The 2022 Subaru WRX Is Better Than I Expected
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- Опубліковано 19 гру 2021
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2022 Subaru WRX review!!! The new 2022 Subaru WRX is here, and today I'm giving it a thorough review. First I'll take you on a tour of the new 2022 WRX, and I'll show you all the quirks and features of the latest Subaru WRX Then I'll get it out on the road and drive the new 2022 Subaru WRX to show you what it's like behind the wheel.
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Kudos to Doug for filming this despite being drenched in rain.
100% This man is very dedicated.
@@yungboicontigo9278 not totally fair, Doug is in southern CA which doesn’t get much rain, but up north it rains a lot in places
It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru
Hes waterproof
@@KealanRobert Dedicated to making millions of dollars a year. He ain't doing it for free. 😏
The arches have one benefit: You can probably widebody this car without cutting the arches.
Yea aftermarket will have cool wide flares i guess.
@@JHNBHN what about that ugly ass diffuser abd civic type r tail lights?
I thought this exactly, then he got around back to that bumper... cant wait to see all of these with a massive grey plastic bumper in a couple of years when people dont take care of their trim
that and offroading shouldnt wreck the paint so bad
Never seen anyone woth issues that cladding would've really fixed. Wax it right qbd stay on top if it, the paint will hold up. Never seen a rusty 2015+wrx or sti. No excuse to making it inhibit vomiting.
Subaru is doing an amazing job maintaining the value of my '14 hatchback...
Unfortunately for us trying to buy them you're right
Same here. Wife has a 2010 WRX hatch and I have a 2011 STI hatch. Love em!!
No one cares about your old hatchback 👵🏼
dude same hahahaha
I would disagree. I would say the chip shortages have done a great job maintaining over inflated values of even the crappiest of used cars.
I hated it at first too, but then it slowly grew on me until it suddenly magically appeared in my driveway. I finally understand what subaru was doing when they made this car. The little improvements they’ve done to everything add up to a big difference. It’s an amazingly fun car and I got it for under MSRP I can’t wait to see what happens when it’s tuned.
Im thinking about getting one at the moment, I am used to VW GTi.
Under msrp? What were you able to get the price down to if you don’t mind me asking
You convinced me. I found a carbon black one which makes the wheel wells not make me want to puke. I'm requesting a test drive. I hope the dealership actually has one--it says it has 3 of them. What are the odds they are blowing smoke? Either way, I'm kind of excited.
@@fvpro2 32k for a Premium when they usually go for 35-37 depending on options. Its was a May sale event on top of military discounts they gave me
@@willr5372hey I’m looking to buy one of these. What kind of military discount were you offered?
Subaru: our focus group told us they want more aggressive styling - so we gave them plastic wheel arches.
Subaru: we know 80% of our buyers choose a manual transmission - so we focused most of our budget on developing a new automatic transmission
Subaru: we have these cool recaro seats - but you can’t have them unless you buy the automatic.
It's not a CVT it's a SUBARU PERFORMANCE TRANSMISSION! lol
#genius LOL
This happens when you pay too much attention to your marketing department rather than building a creative model.
What is it with car makers and all this cheap plastics?
subaru turned into garbage... i mean they werent something great before that
Every year that passes automakers further reinforce my love for old ass cars.
It’s because you’re getting old and that is what’s expected. Think about it, grandparents never agreed with the stuff we liked, they would say how amazing their old thing was and the new stuff was crappy. It’s a life cycle bro!
@@davidburgemont8972 No, it's because these brands keep releasing pure shit to the market, and everything is a damn crossover.
@@davidburgemont8972 dude I’m 25 I’ve had this opinion since I was 18. I was excited for a new DD in the form of a 2023 integra and surprise surprise I was severely disappointed.
What is an "ass car"?
@@n00n1n Mecury Cougar Coupe.
I hated the arches until i seen them in person. They are not bad and for someone that lives in Western Pa they are actually pretty purposeful. The exposed rolled lip on the older WRX are good looking but they do suffer from chips pretty easily especially in the salt belt. Along with the wheel arches which are an improvement for winter use is the fact the that front bumper cover is roughly 6 different pieces (5 being unpainted plastic). So if you do hit a snow drift, dead animal or ice drift while parking and you crack the lower portion of the bumper cover you can replace the middle section for $65 dollars, the Side fog light area for $34 or the very lower corner area that extends into the wheel arch for $15 dollars. So a $15-$65 dollar part could be replacing an $800-1000 dollar job on the previous generation. It might not be as sporty but i actually think its an improvement for daily driving and especially daily driving in the winter/rust/salt belt areas.
can we give our boy a round of applause, this man recorded himself in the rain while wearing shorts, only a Doug would do something this bold
And talks a billion words a minute. Doug's the guy
Tbh I would rather wear shorts in the rain then pants. Less material that needs to dry.
They should be body color. I’m sure aftermarket will make a killing on replacement fender flares
Someone once told me they're for offroading because it's a rally car but never has a rally car had ugly plastic cladding. I'm really holding on hopes that the STi learns from this mistake and has them body coloured fiberglass
It would have been an easy up charge and have a factory option to add body matched painted fender flares.
