2022 Subaru WRX Review | Pricing, Trims & Photos (2024)

The Subaru WRX owes its heritage to the World Rally Championship. That is why this compact four-door sedan has all-wheel drive, a high-horsepower engine, and a suspension tuned for performance. For 2022 the WRX is all new, but it carries forward in the most important ways. It has a new, more athletic and less extreme body with a tasteful grille and wide hood scoop. The aluminum front fenders reduce the car's overall weight. The taillights glow with a look Subaru designers say is reminiscent of volcanic magma. The new model also adds a top-of-the-line GT trim with electronic damping and a sport-oriented continuously variable automatic transmission. Drivers can opt for Comfort, Normal, and Sport settings, and have a total of 430 ways to customize steering feel, damper settings, and engine management.

Key competitors among specialized performance compact cars include the Volkswagen Golf GTI, Hyundai Veloster N, and Honda Civic Si. The Volkswagen Golf R and Volkswagen Jetta GLI are also in the mix. One part of the appeal of cars like the WRX is that, in addition to their performance, they seat five adults and transport a good amount of gear.

Positives

New platform and powertrains. Fun-to-drive character. Revised interior.

Considerations

Less punch than some competitors. Not as versatile as a hatchback.

Verdict

The all-new 2022 Subaru WRX takes the same basic formula that made it successful and adds more standard horsepower, a new chassis, and an interesting mix of tech including a larger touchscreen.

The 2022 Subaru WRX is available in five trim levels: Standard, Premium, Limited, GT, and STI. The Premium is the popular choice, but we recommend the new GT. We'll explain why.

Standard

Starting at $30,100 (including a $995 destination fee), the entry-level WRX comes with a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine, six-speed manual transmission, all-wheel drive, and 17-inch alloy wheels. Interior features include a six-way manually adjustable driver's seat, cloth upholstery with red stitching, silver metallic and gloss black trim, a 7-inch driver information display, and 7-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and SiriusXM satellite radio with a free four-month subscription.

The optional automatic transmission is bundled with active safety features and adaptive cruise control.

Premium

Priced at $32,500, the Premium adds 18-inch alloy wheels, heated power-adjustable side mirrors, heated front seats, LED fog lights, and a low-profile trunk spoiler. Interior upgrades include dual automatic climate control, 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, and two rear USB ports.

Limited

The more luxurious Limited ($36,990) includes an upgraded interior with imitation leather and ultrasuede upholstery with red stitching, a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support, carbon-fiber trim, and an 11-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system.

GT

The new GT trim ($42,890 ) has electronically controlled dampers with Comfort, Normal, and Sport settings plus a new Drive Mode Select. The eight-way power-adjustable Recaro sport seats are upholstered in black ultrasuede with red stitching and the Recaro logo. The GT also has exclusive 18-inch matte-gray alloy wheels with 245/40 R18 summer performance tires. Standard EyeSight driver-assist technology includes adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency steering. Because of all this, it is our choice as the best pick among the trims.

STI

The 2022 WRX STI will be introduced later in the year.

For 2022, the Subaru WRX has a new 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four-cylinder engine. Its 271 horsepower is just 3 hp more than the engine in the previous-generation WRX and it offers the same amount of peak torque — 258 pound-feet of torque from 2,000-5,200 rpm. Although the numbers haven't moved much, Subaru says the new engine is more responsive. The standard transmission is a six-speed manual that has been upgraded with new ratios and better shift quality. But the bigger news is the automatic. Dubbed the Subaru Performance Transmission, it is a continuously variable automatic transmission that can simulate the actions of a conventional multi-gear transmission. The simulated eight-speed manual mode uses steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Among the transmission's features is adaptive shift control that can perform rev-matching downshifts. Engine and automatic transmission operation can be altered in the SI-Drive Performance Management System. And every WRX has Subaru all-wheel drive and active torque vectoring.

Comparatively, the Volkswagen Golf GTI has a 241-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, and the Hyundai Veloster N uses a 275-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder.

Subaru has significantly upped its interior-design game in recent years and that is evident in the new WRX. The most dramatic portion of its well-designed interior is the 11.6-inch full high-definition center-mounted information display. It is placed in a portrait orientation, dominating the dash. Carbon fiber-themed accents and red contrast stitching provide a sporty look, and the GT version features Recaro seats. The WRX also has a (sort-of) flat-bottom steering wheel with controls for audio, voice recognition, and the EyeSight array of driver aids.

A five-passenger sedan, the WRX seats two in bucket seats and three on a rear bench seat. A 60/40-split folding rear seatback provides access to the Subaru's ample 12.5-cubic foot trunk. But when it comes to convenience, the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Hyundai Veloster N hatchbacks are easier to load.

The 2022 Subaru WRX has not yet been evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

If you want all of the electronic safety and drive-assist tech, you'll have to choose a WRX with the CVT automatic transmission. Manual transmission models don't have the otherwise standard EyeSight driver-assist technology. The system includes adaptive cruise control with lane-centering, and newly available automatic emergency steering that works in concert with pre-collision braking to help avoid collisions at speeds under 50 mph.

Although it has evolved through the years, the Subaru WRX has remained true to its heritage as a rally-proven road warrior. While the 2022 WRX is more civilized and less raw than previous examples, it is still fun to blast around in. And that is really the point. The Volkswagen Golf GTI and Hyundai Veloster N have their own pluses (including higher fuel economy), and the upcoming Honda Civic Type R will be a formidable challenger. But the Subaru WRX still stands its ground as a race-bred runner.

Subaru WRX vs. Honda Civic

Subaru WRX vs. Hyundai Veloster

Subaru WRX vs. Volkswagen Golf GTI

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