Since Subaru is skipping the STI this generation and doing "special editions" Subaru needs to bring back the SUS; Sport Utility Sedan! Give us a WRX with a Forester Wilderness Suspension, 17" wheels with AT tires, roof rails, improved cladding, engine underguard/bash plate, all weather floor mats and mudflaps.
Yeah, these WRXs are Subarus way of keeping a sporty line going. They’re re-using an engine from their biggest “truck” in their “sports sedan”. The WRX simply does not have the torque, suspension, or transmission, capable of the ruggedness you’re seeking. If they did.. they’d have an STI. You will never get that version unless they electrify… in which case just don’t buy it lol.
@@EveryTacoInLA well KINDA! Those are bad ass, but the SPT’s limits in terms of performance are kind of a bummer. In a WRX with a manual, you could wring out a ton more bhp!
@@TheCALMInstitute other than the manual, isn’t the drive train the same as the non manual WRX? Same engine no? If I could live a WRX nine inches I would but alas I can’t
uMy 2022 WRX was at Willow Springs event and one of our buddies who's a professional driver Randy Pobst took my WRX and my neighbors STI out. My WRX has coilovers, sways, bushings, 200tw tire and Randy did 1:28 which isn't bad! But my neighbors completely stock STI besides 200tw did 1:23. I asked Randy why the big difference and he said it's because of the mechanicals, my new WRX has open front diff and open rear diff using just brakepads for torque vectoring, and he said the STI all come standard with Limited-slip differents in the front and back with DCCD in center that can move torque. But for a intermediate driver like me I wouldn't know which I think is like most WRX owners it's fine. A skilled driver though would take advantage of the STI's higher ceiling.
no tune? no wonder you lost the vb outperforms the va sti with a good tune this has already been proven so many videos on here can’t believe you don’t know this
I'm still holding out hoping they make an STI, but if they don't this will probably be the car I get, love the digital cluster, makes the car look 100x more modern while still having the raw feeling of the manual+ handbrake.
Hey Ryan, when are you getting the Audi SQ8 you said you'd like to review in the e-Tron Review? Hope you get the ICE SQ8 as well as the e-Tron. Would be cool to see what the Q8 can do offroad.
Ryan, It is hard to believe the company that single-handedly kept wagons alive in the mainstream segment can't even be bothered to build a WRX hatch. 🤔
I wish hot hatches still existed. I own one and would love another one. But no one buys them so blame people wanting compact SUVs over hatchbacks and wagons instead of the manufacturers.
Great job Ryan. Great cinematography as well. I like the WRX (I own a ‘17), but I think the WRX is due for at least a 50hp power bump. It’s getting left behind by all its competitors. I know Subaru thinks WRX buyers “don’t care about the lower power numbers”, but I hear it brought up on the forums and Reddit often enough. I am a buyer. I want more power.
As a tR owner, I wish i had the digital cluster and adjustable dampers, but that blue interior is just a bit too extra for me. especially contrasting with any other exterior color.
It's TR. Not tR. The only reason it's tS, is because STI is an acronym, so tuned by STI makes sense to abbreviate it that way. Also, agree on the interior color, but that's how STI's were and it's like hating on the scoop... if you hate the scoop or feel like it's just a gimmick, you probably don't "get it." I think a digital cluster ruins this car's analog and mechanical feel.
Team ONeil shows how capable even the stock WRX is, while the internet is clamouring for more acronyms (LSD, DCCD etc) in the brochure that wont make a difference 98% of the time on the street. This new Subaru chassis is a winner I think in handling dynamics.
Yeah I've seen him drive he's good, WRX is perfect to practice on, but it takes really skilled driver and you'll see the difference is quite big. Randy Pobst who's a professional drive for decades at the Willow Springs event took my 2022 WRX with coilovers and swaybars and he then took our buddies stock STI and he was much faster in the STI. He said if a car is engineered better there's no way around it and that my new WRX has open front diff and open rear diff and uses brakepads for torque vectoring which he said is fine for a intermediate driver like ONeil and myself we can't take advantage of LSD. But he said for a skilled driver a Limited-slip diff in front and back with the automatic DCCD is a league difference. Randy Pobst said there's a reason Porsche, all BMW M cars, GTR, and Civic Type-R, all high performance sports cars come standard with LSD.
@@mariagus805 wyatt is an ex Rally America champion (2wd), intermediate driver?. Id bet he would beat Pobst on Gravel. I think he knows what he is talking about, especially when on the gravel. Not knocking RP, but not his discipline. The stock Base model WRX with stock tire is top of leaderboards on there tests. Beating out even a rally-prepped Fiesta with LSD on gravel tires. Would a LSD help? Yes,.on a track or racing..for the other 363 days a year, probably not. And lap times tbh are the least important for me. Its.not going to be a track car. The way the stock vb rotates with subtle weight transfer using left foot braking in the Team O'Neil video was jaw dropping, never seen a stock car do that. Most are designed to plow and understeer and you need to be more aggressive to slide the back end out. It looks like a blast in Winter and fun enough in the summer.
@@g.s.8108 ok then for sure if he's skilled driver, without a doubt he would be much faster on dirt or tarmac track in my neighbors 1999 STI Type R, I learned the STI not only has all the LSD front center and rear that we talked about, but it A LOT lighter, the STI weighs 2700 lbs and my VB WRX weighs 700 lbs more at 3400 lbs. Now for intermediate driver like me I wouldn't be able to take advantage of the speed difference and prefer comfortable WRX instead. But for a driver like him he can easily take advantage of it, it's unfortunate he only has the WRX.
I have mix feelings. I mean I am glad this car exists, but i feel like they just using the Sti brand for marketing bs. What exactly is Sti tuned here? Suspension? Engine? Chassis? None!! The s209 is what really tuned by Sti! But for a WRX, this is definitely the top! Comfortable daily driver while you can have some fun when you want it. ( oh! Btw, the GR engine is a dedicated race engine! If i remember right, Toyota is using basically the same in WRC! The GR Corolla is the new Sti. )
Here is my only issue i own 2021 sti, the fact that this wrx will be mark up to 45k-50k and not have the things the sti brings is just bs. Lets be honest you probably rather be better getting a used sti or new regular wrx than this for price. No hate at all I respect wrx non sti platform but if they are going to charge sti prices then give us an sti , not a reflection on you but on subaru themselves. Sti i think should be 380hp-400hp to be in the runing with what modern cars run stock then happy to pay 50k no problem and wrx should be at 300-320hp.