This is the ugly shit the pre 2008 WRX fans love. I stan frankly
@@Wynorrific lol fiberglass? You mean plastic, no one uses fiberglass now a days except corvette.
Not just the wheel arches. The front and rear bumper are ugly to. Why is body colour bumpers a no go today, them being black looks cheap. A lot of cars have it nowadays...
I think the remedy to making this car looking better with minimal effort on Subaru's end is to offer the cladding to be paint matched to the car. The black cladding just makes the wheels look tiny and emphasizes wheel gap
I wonder how removable they are
@@NuclearPineapple probably the same as any other body panel. a bunch of plastic clips underneath that can be undone with either a special tool (it's literally like a $4 tool), or a screwdriver.
@@aregaminghd yeah I’d guess too, just wondering how the fenders look underneath. Would be awesome if there were clean fenders underneath but I doubt it.
Why automakers don't realize this is beyond me. This is the case with pretty much any vehicle on the market with that black plastic cladding. It's unsightly.
The fender will have large square holes for the plastic flare to clip onto. Will look totally screwed up without the flares on it.
An honest review by Doug as always. I've seen only one of these so far in Texas and it does look better in person rather than pictures. It wouldn't surprise me if the new WRX does well in sales.
In an older Subaru model on your birthday, when you turn on the car, the whole screen is taken up with a happy birthday, insert name here, message and a present with a bow. I felt very special. As I'm too old for some of this kind of stuff, I suppose this is how it feels to get a participation award.
You know its Dougcember when Doug uploads on a monday, that probably means he has lots of more interesting car uploads for december
There was an embargo on reporting on the WRX. That's why all the WRX reviews are coming out within a few hours of each other.
Especially when it’s raining.
Dougcember 🙌🙌🙌
WRX being just a trim of Impreza was never a problem to begin with, no one asked Subaru to make WRX a separate model, not only that, I think the WRX trim made the regular Impreza much cooler
It’s pretty confusing.
They also got the S205 and S207 Models.
Hard to keep track
the Japanese certainly aren’t the brightest when it comes to marketing
Exactly
@@Marc28031984 it wasn't too hard. Hoodscoop=WRX, add on a big wing=STi. Having the WRX be the Impreza kept the nice lineage of the Impreza in WRC and also the fact that automakers like making fast versions of their cheap cars. The S200 cars were just beefed up STi's anyway
@@sen_ex I agree, a lot JDM cars could be very successful in global market, like Toyota Land Cruiser, Subaru levrog (wagon WRX) and GTR R34, I think Japanese want to keep some “Japan prestige” so they limit the sale of those cars
I own an orange 22 WRX and I personally love it. I love the wheel arches with the bright orange. I had a 13 STI I and I think this car is just as fast as my STI. Love it!
9:56AM... AND a Monday upload? Wow, Doug’s really going all out.
He drank fish juice, giving him superpowers
@@alunesh12345 This is the one time I will agree with preaching in an unrelated environment. THANK YOU for trying to talk sense into these "people" (Even though they are Advertising BOTS.)
I think not having the Evo as competition is the reason the car came out like this and with less power. I know it’s not an STi
You can buy Golf R , or wait for upcoming Corolla GR.
Exactly what I thought too, wish Mitsubishi could’ve kept goin
@@cambo5325 fr tho now i can’t get a evo which is my dream car
@@cambo5325 subaru is leaving america soon don’t worry
Golf r, Focus rs, Civic type r, hell even the elantra N is better than the new wrx i hear
Doug is on the money with this review. The main weird thing is it's hard to brake. You have to mash the brake pedal to stop quickly; otherwise, it's just a gradual stop.
I'm a bit late to this, but you can always take your car to a mechanic and get your brake pedal adjusted. It might cost a bit though depending on whether there is just a lot of travel before a response or the response slowly leads to a halt. I have not driven a WRX but want to get one
Just bought one of these and the first thing my friend said was that he hates the plastic 💀 BUT I live in a state with 8 month winters, all the salt, gravel and road dust absolutely tears up the paint on the wheel wells and trim up here, so my first thought upon seeing the plastic was "omg the pretty paints gonna survive!" My '99 eldorado is getting passed down to my brother and that poor paint has seen better days, I dont even wanna LOOK at the underside of the front bumper. My basic requirements for a car in Alaska were good awd, power and affordability, 30k for a sporty car? It's perfect 🥰
I'm curious whether the flares would help prevent rust around the quarter panels or only worsen it. Signed, a Forester XT owner dealing with quarter panel rust bubbles lol
Doug: The screen is very responsive
The screen: literally lagging behind half a second
Touch-screens for everything makes no sense, especially Subaru's laggy and convoluted systems. And while you're distracted by that, they don't offer forward-collision avoidance with the manual like all the other brands now have as standard, even with manuals. And 18 MPG for a small sedan... crikey..
