Among all of autodom, the 2015 Subaru WRX
stands out as a little odd, but not because of its flared fenders,
funky crease-and-angles styling, or even its position as rally beast in a
lineup full of granola-mobiles. Okay, so those things are all at least
semi-odd, but the thing we’re getting at, the thing that makes the WRX
unique, is the 268-hp, 2.0-liter turbo four slotted under its aluminum
hood. That’s because, unlike all but one other automaker, Subaru
persists with the boxer engine layout. (The other carmaker is, of
course, Porsche, where the engine type is reserved for pure sports
cars.) Every other company will insist that cylinders are meant to be in
lines or vees and not constantly thrusting directly at one another. Yet
Subaru puts boxer engines into everything it sells.
The flat-four in the 2015 WRX is a member of the FA engine family that powers the turbocharged Forester XT and the naturally aspirated BRZ and Scion FR-S.
Direct injected, the engine inhales 15.9 pounds of peak boost (or
slightly more during brief overboost periods) and has a 10.6:1
compression ratio. The redline is painted on the tach at 6700 rpm with
the six-speed manual and 6500 rpm with the CVT automatic—yes, the WRX is
now available with a continuously variable transmission. Peak twist is
258 lb-ft of torque from 2000 rpm to 5200 rpm, and max power arrives at
5600 rpm; if you wait to shift until redline, you do feel the power
taper off ever so slightly.
Flat-fours produce a characteristic growling thrum, and the last WRX
announced its engine layout with pride pretty much the entire time from
ignition to shutdown. But the 2015 model keeps a great deal of the din
away from the driver’s ear, while the four-tipped dual exhaust booms
some if you push into the throttle at low rpm. If you’re over 35, you
might find it a bit uncouth—and not in an endearing way. And on certain
types of pavement, there’s more roar from the 235/45R-17 Dunlop SP Sport
Maxx RT tires than we’d like to hear.
The rest of the car sings a much more satisfying tune. A new electric
power-steering system is tuned to perfection; whirl the flat-bottomed
14.5-inch wheel, and the nose knifes into corners precisely and
predictably. And unlike many other EPS systems, the WRX’s feels natural
as the steering effort increases with cornering loads.
Stiffer and Stiffer
Torpedoing into and rocketing out of switchbacks on our drive route in
Napa Valley, the 2015 WRX showed that it still has the goods to satisfy
hard-core fans of the badge. With all-wheel drive, this Subie has an
easy balance and neutrality that’s missing in front-drive cars like the
Ford Focus ST, and unlike its front-drive competitors, the WRX has no
problem putting down the power and firing itself out of corners. The
structure is 41 percent stiffer overall, and the spring rates have been
cranked up by 39 percent at the front and 62 percent in the rear. There
are also larger anti-roll bars and firmer bushings, and the aluminum
lower control arms of the strut front suspension are unique to the WRX.
To help keep the WRX stable under limit cornering, the active torque
vectoring system uses the front brakes to clamp individual front wheels,
which helps steer the car through the corner. The Rex turns in with
verve and shows extraordinary levels of front-end grip.
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To combat brake fade, Subaru fits each WRX with 12.4-inch vented front
rotors with two-piston calipers and 11.3-inch solid rotors with
single-piston calipers in back. A larger master cylinder and a more
responsive booster are intended to improve brake feel, and although the
brakes do feel better than before, the WRX’s brakes don’t have the bite
or provide the security and arresting grab of a Ford Focus ST or 2015 Volkswagen GTI.
It takes less than a quarter-mile of driving to realize that the ’15 WRX rides more stiffly than before. On patched pavement or over freeway expansion joints, the car will jostle you, but the rigid body mostly mitigates the impacts. Compared with the Impreza on which it is based—but with which it no longer shares a name—the WRX gets more high-strength steel in its A-pillar, a thicker floor pan, and additional gussets that connect the firewall with the passenger cabin. The payoff for the firm ride is excellent body control and sports-car-like resistance to diving under braking and squatting under acceleration.
Transmission Double Play
Subaru claims a 2015 WRX equipped with the six-speed manual will hit 60
mph in 5.4 seconds—the same time it stated for the outgoing 265-hp,
five-speed-manual car. In our hands, the old WRX hit 60 in 4.7 seconds,
so we believe we’ll beat Subaru’s seemingly conservative time once we
test the new Rex (that will happen soon). Should you opt for the Sport
Lineartronic CVT automatic, Subaru claims the 0-to-60 gallop will take
5.9 seconds.