This is exactly what subaru wants. They are feeding us a bunch of watered down, base model WRXs with a few pieces stuck on. Throw some painted calipers on there and new seats and all of a sudden people want to try justifying the ABSURD price for these "special" edition cars. You do all realize that these cars cost WAY more than the last STI we had, while not being anywhere near as good right? This is all just a setup to make people comfortable paying high 40s for an almost base WRX. That makes it easy to sell the STI (It is coming back) for $60k. When in reality the STI should only be high 40s.
You that's inflation across the board right? It's not just Subaru. The FK8 Type R was $36k, now the FL5 is $47k before taxes and fees. Civic Si is almost 30k now. GR Corolla just got a price bump, it starts at 40k now. The Mustang has also gone up $5-10k depending on trim. Nissan tried to sell the new Z Nismo for $70k. Hell even the Miata can now be optioned up over 40k Part of it is also the clowns that run Europe. They mandated that all cars had to have the full Nanny technology. So Subaru had to add Eyesight to manual WRXs, and up the cost.
@@DragonKnightX12 Its not inflation. It is taking advantage of people. The lower trim cars didn't go up in price much. A civic sport is only a couple hundred bucks more than it was last generation. A base mazda 3 actually went down in price. Subaru crosstrek and impreza got very small price increases to the lower trims but also gained more standard features. Enthusiasts are getting screwed thats all. There is no justification to raise the price of a type R by 10k. No reason any kind of corolla should cost $47k. And a damn near base model WRX should not cost more than the last gen STI. Its greed
WRX ts in Middle East is equivalent to the GT trim without Recaro seats. US market get more trim options, while ME and some Asian markets get 3 trims (manual, SPT, and higher SPT option dubbed "ts") in Sedan or hatch. I have owned 2015 STI and now own a 2024 WRX manual. The latter is way more refined for a daily, more practical, and more forgiving. No issues with Infotainment screen whatsoever, works fine and is practical. A difference between manual Vs SPT is that the seats in SPT are more adjustable and can go lower.
Would have been nice to see also more the digital display. Is the same one as the JDM Outback, so would be interesting to hear your comments about how it is, as i guees we will see it in new models as well.
Pre-pandemic financial and supply constraints made the production of the STI too costly for the targeted demo, so it was not going to sell well and corporate procurement advised not to proceed unless they wanted to sell it at a loss. Subaru already had contractual obligations with the third-party companies they were collaborating with (Recaro, Brembo, etc) and needed to stick to their deal, so the only logical way out was to create "special" trims: TR or the tS. This generation will not see an STI thanks to the Chinese. Not Subaru's fault.
@@g.s.8108You are 100% correct. The STI would probably hover around the low to mid-50s. Unfortunately, Subaru took a hit from the supply chain issues brought about by the pandemic. They’d probably lose a lot of money producing the STI. People complain about it, but Subaru is a business and aren’t in the charity market (even though they do donate to a lot of charities)
yeah found out after buying the WRX. all the new WRX owners talk about how great the engine is so I bought one, but I admit I am not a car mechnicals expert so thought AWD is AWD, boy was I wrong. Had Randy Pobst drive my 2022 WRX and my neighbors STI at Willow Springs event. My WRX has coilovers, sways, bushings, 200tw tires. My neighbors STI is stock with just 200tw tires. Randy did a 1:28 in my WRX which is good! But in the stock STI, he annihilated it with a 1:23. He explained to me the mechnicals, that my new WRX has open front diff and open rear diff and uses brakepads only for torque vectoring, while the STI comes standard with Limited-slip diffs in the front and rear and center differential that can move torque around. But a intermediate average driver like myself wouldn't be able to tell the difference so WRX is fine for me, but for a skilled driver they can easily see the difference.
I agree with that!!! Most people want an STI with a lot of power and forget this is Subaru not Toyota lol they need to sale to the masses. As much as people want an STI that car would be about 50k and most people will watch other people drive it lol because it’s too expensive.
If the WRX tS ends up at $45,000, this trim will be DOA once it arrives on showroom floors and dealership lots. You got the mid-cycle refresh Elantra N for $10,000 less and more performance. You got the GR Corolla while smaller in size gives you more performance, but you gotta be careful you don't go over 85 MPH and the car catches fire. You got the MK8.5 Golf R, but you can no longer get a manual transmission in the refreshed Golf R. There is no Jetta GLR/GRI (no R version of the Jetta). You got the FL5 Civic Type R, but you still can't find one at MSRP without additional dealer markup. Lastly, you got the Integra Type S while it is more in price, you get the most performance and niceties for your money. $45,000 was the VA gen WRX STI Limited money. Subaru will have to give in when they see the VB WRX tS still not being what the community asks for. Their last hope is bringing the WRX STI back. They don't have no choice if they want a next gen WRX to exist in the direction they want to go with it being hybrid or electric or both, but right now it's not the time for either of those right now. Subaru needs to take a risk and get the STI team back to enhance the FA24 or spend the money and go to Porsche and get the 2.5 Flat Four Boxer Engine that was in the Porsche 718 Boxster and use that engine for a VB WRX STI. It made 350hp and 309lb-ft of tq. That would/will be more than enough performance punch for a VB gen WRX STI.
Just here to note that only 2 GR Corollas have burned down. Still too many for a new car but with over 15,000 built the probability of one you buy catching on fire is currently 0.01%.
@James-sb4ge I know. I just wanted to say that about the GR Corolla because everybody else is saying it and Toyota hasn't done anything to replace these 2 dudes cars. In all seriousness, hopefully no more fires happen again. I think the refresh is coming soon and the GRMN Corolla is also on coming soon too.
I am about to buy a vehicle for off roading. Please help me decide which one I should get . There are so many options. I am confuse with all the options.