I have the same screen in my 2021 outback, and it sucks to the point I know I don't want a Subaru as my next car. And that's sad, because so much about the car is great, except the part that is used everyday: the screen.
@@Spharrison13 time for an aftermarket headunit
Yeah. Responsiveness seemed absolutely garbage. The icons, colours and contrast (seen from the video) makes it look like its a 60€ AliExpress add-on kit. I know that it's cheaper for the manufacturers to stick a giant iPad to the dashboard instead of hard buttons, but if you do so then please make it nice. I haven't seen a portrait screen on a consumer car that looks good and okay to use. Does it have Apple CarPlay? That would redeem the screen a bit.
Also... what the f%ck is up with the power output? The 1993-4 WRX STI had 271 bhp...
@@lostintranslation73 The Civic, Corolla, and Elantra all have forward-collision avoidance as standard on every model, including the base model that costs half the WRX, with manual transmission (at least here in Canada it's standard). The Golf has had it for a few years, too, with manual. "Stalling" is a pathetic excuse to allow the car to crash into something.
2 things I would change
1) remove exterior plastic
2) simplify and redesign the rear end. Previous Wrx all have simple rear ends which is a recognizable part between the generations.
Right This needs to be a fast daily driver.....It doesn't need off road cladding! It's an on road car!
@@timothyfoote6658 well, it is named the world rallycross
@@Oh2x let's be honest you're not rallying with that....
@@timothyfoote6658 yea but if you want a faster subaru road car then just get a sti
@@Oh2x I am not young enough, cool enough, or asian enough for any of that foolishness.
As someone who can only drive automatic do to a disability, I am so glad they decided to really put some work and time into making the auto transmission better. It's basically the reason I decided to buy my 2023 wrx.
Great review Doug. Here in Australia and New Zealand there is a WRX wagon. Used to be called Levorg, they still do in Japan but they get the all digital cluster. It still does have the same engine specks though.
I am so happy they released this car to the public, my 2019 STI has shot up in value since!
No. Subaru caused a worldwide pandemic, which led to your car increasing in value.
@@corey31 what does that mean?
@@corey31 I'm sure he was joking but my Impreza sport has increased in value by like 3k since i bought it last year lol. thanks electronics shortage making it impossible to buy anything
@@DeathProductions200 It was a bad pandemic joke. I’m sure it’ll do better on stage.
@@corey31 it's really bad saying subaru isn't even Chinese if you wanted to frame it as China intentionally sending the virus.
Doug's sense of fashion style never ceases to amaze me, two t shirts, an sweater and shorts... on an rainy day 😄
Doug, thank you for the awesome reviews of cool vehicles! Love ‘em or hate ‘em, you give every car/truck a fair shake.
Doug you would be a great voice over guy!! You well produced videos and this video concerning the 2022 WRX was really good.
I think the plastic wheel arches are going to be an opportunity for tuning companies to come out with wide arch kits for the car without having to cut up the car's body panels.
That’s exactly what people have wanted not just for years but for decades and now that Subaru is offering it, no one wants it. I guess people don’t like wide bodies anymore. Either that, or they love chopping up their fenders with a saw lol
Oh yeah? Tell that to the "aftermarket companies" who should be making better bumpers for the 4 series and the Supra
@@SideWays8Productions For me it’s not even that, it’s just an ugly car overall. Hideous rear end, hood scoop keeps getting smaller, and everything (from grill, side profile, bumpers/arches etc) just looks like a legacy and crosstrek trying to be a wrx. It’s all borrowed looks from other cars, lazy imo.
@@wrxhex absolute truth here, makes the outgoing look like a gem…
they look terrible. lol the vast majority of Subaru owners aren't running wide body, this argument is dumb.
Doug waited until the dislike bar was removed to release this 🤣
the fact that this guy filmed this video in rain shows nothing can stop doug from doing his work
an important note about the power on these is the torque curve is basically a flat line around 240 ft pounds from 2k to redline. that's the only real performance upgrade, but it's an underrated change
Hat off to Doug for doing a review for us under the rain. Take care buddy
It's really refreshing that the people at Subaru were willing to speak so candidly about things like having only a certain allocation of funds, and deciding to focus those funds on developing the sedan instead splitting the funds between developing a sedan and a hatchback.
But I think the suits at subaru are the ones that are making a once fun and happy brand into something that's just money hungry now.
I think them splitting away from the Impreza platform for the WRX was kind of shooting themselves in the foot, because there is already an Impreza hatch that they just need to toss a bigger motor into and everyone would've been happy.
Hatchbacks/station wagons are still pretty popular, as you saw with the 10th gen Civic, and that 1/4-1/3 of civics sold were the hatchback models. Heck, I used to have a '13 WRX hatch, but bought a '18 Civic hatch because it was better on gas.
Except that the explanation is complete BS. The Levorg exists and is on its 2nd generation now. Australia is getting a WRX wagon on this platform. The real reason why they don't want to bring a wagon is because of the perverse US fuel economy regs that favor crossovers over cars. If you take a Levorg and a Forester, the Forester has a less stringent "bucket' category to meet since for the same footprint size, "light trucks" are subject to less stringent fuel economy regs. In other words, every manufacturer in the US has been trying to shift their mix towards CUV's away from cars because the regs are tilted in their favor.
