2020 Outback and up) across all their vehicles now. Even a smaller screen with HVAC control knobs like a 2017 Crosstrek would have been okay, but that huge touchscreen, is just wrong in a car that is supposed to be tearing through dirt at a Rally. Despite all the flaws of their 6 cylinder engine, I really wish they'd go back to the drawing board, and completely redesign and rerelease a new 6 cylinder boxer. I don't car if it's turbo charged or tuned, or whatever, you're just plain going to get more power out of the larger engine. It's like Subaru is afraid of their own engines because they see people modding the f*ck out of them and blowing them up, so Subaru holds themselves back. I don't know what Subaru is expected to do now though. Would they stop production to make changes? Maybe with all the shortages that may be able to do that. It's certainly a unique time. I actually haven't even seen anyone other than Subie fans chime in on the WRX. I don't know which is worse, Subie fans being completely disappointed with the WRX, or the fact that it didn't even register on the car market.
The wrx has to become a sports car again. Smaller, etc. But I don't think this is where it is going and people buying it do not look for a sport car I think. I am more interested in yaris gr and corolla gr
@@alexanabolic5099 except in the states we don’t even have those options. It sucks. I feel like the us gets shafted by the Japanese makers when it comes to performance.
@@alexanabolic5099 Well, shortage of microchips and memory around the world. Inflation everywhere. I cant see how it can even stay at the same price as the previous generation unless sales a drastically very low.
I concur with many of your thoughts, especially the styling and definitely the engine. They have been touting “new from the ground up.” Yet, we got a re-skinned version that looks almost the same as the outgoing, except worse, AND a new engine that makes almost identical power output. And yes, I’ll be that guy who says it, I wanted them to revive the hatchback and they have refused to listen to the complaints. And now, we have Hyundai announcing their new Hyundai Elantra N, which will make 286 HP and 289 lb feet of torque. Subaru had an opportunity to keep up with, or surpass the competition here, but we now live in a world with a faster stock Elantra than a WRX. Shame on Subaru.
@@philipe7937 The 18" wheel would be sufficent on a WRX, creating some latitude for a 19" oem wheel on the WRX STi, Much larger than that and it looks clown-ish. But the 18" wheel is shrunken in visual aesthetic by the impact of that hideous black cladding, which from afar looks like vacant dark space. Real shame and major design faux pas. Hope they can right the ship. My buddy just bought a '20 STi and I'm glad for him he did...the future looks bleak.
Imagine this being your halo car - the car you've been known around the world for for decades - in its first major redesign in 5 years, on an all new platform, with a new engine, a chance to go completely back to the drawing board, with infinite possibilities and so much potential..........and you give us this. This is an epic fail on so many levels. THREE MORE HP? You bolted a turbo to the 2.4 in the BRZ and only added 40hp? And not only that, they're trying to trick consumers into buying the automatic by basically lying to us about what it actually is.
After the launch, I went outside to admire my red 17 wrx 6speed, and I will also be glad to know that it won’t depreciate after the new car launch as I expected.
As a family of 5 drivers, who all drove Subies, I have the last one we will own. It’s a 2013 Outback that I just put tires on and had the cvt oil changed so I could get 3 more years out of it. My next ride will be the Hyundai Santa Cruz. I used to own a 2006 Baja. Subaru you have lost a life long driver.
Maybe the displacement helped the powerband, but I was instantly disappointed with the horsepower figures and performance figures. It makes me think the STI will be neutered too. I wanted this to compete with the Golf R and Honda Civic. Not a fan of the cladding. It also seems like the Recaro seats are only in the GT model, which means CVT only. In truth, I want a Cross Trek WRX and STI version with a longer travel suspension and manual transmission.
I will say I saw it in person in gray and I liked it WAAAY better than I thought. I do think the negative reaction is being taken a bit too far. I of course get it though. My favorite Subarus are the 90s and early 00s. In person, the lines make more sense and it looks sleek and mean overall. Obviously a lot of aspects I don't love. As for the power numbers, well the curves will be totally different so it will feel way faster and it will likely have a lot more overhead like you mentioned. So they get to keep it reliable with good MPG and much better power under the curve, but it leaves tuning headroom on the table for the aftermarket which will be a good selling point over time used or new. I do of course agree it looks like it will be too heavy and I wish it wasn't so big. More power would be nice too. Some people at Wicked Big Meet liked it, but the overwhelming reaction was definitely negative. I do think they should have kept this more related to prior WRX and just released a turbo Crosstrek too. The cladding was also definitely less offensive in person, at least on the gray car. It does have purpose as well. As for the GT trim, I'm just really annoyed it is automatic only. Let us pick what we want, hah. Overall, definitely get where you are coming from in general and I largely agree. Wish Subaru would listen to the dedicated fans, at least of the WRX/STI, rather than just trying to push marketing focus group styling. We mostly all just wanted them to give us the Levorg with a more powerful engine! Ah well. I do think it will grow on people, a lot of misses, but I hate it less than I expected. Oh and probably my least favorite thing overall is touch controls for the HVAC. I always loved Subaru for staying away from that. Stick with the simple knobs! Hopefully it's the GT trim only or at least an option with an infotainment system. Subaru needs to realize when it comes to the WRX/STI, KISS!
Missed the bullseye? They missed the whole damn wall that the dart board is hanging on. But hey, at least Toyota (who knew replacement Camry trunk lids wouldn't be a big seller) and Honda (Swingline stapler tail lights) got to get rid of all their excess parts before they refresh their models.