Had a STI for 5 years and the stock 305hp didn't cut it in 2008, 272 as the top tier in 2024 is just sad. Only reason I wish I kept it was to get a high HP block dropped in. Shame we have lost the STI and Evo. At least Toyota is offering performance cars.
I believe he mentioned that most people can’t reach the limit of this car which I think is accurate. Subaru will not make a 400hp 50k sedan that no one can afford. When they know the community will run straight to Cobb and get an accesspoort to make the power they want. Why would Subaru spend the money doing that when your going to mod it anyway. I think they are being smart with this one.
@@iManual6peed True. I think some VB WRX are dyno higher than advertised HP already and a Tune can get you to 300hp. But its not a drag racer. I have gone from a Audi S4 to Focus RS and am considering the tS for my next car. Mostly because of how well the chassis responds to weigh transfer and handling (see Team ONeil Will it Rally video). The power of my cars are going down though. Its the drive a slow car fast, rather than a fast car slow mentality I think as Im getting older.
@@g.s.8108 I don’t think you will be dissatisfied with this platform at all. If you see any review out there no one says this car is not fun to drive or that it’s lacking in some way. It’s a good platform to build off of.
Depends on what you are used to. My stage 2 STi was decent. My Supra is better and my supercharged 200hp ZH2 is a beast. I wouldn’t expect Subaru to make a 500hp STI. 350 stock with headroom built in would be great. They just don’t have much competition in this space like they did when the Evo was around. At least they still make a car with a stick.
everyone was talking about the power new WRX made, so I bought a 2022 WRX. But I will admit, I am not a expert with mechnicals and thought AWD was AWD, boy was I wrong. Was at a Willow Springs event and our buddy professional driver Randy Pobst took my 2022 WRX with coilovers, sways, bushings, 200tw tires out and did a 1:28 which is really good! But he then took our neighbors completely stock STI besides 200tw tires and it wasn't even close, he did a 1:23. That's when I learned power is not everything. Randy explained that my new WRX has open front and rear diff and uses brakepads only for torque vectoring, while the STI has front and rear limited-slip differentials and center differential that moves torque front and rear. Average driver like me wouldn't see the difference, but a skilled driver easily would.
Why do you need rev- match in stop and go traffic? That is for spirited driving. In Europe none of the manual cars have re- match! 😃 there are several different ways to downshift smoothly, you can find videos about it here on YT.
useless addition with stuff and complexity you don't really need the TR was spot on, the perfect WRX ever made no wonder why 83% opt for the manual, no one wants crappy CVT in their WRX, if it was a proper DCT, it was a different story
would be very interesting if you and associates could drive the CVT version and let us know how good, or bad, it is? Especially as its driveline apparently has more sophisication wrt electro clutch pack and center diff. Probably won't be more fun, though.
Nah, the Subaru fanatics like myself will wait for an STI, and I feel like I can complain about this cat as it is way over priced for a WRX. They use to be mid 20s in price and the STI left the market at 35k. It use to be the poor mans M3, and now the price of a WRX TR is more than an STI use to cost. I hope they finally bring an STI that can compete with the likes of the new Nissan Z and Mustang GT power and keep it at a sensible price for today’s market. For the same price I can get a Nissan Z with way more power and displacement, and for a little more I can opt for the performance pack on the Z. If you buy the WRX over a used STI, or its competitors I think you’ve shot yourself in the foot.
@@g.s.8108 for what you are getting it is way to close in price to much better cars. The WRX is supposed to be on the cheap side. Golf R is better and the same price, same as the Nissan Z, and mustang gt all start at that price. Personally I’d pick all those cars before a 40k WRX. An STI should be 45-50 in today’s market. Like I said I’d buy a pre owned STI over the new WRX. The materials and performance in the new WRX Ts does not justify 44k. Thats just my opinion.
@@darthwader99j53 I dont think the Golf R is necessarily better (my opinion). It has quirks that make it annoying and its AWD uses too many electronic wizardry like the GRC and Focus RS etc...which is cool in the performance scenarios that its programmed for but behaves confusingly outside of those scenarios. I think the VB chassis is better than a Golf R. Reviewers say the TR already drives better than prior STIs. As for Z and Mustang, I'm not sure the rationale for cross-shopping a 4 door AWD sedan with 2 door RWD sports cars. And if there was snow, I know which one is going to be more fun to drive. But Im also in Canada where the TR is about $46K CAD ($33K US) which is a much better bargin. Hoping the tS follows a similar pattern.
@@g.s.8108 I just looked up the price here in Texas and it’s just under 42k American with 0 options. I just can’t justify a cheaply made performance car that is sub 300hp. I think Subaru can do better. WRX shouldn’t be in the 40k range at all, but maybe they are doing it because of the lack of sti. Either way it’s insane to me. I’m sad to see that segment of car suffer because I love the rally segment of cars, but here we are with no evo or sti, and a 40-44k American WRX if you want a decent one. The benefit of buying a clean STI is the price on those may eventually go back up. I saw a few low mileage blob eye STIs for 50-54k.
@@darthwader99j53 If I was living in Texas, Im not sure I'd be looking at anything with AWD. Except for like the original WRX where there was little competition, WRX/STI never out-performed the RWD or FWD competition in dry weather performance. Id be looking at Type R/Type S/Elantra N. Not much to pick from in terms of MT RWD sport sedans these days though. Maybe a used Blackwing.
I would be hard-pressed to say Subaru has made a better WRX than this. Truth be told, I think it is even better than the STi. The reliability, the factory tune, and the upgraded interior are enough to have me sold on this! And of course, the adaptive dampers...
unfortunately there is a big performance difference but only if it's a skilled driver to take advantage of it. My 2022 WRX was at Willow Springs event and professional driver Randy Pobst took my WRX and my neighbors STI out. My WRX has coilovers, sways, bushings, 200tw tire and Randy did 1:28 which isn't bad! But my neighbors completely stock STI besides 200tw did 1:23. I asked Randy why the big difference and he said it's because of the mechanicals, my new WRX has open front diff and open rear diff using just brakepads for torque vectoring, and he said the STI all come standard with Limited-slip differents in the front and back with DCCD in center that can move torque. But for a intermediate driver like me I wouldn't know which I think is like most WRX owners it's fine. A skilled driver though would take advantage of the STI's higher ceiling.
