If you wish to relive the late Nineteen Nineties, there’s nonetheless a efficiency automotive that gives the identical form of thrills and respectable worth for cash because it did two-and-a-half many years in the past.

That automotive, clearly, is the Subaru WRX. This overview is of the RS mid-spec sedan, fitted with a six-speed handbook as an alternative of the “Sport Lineartronic” CVT auto proposition; and nonetheless ticks all of the containers that you just’d count on a Rex to.

However is that ok, in 2023? With powered-up rivals coming in near, or cheaper, than the WRX, and others charging extra but in addition providing significantly extra grunt, is it actually nonetheless an reasonably priced efficiency benchmark?

How a lot does the Subaru WRX RS Sedan value?

The WRX RS handbook is the midpoint of the sedan vary, splitting the distinction between the bottom WRX and top-spec tS.

You’ll want to take a look at the usual inclusions part under for a rundown on the grade-walk to see if the RS is well worth the extra $5500 over the bottom handbook. I can see why for lots of diehards, it received’t be.

And in the event you’re inquisitive about what else you possibly can get for WRX RS handbook cash, there are just a few autos that stand out.

The Hyundai i30 N line-up has three selections at near the money being requested right here – there’s the i30 Hatch N Premium with sunroof ($50,700), or the i30 Sedan N ($50,200). Neither of those are all-wheel drive, however all of them have extra energy and torque than the WRX, to not point out adjustable steering and chassis settings, which it’s important to spend as much as the tS degree in WRX-land.

And in the event you’re okay with the concept of a hatch as an alternative of a sedan and your finances is significantly extra beneficiant, there’s the VW Golf R ($66,990) or the Cupra Leon VZx ($59,990), each of which, provide critical energy benefits and the VW scores all-wheel drive. Neither are handbook, although.

So, what if you need a handbook all-wheel-drive hatchback? The Toyota GR Corolla is your greatest (solely) guess. It’s $62,300, although – however if you need an all-wheel-drive handbook turbo efficiency hatch at this worth level, that is it!

2023 Subaru WRX Sedan pricing:

• 2022 Subaru WRX handbook: $44,990
• 2022 Subaru WRX Sport Lineartronic auto: $48,990
• 2022 Subaru WRX RS handbook: $50,490
• 2022 Subaru WRX RS Sport Lineartronic auto: $54,490
• 2022 Subaru WRX tS Sport Lineartronic auto: $56,990

Should you don’t need a sedan, there’s additionally the WRX Sportswagon, which is offered in three trim ranges, however all have the CVT auto as normal.

2023 Subaru WRX Sportswagon pricing:

• WRX Sport Lineartronic auto Sportswagon – $49,990
• WRX GT Sport Lineartronic auto Sportswagon – $55,490
• WRX tS Sport Lineartronic auto Sportswagon – $57,990

What’s the Subaru WRX RS Sedan like on the within?

To me, the inside of the Subaru WRX RS sedan feels a bit extra particular than the likes of the i30 (the older Fastback and Hatch, specifically), and lots of that comes right down to the structure of the dashboard and the large portrait fashion media display screen.

That massive infotainment display screen is a sight to behold, taking on a good bit of the obtainable dashboard actual property.

Fortunately, not like another rivals, there are nonetheless some arduous buttons so that you can attain for if you find yourself driving, quite than having to do every little thing by means of the display screen. The buttons which are obtainable embody temperature management, entrance and rear demisters, and there are additionally tuning and quantity knobs. 

Nevertheless, fan pace adjustment is completed by way of the touchscreen – there’s an ‘always-on’ part of the display screen it doesn’t matter what else is above it – annoyingly, although, you do need to undergo just a few totally different presses of the display screen simply to de/activate the A/C recirculation system.

Usually, usability is absolutely good – it has a crisp show that’s fast to reply, and may be very vibrant as effectively. Nevertheless, if you find yourself linked to Apple CarPlay, chances are you’ll discover that among the menus don’t work to their full capability, and that has to do with incorrect configuration of the show for this portrait design.

For instance, in the event you’re at your Apple Music library, you’ll be able to’t scroll all the way in which to the underside of the menu – it simply stops. That’s annoying.

Additionally annoying is the dearth of a wi-fi cellphone charger in any model of the WRX, which is backwards by at present’s requirements. And the part forward of the gear shifter the place you may wish to relaxation your cellphone isn’t sufficiently big to suit most massive smartphones, and that’s the place the 2 USB-A chargers are – a bit of bit irritating.

As for different storage, there are bottle holders within the doorways, cupholders between the entrance seats, and a small lined centre console bin, made even smaller by the inclusion of a CD participant – sure in 2023, a CD participant. There’s additionally a decent-sized glovebox.

Seat consolation is outstanding, and the microsuede end is grippy and really nice to sit down on. The supplies all through the cabin are of a extremely excessive perceived high quality, and I like there’s really purple stitching contained in the Rex – you don’t get purple stitching on a GR Corolla, until you’re spending greater than $80K or the Morizo Version.