Its more of a marketing plan for a update in 2 to 3 years..Leave room for engine upgrades and body styling upgrades. Personally body and interior is like 10 years behind rest of evolving market. Need to go towards minimalist progression..”less is more”
They should of bumped it to 300 hp for the WRX. Maybe they'll add a bigger turbo. The plastic is ok for us folks that live in the north and have to deal with gravel roads, rock chips and rust. Hopefully they can revise and blend the plastic to match the color.
At 3:30 he states everyone wants to have a gd or gc chassis. I think this is what every car guy wants to see again but will never be able to see hence why everyone is so disappointed in the reveal. Its going off of its roots becoming heavier because there are more infotainment demands and much higher safety standards compared to late 90’s early 2000’s. I honestly was not surprised to see anything far off of what they revealed.
It's interesting that that torque figure is even significantly LESS than the stock 2.4 in the Ascent and Outback XT. And the styling looks like several pieces (the upper bit around the rear defuser, the stripe in the middle of trunk, the lower bits along the rocker panels, etc) all look like they were designed to be body color. Has me a bit worried they were designing to a price point and had to extract some costs, (kinda like what Nissan did to many of it's vehicles in the early 2000s.)
Toyota's influence is showing in this GR Corolla sleeper marketing. Crosstrek orange being the launch color reinforces that Subaru is trolling WRX fans.
Pretty obvious why the HP/TQ figures are so disappointing --to keep the CVT alive. I'm sure the FA24 will make great numbers tuned, I like the electronic waste gates from a performance perspective.
I think the unfortunate thing is that the WRX will always be nerfed to the WRX STi which I think skews our expectations… that being said I think 285hp would have been a solid number to put the WRX at without the fear neutering their STI sales
I'd love to hear from the lead designers on this project. Was this really what y'all wanted to push to the market or was this a culmination of what got signed off on by the PMs and stakeholders. Either way, from the outside, this release feels lazy in its overall execution.
Honestly for WRX I would have taken the tail light shape from the BMW 3 series to appeal to the more mainstream customers, clean and simple design! Because the WRX has the Auto option it could be the daily driver to work a commuting car with a little bit of kick compared to the crosstrek. Keep the STi for the hardcore Subaru customer. Please remove all the terrible black plastic! The engine might just be a masterpiece! That is the only part I would disagree with your complaints about it only being a couple of horsepower extra and because of that the drivetrain is automatically doomed. The torque band from what I have been told is extremely wide this time so it will pull like an electric motor! Especially if the CVT can keep the engine in optimum RPM’s The power figures are very much in line with the Golf GTi, Elantra N and GR Corrola (rumoured)
As a VA owner I really dislike the new design.. also a 3 hp inclease... WTF IS THAT. You speak facts. I'll never own this new generation. Subaru effectively lost my buiseness going forward until ANOTHER redesign.
Which Subaru Impreza WRX is the best year to own? What upgrade can help the longevity of the motor? I hear there is a lot of problems with Subaru motors and most people put unnecessary mods in these cars
I agree with everything you said here. It’s not atrosish looking but it’s so underwhelming for sure. You can tell they set it up like you said to the main stream masses and maybe it will. But it sure let the loyalist down. I love and I’ll stick with my cam’d GD 2.5 rs putting down 220chp and 180 to the wheels n/a.
Well since they are basically giving us a levorg sedan I think its time to bring the levorg wagon here now. I think it looks fantastic but if they do bring it over then I hope they leave the plastic cladding off but I wouldn't be surprised if they keep the cladding
Well they finally updated the interior which is really outdated. But the fact that HVAC and other controls are using a touch screen it's not a good idea but a good idea. Everything else seems to suck really bad.. Only time will tell on how it will turn out for Subaru.
Its going to handle really really well. I drove a 2021 Legacy (new platform) and it had better turn in than my 19 STI. The amount of plastic crap is excessive HOPEFULLY they have painted fenders on the STI and it's at least 340 horse
Imagine having such a DEDICATED fan base and missing the mark soooooooo hard
Subaru’s fan base is much MUCH larger then the WRX and STI.
Don’t be so entitled
Most of the “fans” complaining about the exterior design are day dreaming about when their credit score will be good enough to lease a 320i.
@@massterwushu9699 twit
@@massterwushu9699 you don’t make a 4 door sports car for the whole fan base. The wrx was made for enthusiasts
@@REPLXCVIA the sti was, the wrx still serves as a regular sedan.
When I saw 271hp, I immediately thought "gentleman's agreement."
That’s 276 I believe
they late to the table lol
Lol this new motor be able to reach at least 500 on stock then
@@REPLXCVIA 2.0 EJs can push 300-400 safely...ish. I don't see why this new 2.4 can't with good tune. Reliability on the other hand is yet to be tested with that kind of HP.
@@REPLXCVIA it can make 500hp on stock motor for 10 minutes before it blows
This is disappointing when you think of the recent resurgence of Japanese sports cars with the Supra, Nissan Z, NSX, Integra, Civic Type R, new generation GR 86 and BRZ. I'm usually not one to make a HUGE deal out of horsepower increase, but damn, this is one of the times it's justified IMO. After all these years... a 3 horsepower increase..? The Crosstrek inspired design I'm kinda okay with, but that rear bumper is disgustingly terrible.