@@mariagus805 I have heard Randy is a cool guy. And I could believe that in a track setting, the STi would be a better vehicle. But day to day, and even on a fun windy road, I think this VB WRX would be better. The power comes on quicker and is more stable, plus the chassis overall is much more stiff. I say this with having experience driving both. But to each their own, of course!
@@SKATEcReW1223 he is very cool, we're very fortunate he's local and when not busy he joins our groups sometimes. Also another very cool person that drives with us at the canyons is Jay Leno, he's a diehard car enthusiast.
The engine and chassis definitely have a lot of potential and make it interesting, but without the STI transmission and differentials, I'd never buy it. If they added those things, I might actually get one.
From the dynos I've seen of VB WRX's, they already have close to 300 hp at the crank (maybe 290?). They're just under-rated, like a lot of vehicles out there.
Yuck. I hope Subaru doesn't go hybrid. Everyone who's driven an STI knows how raw and connected a driver is with the car. And you can keep that minivan gaudy garbage screen.
easily a 50k car out the door. may as well get a supra unfortunatly. subaru pricing these wrong. base or premium models only make sense. upgrade as you want or need and save the money and have a personalized touch. track enthusiasts are going to replace this suspension setup and also run into electronic issues due to it and or have useless buttons and settings that make it feel broken by doing so, wheels will get swapped out by track enthusiasts because well nobody wants to damage oem wheels for when resale comes around. i really dont see the reason to buy this model when you can get real upgrades for a bit less that will perform equally or better without messing with electronics and removing factory features that you are paying thousands more for.
Supra starts at $57K. Might as well just say for a bit more money you can then upgrade to a ZO6. Its closest competitors are a) itself in a lower trim as you say b) Elantra N, GR Corolla, Golf R, Type R/Type S. It may not excel at any one thing better than those cars but as a package, it can be enticing to some people. But I kinda dont want this to sell well because I want one and I dont want dealer ADMs to jack up the price.
$50,000 for a WRX tS? If this thing slots above the GT at $50,000, $50,000 will get me an Integra Type S and a far better car than any WRX at any trim level.
Yes, pre-pandemic financial and supply constraints made the production of the STI too costly for the targeted demo, so it was not going to sell well and corporate procurement advised not to proceed unless they wanted to sell it at a loss. Subaru already had contractual obligations with the third-party companies they were collaborating with (Recaro, Brembo, etc) and needed to stick to their deal, so the only logical way out was to create "special" trims: TR or the tS. This generation will not see an STI thanks to the Chinese. Not Subaru's fault.
Please take this to your trail one day when you can just to see how far it can go
Might be too low, but I'd love to see how far it can go as well 😊
😂😂😂😂😅😅😅
Id be more interested in how well it does driving the forest roads up to the testing grounds...(closed roads ofcourse).
Ryan should open up a rally test track!!!
Since Subaru is skipping the STI this generation and doing "special editions" Subaru needs to bring back the SUS; Sport Utility Sedan! Give us a WRX with a Forester Wilderness Suspension, 17" wheels with AT tires, roof rails, improved cladding, engine underguard/bash plate, all weather floor mats and mudflaps.
YES! I want a wilderness WRX SO BADLY!
It’s called the Outback Wilderness.
Yeah, these WRXs are Subarus way of keeping a sporty line going.
They’re re-using an engine from their biggest “truck” in their “sports sedan”. The WRX simply does not have the torque, suspension, or transmission, capable of the ruggedness you’re seeking. If they did.. they’d have an STI.
You will never get that version unless they electrify… in which case just don’t buy it lol.
@@EveryTacoInLA well KINDA! Those are bad ass, but the SPT’s limits in terms of performance are kind of a bummer. In a WRX with a manual, you could wring out a ton more bhp!
@@TheCALMInstitute other than the manual, isn’t the drive train the same as the non manual WRX? Same engine no?
If I could live a WRX nine inches I would but alas I can’t
No DCCD, open front / rear diffs... yeah, NOT STI
uMy 2022 WRX was at Willow Springs event and one of our buddies who's a professional driver Randy Pobst took my WRX and my neighbors STI out. My WRX has coilovers, sways, bushings, 200tw tire and Randy did 1:28 which isn't bad! But my neighbors completely stock STI besides 200tw did 1:23. I asked Randy why the big difference and he said it's because of the mechanicals, my new WRX has open front diff and open rear diff using just brakepads for torque vectoring, and he said the STI all come standard with Limited-slip differents in the front and back with DCCD in center that can move torque. But for a intermediate driver like me I wouldn't know which I think is like most WRX owners it's fine. A skilled driver though would take advantage of the STI's higher ceiling.
no tune? no wonder you lost the vb outperforms the va sti with a good tune this has already been proven so many videos on here can’t believe you don’t know this
Everyone drink! He said it! “I’m 6 foot 1, legs and torso proportionate”.
I'm still holding out hoping they make an STI, but if they don't this will probably be the car I get, love the digital cluster, makes the car look 100x more modern while still having the raw feeling of the manual+ handbrake.
Having a manual and physical handbrake was huge for me. Using an electronic parking brake doesn't feel right.
Hey Ryan, when are you getting the Audi SQ8 you said you'd like to review in the e-Tron Review? Hope you get the ICE SQ8 as well as the e-Tron. Would be cool to see what the Q8 can do offroad.
Ryan, It is hard to believe the company that single-handedly kept wagons alive in the mainstream segment can't even be bothered to build a WRX hatch. 🤔
WRX hatch is actually available in the Asian and Australian market, but not the US.
They couldn't even be bothered to make a proper RS.
Levorg.
I wish hot hatches still existed. I own one and would love another one. But no one buys them so blame people wanting compact SUVs over hatchbacks and wagons instead of the manufacturers.
Underrated comment.
The red WRX badge on the grill makes it look like a wingless STI from far away.
