   2015 Subaru WRX. Click image to enlarge |
Review and photos by Jonathan Yarkony
Ojai, California – It’s sunny here. Ironic then, that we are here to test one of the most all-weather-capable sport sedans in the world, the 2015 Subaru WRX. Well, when life hands you sunshine, you need something like a racetrack to truly explore the limits of a car with this level of capability.
Convenient, then that we spent the afternoon at California’s Buttonwillow racetrack thrashing the WRX (and its WRX STI brother). In our STI review, we covered the extensive and convincing handling and steering revisions, which are also largely applied to the WRX, but perhaps to even greater effect. While the STI gains 24 percent roll stiffness from the various chassis revisions, the WRX gets 43 percent increased roll stiffness.
And while the WRX steering is similarly rewarding from a driving perspective, the steering ratio is quickened only to 14.5:1 ratio compared to the STI’s 13:1 (both formerly 15:1). The steering also makes the leap to electric power assist, but between the quicker ratio and 200 percent stiffer steering gearbox mount bushings, the feel is incredibly lively for an electric rack and weighting just right for on-track precision or leisurely driving around town.
And that is the WRX’s coup de grace, a superb compromise between performance capability and everyday drivability. Key to the WRX’s expansion in the market is a new automatic transmission. However, it is not the dual-clutch automated manual, darling of performance-minded drivers, but rather a continuously variable transmission, the dreaded CVT. But this ain’t your garden variety CVT, or the mooing fun-killers in many small displacement runabouts. Instead, this is in the vein of the fun-loving, multiple-personality box Subaru introduced in the Forester XT, dubbed “Sport Lineartronic”. We’ll just ignore that silliness and call it the CVT that it is in order to start turning the tide from hating to admiring CVTs. If you’ll recall from our past comparisons, the Forester XT’s CVT was scored highest in our Compact Crossover Comparison, and Honda Accord’s CVT garnered similar honours in a battle of family sedans.
The WRX development team had their way with it, but on paper it is the same three-mode setup as in the Forester XT: fully automatic and without set ratios in standard mode; six preset ratios with manual shifting capability in S (Sport) mode; eight preset ratios with manual shifting capability in S# (Sport Sharp) mode. It worked in the Forester XT and it works in the WRX.
Like the transmission, the 2.0L turbocharged, intercooled, direct-injected boxer-four FA20 engine also seems familiar from the Forester XT, replacing the EJ25 2.5L formerly in service in the WRX. That engine is now reserved for the STI, but the 2.0L in the WRX benefits from stronger valve springs, allowing a bump in the redline (6,700 rpm in manual transmission cars, 6,500 in CVT cars), lighter, revised intake manifold and exhaust system and reduced friction all enhance output and improve fuel efficiency. Total system output is a nominally higher 268 hp arriving slightly earlier at 5,600 rpm, but torque is up a healthy 14 lb-ft, with 258 lb-ft coming online at 2,500 rpm and sticking around until dropping off north of 5,000 rpm. The engine has plenty of pull for such a small power plant, and it seemed entirely adequate until feeling the thrust of the STI on Buttonwillow’s front straight and the extended, gradual curved straight.
  2015 Subaru WRX. Click image to enlarge |
On the highways out of Ojai on the way to the track, the power was more than generous, and to get back to the transmission, the standard drive mode was smoother than any automatic (or manual for that matter), and when tackling the mountain passes that lead inland and the pavement that snakes along the San Andreas Fault, the simulated ratios can be called on via the shift paddles to hold revs through corners or downshift with next to no hesitation or disruption. It may not deliver the satisfying whack of a traditional high-performance transmission slotting into gear, but it does deliver all the smoothness and efficiency that consumers are looking for.
Other mundane attributes that consumers look for are efficiency, practicality, comfort, convenience and safety, and although a performance car at heart, Subaru is aiming to expand the audience by improving in all these areas without compromising said performance.
On the efficiency front, that CVT paired with the downsized engine and aerodynamic improvements (0.324 Cd for WRX) earn EPA ratings of 12.4 L/100 km city, 9.4 highway and 11.2 combined. But here’s the kicker: the six-speed manual transmission (up from five gears), also massaged for this generation, is the efficiency champ by a long shot, delivering ratings of 11.2/8.4/9.8 L/100 km city/highway/combined. As good as the CVT is, the manual is still king, and with a shorter stroke, reduced shifting effort but still solid feel (even with cable linkage), an easy but not flaccid clutch, it is easy enough to master and yet rewardingly fast when called upon. However, despite significant improvements for pure efficiency, front-wheel-drive competitors like the Honda Civic Si and Volkswagen Jetta GLI both deliver better EPA estimates.
  2015 Subaru WRX. Click image to enlarge |
Of course, the Subaru WRX is a full-time AWD car, so what it gives up in efficiency it gains back in winter confidence, not to mention the performance benefits of putting power down to all four wheels. This confidence in any weather is one side of the practicality equation that Subaru already had well sorted, and the other, which is now much improved, is the interior accommodations. Wheelbase is up 25 mm to 2,650, and much of the gains are in interior volume, with key measurements like rear legroom up almost 50 mm (900 mm, compared to Corolla at 908 mm), shoulder room up 20 mm in front and 26 in back. Indeed the front and rear seats offer generous seating room and headroom for adults. Going even further, Subaru redesigned the door openings to make entry and exit easier increasing the front door opening from 407 mm to 550 and the rear 327 to 479, with a lower step-in height for easy access all around. This will also vastly improve ease of child-seat installation with more room to maneuver in the door opening.