I'm still pretty sad there was no hatchback for the 2022 model. I'm sure I'm not the only one
I will never understand why sedans are popular or the poster child for a classic automobile shape. I mean look at it. The trunk cuts off so much space. At least make it a lift back.
Hatch backs hurt the handling since you can't get good support between the strut tops.
Overall some great improvements. However, this thing is an eyesore depending on your perspective - the rear wing looks like it was designed for a much smaller car, the taillights remind my of a Civic/Accord, and the wheel arches are just painful to look at. It's hard to pinpoint why it looks so "off". Great review, Doug.
I like the interior ( although to me it kinda looks like ford interior),but the car looks ugly outside. I never liked that much the last gen WRX/STI design because it looked bland. But those now look sexy compared to this one. And aren’t the tail lights the same as the 2022 BRZ? I feel like they are basically the same ones just added there.
Looks like a cheaper outback. Terrible. It looks better in black, but terrible in other colors.
The last generation was an eye sore for 9-13 wrx gen owners. Looks are subjective and I bet people will buy this.
@@ks-bg5uk the last generation wrx was actually nice looking to me. This one though I think we can all agree that it’s hideous looking. Absolutely terrible styling
The fenders look fine? Idk why people are in an absolute twist about it lol. Besides it makes the car look more off-road capable imo.
Love that oil filter location. Sensible and helpful placement. 👍🏻
i just got a 2023 wrx and i love it. got in in the dark grey it looks good and it has hustle to it. first subaru and i love it
The fact that there was apparently an ‘enthusiast focus group’ and it still ended up looking like this reminds me of the Simpsons episode where Homer ruins his half brothers company.
The HOMER!
It could use a more aggressive rear spoiler to compliment the fender flares. That will prob be exclusively for the STI
yea thats just for the sti
@Mersa Kiya I prefer women but thanks anyhoo
@@ericnazario2369 Yeah, especially women without viruses ;)
Yeah I can see it now and it would look badass with a big old tall wing on it. Yeah and I ain't talking about no normal size spoiler I'm talking about something that's a foot and a half two feet above the trunk lid
This is by far, the best all seasons sport compact in the market and it's a very underated car considering the bone stock dyno of 245whp@250wtq on 91 octane... Imagine E85 biofuel now, maybe 300whp@300wtq if you delete the charcoal filter in the air box? In the basic version this car is a huge bargain and the resale value is probably the best in the industry right now! You cannot go wrong with this WRX... Can I said, BEST BANGS FOR THE BUCKS !!! About the exterior, I take a black one... lolll
It is no question why you’re so successful Doug, knocking out this review in the pouring rain man that’s what’s up
I think this would look cool with a one inch lift, off road tires and a roof rack. It looks like it’s stuck in between a performance sports car and a rally car, but it’s neither. I would make mine look more like a rally car.
I think you're right on the money! It looks like they wanted to bring the WRX back to its roots, but didn't want to fully commit. I think if I bought one of these I'd commit to the rally side! The plastic wouldn't look bad at all in that application, and it would be completely different than what most people do with their WRX.
i would like a roof rack on it ! :D
i mean it is perfect car for winter, i have 2 subarus and i have winter, so and WRX or STI would be nice.
I think the main problem is the plastic fender liners. If they were color matched, it would look great as a performance car and even lowered. But since they’re not, a lift with some BFG’s and all crosstreked out is an option.
Sooo as a Crosstrek it looks better than a WRX. Buy a crosstrek.
Lifting a sports car is going the wrong way.
Seeing Subaru still making the Impreza and sports cars makes me happy. So disappointed with how little regard Mitsubishi has for the legacy of the Evo, GTO ets
Well I guess at least they killed it before it was destroyed like the WRX/STI.
@@David-bt7zt in the 90s you could have a Mirage/Colt with 175hp or a 1.6 V6, that was awesome!
Let’s just hope they make some cool cars soon. The new Outlander seems very appealing
Mitsubishi hears ya, Mitsubishi don't care
They shouldn’t have ruined the eclipse tbh
@@sryan286 lmao "destroyed" calm down so dramatic
People who think this looks worse that previous years don't make sense. I'd say the opposite. It looks more refined.
Bought a Red 2022 WRX yesterday. Was uncertain about those extra black pieces. Took it for a ride around a few loops with the salesguy. 1st loop I needed to adjust to the clutch and power. 2nd loop I was amazed how good the 6 speed manual was shifting. 3rd loop I decided to buy it.
I also noticed the extra interior room, especially in the rear seats. SUBARU did a good job and I was certain I would not like it the new redesign because I loved the previous body. Heck, I had a deal pending on a red 2021 WRX (Base) with 5k miles. After driving the 2022 WRX Premium, it is the better car. Glad to have a HUGE screen because it helps with those icon buttons and while using WAZE.
