Subaru WRX arrives $1000 cheaper

Subaru Australia says it has rewound the clock 20 years by releasing its all-new, fourth-generation WRX at a price of $38,990 plus on-road costs – $1000 less than both the model it replaces and the original Impreza WRX.

The original WRX was released in March 1994 at a price of $39,990, the equivalent of $66,640 today, says Subaru. Nonetheless, the maker claims the MY15 WRX is not only more powerful, but more efficient, more refined, better equipped, roomier, safer and better handling.

Although it is no longer available as a hatchback, the new sedan-only WRX’s sub-$39,000 starting price sees it undercut key performance small-car rivals like the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart and Golf GTI. The new Subaru is $700 more expensive than Ford’s Focus ST.

Fitted with more unique body panels than ever before, the latest WRX follows its pioneering forebear’s formula of a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder boxer engine powering all four wheels.

Unlike the manual-only STI sedan, which goes on sale here in April, The WRX will also be available with an automatic transmission – in this case Sport Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) with eight ‘gears’ and steering wheel paddle shifters. The WRX manual now comes with six ratios, not five.

The auto option adds $2000 to the WRX’s entry price ($40,990 plus ORCs). A Premium variant adds $4000 to the price of both models ($43,990 manual; $45,990 auto, plus ORCs). Online sales of the first 100 examples opened last November.

Australia is the third largest market worldwide for the WRX, more than 37,600 examples of which have been sold here in precisely two decades.

Subaru expects the first automatic version in 10 years to further boost sales of the WRX, which at its peak accounted for a third of all Impreza models sold. It forecasts sales of 150 per month, including around 30 CVTs.

Australians will be among the first in the world to gain access to the new WRX, which no longer wears the Impreza badge and was recently awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating. Its score of 35.85 out of a possible 37 points makes it the highest ranking Subaru yet.

The new Rex comes with Subaru’s FA-series boxer four, fitted with Direct Injection Turbocharged (DIT) technology. Despite shrinking from 2.5 to 2.0 litres, it now offers 197kW at 5600rpm (up from 195kW at 6000rpm) and 350Nm between 2400 and 5200rpm (up from 343Nm at 4000rpm).

Despite its peak performance and flexibility gains, the WRX is also 11.5 per cent more efficient, consuming 9.2L/100km in manual form (down from 10.5L/100km) and 8.6L/100km with the CVT. CO2 emissions are also down – from 247 to 213g/km in manual guise and 199g/km as a CVT.

Fitted with DOHC, dual AVCS, a 10.6:1 compression ratio and 86mm square cylinder dimensions, the new 1998cc engine runs on 95 RON premium unleaded petrol and accelerates the new WRX 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.0sec.

The new WRX weighs 1424kg as a manual, which comes with a short 4.444 final drive ratio, and 1482kg in CVT form with a taller 3.900 final drive ratio. An STI-spec manual gearshift assembly is said to deliver sportier shifting.

The WRX’s AWD system features a viscous limited-slip centre differential in manual transmission variants and Variable Torque Distribution (VTD) system in sport Lineartronic CVT models, with rearward bias.

Riding on a 2650mm wheelbase (up 25mm) and measuring 4595mm long, 1795mm wide and 1475mm high, Subaru says WRX delivers a new level of handling thanks to a stiffer body structure (a claimed 40 per cent torsionally and 30 per cent in bending rigidity) and increased tyre grip.

Electric power steering with a quicker 14.5:1 ratio is fitted.

Also aiding dynamics is Active Torque Vectoring, which works independently of the VDC stability control system to improve near-limit cornering performance by applying the brake to the inner front wheel and distributing torque to the outer front wheel, thus producing more neutral steering.

Brakes are also upgraded, including bigger 12.4-inch ventilated front brake rotors (up from 11.6) that are now 30mm thick (up from 24mm) and offer a claimed 140 per cent improvement in fade resistance, thanks in part to larger one-inch master-cylinder. A new brake override switch is also fitted.

An array of suspension upgrades includes thicker front (24 v 21mm) and rear (20 v 19mm) rollbars, and 39 and 62 per cent stiffer front and rear springs respectively, in part increasing front and rear lateral stiffness by a respective 14 and 35 per cent.

There’s also stiffer front cross-members, more rigid front control arm bushings, thicker front strut cylinders, 10mm lower transverse link rear bushes, extra front mounting plates, thicker front control arm plate and a racing-type pillow ball bushing for the lower front control arm.

At the rear are stiffer sub-frame and trailing link bushings, racing-type pillow ball lateral outer bushings, lowered rear sub-frame front mounts for lateral links with 3mm of initial toe-in and extra rear sub-frame supports, while the shock mounts on the rear lateral arms were moved 10mm outward.

Thinner A-pillars and smaller, door-mounted wing mirrors are claimed to reduce blind spots, while further improving visibility are a lower dashoard and shoulder line, A-pillar bases moved 200mm further forward, the addition of front quarter windows and saddle-type rear head restraints.

Other design changes include forward-tilted door hinges for easier opening, rear door-integrated quarter door windows for improved access, a colour-coded shark-fin radio antenna, redesigned 17x8.0-inch (and five per cent stiffer) cast aluminium wheels (with a space-saver spare) and a lighter, lower-drag boot lip spoiler.

Inside the roomier interior, there are sports front seats with angle-adjustable head restraints, 60mm of driver’s seat height adjustment (up from 20mm), 240mm of front-seat slide travel (up 24mm), 60mm-longer front seatbacks, longer and 20mm-higher rear seats and longer, wider front door armrests.

Boot space increases by 40 litres to 460. Access is augmented by an electric bootlid release.

There’s also a smaller 369mm-diameter “D-shaped” steering wheel and a “new age of soft-touch high-quality interior surfaces, giving it a sophisticated yet sporty cabin ambience”, says Subaru, plus dual metallic-ringed instrument dials with white needles and red lighting.

All new WRXs come standard with seven airbags including a driver’s knee airbag, reversing camera, traction/stability control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, front seatbelts with pretensioners and load-limiters, hill-start assist and five three-point seatbelts.

Also standard are LED headlights with halogen high-beam and washers, LED tail-lights, LED indicators, daytime running lights, front and rear foglights, welcome-home lights, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, a six-speaker CD/MP3/USB/AUX sound system, remote cruise, audio and trip computer controls and, in Sport Lineartronic CVT variants, SI-Drive switches.

The centre stack now features a Multi-Function Display (MFD) showing turbo boost pressure, audio, calendar, fuel consumption, clock, outside temperature, air-conditioning status and the reversing camera view, while a 3.5-inch colour LCD screen displays driving time, a digital speedo, cruise, odometer and SI-Drive info (CVT only).

While base models come with cloth seat trim, Premium models add leather, a nine-speaker 440-watt Harman Kardon sound system with Fujitsu Ten head unit, satellite-navigation, eight-way power driver’s seat adjustment, automatic headlights and wipers, push-button starting and smart-key entry, and a 0.4kg-lighter power sunroof with 25mm greater opening.

Exterior paint colours include Crystal Black Silica, Crystal White pearl, Dark Grey Metallic, Galaxy Blue Silica, Ice Silver Metallic, Lightning Red and WR Blue Pearl.

Subaru MY15 WRX pricing (plus on-road costs):
WRX sedan manual -- $38,990
WRX sedan (CVT) -- $40,990
WRX Premium sedan -- $43,990
WRX Premium sedan (CVT) -- $45,990

Read the new Subaru WRX 2014 review