The whole rear of that car is just a design fail, they must of ran out of ink or something and just taped a Honda rear end on it.
@@nickknee3515 go back and look at the concept and you'll realize the only thing different is the exhaust layup. It's shares nothing alike with the civic.
Chupapi munyanyo
Couldn’t agree more. The interior is so tacky while the front screams of crosstrek. I wonder how much input Toyota had in the design
Probably nothing since the design still follows the concepts but poorly executed.
The rear reminded me of a Camry or Civic.
Subaru needs no help making hopelessly ugly cars recently
Going from a 2.0 to 2.4 liter displacement, and only making 3hp and no more torque. That's lawnmower power gains for a 20% increase in displacement. The plastic cladding over the wheels will also make rolling fenders impossible, and wide body a pain which will make installing wider wheels needlessly difficult. Especially if you plan to autocross it and can't cut the fenders for class reasons. This release is a joke.
That and I’m curious as to why Subaru didn’t just keep the stock tune on the FA24. The Ascent produces 260hp 277lbs-ft on 87 octane. WRX 271hp 258 lbs-ft torque, I just don’t get it.
@@ivansolares2448 If I had to guess, it's emissions related, but not how many think. I think emissions are capping what they can do performance wise for the STI. And since the STI has to have a noticeable performance bump over the WRX, the WRX has to be detuned.
They just want to save it for STI,to keep the same power, in fews year they bump it 5 more HP
Maybe the increase in displacement is related more to the torque delivery? The previous gen had flat spots.
wait until that rev hang hits oooooof.
Subaru is a small manufacturer.
Cars are a big market.
Big money moves.
Subaru is at the mercy of them.
I am grateful that Subaru is still alive.
It's an unpleasant era.
Fuck that! Subaru sells hella cars! They just don't care about the WRX. If they were concerned about growing they'd make an appealing WRX that sells like hot cakes
Performance over everything is what made Subaru relevant. The WRX exists to give people an option to choose performance over refinement. Scrap the CVT, scrap the large display, keep the Recaros and give me an option to change out the cladding with Carbon fiber and Subaru fans would rejoice.
Yea Subaru is bigger than Mazda by a lot..
I agreed, people complaining about. I’m glad they even make this car
No one gets this. Their global platform structure is probably gonna kill it with profits. Cars are gonna look exactly the same though. Just like every other company. Like you said, super unpleasant.
Couldn’t agree more that each generation has become more mild. I really don’t see how this is a winning strategy.
You can't find buttons by feel on a touch screen, so you HAVE to look away from the road to use it. Why are they so popular in such a "safety oriented" industry?
I use the voice commands for most common actions while driving .. doesn’t work well with the inbuilt gps though !
Because a bunch of techbros love it in Teslas and consider Teslas to be the pinnacle of luxury when reality disagrees. I like the idea of a big screen but not as the only controls for the radio/HVAC. Like the big screen on a BMW i3 with tactile controls.
Because it's cheaper to make and maintain. No more buttons to buy or engineer. Sub out the screen and have devs build the digital buttons. Probably saves them .10 a button. I mean, I hate it. We've driving a car, not playing with a phone. Buttons are the only way yo go for me.
Keeping my 05 STi till I die. There is nothing made today that is worth getting rid of it for.
So far I’m glad I ordered and bought my 2021 STI Limited with lip spoiler. Love that it’s new but “old”.
Right there with you! I grabbed my 21 STI Limited almost 2 months ago. I got the big wing, but I love it.
@@jshep3564 wasn’t sure if I should get the wing or not. My wife said I’m almost 40 not 18 when Fast and Furious came out lol. Sweet car. Only mod so far is I replaced my dash Harmon Kardon speakers which are mid range with JBL studio GT750t tweeters. Brings the highs out nicely.
That gen was almost the perfect wrx only the rear lights was weird that’s it but it grown on me, but this new wrx I already have a thing for black plastic cladding so it’s a hard no for me lol
Grabbed my 2020 WRX Premium. So glad I did.
@@mojojoji5493 yeah the black plastic is too much.
Now I see why they wanted to hide the car in a cloud of dust in the reveal video xD
It looked better in the camouflage that hid the design.
Even they knew it was bad.. I just don’t get why they made it like this is the first place. We deserve an explanation here. So confused 🤔
I just went out and gave my 04 Forester XT 5 Spd a cuddle, 17 years old still goes like a new one, all mechanical, all metal, ah those were the days.
Glad to hear mrsubaru himself doesn’t even like the direction they’re going with this car. It fits in well with the rest of their lineup (crosstrek, forester, outback), but that is NOT what the wrx is supposed to be. It’s supposed to be a awd sport sedan that boasts great practicality and performance for the price. It’s like they’re going back to 2008 where they’re trying to turn it from a sport sedan into a mainstream car with somewhat sporty characteristics like a Mazda3 or regular civic (not type r). That’s not what people want, people are driving enthusiasts looking for a practical sports car they can drive year round.
Well if they want sport and luxury along with gobs of power and awd. I would look at a 2021 Mazda 3 awd turbo. It’s what I did. And wow. I was blown away that’s after I test drove a wrx, gti, and a type R Honda . Mazda hit a home run and checks all boxes but it’s not made for kids that go cuckoo for cocoa puffs. It’s more for adults with style and taste. And who enjoy driving and occasional track days.
