2025 Subaru WRX

Pros

• Having all-wheel drive as normal improves both performance and grip.
• Accessible A 11.6-inch tablet for entertainment that is easy to read.
• Rapid speeding up.
• Handling that is steady and interesting.

Cons

• More fuel economy.
• Traffic and wind sounds that can be heard.
• Sedans are the only car type that works. 

How does the WRX get its power? You can enjoy driving the WRX even though it’s not as fast as some of its competitors. The manual-equipped WRX we tried went from 0 to 60 mph in 6.0 seconds at Invoice’s test track. That’s a quick start time, but you need to be very aggressive to get there. “To be honest, I thought I broke this car when I tried to launch it,” our test driver said. When the clutch is let go, the driveline shock happens so fiercely that I almost thought there would be a pile of metal on the ground. There is clear turbo lag below about 3,000 rpm, even though the engine is better. So, letting go of the clutch at a speed of about 5,000 rpm is very important for getting the best launch. We have yet to try the WRX with an automatic transmission.

The WRX is most impressive when it’s sped up from one turn to the next on a winding road. It has a lot of middle power, all-wheel drive traction, a balanced suspension, and quick steering, all of which make driving a great experience.

We were hoping that the WRX’s brakes would be better at responding and stopping, but they’re not. The pedal is too soft for a car that drives so quickly. On our test track, though, the WRX stopped from 60 mph in just 110 feet, which is a good distance for the class.

How nice is the inside of the WRX? The WRX has the best ride and most comfortable seats in its class. It is important to note that after driving for several hours in the WRX, we did not feel very tired or in pain. The seats always give you enough support and keep you firmly in place while you turn.

The temperature settings are on the big touchscreen in the middle. They can be hard to use at first and distracting, but most owners will quickly get used to them. At highway speeds, the WRX’s engine makes a small rumbling sound, and when the car is moving quickly, there is a lot of wind noise over the doors and mirrors. This is the main bad thing about it.

How is the state of the inside? The front of the WRX looks pretty roomy for a car in this class, and it should be easy to find a good spot to drive. A lot of changes can be made to the driver’s seat and steering wheel. All of the controls in the cabin are easy to reach, except for the center screen, which looks like it would be hard to use. Because of the transmission tube that runs down the middle of the floor, the back seat is a little tight. Put your friends with long legs there.

The WRX’s doors open wide, making it easy to get in and out. The big windows give great views of the road ahead. Compared to other cars in the same class, the high trunk line makes it harder to see out the back, but this isn’t a big problem.

What’s wrong with the tech? One of the best things about being inside is the 11.6-inch middle screen. It reacts quickly to commands and shows graphics that are easy to see. Some people might not like the portrait layout, but it’s easy to get used to its features. Navigational targets and directions on the screen are easy to see because they are clear and have high contrast. There’s also an amazing Harman Kardon radio with 11 speakers and high-quality sound for loud listening.

The system can recognize most spoken languages and has many on-screen directions that make it easy to connect a smartphone and use voice controls. Our test car didn’t have some important optional safety features, like adaptive cruise control and forward collision avoidance. But the lane-keeping help and blind-spot warning systems worked great, with no false alarms or alerts that were too sensitive.

What’s going on with storage? The WRX goes up against a number of competitors that come as both sedans and hatchbacks or just hatchbacks. It is a better-performing small car than these competitors. The trunks of the Honda Civic Si and Hyundai Elantra N are bigger than the WRX’s, which is only 12.5 cubic feet. The good news is that the back seats can be folded down to make room for bigger items.

The small-item storage section is a good size for smartphones and small water bottles. Putting child seats in the back is easy because the doors open wide, but there isn’t as much room for bigger seats.

How much fuel does it use? The EPA says that a WRX with a manual transmission will get 22 mpg on the highway, which is one of the worst ratings in its class. The Invoices test track was used for 115 miles, and the WRX got an average of 24 miles per gallon. When it comes to gas mileage, it works exactly as expected, but the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Hyundai Elantra N are cheaper cars.

How much is the WRX worth? The quality of the build is great. The WRX has a lot of soft-touch materials and looks good as soon as you walk inside. The WRX’s fuel economy is much worse than that of its competitors and even worse than that of cars from the previous generation. In addition, it is one of the most pricey compact cars, and it also works the best.

The WRX comes with a standard warranty for its class. It covers the basic parts for three years or 36,000 miles, the engine for five years or 60,000 miles, and the body for five years or unlimited miles. The roadside help is good for as long as the main warranty lasts.

We don’t like that Subaru doesn’t have a hatchback body style or a stronger WRX STI like it used to. Another thing that people don’t like about its form is the plastic panels that go around the bodywork. The WRX is fun to drive, though, which is the most important thing to think about.

As of this writing, Subaru hasn’t said anything public about the 2025 WRX. If anything changes, we’ll change our grade, but based on last year’s WRX, the Premium trim is the best deal. It’s nice that the touchscreen screen is bigger, and the heated seats, mirrors, and wipers make it better for cold weather.

Models of Subaru WRX cars

The Subaru WRX car comes in five different trim levels: basic, Premium, Limited, TR, and GT. Each has a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that is horizontally opposed and makes 271 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Everything but the GT model comes with all-wheel drive and a manual engine with six speeds. On the Premium and Limited types, you can choose to have a continuously variable automatic transmission. On the GT, however, it comes standard.