If you’re one of the 20 percent of WRX buyers Subaru expects will opt
for the CVT, take note: The transmission tries its damnedest not to act
like a CVT. Instead of fixating on one rpm number and therefore droning
under hard acceleration, the CVT usually steps through preset ratios to
mimic a conventional automatic’s shifting. In the least aggressive
setting (Intelligent), the CVT “moves” through six preset ratios. Use
the steering-wheel-mounted button to switch into Sport or Sport #
(“Sharp”) mode, and your CVT will serve up eight preset ratios. Paddle
shifters provide control of the ratios, and a 3.5-inch LCD nested
between the analog speedometer and tachometer helps you keep track of
which ratio you’ve selected.
Yet for maximum accelerative oomph, the CVT cans the stepped
“gearchanges” and reveals its true self. Pin the throttle from a stop,
and the WRX activates what Subaru is calling launch control. This isn’t
launch control in the truest sense, though, where the car steps away in
the most aggressive manner possible; instead, Subaru’s system involves a
transmission program that continuously moves among the CVTs ratios to
keep the engine at full boil. In practice, though, this pretty much
means the thing just hangs out around a certain rpm and keeps the engine
howling.
What the CVT can’t do is provide the instantaneous and immediate
connection to the powertrain provided by the manual gearbox. In CVT
cars, there’s a slight transmission-induced delay before power comes
online when you stand on the throttle. There’s a small delay in the
manual WRX, too, but the cause here is a whiff of turbo lag, not the
gearbox. In use, the six-speed has pedals set up perfectly for
heel-and-toe downshifts and boasts throws shortened by 12 percent over
those of the old five-speed box. Shifting requires a firm hand, but the
gates are closely spaced and the action is precise.
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The interior is a modified version of what you’d find in a regular
Impreza. There are soft-touch plastics throughout, but they possess a
sheen that won’t win over parishioners of the church of the VW GTI.
Splashes of fake carbon-fiber trim attempt to inject some pizazz, but
the driver’s interior view is dominated by a functional and no-nonsense
instrument panel. Near the top of the dashboard sits a 4.3-inch
multifunctional color display that provides audio and climate-control
information, Bluetooth settings, and a boost gauge. Automatic climate
control is standard, as are all-day comfortable cloth sport seats. We
found it easy to find a good driving position, and outward visibility is
excellent for a modern car, which is a pleasant surprise.
Aside from a 0.6-inch increase in length, the WRX is the same size as
before, although a one-inch stretch to the wheelbase delivers a larger
rear seat with almost two more inches of legroom. Despite the similar
footprint, overall interior space is up, and trunk space has grown from
11.3 cubic feet to an even 12. On the safety side, there’s a new knee
airbag on the driver’s side as well as three-mode stability control—on,
off, and off with brake-based yaw control (active torque vectoring) on.
The firmer structure and the additional standard equipment have bumped
up the curb weight by a claimed 60 pounds.
Hot-hatch aficionados will have to shop at Ford or VW stores, as the WRX
is now available only as a sedan. (The greater differentiation from the
Impreza meant that only one body style
could survive to this generation.) Three trim levels are
available—base, Premium, and Limited. Major standard features on the
plebeian WRX include power windows and locks, a six-speaker audio system
with Bluetooth audio and USB connectivity, a rearview camera, and
automatic climate control. Moving up to the Premium unlocks CVT
availability and adds a glass sunroof, fog lights, heated seats and
exterior mirrors, and a trunk-mounted spoiler. The top-shelf Limited
rolls with power leather seats and LED low-beam headlights. Premium and
Limited models offer navigation, the automatic, keyless access, and a
nine-speaker 440-watt audio system as options. No pricing is available
yet, but Subaru officials assure us the price will remain near the
current car’s $26,790 base price. Expect a fully loaded Limited with the
CVT to come in at about $33,000.
On the whole, buyers should be pleased with the return for that money. The 2015 Subaru WRX delivers a slightly more refined and mature experience in cabin ambience, and with its firmer chassis and tenacious grip, it also comes across as a slightly harder-edged version of the previous car. Put another way, this new Rex reminds us of the old STI, which makes us wonder where Subaru will take the upcoming next-gen STI. Based on this experience, we look forward to finding out.
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