Subaru WRX
Verified39 reviews
Great car - just needs a bit of tweaking – Absolutely love this car and it is my daily drive. My only issue is the cabin rattles a bit - very harsh plastics used on the internals. The apple car play/android auto is so also glitchy and often just cuts out, and often. The way around this I bought a usb to make it wireless and now it works a lot better - shame it's just not wireless already.… Read more
No digital speedo but I got used to it and don't miss it compared to my last car that had a digital speedo. Ride is exceptionally comfortable, with the aid of the modifiable suspension functions - I'm always on comfort for long distance, then around town hit the S mode and it's like a go kart for its size. Handles so well in the wet thanks to the AWD system. Seats are comfortable, and once you get your driving position sorted you can set your profile and it will automatically scan your eyes to confirm it's you and goes back to your position (including side mirrors). My only other complaint is the mass amount of driving alerts/noises that sometimes become distracting. Turning off the lane departure 'bong' helps, and it just guides you back into place, but the driver detection functions become noisy (some noises you can turn off once, others you need to do each time you enter the car) - but you get used to it. Auto CVT is super smooth with paddle functions which are fun. Fuel efficiency isn't great around town (500km per tank) but more open road driving and it soars to 750km per tank. Other bits and bobs I would like include, like sunglasses holder (minor, not a deal breaker), and front parking sensors (the camera to look at the side is great but front parking sensors would be expected at this price) - in which case I'll probably just get after markets ones fitted, but again I'm used to it. No head up display but in previous cars I've driven I don't like it so that doesn't bother me. All in all despite some tweaks to make it perfect, it is still fantastic, nonetheless. Servicing is expensive however only once a year makes it easy on the hip pocket.
I have close to 20 years of Subaru WRX ownership, in that time I have owned an MY00 & MY04. Several years ago I fell in love with the shape of the VA model, (especially the front end!) so I decided to buy myself one. It is the first brand new car I have ever purchased & seeing it with that big bow was an experience I'll never forget! If you are an… Read more
owner who will pay attention to when services are due & make the effort to get those services done, these cars will never let you down. My car has run like a Swiss clock from day one to now. I will say that some of the factory parts & tune weren't sufficient for how I personally like my car to run. So with some minor modifications & dyno tune, I found that was enough to smooth out those mild annoyances. Subaru do not cut corners in regards to the endurance & quality of the overall car. They consider any type of person who may purchase one, so whilst it has extra power than most cars on the road, it's AWD is a second to none safety feature. Watch the other cars & laugh when it begins to rain after a dry spell & they are struggling to get around corners. Some even lose traction when at the traffic lights! Your AWD Subaru & you will easily glide past, keeping you a confident driver & your passengers safe. For those who like their car interiors to be fresh, Subaru give you an option to buy standard or premium.
- +8
More comfort and space but not as 'raw' as a WRX Sedan – The Levorg lives on! Now it’s called the WRX Sportswagon for the Australian market, despite keeping the Levorg name in Japan. There aren’t too many sporty wagons left. Skoda makes one, but then you’ll need to fork out a lot of moolah for the crowd favourite, the Volkswagen Golf R Wagon. But there’s a catch: this WRX is only available with an… Read more
automatic. Not just any auto, but a CVT.
Those cross-shopping with the sedan version of the WRX will be happy to see that the wagon misses out on that exterior plastic trim that you find on the new WRX sedan. This means the exterior should withstand UV damage a little better over time.
I’m not sure if it was the adjustable suspension, but I found the wagon to produce less creaks than the WRX sedan.
Sure, there are cheap plastics aplenty inside this wagon, but assembly feels tight and in line with what you’d expect from Subaru. That's all fine for the price point, but I would have liked to have seen less gloss black plastic in here.
This top-of-the-range WRX wagon will set you back $57,990 before on-road costs. I think that’s a fair deal for how well rounded this wagon is.
The warranty is 5 years/unlimited kilometres, and servicing will cost you $2366 for 5 years of coverage or 75,000km. Service intervals are every 12 months or every 15,000km, whichever comes first. Annoyingly, this car only comes with 12 months of roadside assistance.
It’s almost as if the Sportswagon has a little more sound deadening than the sedan, as there was just that little more isolation from the road.
Tyre noise sounded a little more distant but turbo and intake sounds were just as audible. The exhaust sound was disappointing to say the least. I just wish Subaru would embrace that iconic rumble, like Hyundai does with their N Performance cars.
I could feel the extra weight in this wagon compared to the sedan when using the brake pedal. It’s quick to bite, but needs a little more convincing to hook up. I assume that’s tuned for comfort more than aggressive track day braking.
At least this model comes with Subaru’s EyeSight camera system that provides you with autonomous emergency braking.
This new 2.4L flat-four turbocharged petrol engine produces 202kW (270hp) and 350Nm. Power is sent to a permanent all-wheel drive system and a 0-100km/h sprint is done in a claimed mid 7 second range. It’s far from feeling rapid, but once up to speed, that turbocharged motor offers plenty of pace. You’ll appreciate the extra power compared to non performance-oriented wagons, especially when you feel like carving up parts of your favourite back road.