@@nachomandetailingservices1057 yeah I just looked it up cause i wasn’t even sure how much power it had. 227 puts it at the same hp as my old 02 wrx was stock, and more hp than the latest civic si, plus crazily enough 310 lb-ft torque?! I still don’t think it’s quite the replacement for say a mazdaspeed3 though in terms of pure performance, not just power. But it does sound like a nice car still.
@@nachomandetailingservices1057 just checked it out. Looks nice and the power is there but… auto trans only for the turbo. I would say those most vocal about their disappointment in the new WRX are gonna want a manual trans.
@@Rumblefan with 93 octane it puts down 250 hp and 320 TQ.
@@fredlightburn2648 I know but it has auto stick and paddles shifters if ya want to use them so ya got options or just drive it in auto.
When I bought my 02' WRX I was killing Mustang GT's at the track. They would not catch me until right after the traps. 260hp vs 227hp. Today the Mustang GT has 460hp vs the WRX 268hp. More money for same power year after year. Subaru needs to step up their game and give us a 6 cylinder twin turbo Sti making 450hp.
Ooo I kind of like that twin turbo flat 6 idea. Never thought about that
a mustang GT is starts at almost 10k over a WRX doofus.
I agree with everything you said. The only good thing Subaru did with this announcement is leave out the price because I think that would have resulted in even worse feedback.
My only hope is they redeem themselves with the STi and don’t add the big infotainment center, eyesight and other expensive interior features and focus more on performance. If not, a lot of enthusiasts are just going to move on to other brands.
I can forgive the weird styling that Subaru is sort of famous for, but 3 horsepower and 0 torque gain from 0.4 liter higher displacement? If the new STi has 320-330 HP for $50k or whatever it will cost, it’s going to be a huge disappointment.
Mate agree it's a huge disappointment....but this is what we get when bean counters and not engineers run car companies its sad Subaru has just lost it!
The wrx should’ve definitely came with 300hp. Most car now are days are just getting faster. A wrx should not be close with a Toyota Camry‼️… now if they Sti has 450 or even 400, I think people will buy the Sti like hot cakes. Styling kinda grew on me besides those black fenders. God take those off
@@brendanfogel4573 yeah like they’re gonna sell a 450 hp car for under $40k 🤡🤡
@@jonde4445 I mean that’s what they are saying. They could and definitely should up there price on the Sti
@@brendanfogel4573 Go buy a more expensive car if that’s what you want. Honda could give the Civic all the features an S Class has but that’s not the purpose of the car.
I couldn't keep watching the reveal after the 271 HP. Looks like somebody at Subaru found a 30% off coupon for plastic. Geez, at least paint it the color of the car. Anyone notice that most of their footage was a black car? Helps hide all the crap plastic. STI, maybe 330 HP after all the stink from this. I was planning on buying this new model, not now. The concept looked good so somebody there can design a car. For me a Levorg STI. I'm a fan of Subaru, bought a '02 WRX hatch new in '02 and kept it 17 years. Replaced it with a '05 to tide me over to this model, could not have been more disappointed
Who can argue with you?
I 100% agreed with you no one knows Subaru more than you 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Dear Subaru, Import the Levorg into the USA (it doesn’t/won’t compete with the Outback), give us base, Premium, Limited and STi trims. In
lieu of that, we really need a WRX hatchback. Period! It was the most versatile performance car that Subaru offered. Every time I see one (2007-2014), I wish I had bought one instead of my 2014 Crosstrek. Love my Crosstrek, but would have sacrificed ground clearance for the performance, if I had known it was the last turbo hatch Subaru would make.
You are the reason Carmakers are doing what they're doing. The market buys suvs but says they want performance cars. Performance cars don't sell in big numbers. Everyone wants a do it all car. They don't exist for a reason.
I really like this car. I ordered an orange GT two weeks ago. I AM one of the loyal customer base this car caters to. I don’t care what the old horsepower numbers were. Subaru hit it out of the park for me.
I agree. It’ll never satisfy everyone. I actually like the car. The cladding makes it feel less fragile and I don’t have to worry about rock chips as much.
I can deal with the minimal hp gains. I can’t deal with those ugly fenders and that rear bumper.
Not to mention the recaro seats and better suspension will be on the CVT
@@mojojoji5493 its pretty contradictory that the super performance heavy bolster racing seats are paired with the soft adaptive suspension and weak cvt.
After seeing the 2021 JDM Levorg which has the exact same front end minus the plastic spoiler and wheel well cladding, I think Subaru tried too hard to tie this new WRX to their US market sellers (Crosstrek, Forester, Outback), which is a mistake.
@@traviszuker1488 that’s exactly what it is
@@mojojoji5493 yeah that pisses me off. Subaru really fucked this car up. Did they not learn from the backlash they got with the 2008 wrx?? I know it’s different complaints, but they should’ve learned not to make stupid decisions again
Thanks for this frank assessment - more than any other review, this video showed me I made the right choice putting a deposit on a 2021 WRX this week to replace the 2002 Bugeye I've had since new. 242,000 miles and the head gasket finally showing signs of failure, or a tiny crack in the head (bubbles in coolant while running). Stock EJ205 motors FTW.
And yes Subaru, I still want a CD player in the car.
I just bought a 2021 WRX & I’m glad I did cuz if not I would of never bought or buy the 2022.
I agree 100% with this man all the way.😁👍
UGGGHH!!! I can't believe that the new 2022 Subaru World Rally X car looks more like a rally car than the street racing car that I wanted.