Subaru sees 85% of WRX buyers get a manual.. and then restrict top options to the auto. Really smart move
Scales of economy mate
People hated the previous CVT because it's so SLOW, so if this cvt (SPT) is good, more people are going to buy this, and Subaru wants more people to try these automatics buy restricting them.
It's not a smart move but it's not as bad as you think
@@Mexxx65 lost market opportunity. Scaling doesn't apply much here considering it's a bespoke body and foreknowledge of 85% manual take rate
@@Greeniac you're just not going to convince manual buyers, specifically buying a sporty rally inspired car, to go CVT. Even the good ones are clearly bleh
I think at least recaro seats swap will become one of the most popular mods for this WRX
The irregular shape of the wheel arches accentuate the colossal wheel gap on a sports car and it makes the tires and wheels look too small- it was a terrible idea because no matter how big or small the rims/tires are it will look like that because its not round. They misunderstood the assignment: people want aggressive wheel arches that go outward not upward- its like a cheap way out that may be problematic
Agreed. Can work on a truck, not on a sports car.
Completely agree. Those arches take the sportiness away from the car and makes it look like just another crossover from Subaru.
Wizard? You read my mind.
This is definitely one of the biggest gripes about the car and it's so simple and easy for them to fix. I don't know what made them think that the design language from the Crosstrek would work on a WRX. If I wanted a crosstrek I'd buy a fucking Crosstrek!
If they are easily removable though it could be really easy for shops to produce good wide arches. No need to drill holes and ruin your resale if you can just unclip the old and pop a new one on.
Hopefully that's the same with the high waisted plastic rear.
ok, so ive been watching your vids from time to time, and the thing that mad me smash the sub button was you just getting SOAKED filming this with 0 hesitation, just Getting that shit done no matter what. thats dedication. im in.
Great review! Thanks Doug.
I own a '21 WRX, and I do occasionally take it off road. Not just taking it sideways on gravel roads, but I've also taken it on light Jeep trails just for the hell of it. I love taking this car where it probably shouldn't go. That said, I actually like the extra plastic protection - but I think it should have been apart of an off road package, not standard. Second, the rear end is what actually kills it for me. Rear diffuser is huge and the tail lights make it look like a Civic.
Basically, if Subaru released a WRX Wilderness edition I'd buy it
I agree. Even if the wheel arches can be interpreted as protective or emphasizing a rugged character, that giant plastic rectangle section on the back is just incomprehensible.
yeah it seems like they didnt have a design team to put effort to the rear fascia and they just went out and bought the the left over parts from honda civics to put the rear fascia together without much thought.
It's a corolla, sorry if you didn't know or notice.
@@yungboicontigo9278 but instead it has a honda civic rear end with ugly black plastic
I was waiting for the 2022 WRX, but after seeing this car, went to a dealer and bought the 2020 version. The new BRZ is a gorgeous-looking car, the new WRX is not, unfortunately. A nice looking car is a nice looking car. I shouldn't have to stare at it until I start accepting it, nor should I have to squint my eyes to try to look for beauty. Great review Doug, thank you for your investigations and stay dry!
BMW 3,4 series: "looks away"
new brz is way uglier than the previous gen, everyones going with the same rear end nowadays they all look like a civic rear end
@@devon5078 Disagree, I think the new BRZ looks better than the old
@@TobySimone has the same rear end as every other jdm car rn
@@devon5078 And? I still think it looks good
this guy is the best despite the weather he's doing the review big respect Doug keep it up❤❤❤❤❤❤
It would look a lot better as a wagon in my opinion. Might help make the wheel arches make sense.
Funny thing is the WRX wagon sold here in Australia (essentially the new Levorg) has no plastic arches, loses the quad tip exhausts and is automatic only. Bit of a missed opportunity in my opinion
I really can't believe how a company that makes cars like the BRZ and older WRX's dropped the ball this hard. The styling, unpainted body panels, power stagnation, and calling their CVT the "Subaru performance transmission". It just screams out of touch washed up and clueless.
Subaru has dropped the ball in styling and with the engine/transmission. When companies make engineering mistakes, the people making the mistakes remain in the company. Mistakes continue. See Infiniti.
@@plaubelmakina8916 The potential for the powertrain is where the fun stuff will be. Output for the 2.0 wasn't close to what it could do stock. Transmission apparently also got better (read:shorter) gears still, so that's also a great thing. Most folks don't keep a WRX stock anyways. I think Subaru knows that.
If you've been following the wrx line, this car has better interior, better engine, and better suspension plus a number of updates. It's based on the previous generation. In terms of styling, its more rally looking. Not all people are going to like the looks, but that happens in every generation. It will sell well because there's nothing in the market like this car at this price.
Absolutely no idea how you got to this conclusion after watching the vid lol
Subaru is following the money. They shifted their fanbase from broke millennials to rich lesbian architect boomers.
Doug, I really like this format where you talk with the automaker and they provide answers to questions you, and us, may have. I hope to see more of this. It is very insightful and lays down part of the vehicle’s history, especially for people in the future.