Great job Ryan. Great cinematography as well.
I like the WRX (I own a ‘17), but I think the WRX is due for at least a 50hp power bump. It’s getting left behind by all its competitors. I know Subaru thinks WRX buyers “don’t care about the lower power numbers”, but I hear it brought up on the forums and Reddit often enough. I am a buyer. I want more power.
Subaru WRX and STI will always have a special place in my heart. The dream sports cars of my youth and we are lucky it’s still around.
I am in LOVE with my base 24' WRX.
As a tR owner, I wish i had the digital cluster and adjustable dampers, but that blue interior is just a bit too extra for me. especially contrasting with any other exterior color.
Why would you want adjustable dampers coil overs are better
It's TR. Not tR. The only reason it's tS, is because STI is an acronym, so tuned by STI makes sense to abbreviate it that way. Also, agree on the interior color, but that's how STI's were and it's like hating on the scoop... if you hate the scoop or feel like it's just a gimmick, you probably don't "get it." I think a digital cluster ruins this car's analog and mechanical feel.
The dashboard area, The STI is much better than the current. I donot like the big vertical screen.
Team ONeil shows how capable even the stock WRX is, while the internet is clamouring for more acronyms (LSD, DCCD etc) in the brochure that wont make a difference 98% of the time on the street. This new Subaru chassis is a winner I think in handling dynamics.
It's a great chassis and a superb engine!
Yeah I've seen him drive he's good, WRX is perfect to practice on, but it takes really skilled driver and you'll see the difference is quite big. Randy Pobst who's a professional drive for decades at the Willow Springs event took my 2022 WRX with coilovers and swaybars and he then took our buddies stock STI and he was much faster in the STI. He said if a car is engineered better there's no way around it and that my new WRX has open front diff and open rear diff and uses brakepads for torque vectoring which he said is fine for a intermediate driver like ONeil and myself we can't take advantage of LSD. But he said for a skilled driver a Limited-slip diff in front and back with the automatic DCCD is a league difference. Randy Pobst said there's a reason Porsche, all BMW M cars, GTR, and Civic Type-R, all high performance sports cars come standard with LSD.
@@mariagus805 wyatt is an ex Rally America champion (2wd), intermediate driver?. Id bet he would beat Pobst on Gravel. I think he knows what he is talking about, especially when on the gravel. Not knocking RP, but not his discipline.
The stock Base model WRX with stock tire is top of leaderboards on there tests. Beating out even a rally-prepped Fiesta with LSD on gravel tires.
Would a LSD help? Yes,.on a track or racing..for the other 363 days a year, probably not.
And lap times tbh are the least important for me. Its.not going to be a track car. The way the stock vb rotates with subtle weight transfer using left foot braking in the Team O'Neil video was jaw dropping, never seen a stock car do that. Most are designed to plow and understeer and you need to be more aggressive to slide the back end out. It looks like a blast in Winter and fun enough in the summer.
@@g.s.8108 ok then for sure if he's skilled driver, without a doubt he would be much faster on dirt or tarmac track in my neighbors 1999 STI Type R, I learned the STI not only has all the LSD front center and rear that we talked about, but it A LOT lighter, the STI weighs 2700 lbs and my VB WRX weighs 700 lbs more at 3400 lbs. Now for intermediate driver like me I wouldn't be able to take advantage of the speed difference and prefer comfortable WRX instead. But for a driver like him he can easily take advantage of it, it's unfortunate he only has the WRX.
I have mix feelings. I mean I am glad this car exists, but i feel like they just using the Sti brand for marketing bs. What exactly is Sti tuned here? Suspension? Engine? Chassis? None!! The s209 is what really tuned by Sti!
But for a WRX, this is definitely the top! Comfortable daily driver while you can have some fun when you want it.
( oh! Btw, the GR engine is a dedicated race engine! If i remember right, Toyota is using basically the same in WRC! The GR Corolla is the new Sti. )
Here is my only issue i own 2021 sti, the fact that this wrx will be mark up to 45k-50k and not have the things the sti brings is just bs. Lets be honest you probably rather be better getting a used sti or new regular wrx than this for price. No hate at all I respect wrx non sti platform but if they are going to charge sti prices then give us an sti , not a reflection on you but on subaru themselves. Sti i think should be 380hp-400hp to be in the runing with what modern cars run stock then happy to pay 50k no problem and wrx should be at 300-320hp.
Love the car. But being an old guy with a bum left leg, the GT was the car for me when I had it. Great review as always Ryan.
This is exactly what subaru wants. They are feeding us a bunch of watered down, base model WRXs with a few pieces stuck on. Throw some painted calipers on there and new seats and all of a sudden people want to try justifying the ABSURD price for these "special" edition cars. You do all realize that these cars cost WAY more than the last STI we had, while not being anywhere near as good right? This is all just a setup to make people comfortable paying high 40s for an almost base WRX. That makes it easy to sell the STI (It is coming back) for $60k. When in reality the STI should only be high 40s.
You that's inflation across the board right? It's not just Subaru.
The FK8 Type R was $36k, now the FL5 is $47k before taxes and fees.
Civic Si is almost 30k now.
GR Corolla just got a price bump, it starts at 40k now.
The Mustang has also gone up $5-10k depending on trim.
Nissan tried to sell the new Z Nismo for $70k.
Hell even the Miata can now be optioned up over 40k
Part of it is also the clowns that run Europe. They mandated that all cars had to have the full Nanny technology.
So Subaru had to add Eyesight to manual WRXs, and up the cost.
@@DragonKnightX12 Its not inflation. It is taking advantage of people. The lower trim cars didn't go up in price much. A civic sport is only a couple hundred bucks more than it was last generation. A base mazda 3 actually went down in price. Subaru crosstrek and impreza got very small price increases to the lower trims but also gained more standard features. Enthusiasts are getting screwed thats all. There is no justification to raise the price of a type R by 10k. No reason any kind of corolla should cost $47k. And a damn near base model WRX should not cost more than the last gen STI. Its greed
Too many frills ! Sorry 😢 I have an 2017 Forester XT with 240 horse power. That’s a car with no Ipad, just old school 😊
WRX ts in Middle East is equivalent to the GT trim without Recaro seats. US market get more trim options, while ME and some Asian markets get 3 trims (manual, SPT, and higher SPT option dubbed "ts") in Sedan or hatch. I have owned 2015 STI and now own a 2024 WRX manual. The latter is way more refined for a daily, more practical, and more forgiving. No issues with Infotainment screen whatsoever, works fine and is practical. A difference between manual Vs SPT is that the seats in SPT are more adjustable and can go lower.