Love my WRX. Great sleeper car. I have a very mild tune on it and it absolutely rips. Handles great too. No other car made gives you the same level of speed, handling, comfort, and utility for the money.
Gotta love Mr. Subaru (1387) straight up..Calls it as he sees it doesn’t sugarcoat it!!!
My 2017 WRX just went up in value. Thank you 2022 WRX. I’ll wait for the new Z.
Oh shit. The climate controls are worth a double comment. i LOVED the 3 knob layout of subarus. So simple and intuitive. Even my Mazda with hard buttons sucks in comparison for ease of use. Shame that they went to a touchscreen that by nature makes it more cumbersome to make adjustments.
World: Global chip shortage
Subaru Engineer: Let’s make the infotainment center more complex and more computer like so it uses more chips.
Agree with you 100%, Mr Subaru1387! WRXs and STIs should remain pure driver's cars, like 'em good ole days!
Everyone hating on the drivetrain. Us crosstrek owners would be happy to have that setup.
True, but just because the Crosstrek has been stuck with a weak engine doesn’t mean putting an underwhelming performance engine in their “performance” car is a good thing
SUV body cladding, and front-end style on a sports car: This is not the kind of quirky us Subaru fans have grown to "love." IMHO, anyways.
With that said, that 2.4 liter turbo engine should have been in the new Wilderness Forester.
I said that as well
Feel the same!
Preach! Wife thinks I'm nuts but I'm just gonna drive and play with the classics
Agree 100%. So disappointing. Makes my 2019 STI look like an upgrade...guess I'll just keep it for a while and see where they go but my years with Subaru are at risk.
I treasure my 2006 Legacy Wagon. The well-maintained engine runs smoother than many of their new vehicles on the lot. I sadly continue to be disappointed in their new offerings although I try hard to remain open. Not much excites me in their lineup today. It seems that the engineering team of 15-20 years ago have either lost their way or have been replaced.
Hell, even a 1998-2002 legacy Twin Turbo makes 276-290hp with 2 liters of displacement, has a good amount of features (you could even call it modern), and is relatively reliable and can be had with very low mileage. People shouldn't buy this car but they will
I have an 05 LGT wagon 5MT. No way in hell are they selling me that. My car makes 320 hp on a stage 2 tune
Dude , nobody over here likes that screen. Like you said it's common sense a rally inspired car doesn't need a giant touch screen.
Seems strange that the old fans would be so dissatisfied. I'm a new owner, just bought a 2022 WRX, my first subaru. I actually like the looks, even the plastic, I know the torque is the same but the power curve is amazing. It has power ALL the time, from 2k up it just goes, no turbo lag, no constant shifting, it's just really good. The power delivery is so constant and linear that it FEELS slower than other turbo 4's while actually being faster. Do I miss how my old Speed3 would occasionally try to kill me? Yeah maybe I do, this WRX is not only NOT out to kill me, it cradles me gently and whispers a sweet lullaby as we fly down the road like a rocket on rails. It's so civilized, I guess it is missing that raw character that previous years had. I do wish the red line was higher, even like another 500 RPM's, it comes on QUICK.
The infotainment system is shit though, I just need a place to put my phone and the screen is so big there isn't one.
I have the big touch screen in my 21 Outback. The icons you hardly ever use are enormous and you can't remove them. Most of the icons you use regularly (e.g. fan controls, recirc, temperature) are either hidden or barely bigger than your fingertip (or both), making them difficult to hit while you're bouncing down the road. It's ironic that you have this huge screen but the icons you actually use are teeny tiny. It's remarkably bad design.
Serious gimmick, and every time I get into it I have to turn off certain features every single time, it's getting old
@@bovineexcrement8635 Subaru seriously needs to send their people to UX design school.
Thanks for the info. My wife bought a 21 WRX. I’m glad she didn’t wait for 22. 👍🏻✌🏻
I couldn’t agree more with everything you stated in this video. I am thankful I got my 21 WRX instead of the 2022. Also I believe all the Subaru WRX fan base all agrees that 2022 is a “dud”.
when you go to the dealer to check it out, ask the salesperson to tell you the difference between CVT and Subaru performance transmission ...
Straight talk with no bull, awesome work mate 👍
I agree with your opinion. 99% of comments I read online were negative & mine is one of those. Subaru have really dropped the ball on this one. It’s beyond me how they ditched the WRX wagon back in 2014. I imagine Subaru has lost a lot of customers to say the Golf R & this new WRX is a total disappointment. 3HP “gain” is a joke. The big infotainment screen made me think it was an Outback or a Tesla. The exterior styling made me wonder if Honda had “designed” the rear & the Crosstrek “designer” for the wheel flares! Let’s see what the STI will look like, but I’m sure that will be a disappointment too.
I think most fans are too young to remember the origins of these cars, they were AWD econobox's with turbos that gained notoriety in rally racing. People complain because they don't fit their perceptions of what they think the car should be today according to what the car scene has done with them. When these hit the US in 2001 (2002 MY) they absolutely bizarre looking compared to other cars on the market, now they're relished. As far as the HP goes, how much factory power do you want, and why so much emphasis on it? The 2.4 liter FA I'm betting has plenty of headroom aftermarket for those interested.
Subaru should have delivered 300hp, from stock, with a warranty. This +3, +6, +4 hp gain per generation is ridiculous when everyone else genuinely gives a performance bump nearly each generation.
Thank you for your honesty.
