- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr
Three roaring letters
The Subaru WRX is a sports powerful compact sedan (C-segment according to the European classification), born from the legendary genes of the winner of the World Rally Championship, the Subaru Impreza WRX STi. In 2014, following the release of the new generation of the original model, the WRX spun off and became a standalone model. Therefore, it is believed that the car is produced in only two generations, and the new one has just debuted, on September 10, 2021. The second generation sports car will go on sale in early 2022. In Israel, the model is offered in an even more powerful STi version (Subaru Tecnica International).
- Historical background: The Impreza sports modifications first received the WRX prefix in 1992 and were produced with purely Japanese generosity of the 90s in three variants: sedan, estate and coupe. Subaru lovingly elaborated and improved its brainchild, and with each change of generations, the car became better and more powerful. In 2014, it became an independent WRX model, which is produced only in a 4-door sedan body.
The first generation
The first Subaru WRX debuted in November 2013 in Los Angeles. This model continues to be released to the present, although in September 2021, the manufacturer presented a new generation. The car has a very energetic and dynamic exterior, stylish interior, and most importantly, a powerful engine and a new manual transmission. The car was developed under the directorship of the experienced engineer Matsuo Takatsu, and this is what he said:
‘The drivers should see the car as an extension of themselves, their arms and legs. Only then will the management process bring both pleasure and a sense of security’.
The first WRX came with a 2.0-liter turbocharged FA20 boxer engine borrowed from the Forester XT. The engine was improved, which allowed increasing an output to 268hp. There was a choice between a manual transmission and a CVT. The 6-speed manual transmission with the new cable drive was more responsive than the old one. And the all-wheel drive transmission distributed the torque between the front and rear axles equally. But if one of the axles slipped, this ratio was changed by means of a viscous coupling.
The Lineartronic CVT (manual mode, as well as the usual ‘D’, sporty ‘S’ and racing ‘S#’) imitated gear shifting. The all-wheel drive scheme on the WRX equipped with the CVT was different, with a different center cylindrical VTD (Variable Torque Distribution) differential, which distributed the torque between the front and rear wheels in a 45:55 ratio. And it was blocked by a hydraulic clutch and electronic control. The suspension had a good energy consumption reserve, it was stiff, but it did not allow swinging, which was important with the WRX’s ground clearance of only 125 mm.
The interior was finished with excellent materials, which were soft, pleasant to the touch plastics, while the seats had leather upholstery. The trunk volume was no worse than that of the representatives of the ‘family’ class and reached 460 liters. The model was 4,595 mm long, 1,795 wide and 1,475 mm high, with wheelbase of 2,650 mm.
2017 restyling
In January 2017, the restyled WRX was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show. The sedan could boast redesigned exterior, new air intakes on the front bumper, new interior trim materials and more options. However, the engines were the same due to their originally perfect characteristics.
Most significantly, the 2017/2018 Subaru WRX is equipped with the manual transmission with new synchronizers, which improved shifting. Plus, there is a new electric power steering, and the suspension was adjusted. In addition, the finishing materials have improved and the interior sound insulation has been improved. A center armrest with cup holders has appeared in the back row. The center display above the dashboard is larger. LED headlights have ‘learnt’ to turn the light beam after the steering wheel (adaptive mechanism).
The second generation
Formally, it is not available yet, as the serial production will begin in 2022. The cars will initially go to the United States, then to other countries. The new Subaru WRX is based on the modern modular SGP (Subaru Global Platform), so it has grown in size: the length is 4,669 mm, the width is 1,826 mm, and the height is 1,468 mm. The wheelbase has grown by 12 mm to 2,672 mm. The front face of the car looks similar to that of the Levorg estate. Plus, the model has a new larger engine. The center of gravity is lower. The 2021/2022 Subaru WRX has aluminum front fenders that are lighter than steel, and the wheel arches feature prominent plastic linings.
The car will come with a new 2.4-liter turbocharged FA24 boxer engine with 275 hp and 350 Nm. You can still choose between a 6-speed manual transmission and a CVT. The latter has been so deeply modernized that it is presented as a new gearbox, called the Subaru Performance Transmission. The unit retained eight fixed pseudo-gears (switched by paddle shifters), and it began to work faster: 30% faster up and 50% faster down.
The interior of the 2022 Subaru WRX is a mixture of new and analog devices. Next to the classic dial gauges is the modern Starlink multimedia system with an 11.6-inch screen. The display is touch-sensitive, from which you can control the sound system, navigation, climate control and other settings. But the keys to the right and left of the screen are still here. The safety is monitored by the most modern EyeSight package, equipped with a stereo camera, which includes adaptive cruise control, automatic braking and lane keeping assist systems.