Great review! It was nice to see you cruising around in our canyon playground 128. We enjoy your videos. Keep up the great work Ryan and team.
I kind of wish reviewers would stop bringing up STI comparisons, because now you'll just have haters popping in just to say how it's "NOT an STI"
They say it as if they were even remotely considering an STI
No. Putting Brembos on a wrx does not make it a sti.
Don’t ever disrespect the STI with some bullshit like this.
How is this STI? It's basically a GT trim with a manual transmission. The only notable difference is it has Brembos.
BINGO.
And it costs more than the base 2021 sti did
I just wish they would finish painting it
Color me old fashioned, but I kinda miss the intro sequence. 😅
Imagine living with that blue detailed interior every day… not for me
Great review … big Subie fan
Would have been nice to see also more the digital display. Is the same one as the JDM Outback, so would be interesting to hear your comments about how it is, as i guees we will see it in new models as well.
No dude just no... this wrx is not the new sti... thats like saying an M340 is the new M3... just no dude
Not an STi because it doesn’t have the driveline components BUT it doesn’t mean the car isn’t capable on a track.
Enough Subaru just make the sti already
I don’t understand why they won’t just make an STI version.
Pre-pandemic financial and supply constraints made the production of the STI too costly for the targeted demo, so it was not going to sell well and corporate procurement advised not to proceed unless they wanted to sell it at a loss. Subaru already had contractual obligations with the third-party companies they were collaborating with (Recaro, Brembo, etc) and needed to stick to their deal, so the only logical way out was to create "special" trims: TR or the tS. This generation will not see an STI thanks to the Chinese. Not Subaru's fault.
You should have used individual mode. Does the TS come with the Harmon Kardon speakers?
It’s not an STI. But it’s a better version of the wrx. They will be bringing the STI back and I’m super excited to see what they got for us.
Unfortunately, people who want an STI wont buy one. What they really want is an STI for WRX prices. Which wont happen.
The sti will be electric
@@g.s.8108You are 100% correct. The STI would probably hover around the low to mid-50s. Unfortunately, Subaru took a hit from the supply chain issues brought about by the pandemic. They’d probably lose a lot of money producing the STI. People complain about it, but Subaru is a business and aren’t in the charity market (even though they do donate to a lot of charities)
yeah found out after buying the WRX. all the new WRX owners talk about how great the engine is so I bought one, but I admit I am not a car mechnicals expert so thought AWD is AWD, boy was I wrong. Had Randy Pobst drive my 2022 WRX and my neighbors STI at Willow Springs event. My WRX has coilovers, sways, bushings, 200tw tires. My neighbors STI is stock with just 200tw tires. Randy did a 1:28 in my WRX which is good! But in the stock STI, he annihilated it with a 1:23. He explained to me the mechnicals, that my new WRX has open front diff and open rear diff and uses brakepads only for torque vectoring, while the STI comes standard with Limited-slip diffs in the front and rear and center differential that can move torque around. But a intermediate average driver like myself wouldn't be able to tell the difference so WRX is fine for me, but for a skilled driver they can easily see the difference.
Dop car if you get the base version and Mod yourself. 42k doesnt make sense tho
I agree with that!!! Most people want an STI with a lot of power and forget this is Subaru not Toyota lol they need to sale to the masses. As much as people want an STI that car would be about 50k and most people will watch other people drive it lol because it’s too expensive.
If the WRX tS ends up at $45,000, this trim will be DOA once it arrives on showroom floors and dealership lots.
You got the mid-cycle refresh Elantra N for $10,000 less and more performance.
You got the GR Corolla while smaller in size gives you more performance, but you gotta be careful you don't go over 85 MPH and the car catches fire.
You got the MK8.5 Golf R, but you can no longer get a manual transmission in the refreshed Golf R.
There is no Jetta GLR/GRI (no R version of the Jetta).
You got the FL5 Civic Type R, but you still can't find one at MSRP without additional dealer markup.
Lastly, you got the Integra Type S while it is more in price, you get the most performance and niceties for your money.
$45,000 was the VA gen WRX STI Limited money. Subaru will have to give in when they see the VB WRX tS still not being what the community asks for. Their last hope is bringing the WRX STI back. They don't have no choice if they want a next gen WRX to exist in the direction they want to go with it being hybrid or electric or both, but right now it's not the time for either of those right now.
Subaru needs to take a risk and get the STI team back to enhance the FA24 or spend the money and go to Porsche and get the 2.5 Flat Four Boxer Engine that was in the Porsche 718 Boxster and use that engine for a VB WRX STI. It made 350hp and 309lb-ft of tq. That would/will be more than enough performance punch for a VB gen WRX STI.
Just here to note that only 2 GR Corollas have burned down. Still too many for a new car but with over 15,000 built the probability of one you buy catching on fire is currently 0.01%.
@James-sb4ge I know. I just wanted to say that about the GR Corolla because everybody else is saying it and Toyota hasn't done anything to replace these 2 dudes cars.
In all seriousness, hopefully no more fires happen again. I think the refresh is coming soon and the GRMN Corolla is also on coming soon too.
It’d be cool if they made the new STI -> ST-R
Excelente! otra vez .. gracias desde Arg
I am about to buy a vehicle for off roading. Please help me decide which one I should get . There are so many options. I am confuse with all the options.
Had a STI for 5 years and the stock 305hp didn't cut it in 2008, 272 as the top tier in 2024 is just sad. Only reason I wish I kept it was to get a high HP block dropped in. Shame we have lost the STI and Evo. At least Toyota is offering performance cars.
