Subaru’s WRX: Everything you want, except a clutch
This is the street version of the car you see competing in the World Rally Championship.
NO CLUTCH, BUT STILL FUN: The new WRX has a wide and low stance and the traditional hood scoop. Driving it can be a day at the beach, especially in tight, Boston traffic.
When today’s test car arrived, my heart sang. It was a 2016 Subaru WRX.
The WRX is Subaru’s APC. That’s “affordable performance car,’’ not “armored personnel carrier.’’
Any time I see one, my reaction is predictable and simple: I want to drive it. After all, this is the street version of the car you see competing in the World Rally Championship.
But this car was a bit different from WRXs of the past. It had an automatic transmission.
My first reaction was something akin to seeing Tom Brady run onto the Patriots’ field wearing a tutu.
How could Subaru be peddling a WRX with only two pedals (throttle and brake)?
Well, of course, they are offering this because a majority of the buying public has no use for a clutch pedal, and Subaru wants the WRX to join the rest of the company’s model lineup in setting all-time sales records.
Figuring that a WRX with an automatic—and a CVT (continuously variable transmission) to boot—still might be fun, we gave it a try. I just started to type that “this WRX wasn’t half bad,’’ then realized that wasn’t fair. It was really fun. And the day I got stuck in traffic for 45 minutes, not having to deal with a clutch was really welcome. Given Boston traffic these days, a lot of commuters would agree.
Let’s continue discussing the CVT for a while.
Generally, I eschew using paddle shifters except perhaps to downshift for a highway off-ramp or to slow for a red light on a high-speed road.
Besides, without a clutch you can get lazy and the CVT eventually shifts back to first gear for you when you stop at a light without flipping down through the gears.
But this CVT was fun. The gearbox mimicked a six- or eight-speed gearbox and the instrument panel had a gauge right in front of you telling you what gear you were in and whether the car recommended you upshift or downshift. Often, it had both the upshift and downshift arrows lit, waiting for you to tell the car whether you were going to slow or accelerate.
By now you know this review isn’t for the WRX lover, the gearhead who can tell you 50 ways to tweak these cars for more power and performance and who wouldn’t think about driving anything but the six-speed manual.
Story contintues after gallery.
10 consumer cars that the pros drive:
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Instead, this is for the person who might have wanted a WRX but didn’t want to deal with a clutch for whatever reason.
There’s a big hidden plus for that person with the CVT.
Hidden among the eight or more trim levels of the WRX and its higher performance STI variant is this equipment nugget: “Subaru’s EyeSight front collision mitigation system is reserved for the WRX Limited with a CVT.’’
Hmm. That happened to be the version we were driving.
The EyeSight system includes adaptive cruise control, automated pre-collision braking, and a lane-keeping assistance system. It also adds steering-responsive fog lights (operating independently) to illuminate curves.
The throttle is responsive and the base 2-liter, twin-scroll 4-cylinder engine has 268 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque laying the power to all four wheels through Subaru’s all-wheel-drive system.
This is a quick car, which means you can get into trouble quickly, too.
So these top-of-the-line driver assistance systems are welcome.
A base WRX sedan (there’s no hatchback version) goes for $27,390 (including destination). The CVT only is available with the next steps up the model line, Premium and Limited. Those are available with manual or CVT, but the two high-performance STI versions (each $40,790) are only available with a manual.
DRIVER’S VIEW: The WRX has a standard gauge package, high center onboard computer info, and center stack/infotainment center that, like most, is a work in progress.
Standard on the base are AWD, traction and stability control, and backup camera.
Standard on the base are AWD, traction and stability control, and backup camera. Our Limited model’s base price was $32,390 (including destination). The only option was a Code 23 package that added navigation, an upgraded Harmon/Kardon audio system, keyless access and start, blind-spot alert, and rear cross-traffic alert, plus the aforementioned Eyesight suite of driver assistance systems.
Bottom line: $36,485.
The WRX pretty much stands alone in this version with its performance, safety, and AWD abilities.
One of the most common questions we get about test cars is, “Are the seats comfortable?’’ Given that any adult with zero back issues is a rare and fortunate person, this is a hard-to-answer question, given that many vehicles have 8- or 10-way power adjustments, extendable thigh bolsters, some sort of lumbar support, and perhaps side bolsters. I found the sport seats in the Limited model to be as comfortable as I’ve experienced.
Same for the interior: It was just right, neither Spartan nor bare bones.
The heated seats were welcome, the controls intuitive, and visibility was good.
On the road, the WRX has a stiff ride made stiffer by 18-inch low-profile tires, and there’s some road noise thanks to Subaru’s weight-trimming efforts. However, this isn’t supposed to be a library.
We enjoyed the high-resolution touch screen and overall performance of the Starlink infotainment system. One nit to pick was that my hand would hit one of the other buttons (Home) when I’d change volume via the knob. Of course, that’s avoidable by using the steering wheel control.
Rear seat space was compact-car tight, but the trunk had a surprising amount of useful space for all the gear we took on a weekend road trip.
And the driving experience: Everything you could want (except a clutch).
2016 WRX Limited Sedan
THE BASICS
Price, base/as tested (with destination): $32,390/$36,485. Fuel economy, EPA estimated: 19 city, 25 highway, 21 combined. Fuel economy, Globe observed: 23.9. Drivetrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged, 4-cylinder, CVT, all-wheel-drive. Body: 5-passenger sedan.
THE SPECIFICS
Horsepower: 268. Torque: 258 lb.-ft. Overall length: 180.9 in. Wheelbase: 104.3 in. Height: 58.1 in. Width: 70.7 in. Curb weight: 3,450 lbs.
THE GOOD
Performance and handling, availability of Subaru’s EyeSight driver assistance technology suite.
THE BAD
Some road noise in cabin. No hatchback version. Rear seat is kind of an afterthought.
THE BOTTOM LINE
In a class of its own.
ALSO CONSIDER
Mini’s John Cooper Works Edition, Ford Focus ST, VW Golf GTI.
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