Future people!
I find it funny that Subaru admitted that the new engine would be more receptive to "tuning", but Subaru has been more than well known for denying warranty claims for even the slightest modifications so I'm not sure why they'd use that as a "selling point". In a day and age where your average sport sedan has over 300hp from factory, why can't we get them to tune the car as such? This motor could have 300+hp in it without blinking. I do like those seats though!
When I first seen it in orange and the wheel arches I thought what everyone else thought. Doesn't look so good. I actually really like the front end, and rear end lights, fenders. Unfortunately not a fan of the rear bumper but it's not a deal breaker for me. People complain about anything and everything in life. But after looking back and comparing to the previous gen, it's actually growing on me and looks pretty sick!. I think looks way better in the dark sapphire blue, dark grey and I bet black will look pretty damn good too with blending in the cladding. Then tinting the windows. I like the aggressive look. Looks more like a rally type car which I think is dope. The rear bubba Gump lower lip rear bumper is the worst part of the design for me. I've never liked orange cars in general, combined with the plastic, not my style. Will look bad on any car design IMO. What I think is awesome is that they stepped it up with the FA24 and fixed all of the issues the previous gen had from factory. Peaky in different gears, rev hang and internals only good up to 300hp for mods. This 2.4 is way more consistent with power up the RPM range and will be wayy better for different stage upgrades maybe up to 350 with out dicking with the internals?! I may just buy one in black. Will be a badass car regardless.
Front end looks decent. Side view looks kinda bad but I could live with it. The rear is unforgivable.
Civic vibes on the rear...just terrible
all that is wrong with the front is the lights are to small and squinty.. i hate the flares too, but your right the rear is just horrible
@@hiljicardrawings3467 It's not the lights that are small, it's the whole car becoming larger and taller. It looks like it's Warturtle on its way to becoming Blastoise.
@@Violianom that could be it… just in comparison to the car it makes the lights look small
Looks like a ugly mitsubishi from the side. 1999 Gc8 still the best looking wrx
There's no way an automotive enthusiast or passionate engineer designed the profile of this car. Clearly the suits are in charge now over at Subaru.
I totally agree. The true engineer managers have been replaced by business managers. And that is true across many car companies. None is more striking or more visible than the BMW lineup of the last four, five years. Just utter junk, over-done, bling bling stuff... So disappointing...
Thank you Doug this will be my first car after this amazing video
A car famous for a color called "World Rally Blue" changing their aesthetic in a way that looks more "off-roady".
I fucking love it. I live in the mountains in northern California and we get tons of rain and snow here, I'm constantly on rough and uncomfortable dirt roads and need the AWD to get around. As such, this is a perfect upgrade to the exterior for me.
A note on the engine choice. Thinking about the vehicles it shares an engine with reminds me of the old school Civic B20 swaps. Great for tuning, lasted longer under abuse. Another upgrade imo.
It’s not an arch issue. The Crosstrek manages to be funky cool. It’s that the WRX has skinny low profile tires with a lifted, boxy plastic cladding lower trim.
This makes it appear like those lifted trucks that run skinny tires and big wheels. It’s very unpleasant.
Wagons/hatches also can pull off the plastic arches a lot better than a sedan shape. I would have no problems with a fatter sidewall and hatch body with this exact same styling.
I just ordered & bought a loaded 21 Crystal White Pearl Crosstrek Limited. The black plastic cladding & gloss black & polished 18" wheels look good with the White. Not sure about this concept on the WRX .... I'd have to see it in person.
@@danielfair4675 there is a redeeming quality to the cladding with black wheels. The CX-30 is another good example. The standard trims with grey wheels look a little off to me, but the turbo models with black wheels make the cladding look alright.
Well said fully agree.🙏
Crosstrek is anti-cool in every way possible, things are a heap of shit
A lot of Subarus are sold in the snowbelt and therefore often exposed to road salt. My bet is those plastic wheel arches are there to avoid rust problems in those areas which brings up another outstanding problem with Subaru namely the quality of their paint and rust proofing which has been historically sub-par over the years
You are correct. Not only is rust a problem, but leading up to that, paint gets blasted off of anything behind the wheels, including plastic. My rear bumper on my BMW needed repainted in ONE YEAR from the sand and salt (150+ inches of snow per year)!
good point, honestly plastic wheel arches like that could be a selling point for me if I lived in a high salt area, subies are fundamentally still outdoorsy cars that are popular for areas with lots of snow and trail use, even WRXs.
Living in the northeast I absolutely see it as a feature. I don't mind the look regardless tbh. Looks very Subaru.
That was my point exactly, I life in Southern Ontario in Canada and in the winter the sheer amounts of salt on the roads are about as much salt as there is in the ocean.
Sub-par-u
As an automotive content writer I am always amazed by the amount of effort Dough put in the reasearch and scripting for each video.
The amount details mentioned on each videos are just insane and work as a great reference for writing in-depth articles.
I agree with you, I do think he spells his name without the "H" though.
Thanks for the inside information RE the development of the car.
