2023 Subaru WRX Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The WRX was once badged as the Impreza WRX, maintaining most of the sheet metal of the base Impreza, but Subaru has moved away from that in more recent generations.

Aside from being a compact sedan riding on the Subaru Global Platform, the current-generation WRX will never be mistaken for an Impreza. The front- and rear-end styling is different, the sides feature a wide-body look with what seems like a new interpretation of the first-generation WRX's box fender flares, and revenge-of-Pontiac body cladding visually links the WRX to the Subaru Crosstrek and Outback. Subaru also kept the WRX's signature hood scoop, which is functional, feeding air to an intercooler mounted on top of engine. Base models get 17-inch alloy wheels and other WRX trims get 18-inch wheels, with standard summer tires in all cases.

The WRX and Impreza will grow further apart for the 2024 model year. The 2024 Impreza will be available only as a hatchback, and while Subaru has sold WRX hatches in the past, it has no plans to offer the current WRX in anything other than a sedan body style.

It doesn’t fly under the radar like a Honda Civic Si or Volkswagen Jetta GLI, but the WRX's exterior styling clearly conveys that this is both a performance car and a Subaru. The various additions have the same tuner aesthetic long associated with the WRX and other Japanese performance cars, but still fit in with Subaru's current design theme.

The interior is typical of Subaru. It's basic, but looks like it will hold up to years of use. Unfortunately, the Recaro Performance Design front seats shown in our test vehicle are not currently offered in Canada. Instead, the top Sport-Tech trim gets a 10-way adjustable bucket driver’s seat and 4-way manual for the front passenger, lined with Ultrasuede upholstery and red stitching. Cloth with red stitching is equipped on lower trims.

The WRX is an in-betweener in its segment. With power specs of 271 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque generated by its 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder Subaru boxer engine, the Subaru develops more horsepower (albeit less torque) than a Volkswagen Golf GTI, but less than a Golf R. It also sits between the Honda Civic Si and Honda Civic Type R in output (all of these cars also use turbocharged four-cylinder engines). With previous generations, a high-performance WRX STI from the Subaru Tecnica International tuning division competed against the likes of the Type R and Golf R, but Subaru has said there will be no STI version of the current WRX.

Unlike the mostly front-wheel-drive (FWD) competition (the more powerful Golf R and Toyota GR Corolla being the exceptions) the WRX features AWD. Power is routed from the engine to the wheels through a standard 6-speed manual transmission, or an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT), branded as the Subaru Performance Transmission (SPT).

The SPT/CVT is optional on the Sport and Sport-Tech trims. It shakes CVT stereotypes with quick responses to throttle inputs, feeling more like a conventional geared automatic transmission. Subaru may have gone too far in this regard, however; we could do without the fake shift shock that jolts the car as it accelerates hard through simulated gears. Unlike the turbo engine/CVT combination used in the Subaru Outback and Legacy, the transmission and engine also seemed well-matched, producing smooth and predictable acceleration. Subaru also deserves credit for continuing to offer a manual gearbox for people who want it.

The current WRX's well-mannered character is both its greatest asset and its greatest drawback. While far from luxurious, it's quiet and comfortable enough to be a pleasant daily driver. It also inspired plenty of confidence on twisty roads, thanks to the generous supply for grip from its AWD system and standard summer tires. Yet the best way to describe the driving experience is “muted.” The exhaust is quiet, the CVT blunts the feeling of acceleration, and the laid-back steering removes any sense of urgency. The WRX does everything you want with competence, but without exuberance.

One of the main benefits of a WRX over a traditional sports car, like Subaru's BRZ, is that this is still a compact sedan and thus offers a modicum of practicality. Compared to other compact sedans, the WRX has a smidge more front headroom and legroom than a Honda Civic Si, but the Civic offers more space for rear-seat passengers.

The Subaru's 354 litres of trunk space is less than the 408 litres offered by the Civic Si and the 299 litres in the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, or the Hyundai Elantra N’s 402-litre trunk. A 60/40 split-folding rear seat is standard, but Subaru doesn't quote a cargo-space number with the seat folded. Roof-rack mounts are standard as well.