And no car can be considered more practical without a bigger trunk, so the 2015 WRX (and STI – all interior measurements apply to the STI likewise) is up 20 L for 340 L, 60/40 split-folding rear seats, wider trunk opening and covered, relocated hinges for convenience. Subaru was very proud to announce it can now carry four golf bags, up from three.
So, the WRX is improving, but it is still a small sedan and will never match the practicality of a hatch, which is no longer available. There are a lot of Subaru and WRX owners unhappy about that omission, but time will tell if the improved automatic offering will expand the reach of the WRX sedan beyond the previous gen’s hatch-and-sedan one-two combo.
Moving on, storage options don’t end with the trunk, and the cabin is full of little cubbies for cell phones, drinks, wallets, keys, pens, cards, CDs, maps and magazines, to name a few of the items in Subaru’s press materials. All these areas are simply finished, without any glaring quality flaws, and soft-touch materials at common points of contact. The steering wheel and seat are superb, comfortable yet purposeful and up to its performance mission with excellent contouring on the wheel and substantial bolsters on the seats, and separate head restraints that vastly improve neck comfort.
   2015 Subaru WRX. Click image to enlarge |
The stereo interface is new, but still trails infotainment leaders like Mazda and Chrysler for ease of use and intuitive setup. The 440W nine-speaker Harman/Kardon stereo should appease most audio needs, with the system specifically tuned for deep bass that Subaru has determined is the audio priority of the WRX set. The feature set in the WRX isn’t groundbreaking, but it is furnished with the latest Bluetooth, navigation and info displays for when you’re just poking along.
The WRX is a very well behaved car in this regard as well. The 17-inch tires offer a touch more shock absorption than the STI, and the overall suspension is also dialed down a notch. This pays dividends on rough roads, but for the average weekend warrior isn’t liable to hold us back at improving our driving skills at a friendly neighbourhood autocross or occasional track day. There aren’t many cars that will be as competent, fast or communicative for honing driving skills right out of the box while still offering a friendly commuting experience, especially in the $30-40K window the WRX operates in. The STI is obviously more capable, but the ride and added noise might wear thin after months of commuting or any long-distance driving.
On a more serious front, Subaru has an enviable safety record of five Top Safety Picks and three TSP+ vehicles in its lineup, and the Impreza already scoring Good in every area of crashworthiness, including the challenging small overlap front test. Note that only vehicles with frontal impact detection can earn a TSP+, so until Subaru’s Eyesight system is added to Impreza and WRX lines, that rating will be out of reach. The WRX that evolved from the Impreza platform is likely to earn similarly high marks, with a strengthened body for said small overlap test, and unique safety innovation in the rear bumpers to diffuse energy to both sides of the frame even in offset collisions – not waiting for IIHS to add a rear small overlap test to improve crash performance. Subaru performs similarly well in NHTSA tests, with Five Star ratings for any current models tested.
  2015 Subaru WRX. Click image to enlarge |
The 2015 Subaru WRX improves in a lot of small ways, but it has also addressed the biggest flaws in the outgoing model, namely driving feel and handling stability. As with the STI, the WRX is now a spectacular driver’s car, the readily available power always delivered to all four corners seamlessly, and the car’s connection to the road communicated to the driver through the chassis and steering in real time.
The WRX, however, trumps the STI in value, delivering almost 90 percent of the power at less than 80 percent of the cost, starting at $29,995 here in Canada. The CVT adds $1,300 to the price at any trim, but is a requirement for many that cannot afford dedicated performance cars and won’t put up with a manual transmission.
The WRX is transforming from a niche enthusiast’s machine to a mainstream performance sedan, and while it might disappoint its hatchback loyalists, it is a better car in every regard. The 2015 WRX redesign brings weak points up to class standards, distinguishes itself from competitors with handling and a rewarding driving experience that is rare at this price point, and tops it off with an unmatched mix of power, all-season capability and value.
Pricing: 2015 Subaru WRX
Base Price: $29,995
WRX CVT: $31,295
Standard Equipment: Six-speed manual transmission, 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, front and rear disc brakes, wide-body design, front bumper under-spoiler, rear bumper under-spoiler and rocker spoiler, three-spoke, flat-bottom leather-wrapped steering wheel with red stitching and audio, Bluetooth and cruise control switches, performance-design front seats with separate height- and tilt- adjustable head restraints, high-grip cloth/leather upholstery with red stitching, Electroluminescent instrument panel gauges with LCD colour display, 4.3-inch multi-function colour display with centre-console-mounted control (boost display, vehicle dynamics monitor, clock, outside temperature, maintenance reminder, customizable settings), Dual zone automatic climate control
Sport: $32,495
Sport CVT: $33,795
Equipment: Low profile trunk spoiler, power tilt/slide glass sunroof, LED low-beam automatic headlights, multi-reflector halogen high beams, multi-reflector halogen fog lights, eight-way power driver’s seat, welcome lighting
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Sport-Tech: $35,495
Sport-Tech CVT: $36,795
Equipment: Proximity key with push-button start, Harman/Kardon 440-Watt amplifier, Harman/Kardon premium speaker system (nine speakers, including subwoofer), leather seating surfaces, voice-activated, in-dash GPS navigation system with 6.1-inch high-resolution touchscreen, AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA/DivX, WMV, MP4, SMS text messaging capability, AHA radio, XM NAVTraffic (subscription required), 3.5 mm auxiliary jack, USB, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity with voice activation and Bluetooth streaming audio, SiriusXM Satellite Radio installed (free three-month trial subscription included)
Competitors:
Ford Focus ST
Ford Mustang
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Scion FR-S
Subaru BRZ0
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