How is no-one talking about his dedication to keep filming while getting soaked? Respect.
😐
Daddy Doug delivers
You ever seen paul herrell? That guy will lay in a bed out in the rain to film a gun video.
$$$ is the motive
Let's just all appreciate Doug for making this review in the rain. Thank you for all your effort. It's appreciated
He gets paid for this relax
@@ikhoonyejelem2967 never take anything for granted
I just bought a new 2023 base. Its a great and fun car. The looks definitely grow on you too. Also the stock tuning and torque is SO much better than the old generation
I used to have a 2014 and it seems like a dinosaur compared to my 2023 with the 3,000rpm turbo lag. I'm practically at full boost by 2,000rpms now.
I imagine the drivability around town would be much better with extra .4L increase over the 2.0L.
One of the biggest issues with the "They always complain but then they come around" statement is that sooner or later, they DONT come around. I have shown the new WRX to people who aren't interested in subaru and even they thought it was ugly. So it's not just upset enthusiasts who don't like the design.
With every WRX generation, the detractors don’t “come around” until a year or so later after they hit the streets, then everyone loves it. Nothing new here. Just a lot of laggers complaining.
This is the best WRX yet.
Every new generation looks worse than the previous yet the WRX is still alive and evolving and cars like Focus ST, EVO, Chevy Cobalt, and Dodge SRT-4 are dead.
There is no pretty WRX remember Bug eye ? Maybe B22 was OK but hardly pretty.
@@sanacrules Fair point I suppose. We will have to see if this car can evoke nostalgia in enthusiasts like the last cars did.
yeah everyone said the same thing about every gen of the wrx and now look at it, everyone loves the hatchback, the hawkeye etc....
I was expecting Subaru's reason for the hideous wheel arches is so that tuner can easily fix a widebody kit without cutting the panels by just removing the plastic wheel arches but no... so disappointed with the new design.
The whole reason manufacturers put plastic on the lower doors and rocker panels is just to hide the rust that creeps out after a few years.
the headlights are too short as well (they are too far away from the grille), and with that arches it looks like an offroader
@@yungboicontigo9278 i would imagine the GR Corolla will take away sales from the Si. As much as I love Honda, they didn’t do enough for the new Si. And less horsepower? I hope they don’t disappoint on the Type R
@@yungboicontigo9278 I know right.. waiting for the corolla too!!
Car makers shouldn’t make cars based on what they think tuners will do. Just make the best enthusiast car you can make at that price point nothing more nothing less
This review holds up pretty well. A year after going on sale people who are buying them love them. I don't even care about the wheel arches anymore.
Doug you are the man! 👍
Subaru: "Let's spend millions in engineering on making the automatic transmission better."
Customer: "3 horsepower more, but we have a new CVT!"
Yeah, but the CVT is pretty awesome. I have it in my 185 HP Crosstrek and it slams it up to 50 mph.
Subaru CVT =/= other CVTs... It's definitively better. I don't think most people who complain about it actually used it in an Imprezza or Crosstrek. I can see why you wouldn't want it in a WRX. Just get the manual.
I used to own a 2011 STI, and I loved the look of the 2015-2021 WRX/STI. I still do, really. But sadly I have to agree that this new model is horrendously ugly.
Absolutely! I own a 2018 and the new model looks shit. I also loved the 2006-2007 model
I had a 2011 too 🥺
Same. G3 is the last of the greatest silhouettes. Was pumped to see what 2022 had coming…gutted.
They can change whatever the car is fucking ugly
I like the plastic arches on the car, mine is silver and it looks good. It looks aggressive. Love the cornering in this car, handles well.
Buying this in World Rally Blue and painting the fenders, side skirts, and bumpers. I drove a Premium today and the car is awesome!
I feel that this car represents a massive missed opportunity. They could've gone wagon or hatchback only, and the wheel arches would look better and more fitting. A sedan feels like a compromise between styling and practicality, even though Subaru is known for having form conform to function primarily.
exactly! I would never buy a wrx simply because I can't have a hatch.
@@bob15479 buy a older model, they even have hatch STI's
@@Azzmager123 Subaru doesn't sell used cars from the factory. A person buying a new car who wants a hatch has to choose between a Volkswagen Golf GTI if they want sporty, or a high trim of the Mazda 3 if they want AWD. Will either be as good as the WRX in either case? Probably not, but they set out to buy a hatchback, not a sedan.
@@bob15479 wait for the gr corolla
I have a Veloster N and believe me it’s so fun and we’ll worth the money
Looks like a “Wilderness” model without the lift and off-road tires. CVT and performance in a car is out of touch with the buyers, the New Civic Si actually took what the customers were saying and changed those items.
Meanwhile I'm rocking a 2000 Impreza and loving it 🥰... Older subarus without all the new tech are so much fun to drive.
I plan on getting a black one here in the next few months so the wheel arches won't be very noticeable. I'm hoping it'll keep the rock chips to a minimum being I live out in the country and it will be getting driven off-road a fair amount.