Unlike some other automakers, Subaru has managed to preserve the good outward visibility of previous generations of compact cars. The WRX's low window-sill lines, relatively thin forward roof pillars, and low dashboard provide a fantastic view of your favourite driving road—while making parking a bit easier.

However, another throwback is that there is no place to put a phone. The typical spot underneath the touchscreen is too small for a modern smartphone, as are the cupholders. That leaves the centre console storage bin, but leaving a phone there means you can't charge or use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, because that's not where the USB ports are. This is the only real ergonomic flaw in the WRX cabin, but it's a surprising one for a 2023 model that was recently redesigned.

The WRX's Subaru Starlink touchscreen infotainment system includes standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration and two display configurations. Base models get a pair of 7-inch touchscreens, with one screen for smartphone connectivity and audio functions, and another for climate control and vehicle settings. WRX Sport and Sport-Tech trim levels get an 11.6-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen that puts all of that functionality into one display.

We appreciated the larger screen on our test drive for its ability to display icons and text in a size that’s easy to read. But, as in all interfaces like this, physical buttons and knobs would have been appreciated. Climate-control icons, a home button, and a shortcut to the drive-mode menu (this can also be accessed by pressing the "Mode" button on the steering wheel) take up space and don't provide the tactile feedback of physical controls.

The menus were mostly easy to figure out although, as with other car brands, the interface for SiriusXM satellite radio requires a few too many steps. Some brands have gotten around this with sophisticated voice recognition that allows you to, for example, simply call out a specific channel name, but that hasn't reached Subaru and other mainstream brands. In our test car, SiriusXM also took an unusually long time to load on startup. Each time we started the car, we ended up driving a significant distance before any music started playing. On the top Sport-Tech trim, this will hit your ears through an 11-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system with subwoofer and amplifier.

The WRX optionally gets Subaru's EyeSight driver assist technology, which is notable for using stereo cameras mounted in a less-vulnerable position behind the windshield in place of the bumper- or grille-mounted radar units most other automakers use as sensors for their driver aids. Only available with the CVT, EyeSight adds adaptive cruise control, automated lane-centring, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning.

Other available safety features include blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane change assist. The previous three features are available with both transmissions on the Sport and Sport-Tech trims along with LED fog lights. Opt for the CVT on those same trims and you’ll also receive reverse automatic braking. LED headlights with automatic high beams are standard, while steering-responsive headlights with automatic high beams are equipped with either transmission on the Sport-Tech trim only.

The 2023 WRX hasn't completed the most up-to-date battery of Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tests, but it received top "Good" scores in all crash tests completed so far. It also received the highest "Superior" score for front-crash prevention tech in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian daylight scenario. The standard headlights were rated "Acceptable," while the headlights available on Sport-Tech model got the "Good" rating.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2023 WRX a five-star overall safety rating, including five stars in frontal, side, and rollover crash tests.

The WRX's Natural Resources Canada fuel economy ratings of 10.8 litres per 100 kilometres combined (12.3 city, 9.0 highway) with the manual transmission and 11.2 L/100 km combined (12.7 city, 9.4 highway) with the CVT are respectable for a performance car. We averaged 12.6 L/100 km after a week of driving in mixed conditions. However, Subaru recommends 93-octane fuel which, combined with enthusiastic driving, can cause fuel bills to rise quickly.

Subaru offers fairly standard warranty terms, including a three-year, 60,000-kilometre, basic warranty and five-year, 100,000-kilometre, powertrain warranty.

Pricing in Canada starts at $34,851.50 (including the $1,975 destination charge) for the base model with the manual transmission. For the Sport trim, you’ll pay $39,351.50 for a model with the manual transmission or $41,951.50 for one with the CVT and EyeSight. Upgrade to the Sport-Tech trim, and your bill will come to $43,151.50 for the manual and $45,751.50 with the CVT and EyeSight.

A top-trim WRX is a well-equipped car with significant bandwidth. It can function as both a practical daily driver and a performance car that lives up to the WRX name, albeit with a less-rambunctious character than previous generations. It's also worth remembering that many of the WRX's rivals are getting quite expensive as well (a range-topping VW GTI also cracks $40,000, for example). And if you don’t need every bell and whistle, almost everything that's good about the WRX applies to the much less expensive base model.

Note: Images show a US model.