2023 Subaru WRX

Ever since it arrived on U.S. shores in 2001, the Subaru WRX has been proving that serious performance can be affordably accessible. The World Rally Championship-inspired WRX, a 1990s Japanese-market legend that U.S. enthusiasts clamored for and finally got that year, proved that you keep up with a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 in a family sedan at half the price, though you did have to pony up for the ultimate STI versions for that kind of speed. The regular WRX, on the other hand, always sat one rung lower, an opposite number to Golf GTIs and MazdaSpeed 3s. 

WRXs were for those who didn’t need the STI’s rally-car-for-the-road performance but wanted more than a plain Jane Impreza and liked the WRC connection. Sadly, Subaru’s been out of WRC since 2010 and the STI shuffled off to that great special stage in the sky in 2021. For 2022, the automaker completely redesigned the WRX, finally putting it on its Global Platform architecture that underpins all other Subarus except for the BRZ. This makes building a niche model like the WRX more cost-effective, but it hasn’t done wonders for the car. It rolls into 2023 unchanged.

The base, Premium, Limited and GT trims remain on tap starting at $30,605 and topping out as eye-wateringly high as $44,415 (including the $1,020 destination charge, up from last year’s $995), like our top-of-the-line test car. With such a spread in price, the WRX rivals the Honda Civic Si and Type R, the Hyundai Elantra N, Volkswagen Jetta GLI and even the Acura Integra. But because of its practical sports car proposition, hot hatchbacks like the Volkswagen Golf GTI and the all-new Toyota GR Corolla apply too.

Among this competition, the WRX is the only one with all-wheel drive (AWD) except for the GR Corolla. The same 271-horsepower turbocharged 2.4-liter Boxer four-cylinder propels the WRX through a manual or an optional continuously variable automatic (CVT) transmission, making it more powerful than the Civic Si and Jetta GLI, but shy of the 300-hp Corolla GR and 276-hp Elantra N. Every version gets a well-balanced, sport-tuned suspension, but the top-spec GT adds electronically adaptive dampers and more tricks to its AWD system. It’s CVT-only, however.

Although a sort of segment in-betweener, the WRX is still a commendably practical performance proposition for less than $40,000 (as long as you stick to the lower trims). In a move upmarket to appeal to a wider audience, it’s become more refined and smoother, but at the disappointing expense of some of the raucousness of its predecessors, which made you feel like you could be Carlos Sainz Jr. or Colin McRae. Subaru also claims that this may be its last internal combustion-powered model, citing stricter emissions regulations and the push toward electric vehicles.

While Subaru also has been priding itself on its safety and driver assistance tech, the WRX is rewardingly void of most of all the intrusive nannies if you choose the manual. That allows drivers to really enjoy the WRX for what it is, but some other manufacturers, namely Honda, have figured out how to make features like adaptive cruise control work with manual transmissions. If you really want those extra security blankets, and many buyers do, simply opt for the automatic transmission and Subaru’s signature EyeSight safety suite is included.

Performance: 13/15

The WRX’s turbocharged flat-four displaces 2.4 liters, netting 271 hp and 259 pound-feet of torque. All paw traction is standard per Subaru tradition. Enthusiasts will love the standard six-speed manual. A continuously variable transmission with eight simulated gears and steering-wheel-mounted paddles serves as the optional automatic but is standard on the top-spec GT. 

Now, before you go “Yuck, a CVT,” we admittedly are impressed with it behaving more like a dual-clutch automatic. Only in certain conditions, such as cruising around town or some wide-open-throttle situations, did the CVT reveal its quirks. Of course, the manual is the preferred choice. In a previous and brief stint, we found nice weighting to the clutch, but a slightly vague catch point. The short-throw shifter, however, was slick and notchy for accurate selection.

Both the manual and auto tackle 60 mph in around 5.5 seconds. It’s quicker than the Jetta GLI and Civic Si, but slower than the Type R, Elantra N, Corolla GR and even the GTI, all of which can do it in around or under 5. Highway overtaking feels slightly more lackadaisical as the flat-four exhibits just a hint of turbo lag.

