You know what? Screw the haters. I bought a '17 WRX with the CVT two months ago, and I love it. It's my dream car.
Look. This is my daily driver, so I need a car that fits every part of my life. That includes my dyslexic wife who would destroy a manual transmission. That includes my daily commute which involves a lot of bumper-to-bumper traffic. Yes, there are times I wish I had the manual, but there are far more times I'm grateful for the automatic.
And don't badmouth the CVT. If you get beat off the line by a Prius, that's on you, not the Rex. Yes, Peter's right that jamming on the gas from a dead start doesn't produce immediate results. However, that's largely a product of turbo lag, not the CVT. If you really want to get the best acceleration out of the car,
1. Put it in sport# mode - The default drive mode ("intelligent") is meant for fuel economy, not performance.
2. Use the paddles - Peter says the paddles don't feel "authentic?" I guess. Look, it's not going to replace the visceral feel of a gearbox. I get it. But it will get you moving much faster. And say what you will about the CVT, the gear changes are FAST.
3. Use Launch Control - It's odd that Peter didn't even mention it. I suspect this is because he didn't know about it. A car reviewer passing judgment on the CVT without knowing what it's actually capable of? Bad journalist, bad!
(In case you're wondering, the CVT's version of "launch control" isn't launch control in the normal sense. Rather, it allows you to rev the engine while still holding the brake. The point is to allow the turbo to spool up before you start moving).
You want a car that automatic-driving sissies like myself aren't allowed to own? Fine. You got it. It's the STI.
Consider this: I was looking for an AWD car with an automatic transmission with a back seat big enough for my kids, and a price tag in the neighborhood of $30,000. If the WRX wasn't offered in an automatic, I'd probably be driving some generic dreckmobile like a CR-V. Isn't it better that we live in a world where I can instead buy a car that I look forward to driving each morning?
Is the joy the WRX brings me really such a crime?
(edited for formatting)