I am Kelsey Mays for cars dot com here at the new 2015 Subaru WRX
after years the WRX to performance car enthusiasts has
always been assemble %uh performance an all-wheel drive at a reasonable cost
that remains the same here for the 2015 redesign
which shares its platform in most things with the fourth generation Subaru
Impreza
we've had a chance to drive it so buckle up we're gonna talk mostly about that on
the hood here's a functional hood scoop
it funneled heir to the intercooler for a two liter turbocharged four-cylinder
the first time since 2005 that the WRX is not had a 3.5 liter turbo
four-cylinder
but your head they're not this has a lot more technology now
at direct injection variable valve timing about the intake and
the exhaust side versus the poor injected 2.5 liter engine had balcony
only on the intake side add it all up horsepower
about the same year 268 horsepower new WRX persons 265 before
I torque though now up to 258 pound-feet
from 2000 all the way up to 5200 rpm that's a nice
increase purses last year's 244 horsepower
at about 4,000 rpm not too bad for credits only about 60 pounds heavier
than its predecessors recess
so all that begs the question: is that the arc still quick well
yes it definitely is
nice trumka power three all the way to 5 6000rpm
unfortunately our test car has Subaru's
optional automatic transmission is a continuously variable automatic
I know are you start burning your CD effigies for putting a CVT
in the WRX it does suck away some up the fun
a driver selectable s I Drive super intelligent drive system
a under the WRX it's got three modes got intelligence
sport and sport shark now in intelligent and sport mode
you do get something that should be kinda nonlinearity that
comes la to see me he saw that rubber band affected takes a little while
have awake the engine up from its leave your status and get it
where where the RPM's are kicking a little bit higher a
sport sharp though actually reverts to what is supposed to stimulate
eight-speed automatic transmission actually feels like a pretty good
eight-speed
at that yet hold through eight different fixed here's downshift
two three four years at a time you pretty fun way to drive how the only way
to drive it might be contrived but
you know its it's the best way to experience the CVT
there are six gears that intelligent and sport
try to hold but they only engage when you been pressing on the gas pedal hard
enough 30
40 percent down problem penny on which million
around town you don't get much that's the kind that CP CV
deal ride quality has its ups and downs at Silver says
it's different this brings the shocks in the bush in person the last WRX discard
rights firm but not objection a lovely for if
if you drive around fairly smooth pavement especially its fine
christians out undulations been easily a higher speed are
it can bounce around to some potholes and certain other areas
all-wheel drive standard obviously on the WRX it's a 50-50
viscous coupling get the manual transmission with the automatic it's an
electronically controlled coupling that
which is a little bit more default power to the rear our test car has
winter tires with don't actually have a lot of great obviously you'd expect that
where has a little bit noisy to
but overall pretty good balance in this car had
possible out as much as you want on the rear steps out it's barely controllable
it easy to cut a slide out all fours in quite a bit of fun actually
the WRX shares its cabin with the fourth generation Impreza
pretty good cabin materials but a very conservative design certain look a
little bit outdated
special certain areas like the doors here still very easy to see outta
though thanks to a large windshield Hall side windows in very narrow
killers one little annoying thing you're the center armrest your field a little
bit low especially
you set up high kinda wish the lol fall more naturally to its a few inches lower
than you would expect
the seats though bolstered sport seats in the WRX
they hold you enduring corners they're very comfortable on long trips
editors really liked them the 2015 WRX comes only as a sedan is no more
hatchback available
starting prices are around twenty seven thousand dollars including destination
that's just
a few hundred dollars more than the outgoing WRX now you tack on a few
options that price
can get very high very fast but still Fort
base price WRX remains a bit over performance bargain consider that the
mazdaspeed3 the Volkswagen GTI
at those competitors start very close to twenty seven thousand dollars up from
their previous generations and very recent years mas will almost certainly
redesign sp3 based on the 3rd gen mazda3
and we have a 7th gen Volkswagen GTI coming in the VW dealership
in just a few months still right now the WRX
does make a bit over performance splash in this sorta sheep speed segment here
though maybe not with the CVT automatic transmission
fortunately there is a standard six-speed manual transmission available
in the WRX also a little old school that we think that's the one we start
shopping
for