What’s most impressive, and expected, is the handling. Chuck it into any corner and the WRX’s renowned and clever symmetrical AWD system finds its footing and wraps you around the bend without drama and just a hint of understeer at the very limit of adhesion. Adaptive electronic dampers (standard on the GT only) keep body roll and motion in check—a first for any WRX.

A few criticisms come down to the light and rather lifeless steering and an overwhelming amount of driver mode adjustments. They all default to Sport mode upon startup, versus Comfort, Normal, Sport+  and Individual, or the setting they were last left in, which cannot be changed. And adjusting the driver modes requires needlessly navigating through several menus on the infotainment system, rather than just a simple dedicated physical button, switch or knob. And we wish the exhaust had a bit more growl to it under load. The GR Corolla definitely sounds meaner.

Fuel Economy: 9/15

It may have only four cylinders, but the WRX is no fuel miser. While it is capable of decent gas mileage for its power level and class, like the Mazda3 Turbo, it isn’t known for efficiency. It retains the same 21 mpg combined rating as last year (19 city, 25 highway), with the manual performing better by 1 mpg on the highway and combined cycles.

That’s below nearly all its competition, with the Jetta GLI offering the best at 26 mpg city and 36 highway and the Civic Si returning up to 27 city and 37 highway. The WRX may have considerably more power than those two. But even the far more potent Civic Type R can get up to 22 city and 28 highway with the Corolla GR and Elantra N not trailing far behind. Its closest rival performance-wise is the GTI, which returns a more-than-admirable 28 mpg combined (25 city, 34 highway).

In our week-long testing period with plenty of miles logged around northern New Jersey in suburban and rural mountainous roads, our fuel consumption average hardly went past 23 mpg, even with light-footed driving. Although it can run on regular 87, Subaru recommends premium.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 12/15

The WRX remains untested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) but was nominated as a Top Safety Pick+ rating by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in 2022. Tighter standards at IIHS mean it does not retain that rating this year, but it keeps its “good” and “superior” ratings in all categories except for headlight effectiveness (rated “good” and “average”). That last one is an odd result since the steering-adaptive high-intensity LED headlights are standard on all models and we found them to perform just fine.

CVT-equipped WRX come with Subaru’s signature EyeSight technology suite. This includes lane departure warning with lane keep assist, forward collision mitigation with assisted braking and radar-guided cruise control with lane-centering. Unfortunately, manual WRXs have to go without much of this gear, and some extras, like blind spot monitoring and rear collision mitigation, are offered only on the top two trims. STARLINK wireless data-based linking that offers connected roadside assistance, automatic SOS calling and vehicle tracking in emergencies is standard on all but the base WRX. 

All systems performed as they should with the radar-guided cruise control maintaining lanes in a smooth and reliable manner. However, we did find the forward-collision mitigation and warning to be a bit on the sensitive side.

Comfort & Room: 11/15 

Because the WRX is essentially a hyped-up sedan sibling to the now hatchback-only Impreza, it’s surprisingly comfortable and roomy for a performance vehicle, which is attributed to Subaru’s engineers making the WRX appeal to a more mature audience. The GT gets more supportive (and stylish) Recaro seats for when the going gets quick and twisty, but like BMW’s confining performance seats, those of us with wider and thicker figures might find them taxing on longer trips.

With up to 39.8 inches in the front (38.8 with the sunroof) and 36.7 inches rear of headroom, the WRX feels airy inside with plenty of outward visibility. Legs get 43.1 inches up front and 36.5 inches aft. The interior dimensions are all within a couple of inches of the competition, with no particularly outstanding winner in either department (though the Elantra, Integra and Civic are an inch or two roomier in back).

Noise, vibration and harshness levels are minimal, though we did find there to be a considerable amount of road noise from the summer tires on rougher paved surfaces. Additionally, even with the adaptive dampers in Comfort mode, the ride is stiff-legged and jittery over undulations, though it does a decent job with absorbing bumps and imperfections.