Love the commentary from you every week. Thank-you. Guess I won't be in any hurry to replace my 2004 STi. Still love it after all these years. A basic driver's machine...mine is one with no radio. A thought...did Subaru lose focus on performance when Mitsubishi quit producing the Evo?
You've given the best input as to why this reveal is such a let down. We waited all of these years for this....? For this????
They opened showing wrx and their owners just do this to us?
I dont care what Subaru claims the hp of the 2022 is, I want to know how it performs against the previous year model.
There are numerous reasons a manufacturer would choose to underrate the HP of their vehicles .
You speak for all of us!!!
Subaru should bring the Levorg instead of the redesign
Isn't Levorg likely to come back as "WRX Wagon"? That's what I want...with Forester suspension under it.
Likely not. US market has been demanding it since 2014, to fall on SOA's death ears.
@@sd3457 I wish
It’s really sad, honestly the end of an era I feel. This was likely the result of the economics AND the fuel economy standards they need to hit. We need to accept that the old days really are gone. And I guess that’s ok - nothing gold can stay, but it is sad, and I almost feel bad for Subaru here, they are getting destroyed in the comments of every single platform. I think the BRZ/GR86 will be a really fun time over the next couple years. This car, not so much. It’s now become a car for commuter dads to have a little more fun, but that’s it. We just have to accept it for what it is and keep the memories we’ve had over the last 20 years alive!
I'll be stacking JDM imported ej257s/trannys in a shed to endlessly feed my 2010 wrx in the meantime, 2 of each is cheaper than a new wrx! Plan B is to reinforce Plan A.
Yep. End of an era.
Strongly agree with your MrSubaru, I love old wrx and sti 100x more than this new plastic Christmas tree like soap boxes
This just solidified my views of the wrx being a Frankenstein car Subaru is in the car business I know now especially they wanna save money on everything especially a sports sedan
i'll stick with my 98 GF8 WRX i think, the STI should be pushing 400HP like you say, but after today's announcement there's no way it will be anywhere near that. They are going to lose a lot of people with this one i'm afraid.
a new WRX is cheap, and getting custom upgrades done is easy.
Remind me when the he gr wrx came out in 08 they put 0 effort into it and refreshed it in 11’
The 2023 STI is going to get 4hp more not even close to 400hp. They may go a little crazy and have 5hp more than the current gen 😂
I had a 2020 WRX with the performance package. Just wasn't feeling it with that car and it felt huge when driving. Sold it and got myself a simple GD and have been happy ever since.
The car companies really need to ditch the ipad radios. Just go back to simple stuff with Bluetooth and a microphone so you can do phone calls.
I'm calling it, the new STI will be the S209 in the new chassis. Not a bad thing as that car is slightly faster than the Type R. All these reports about it being closer to 400hp are baseless.
I agree 100%! They really dropped the ball with this new WRX. They’ve been making a lot of silly decisions lately which keeps further alienating loyal Subaru customers. I feel like Subaru is becoming a victim of its own success. Hopefully they wise up go back to what made them unique and great.
Remember when the 2004 STi came without any radio to pass emissions? Pepperidge Farms remembers.
haha, yup, when i got my '04 (in may '03), it didn't have a radio or floor mats. i still have it. the GD was the best looking STI imho.
It looks like Subaru is taking the WRX in a different direction to make a clear distinction between the STI. Now, if you want that STI performance and style, you'll have to buy STI.
This is what I was thinking honestly. The WRX might be more of the "rally" style car and the STI will be the high performance track weapon. Subaru might be be trying to separate the purposes for both cars. This is only a theory of course. Only time will tell.
Call me old school about the Subaru. I have a 2019 STi and I know everyone is talking about the EJ25 motor being a dinosaur. I don't care about how other people talk about the EJ being around for so long. If you do your regular maintenance, you won't have any problems. I'm glad I got this current body style. We all haven't seen the STi yet but it might be similiar to the WRX with all the body clading probably. I maybe wrong....
The best part of a 25-30 year old engine is there are no surprises. You want 500,700, or 1000hp? The recipe is out there and it's tried and true. This new crap is like starting over.
Why does everyone hate on the plastic cladding so much? I really liked it on the OB Wilderness and I like it on the WRX. It adds this strange Toyota Tacoma look to it that I think adds to the quirky nature of Subarus. I also think it protects more of the car, especially around the wheel wells where the dirt and rocks are going to be kicking up.
With the orange color, I like it a lot too. Yes it's obviously a copy of the Crosstrek but I liked the color on the Crosstrek too.
The engine and performance, yyyyyeah I kind of agree. I've never drive/owned a WRX, but I've heard what people say about WRXs in comparison to other performance cars. But, you made the engine bigger and barely added anything? The 6th gen Outback makes just about as much HP and seems more capable at this point. And the touchscreen in the middle, I think they're trying too hard to make this infotainment system (which is in the 2020 Outback and up) across all their vehicles now. Even a smaller screen with HVAC control knobs like a 2017 Crosstrek would have been okay, but that huge touchscreen, is just wrong in a car that is supposed to be tearing through dirt at a Rally.
Despite all the flaws of their 6 cylinder engine, I really wish they'd go back to the drawing board, and completely redesign and rerelease a new 6 cylinder boxer. I don't car if it's turbo charged or tuned, or whatever, you're just plain going to get more power out of the larger engine. It's like Subaru is afraid of their own engines because they see people modding the f*ck out of them and blowing them up, so Subaru holds themselves back.
