Subaru WRX 2022 Review

Subaru's hotly anticipated 2022 WRX follows the successful original recipe of sport compact sedan fitted with a punchy, turbocharged flat-four engine that powers all four wheels. The outgoing generation lasted longer than usual — from 2014 to 2021 — and was sorely in need of an update. This redesign is wonderful news for its existing, and potentially new, fanbase. It'll face off against primarily front-wheel-drive competition, including Hyundai's Veloster N and Elantra N and the redesigned 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Rabid enthusiasts were riled up when the last-generation WRX debuted a very watered-down exterior design. Subaru remembered this and has gone for something more distinctive this time around. Notably, the new WRX has a coupe-like roofline and rear end and aggressively flared fenders. Subaru has also applied SUV-like exterior cladding to enhance those fenders even further, and we expect that cladding will be a controversial topic.

The 2022 WRX is based on Subaru's Global Platform. That means it shares some commonality with the current-generation Impreza sedan as well as the Crosstrek and Outback, but Subaru has made a lot of changes to enhance the WRX's distinctiveness and performance potential.

Power comes from a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four-cylinder engine that's derived from the one Subaru uses in the Ascent and Outback XT SUVs. In the WRX it promises to deliver 271 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque at a broader curve than the 2.0-liter that powered the old WRX. Subaru says the WRX's engine is also equipped with a new turbocharger that has an electronically controlled wastegate and bypass valves that should increase engine performance with quicker responsiveness and acceleration.

As with the rest of Subaru's line, with the exception of the BRZ, all-wheel drive is standard. Engine power flows through either a six-speed manual transmission or Subaru's new Performance Transmission. We asked Subaru's reps what this meant and essentially discerned that it's a heavily upgraded version of Subaru's continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Subaru has enhanced it to give you a feel of more control and interaction with the car. For instance, it can make fixed-ratio gear shifts or maintain a gear ratio, just like a regular automatic. You can also put it in an eight-speed manual mode and bang through gears using the paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

On the suspension front, the WRX's new top-of-the-line GT trim will come with electronically controlled dampers that can adjust the suspension stiffness depending on your drive mode of choice. The latter is a Subaru first.

The 2022 Subaru WRX's interior has been improved with a more modern infotainment system and dynamic gauges, along with better materials adorning key touch points. The interior space also seems more roomy. We sat in a comfortable front seat position and had at least 5 inches more rear legroom than the previous generation offered. Rear headroom is compromised because of the coupe-like sloping rear roofline, however.

The 2022 Subaru WRX comes with dynamic display gauges in the instrument panel and a new 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen. It should look familiar to those who have seen our posts in the long-term Outback. Unfortunately, we did not have enough time with the vehicle to see if the touchscreen was more responsive or had a better layout than the one in the Outback.

Subaru's redesigned 2022 WRX is a welcome improvement over the previous generation. We can't wait to see how it matches up against the competition. Stick with MatoCar in the coming months as we'll have more details on the WRX and eventually a full review and evaluation.