The controls are all largely excellent, though the indications are irritating. There are two settings – one-touch, or normal – I hated them after I lived with the WRX Sportswagon for 3 months, they usually’re nonetheless garbage. 

One ultimate phrase on the up-front expertise: I want Subaru had a totally digital dashboard show for the motive force. The dual dials and small color display screen between them is likely to be good for individuals who are actually seeking to relive the sooner WRX days, however in 2023 it’s not the most effective.

Rear seat area within the WRX sedan is superb. I’m 6’0 or 182cm, and behind my very own driving place I’ve sufficient legroom and foot room to be snug for a protracted time frame. There’s additionally an honest quantity of headroom, and at a pinch you need to be capable to match three adults throughout the again. 

There are twin outboard ISOFIX factors, and three top-tether factors for baby seats. My daughter’s forward-facing child seat was strapped in for the complete week I had the automotive (she actually favored “the blue automotive”). Be aware that there aren’t any rear seat air vents within the WRX Sedan, and it will probably get sizzling within the again fairly rapidly. 

There are, nonetheless, seat heaters for the rear outboard seats, two USB-A ports, in addition to a flip down armrest with cupholders, a single map pocket on the again of the entrance passenger seat, and respectable measurement bottle holders within the doorways.

The boot area on provide within the WRX Sedan ranges between 411-414 litres, and it does have a reasonably respectable measurement and form to the boot internals.

Nevertheless, in the event you do have youngsters, the Sportswagon will likely be a greater guess because the aperture of the sedan’s cargo space is sort of slim, that means a cumbersome pram (just like the one we now have) received’t slot in with out having to take away the wheels. Beneath the boot ground there’s a space-saver spare wheel.

What’s below the bonnet?

The brand new-generation WRX scored a 20 per cent bigger engine by way of capability, but solely managed a few additional kilowatts and Newton metres. 

As such, the 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder horizontally-opposed ‘Boxer’ engine is nice for 202kW of energy (5600rpm) and 350Nm (2000-5200rpm), which by the requirements of the rivals already talked about, is a bit gentle on.

We’ve all heard ‘it’s not how massive it’s, it’s how you employ it’ – however listed below are just a few examples of vehicles with smaller engines that produce extra grunt:

• Hyundai i30 N: 2.0L 4cyl turbo 206kW/392Nm
• Toyota GR Corolla: 1.6L 3cyl turbo 221kW/370Nm (400Nm Morizo Version)
• Cupra Leon VZx: 2.0L 4cyl turbo 221kW/400Nm
• Honda Civic Kind R: 2.0L 4cyl turbo 235kW/420Nm
• VW Golf R: 2.0L 4cyl turbo 235kW/400Nm (420Nm Wagon)

You get my level. This engine isn’t pumping out as many numbers because it may very well be, primarily based on its capability. Perhaps a tune would assist… however may void your guarantee.

The 0-100km/h time for the WRX handbook is claimed to be 6.0 seconds for the handbook, and 6.1s for the CVT auto.

Being a Subaru it has the model’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive underpinnings, and as talked about, this one has a six-speed handbook transmission; although there’s the choice of the CVT auto.

It prices a good bit extra, however you do rating the total gamut of security tech, which handbook fashions miss out on. Why Subaru can’t repair this in 2023 is past me. Extra on that under.

How does the Subaru WRX RS Sedan drive?

It’s a bit like an old-school WRX – that may very well be both good or dangerous, relying on what your perspective is.

You actually stay each second in a handbook WRX Sedan, particularly one which isn’t the tS; so it doesn’t have adaptive dampers and drive modes.

That’s to say, that it is a correctly enjoyable automotive, however one that won’t cosset you. The suspension is agency, unrelentingly so at occasions, and in the event you stay in a spot the place the road surfaces aren’t nice, then you’ll discover extra of the bumps and lumps within the street than in most different vehicles.

The chassis is tuned for stiffness and cornering management and efficiency, however in day-to-day driving – the drudgery of metropolis and suburban life – it may be a bit a lot. Although it’s fairly good on the open street or on the freeway.

Discover a good little bit of street and you will discover what the WRX is nice at – carving by means of corners, biting down on the floor like a canine with its favorite toy in its mouth.

It has great quantities of cornering traction, large grip obtainable, and it truly is a pointy factor to chop by means of some bends.

Certain, it’s all-wheel drive so there’s a wee little bit of understeer in tighter bends, however the pay-off is the slingshot impact as you plant your foot out of these hairpins and head for the horizon. It’s actually quick, and you may drive it actually quick, too.

So whereas the two.4L Boxer mightn’t have numbers as massive as its smaller-output sizzling hatch and sedan rivals, it’s nonetheless an important engine, and one which does its greatest work if you’re entering into it.

You may discover you run out of first gear effectively earlier than you count on to, however in-gear acceleration from second onwards is absolutely spectacular.

I’m not an enormous fan of the handbook shift motion – Subaru doesn’t appear to have tried to repeat the likes of Honda relating to making the shift really feel much less notchy and crunchy – however a minimum of the clutch is properly weighted.