I don't know what Subaru is expected to do now though. Would they stop production to make changes? Maybe with all the shortages that may be able to do that. It's certainly a unique time. I actually haven't even seen anyone other than Subie fans chime in on the WRX. I don't know which is worse, Subie fans being completely disappointed with the WRX, or the fact that it didn't even register on the car market.
I know I'm in the minority here, but I don't think the WRX needs more power. I do think it could go on a diet, however.
The wrx has to become a sports car again. Smaller, etc. But I don't think this is where it is going and people buying it do not look for a sport car I think. I am more interested in yaris gr and corolla gr
@@alexanabolic5099 except in the states we don’t even have those options. It sucks. I feel like the us gets shafted by the Japanese makers when it comes to performance.
@@alexanabolic5099 That Coralla GR with 4Cylinder engine will punch 350hp approx.
@@axeya366 I just hope it is not crazy expensi e
@@alexanabolic5099 Well, shortage of microchips and memory around the world. Inflation everywhere. I cant see how it can even stay at the same price as the previous generation unless sales a drastically very low.
Here in Australia we just want a manual levorg
I'll be keeping my Bugeye STi for years to come until the EV era.
I concur with many of your thoughts, especially the styling and definitely the engine. They have been touting “new from the ground up.” Yet, we got a re-skinned version that looks almost the same as the outgoing, except worse, AND a new engine that makes almost identical power output. And yes, I’ll be that guy who says it, I wanted them to revive the hatchback and they have refused to listen to the complaints. And now, we have Hyundai announcing their new Hyundai Elantra N, which will make 286 HP and 289 lb feet of torque. Subaru had an opportunity to keep up with, or surpass the competition here, but we now live in a world with a faster stock Elantra than a WRX. Shame on Subaru.
I'm confused this isn't the sti just the base model.
270hp was a big deal in the 90’s but now just about every car has that and 18 wheels are so small for a huge body. Looks like a Dr. Seuss car.
@@philipe7937 The 18" wheel would be sufficent on a WRX, creating some latitude for a 19" oem wheel on the WRX STi, Much larger than that and it looks clown-ish. But the 18" wheel is shrunken in visual aesthetic by the impact of that hideous black cladding, which from afar looks like vacant dark space. Real shame and major design faux pas. Hope they can right the ship. My buddy just bought a '20 STi and I'm glad for him he did...the future looks bleak.
There is a small bright side - they didn't take away the manual, though it is probably on notice.
Also, touch screens are the worst.
Happy I grabbed my 2021.
Imagine this being your halo car - the car you've been known around the world for for decades - in its first major redesign in 5 years, on an all new platform, with a new engine, a chance to go completely back to the drawing board, with infinite possibilities and so much potential..........and you give us this. This is an epic fail on so many levels. THREE MORE HP? You bolted a turbo to the 2.4 in the BRZ and only added 40hp? And not only that, they're trying to trick consumers into buying the automatic by basically lying to us about what it actually is.
After the launch, I went outside to admire my red 17 wrx 6speed, and I will also be glad to know that it won’t depreciate after the new car launch as I expected.
Hate that touchscreen I use them every day at work and they are slow! And complex i would love to see how it performs in the extreme cold over time
As a family of 5 drivers, who all drove Subies, I have the last one we will own. It’s a 2013 Outback that I just put tires on and had the cvt oil changed so I could get 3 more years out of it. My next ride will be the Hyundai Santa Cruz. I used to own a 2006 Baja. Subaru you have lost a life long driver.
Maybe the displacement helped the powerband, but I was instantly disappointed with the horsepower figures and performance figures. It makes me think the STI will be neutered too. I wanted this to compete with the Golf R and Honda Civic. Not a fan of the cladding. It also seems like the Recaro seats are only in the GT model, which means CVT only.
In truth, I want a Cross Trek WRX and STI version with a longer travel suspension and manual transmission.
I’m so happy I went with the 05 STI over the new body style. The rear end of this new one looks like a civic rear end.
This and the 2022 civic really don't look alike.
Yeah. I have an 04 sti. Still curious to see the design/performance of the new sti though.
I will say I saw it in person in gray and I liked it WAAAY better than I thought. I do think the negative reaction is being taken a bit too far. I of course get it though. My favorite Subarus are the 90s and early 00s. In person, the lines make more sense and it looks sleek and mean overall. Obviously a lot of aspects I don't love. As for the power numbers, well the curves will be totally different so it will feel way faster and it will likely have a lot more overhead like you mentioned. So they get to keep it reliable with good MPG and much better power under the curve, but it leaves tuning headroom on the table for the aftermarket which will be a good selling point over time used or new. I do of course agree it looks like it will be too heavy and I wish it wasn't so big. More power would be nice too.
Some people at Wicked Big Meet liked it, but the overwhelming reaction was definitely negative. I do think they should have kept this more related to prior WRX and just released a turbo Crosstrek too. The cladding was also definitely less offensive in person, at least on the gray car. It does have purpose as well. As for the GT trim, I'm just really annoyed it is automatic only. Let us pick what we want, hah. Overall, definitely get where you are coming from in general and I largely agree. Wish Subaru would listen to the dedicated fans, at least of the WRX/STI, rather than just trying to push marketing focus group styling. We mostly all just wanted them to give us the Levorg with a more powerful engine! Ah well. I do think it will grow on people, a lot of misses, but I hate it less than I expected.