Do it. I bought a black premium Friday. First subu, love the stick, power, and handling. I’m 51.
The dedication to filming is crazy. It's pouring rain out and this man is still shooting👊🏿👊🏿👊🏿
it's almost as if he's not skipping work when it rains like 99.9% of people... CRAZY 😮
People do everything for money, this guy is no different
and he’s still in shorts
With no umbrella.
Its just a lack of caring. He knows the views automatically pour in no matter what he does.
I love how Doug is explaining the responsiveness of the centre screen and then the map lags horribly.
great humor
Lmao I remember when this came out and was on the hate train. Then I bought one 😂
This has a similar feel to the Civic hatchback in terms of styling. Like they tried really hard, overdid it, and also completely missed the mark. When tuner people say they want aggressive styling they rarely mean 'hey we want a lot of big chunky plastic parts all over the place'.
Gotta give it up to Doug for producing high-quality content on a controversial car in the rain! Bravo 👏🏻
And he did it all for us to watch :)
And because it's his job
Shut up is making money is not free
I don’t mind the wheel arches, but they should have gone all in and given it small rally wheels with fat tires
Agreed. Any idea what the smallest wheels this thing can take are? I don't think it's up on tirerack yet...
@@splatbubble my guess is that 17’s would fit no problem. Possibly 16’s with the right offset. Based on what I see in the video, the brakes don’t look too large. But hard to say without exact measurements.
Or make them mostly body colored but yes agreed
I don't hate the cladding.... so I traded my WRX in for an Outback Wilderness Edition lol
yes
Doug's the type of guy to maintain a calm, genuine review while soaked in rain, as if it is just another normal day.
I hated the look at first, but it kinda grew on me. The amount of aftermarket parts for the fenders are limitless.
Silver, White, Blue, Red, and Grey have all grown on me. I even saw an Orange the other day and I liked it. I think these will become more popular with time.
The wheel arches look good in the Outback’s and Crosstreks but not too sure about them being in a sport sedan…🤔
Honestly I think they're cool. Very rally-like. I can't be the only one?
@@nvl2691 but yet they put summer tires on em, definitely not a rally car 😂
@@drunkpolack7612 rally cars hit the tarmac too 😉
Wheel arches might be a good idea especially if you want to install of offroad tires. Its kinda like Subaru Crosstrek with more power.
Just get a paint match
9:26 Bring us more of this editing style it definitely helps with visualization of the two models
This seems like a really good value as a base model. My local dealer wants $31k for one, which is also what they want for a Crosstrek 2.5.
I want the premium because the paint options are much better and it comes with a few improved features. It does cost a few grand more though. Overall I love the WRX and simply wish I had one. The next time I purchase a vehicle, it's already at the top of my list.
I live in pa n it obviously snows here, im very happy they have the ground clearance and rugged feel n look to it.
I think its more offroad rally type car, rather than the typical rally focus r type car thats super low to the ground, so although awd, still not optimal in the snow.
This looks like it can absolutely get a nice set of performance snows and go great down the road.
Probably the stepping stone between sedan and crossover
Doug is always making our days better, keep going!
@@alunesh12345 believe in deez nutz bozo
Mitsubishi really need to bring back the Evo and give WRX competition. 2022 model is just horrendous.
When a company has no competition we get these fugly underwhelming designs
This is the worst WRX I’ve ever seen. We need competition as you said
The EVO got destroyed in sales compared to Subaru in the early 2000s so I don’t think there was much competition to begin with
Just test drove a base manual WRX in Rally blue! I think the fenders look fine, does make the WRX standout vs other cars. It is just fun! Good visibility, can handle bumps great. I drove the legacy right after, kept staring at the WRX and would prob buy it, and in base version
I love how it looks
Time stamps, for those who want them.
0:00 Intro
3:00 Quirks & Features
21:28 The Drive
27:55 The Doug Score
Thank you!
Keep it going thanks
thx for making our lives easier
Ad skip ???
1:18 Ad skip
I don't mind the cladding. The only part of the exterior that bothers me is the rear bumper. Way too chunky.
Somebody made a good point that it isn't too bad to have those arches because you could easily remove them to throw on some more sporty wide-body flares.
Personally I find them to be ugly even if they are removable.
I totally agree though that the rear bumper is too chunky. Like, if you are gonna make a diffuser/bumper that thick, make it functional.
it looks like coffin from Death Race Mustang
The straight lines just don't work when it's a round arch. Needs a rear spoiler as well.
I bet just getting a wheel/tire setup that actually fills out the cladding will make a dramatic difference to the look. Hopefully the aftermarket quickly comes out with a solution for that rear bumper, though..
Looks like the 3 Series GT diaper butt
It is looking like Subaru did a lot of work with the after market on this new model. Even providing an under tuned over built engine. This maybe an actual deal depending on how much you liking modify your sport car.
This was great. I'm in the market to get a new WRX. Probably getting the GT version for a few reasons. Though I prefer using manual. I'm coming from a 99 Mustang GT (V8). Would love to see a video about the WRX GT version. Thank you.