I want it was noisier, although that flies within the face of enhancements to refinement, however not even Subaru provides its personal sports activities exhaust possibility, which looks as if a missed alternative.

I’m certain there will likely be those that modify their new-gen Rex with all of the stuff you’d count on (blow-off valve, air consumption package, pod filter, front-mount intercooler and many others), however this additionally appears like a extra mature and complex automotive than any WRX that’s come earlier than it.

And whereas this isn’t a WRX Sportswagon overview, as I stated, I lived with a tS model for greater than three months in my earlier job, and it was a brilliant habitable automotive.

Not as enjoyable because the sedan, and begging for a handbook gearbox possibility, however these adaptive dampers and drive modes made it a distinct automotive, one which was arguably suited to a distinct purchaser as effectively.

What do you get?

WRX (base) highlights:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Computerized LED Steering Responsive Headlights
• Clever, Sport and Sport Sharp drive modes
• 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• DAB+ digital radio
• 4.2-inch instrument cluster display screen
• 6-speaker sound system
• Material upholstery
• Keyless entry and begin
• Twin-zone local weather management
• Cut up-fold rear seats (60/40 Sedan, 40/20/40 Sportswagon)
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Energy-folding exterior mirrors
• Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
• Tilt and telescopic steering wheel
• Tyre stress monitoring
• Digital parking brake with auto maintain (CVT)
• Paddle shifters (CVT)
• Idle stop-start (CVT)

WRX Sportwagon provides:

• Reclining, one-touch digital folding rear seats
• Twin rear cost ports
• Rear air-vents
• Ambient lighting
• An entire swag of security tech, detailed under

WRX RS (Sedan) + WRX GT (Sportswagon) add:

• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• CD participant
• Sunroof
• Ultrasuede upholstery (Sedan)
• Leather-based upholstery (Sportswagon)
• Heated entrance seats
• Heated rear outboard seats
• 8-way energy driver seat
• Electrical driver lumbar assist
• 8-way energy passenger seat
• Heated, power-folding mirrors with auto-dipping (CVT)
• Ambient lighting
• LED puddle lights
• Twin rear cost ports
• Entrance and aspect view cameras
• Driver Monitoring System
• EyeSight Help Monitor (auto solely)
• 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system (RS Sedan)
• Fingers-free energy tailgate (GT Sportswagon)
• Driver’s seat reminiscence (GT Sportswagon)

WRX tS provides:

• Electronically managed dampers
• Consolation, Regular, Sport, Sport+ and Particular person drive modes
• Ultrasuede upholstery (added to Sportswagon)

Is the Subaru WRX RS Sedan protected?

I’m certain Subaru is glad that the WRX hasn’t been crash examined by ANCAP, as handbook fashions actually wouldn’t rating the utmost five-star ranking. 

Should you select the CVT auto mannequin, you’re getting the safer of the WRX fashions obtainable; that’s as a result of the handbook model misses out on quite a few vital, probably life-saving applied sciences that, actually, needs to be obtainable in 2023 – handbook ‘field, or not.

Right here’s a rundown on the usual security tools on handbook fashions:

• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Reversing digicam
• RS and tS grades add entrance and side-view cameras (not surround-view)
• Auto high-beam lights (not on base mannequin)
• Driver monitoring digicam with drowsiness detection (not on base mannequin)
• 8 airbags (twin entrance, entrance aspect, entrance centre, driver’s knee, and twin curtains)

Select the CVT, and also you add:

• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) 
• Lane preserve help
• Adaptive cruise management

Solely the top-spec sedan has rear parking sensors (mid-spec and top-spec wagon get them too), however no WRX has entrance parking sensors.

How a lot does the Subaru WRX RS Sedan value to run?

The Subaru vary is roofed by a five-year, limitless kilometre guarantee, which is par for the course for mainstream manufacturers.

There’s a alternative of pay-as-you-go capped-price servicing, or you’ll be able to prepay in both three- or five-year blocks. The typical service prices are the identical irrespective of whether or not you pay upfront or as you require upkeep, however in the event you prepay you do get three years roadside help included totally free.

The service intervals are 12 months/15,000km, and the typical value for upkeep over the primary 5 years/75,000km is $486 for the handbook fashions, or $473 for auto variants.

As for prices on the servo, the handbook has an official mixed cycle gas use determine of 9.9 litres per 100 kilometres, whereas the auto is alleged to sip a good bit much less, at 8.5L/100km.

Over my testing I noticed a real-world return of 10.7L/100km within the RS handbook sedan – however naked in thoughts, that included some city and spirited driving, but in addition an 800km freeway and freeway journey.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Subaru WRX RS Sedan

The Subaru WRX Sedan remains to be one thing of a efficiency discount, however it’s going to enchantment particularly to the hardcore Subie followers quite than the plenty.

Should you examine it towards its rivals, it doesn’t actually make as sturdy an argument because it may – much less energy, much less torque, much less security gear (for a handbook model) – all of that might make you suppose twice about whether or not it’s best for you.

However look, I believe it’s nonetheless actually good – it’s simply not altering the sport prefer it used to.

Click on the photographs for the total gallery

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