Oh and probably my least favorite thing overall is touch controls for the HVAC. I always loved Subaru for staying away from that. Stick with the simple knobs! Hopefully it's the GT trim only or at least an option with an infotainment system. Subaru needs to realize when it comes to the WRX/STI, KISS!
Missed the bullseye? They missed the whole damn wall that the dart board is hanging on. But hey, at least Toyota (who knew replacement Camry trunk lids wouldn't be a big seller) and Honda (Swingline stapler tail lights) got to get rid of all their excess parts before they refresh their models.
Its more of a marketing plan for a update in 2 to 3 years..Leave room for engine upgrades and body styling upgrades.
Personally body and interior is like 10 years behind rest of evolving market.
Need to go towards minimalist progression..”less is more”
Why Subaru doesn’t stick to their CONCEPTS that actually LOOK GREAT…the world may never know…
They should of bumped it to 300 hp for the WRX. Maybe they'll add a bigger turbo. The plastic is ok for us folks that live in the north and have to deal with gravel roads, rock chips and rust. Hopefully they can revise and blend the plastic to match the color.
At 3:30 he states everyone wants to have a gd or gc chassis. I think this is what every car guy wants to see again but will never be able to see hence why everyone is so disappointed in the reveal. Its going off of its roots becoming heavier because there are more infotainment demands and much higher safety standards compared to late 90’s early 2000’s. I honestly was not surprised to see anything far off of what they revealed.
Not marketed towards Wrx enthusiast.. more marketed toward them crosstrek and outback lovers..
It's interesting that that torque figure is even significantly LESS than the stock 2.4 in the Ascent and Outback XT. And the styling looks like several pieces (the upper bit around the rear defuser, the stripe in the middle of trunk, the lower bits along the rocker panels, etc) all look like they were designed to be body color. Has me a bit worried they were designing to a price point and had to extract some costs, (kinda like what Nissan did to many of it's vehicles in the early 2000s.)
Exactly….
Toyota's influence is showing in this GR Corolla sleeper marketing.
Crosstrek orange being the launch color reinforces that Subaru is trolling WRX fans.
Pretty obvious why the HP/TQ figures are so disappointing --to keep the CVT alive.
I'm sure the FA24 will make great numbers tuned, I like the electronic waste gates from a performance perspective.
The sad part is the fan base will just bend over and buy it regardless of their thoughts and then defend it for the next 5 years.
I think the unfortunate thing is that the WRX will always be nerfed to the WRX STi which I think skews our expectations… that being said I think 285hp would have been a solid number to put the WRX at without the fear neutering their STI sales
I'd love to hear from the lead designers on this project. Was this really what y'all wanted to push to the market or was this a culmination of what got signed off on by the PMs and stakeholders.
Either way, from the outside, this release feels lazy in its overall execution.
I agree, wouldn't make me want one. Great video!
Honestly for WRX I would have taken the tail light shape from the BMW 3 series to appeal to the more mainstream customers, clean and simple design!
Because the WRX has the Auto option it could be the daily driver to work a commuting car with a little bit of kick compared to the crosstrek.
Keep the STi for the hardcore Subaru customer.
Please remove all the terrible black plastic!
The engine might just be a masterpiece! That is the only part I would disagree with your complaints about it only being a couple of horsepower extra and because of that the drivetrain is automatically doomed.
The torque band from what I have been told is extremely wide this time so it will pull like an electric motor!
Especially if the CVT can keep the engine in optimum RPM’s
The power figures are very much in line with the Golf GTi, Elantra N and GR Corrola (rumoured)
I think the cvt transmission is holding them back. If they could get a stronger trans, maybe the horsepower could be upped.
As a VA owner I really dislike the new design.. also a 3 hp inclease... WTF IS THAT. You speak facts. I'll never own this new generation. Subaru effectively lost my buiseness going forward until ANOTHER redesign.
Which Subaru Impreza WRX is the best year to own? What upgrade can help the longevity of the motor? I hear there is a lot of problems with Subaru motors and most people put unnecessary mods in these cars
Corolla look-a-like?And my wife says I've ballooned, gained weight, and gotten overly-clomplex. I tell her I'm the new model.
I do like the automatic in the Legacy. The takeoff is more aggressive than in my 400tq sti. The Legacy felt faster off the line for sure.
I love it!! Buying or ordering it tomorrow, great daily driver for me, 271 hp more than enough to get to point a to point B
Still loving my new Forester
I agree with everything you said here. It’s not atrosish looking but it’s so underwhelming for sure. You can tell they set it up like you said to the main stream masses and maybe it will. But it sure let the loyalist down. I love and I’ll stick with my cam’d GD 2.5 rs putting down 220chp and 180 to the wheels n/a.
Well since they are basically giving us a levorg sedan I think its time to bring the levorg wagon here now. I think it looks fantastic but if they do bring it over then I hope they leave the plastic cladding off but I wouldn't be surprised if they keep the cladding
emissions requirements probably killed any power increase. not just in america but more stringent euro requirements too
Well they finally updated the interior which is really outdated. But the fact that HVAC and other controls are using a touch screen it's not a good idea but a good idea. Everything else seems to suck really bad.. Only time will tell on how it will turn out for Subaru.
Its going to handle really really well. I drove a 2021 Legacy (new platform) and it had better turn in than my 19 STI. The amount of plastic crap is excessive HOPEFULLY they have painted fenders on the STI and it's at least 340 horse