I believe he mentioned that most people can’t reach the limit of this car which I think is accurate. Subaru will not make a 400hp 50k sedan that no one can afford. When they know the community will run straight to Cobb and get an accesspoort to make the power they want. Why would Subaru spend the money doing that when your going to mod it anyway. I think they are being smart with this one.
@@iManual6peed True. I think some VB WRX are dyno higher than advertised HP already and a Tune can get you to 300hp. But its not a drag racer. I have gone from a Audi S4 to Focus RS and am considering the tS for my next car. Mostly because of how well the chassis responds to weigh transfer and handling (see Team ONeil Will it Rally video). The power of my cars are going down though. Its the drive a slow car fast, rather than a fast car slow mentality I think as Im getting older.
@@g.s.8108 I don’t think you will be dissatisfied with this platform at all. If you see any review out there no one says this car is not fun to drive or that it’s lacking in some way. It’s a good platform to build off of.
Depends on what you are used to. My stage 2 STi was decent. My Supra is better and my supercharged 200hp ZH2 is a beast.
I wouldn’t expect Subaru to make a 500hp STI. 350 stock with headroom built in would be great. They just don’t have much competition in this space like they did when the Evo was around.
At least they still make a car with a stick.
everyone was talking about the power new WRX made, so I bought a 2022 WRX. But I will admit, I am not a expert with mechnicals and thought AWD was AWD, boy was I wrong. Was at a Willow Springs event and our buddy professional driver Randy Pobst took my 2022 WRX with coilovers, sways, bushings, 200tw tires out and did a 1:28 which is really good! But he then took our neighbors completely stock STI besides 200tw tires and it wasn't even close, he did a 1:23. That's when I learned power is not everything. Randy explained that my new WRX has open front and rear diff and uses brakepads only for torque vectoring, while the STI has front and rear limited-slip differentials and center differential that moves torque front and rear. Average driver like me wouldn't see the difference, but a skilled driver easily would.
STi, will be use as a badging option across all models of Subaru. To the very least, that’s the plan.
Hold the traction down until “track” turns off ;)
Great car and still competent . I love it ..
Have they added rev-matching yet? I sit in enough stop-go traffic on a daily basis that its just great to have.
Nope.
@@drivingsports Dang, thanks. I feel like literally everyone has it now except the WRX.
I hope they do. Would help my wife. 😂
Why do you need rev- match in stop and go traffic? That is for spirited driving. In Europe none of the manual cars have re- match! 😃 there are several different ways to downshift smoothly, you can find videos about it here on YT.
They released this in 2022 in Australia but only in Auto.
useless addition with stuff and complexity you don't really need
the TR was spot on, the perfect WRX ever made
no wonder why 83% opt for the manual, no one wants crappy CVT in their WRX, if it was a proper DCT, it was a different story
would be very interesting if you and associates could drive the CVT version and let us know how good, or bad, it is? Especially as its driveline apparently has more sophisication wrt electro clutch pack and center diff. Probably won't be more fun, though.
Nah, the Subaru fanatics like myself will wait for an STI, and I feel like I can complain about this cat as it is way over priced for a WRX. They use to be mid 20s in price and the STI left the market at 35k. It use to be the poor mans M3, and now the price of a WRX TR is more than an STI use to cost. I hope they finally bring an STI that can compete with the likes of the new Nissan Z and Mustang GT power and keep it at a sensible price for today’s market. For the same price I can get a Nissan Z with way more power and displacement, and for a little more I can opt for the performance pack on the Z. If you buy the WRX over a used STI, or its competitors I think you’ve shot yourself in the foot.
Inflation. Every car you listed costs equivocally less 15 -20 years ago.
@@g.s.8108 for what you are getting it is way to close in price to much better cars. The WRX is supposed to be on the cheap side. Golf R is better and the same price, same as the Nissan Z, and mustang gt all start at that price. Personally I’d pick all those cars before a 40k WRX. An STI should be 45-50 in today’s market. Like I said I’d buy a pre owned STI over the new WRX. The materials and performance in the new WRX Ts does not justify 44k. Thats just my opinion.
@@darthwader99j53 I dont think the Golf R is necessarily better (my opinion). It has quirks that make it annoying and its AWD uses too many electronic wizardry like the GRC and Focus RS etc...which is cool in the performance scenarios that its programmed for but behaves confusingly outside of those scenarios. I think the VB chassis is better than a Golf R. Reviewers say the TR already drives better than prior STIs. As for Z and Mustang, I'm not sure the rationale for cross-shopping a 4 door AWD sedan with 2 door RWD sports cars. And if there was snow, I know which one is going to be more fun to drive. But Im also in Canada where the TR is about $46K CAD ($33K US) which is a much better bargin. Hoping the tS follows a similar pattern.
@@g.s.8108 I just looked up the price here in Texas and it’s just under 42k American with 0 options. I just can’t justify a cheaply made performance car that is sub 300hp. I think Subaru can do better. WRX shouldn’t be in the 40k range at all, but maybe they are doing it because of the lack of sti. Either way it’s insane to me. I’m sad to see that segment of car suffer because I love the rally segment of cars, but here we are with no evo or sti, and a 40-44k American WRX if you want a decent one. The benefit of buying a clean STI is the price on those may eventually go back up. I saw a few low mileage blob eye STIs for 50-54k.
@@darthwader99j53 If I was living in Texas, Im not sure I'd be looking at anything with AWD. Except for like the original WRX where there was little competition, WRX/STI never out-performed the RWD or FWD competition in dry weather performance. Id be looking at Type R/Type S/Elantra N. Not much to pick from in terms of MT RWD sport sedans these days though. Maybe a used Blackwing.
Why couldn't they have dropped in the STi 6 speed and DCCD?
They easily could have for that money. It costs 3k more than my VA sti did.
It is not.. It doesn't have a single locking diff, let alone 3, like the previous STI's had.. It's a WRX w/Performance pkg
Watched the entire video and no real info or deep dive into the new instrument cluster :(
more watered down letdowns from Subaru
What a shit take..😅😅😅
If this is an STI replacement, then the new Supra is actually a Toyota.
huh?
@@karmahundenI didn't get that either.