Infotainment: 11/15

While the base-model WRX uses a small-ish 7-inch display,  the other WRX trims share a large 11.6-inch tablet-like screen with the higher trim Legacy, Outback and Ascent. The usual Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard (wired only), along with satellite and high-definition radio, Bluetooth audio streaming and phone connectivity. Sat-nav only comes on the larger 11.6-inch variant on the Limited and GT trims.

Although a welcome departure from the previous generation infotainment system that was so old, it still sported an in-dash CD player, the system lags a bit behind the competition. The big screen offers a lot of visual real estate and its graphics look nice, but its design and laggy response and loading times make it all feel a bit old. Additionally, all the interior climate controls are integrated into the screen, which feels like a step backward from the previous model’s physical dials.

The standard six-speaker sound system is adequate, but the 11-speaker 504-watt Harman Kardon premium arrangement is far more welcome (optional on the Premium, standard on the Limited and GT).

Cargo Space & Storage: 9/15

The WRX generally grew in overall size last year, which ups the trunk space to 12.5 cubic-feet from 12. It’s respectably average, particularly when compared to the Civic Si and Jetta GLI with their 14.1 cubes and the Elantra N’s 14.2. The rear seats fold down in a 60/40 split for longer items. When compared to the hot hatchback alternatives however, it’s game over for the WRX, with the Corolla GR and Golf GTI offering 17.8 cubes and 19.9 cubes, respectively. The hatchback Integra tops them all with 24.3 cubic-feet not counting the full area when the seats are folded.

Style & Design: 7/10

Looks-wise, WRXs have always been a love-it or hate-it affair and never more so than with the current model. Although not blatantly offensive to the eyes, the overall design doesn’t quite come across as cohesive. Inspired heavily by the VIZIV concept from 2017, the WRX inherits the aggressive profile, trapezoidal front grille and widened wheel arches. If you’ve familiarized yourself with Subaru’s design language from its other recent vehicles, you’ll know that it’s a Subaru. 

It does suggest sporty meanness, but there are some points of controversy, like the black plastic wheel well cladding. Subaru claims that the textured cladding improves aerodynamics, reducing drag and improving airflow around the wheel wells, as opposed to a flat painted surface. Functionally, we also see it as paint and bodywork protection should any ambitious owners want to fulfill their World Rally Championship fantasies and hoon the WRX on unpaved surfaces.

Is the 2023 Subaru WRX Worth it? Which WRX is the Best Value?

With a base price starting at $31,625 ($30,605 with the $1,020 destination charge), the WRX brings a lot to the table when considering it as a performance-focused vehicle. Add to the fact that AWD is standard, it’s practical and reasonably comfortable, the WRX makes for a valuable everyday sports sedan. It’s not the most tech-laden, quickest, most frugal or best-looking in its class, though it’s certainly not the slowest. But we do miss some of the hard-edged charm from the older car as the WRX seemingly matured to cater to a more grown-up audience.

We’d still spring for a WRX Premium with the six-speed manual and the $1,875 “Optional Package,” bundling the better Harmon Kardon premium sound system and the power moonroof, bringing the total to $36,000 even with the destination charge. It retains the quintessential WRX experience with all the niceties that matter. We don’t particularly see the value and justification for spending up to $38,515 for the Limited, which only adds sat-nav to the infotainment and ultrasuede seats.

We definitely don’t see the value in jumping up all the way to the $44,415 GT. That’s $8,000 more than the manual-transmission Acura Integra and the GT comes only with the CVT. While safety tech and tricked-out Recaros are always good, it just seems like you can get more elsewhere at that level.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the 2023 Subaru WRX?

The Subaru WRX costs about the same to insure as its competitors. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $2,256, though this averages all 50 states. That compares to $2,537 for the Jetta GLI and $2,380 for the Hyundai Elantra N. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.