Maybe. Better to buy Elantra N? Faster and cheaper
Ironically, cheaper might cost ya.
If they came with an automatic transmission, I would try to get one, otherwise hard pass.
WRX or civic which one is better??
Civic (Si and Type R). Better manual transmission. Better fuel economy. Better aftermarket modification community.
2025 Golf R will smoke it 0-100mph... this is not a STI... Needs at least 50+ HP and not all that plastic :(
I would be hard-pressed to say Subaru has made a better WRX than this. Truth be told, I think it is even better than the STi. The reliability, the factory tune, and the upgraded interior are enough to have me sold on this! And of course, the adaptive dampers...
Most of the haters are thinking this but don’t say it. lol I agree they made this thing better than a previous gen sti
unfortunately there is a big performance difference but only if it's a skilled driver to take advantage of it. My 2022 WRX was at Willow Springs event and professional driver Randy Pobst took my WRX and my neighbors STI out. My WRX has coilovers, sways, bushings, 200tw tire and Randy did 1:28 which isn't bad! But my neighbors completely stock STI besides 200tw did 1:23. I asked Randy why the big difference and he said it's because of the mechanicals, my new WRX has open front diff and open rear diff using just brakepads for torque vectoring, and he said the STI all come standard with Limited-slip differents in the front and back with DCCD in center that can move torque. But for a intermediate driver like me I wouldn't know which I think is like most WRX owners it's fine. A skilled driver though would take advantage of the STI's higher ceiling.
@@mariagus805 I have heard Randy is a cool guy. And I could believe that in a track setting, the STi would be a better vehicle. But day to day, and even on a fun windy road, I think this VB WRX would be better. The power comes on quicker and is more stable, plus the chassis overall is much more stiff. I say this with having experience driving both. But to each their own, of course!
@@SKATEcReW1223 he is very cool, we're very fortunate he's local and when not busy he joins our groups sometimes. Also another very cool person that drives with us at the canyons is Jay Leno, he's a diehard car enthusiast.
The engine and chassis definitely have a lot of potential and make it interesting, but without the STI transmission and differentials, I'd never buy it. If they added those things, I might actually get one.
Not worth the price. Pass again on updating my 2020.
It does not and never will the ppl actually do and a mtf sti 😂😂 we tired of these wack wrx
Not that most need an LSD in this, but that would complete the package.
My dream car but not available in Europe nor I have money to buy it, so double cap
Release date?
January 2025
don't ever call this an sit
00:12 No.. No it doesn't. But I do love the new interior updates. That is, sans the (still) terrible and laggy infotainment.
Wishing they would lose the screens 🎉
Why? People don't turn their heads to pay attention. Might-as-well save the neck pain and look at something that'll make you safe.
Ugh. Needs 300 HP. Can’t be that difficult with a 2.4 liter engine.
From the dynos I've seen of VB WRX's, they already have close to 300 hp at the crank (maybe 290?). They're just under-rated, like a lot of vehicles out there.
Yuck. I hope Subaru doesn't go hybrid. Everyone who's driven an STI knows how raw and connected a driver is with the car. And you can keep that minivan gaudy garbage screen.
easily a 50k car out the door. may as well get a supra unfortunatly. subaru pricing these wrong. base or premium models only make sense. upgrade as you want or need and save the money and have a personalized touch. track enthusiasts are going to replace this suspension setup and also run into electronic issues due to it and or have useless buttons and settings that make it feel broken by doing so, wheels will get swapped out by track enthusiasts because well nobody wants to damage oem wheels for when resale comes around. i really dont see the reason to buy this model when you can get real upgrades for a bit less that will perform equally or better without messing with electronics and removing factory features that you are paying thousands more for.
Supra starts at $57K. Might as well just say for a bit more money you can then upgrade to a ZO6. Its closest competitors are a) itself in a lower trim as you say b) Elantra N, GR Corolla, Golf R, Type R/Type S. It may not excel at any one thing better than those cars but as a package, it can be enticing to some people. But I kinda dont want this to sell well because I want one and I dont want dealer ADMs to jack up the price.
$50,000 for a WRX tS? If this thing slots above the GT at $50,000, $50,000 will get me an Integra Type S and a far better car than any WRX at any trim level.
Can believe the WRX engine has less torque and only 10 more horsepower than the Legacy/Outback turbo. What a joke.
US the first country outside Japan to get the digital dash?
I wonder how symetrical AWd WRX will handle on your course? Greetings
Did I hear pops and bangs from this WRX?
Yes, I heard those too. Not very often though.
@@drivingsports That’s pretty cool and different than the previous versions!
I enjoyed it! Thanks!
Nah im good. I dont want a honda.
I'm actually excited about this 😮💨
Looks like a RAV4.
Too much exterior plastic
This Ts with SPT would be perfection
blasphemy! repent!
That's what the GT is for.
the blue interior is ugly
Agreed 👍🏻
Eyesight 🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
I just wish all that white on the headlights was DARKENED.... not a fan of how it looks but none the less the tS looks great imo
Yeah not gonna trust your head units to control aspects of the cars performance. Pass!
wouldnt be a sti without the big wing
The STI has a limited edition without the wing for the VA platform.
It gets uglier and uglier.
I disagree , I think its sharpe. They need to bring back the STI too.
False. 😅
So UGLY compared to the old WRX.
agree
CVT?😂😂😂
No. 6MT.
The interior is so ugly!
Does anyone know why they can't keep STI instead of TR?
Yes, pre-pandemic financial and supply constraints made the production of the STI too costly for the targeted demo, so it was not going to sell well and corporate procurement advised not to proceed unless they wanted to sell it at a loss. Subaru already had contractual obligations with the third-party companies they were collaborating with (Recaro, Brembo, etc) and needed to stick to their deal, so the only logical way out was to create "special" trims: TR or the tS. This generation will not see an STI thanks to the Chinese. Not Subaru's fault.
💯 😎
This car is so ugly I wouldn’t pay 5k for it
I love the interior. Reminds me of a Blobeye
Hopefully your allergies subside quickly!
Still cvt
Since when is a 6spd manual a CVT?