This is the most controversial part of this review and the entire WRX range. Regardless of whether you opt for the sedan or wagon body style, the tS models will always come with a CVT transmission. It’s not the best suited transmission as it's a transmission designed for efficiency and smooth driving - two things you don’t want to hear when buying a sports car.
Subaru has managed to engineer this CVT to mimic the characteristics of a 6-speed transmission, despite technically being just a single forward gear. The revs jump around like a regular transmission, and it’ll ‘drop a gear’ if you stab the throttle.
You can even change gears via paddles on the wheel, which can feel properly engaging. But just like when you’re enjoying a box of cheap calamari, you’ll feel that rubber band characteristic of the CVT. It’ll take a moment to react to your input and sling through to the correct rev range it needs to be in. The kicker is, it’s slower than the manual!
These tS models come with adaptive dampers, which make all the difference. In Comfort mode especially, this wagon will float over the road and quickly become a new favourite as a daily driver.
It’s a shame this car resets its drive mode every time you shut it off.
Dynamics sharpen up in Sport and Sport+ modes, making this a treat to drive. Steering stiffens up, and you genuinely have a family car that can proudly look and feel like a WRX.
There’s a little more body roll in this car than the sedan, but for a family-oriented WRX, it can walk the walk. Steering is a little numb, and the ride feels just a little too soft for harsh corners, but you can’t beat that AWD grip on those rainy days.
he claimed fuel consumption is 9.8L per 100km, but you’ll easily enter the 12-14L per 100km depending on your driving. And since this is a performance wagon, it demands 98RON, so it’s a little more expensive to fill up.
As I mentioned in the WRX sedan review, I think this is the best WRX interior yet. That large screen offers plenty of usability and declutters the interior. But that user experience could do with some improvements to avoid hiding key functions under layers of menus and taps.
It’s not the most technologically advanced interior, but it’s more than enough for most families.
I especially loved the STI-specific seats, steering wheel and gauge cluster which reminds you you’re riding in something a little more special than the regular WRX sportswagon. Although it’s a little insulting too, being reminded that Subaru doesn’t have plans for a STI version of this generation of WRX… for now.
Boot space is enormous and a major plus point for this wagon. You get 492L with all the seats up and 1403L with all the seats folded. It’s not class-leading, but it is extremely useful. You can even fold the second row in a 40:20:40 split, again increasing the usability of this car for long trips.
The second row seats can feel just a little tight for taller adults, but for most there’s plenty of space, and plenty of amenities in the form of heated seats and rear USB ports.
For the money, it’s the better option in the sports wagon market. It offers enough power, driver engagement and practicality to make it the ultimate daily driver for many, it does it all.
Although, it feels like it's moving away from the performance aspect of the WRX name. And I’m not sure why you’d want to buy this over the incoming Outback with this same motor, aside from price and the fact that it's not a WRX.
If there was a little more excitement to be offered in exhaust sound and even a little more power, or even a manual option, then it would make more sense to grab the WRX over an Outback.
*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.
Reviews with attachments
2022 Subaru WRX TS – I purchased a 2022 Subaru WRX TS with CVT transmission, as my wife can’t drive a manual transmission. I must say that I am very impressed both in comfort and the level of performance from this new highly refined version. As an old school rev head I can honestly recommend this car to anyone. Love it Show details · 1
- +8
Make sure to get the manual! – Well, this is a controversial one. Just like the new Toyota Supra, the latest Subaru WRX is being attacked on all fronts by enthusiasts. When launched, it came in a high contrast pumpkin orange colour that proudly showed off a body dressed in a lot of plastic. There’s no higher powered STI model announced for this generation, and the power has… Read more
only slightly increased.
It misses out on some of the tech and safety features that the most expensive TS model gets, but that’s fine, since that model is CVT automatic only.
Look, the Subaru WRX isn’t the highest quality sports car you can buy. There are plenty of cheap plastics used inside, and more plastic on the outside too.
It does have a tendency to generate a few rattles on tougher sections of tarmac, but in true Subaru fashion, I found it to be relatively well-built. It’ll most definitely stand the test of time, but I’m worried about how Australia’s UV will fade that exterior plastic trim.
This model here is priced from $50,490 before on-road costs. That’s right in the ballpark against other 200kW performance cars, but there isn’t much in the same space offering AWD, unless you want a smaller and slightly more expensive Toyota GR Yaris.
The warranty is 5 years/unlimited kilometres, and servicing will cost you either $1,266.27 for 3 years or $2,433.06 for 5 years of coverage. Service intervals are every 12 months or every 15,000km, whichever comes first.
It’s worth noting this new 2.4L motor has strengthened internal components, so it should be more reliable long term and even handle a bit more power in the aftermarket.
In true WRX fashion, there isn’t much in the way of sound isolation. But why would you buy this expecting anything more?
Road noise can be loud, but there’s not much wind noise at all. The exhaust doesn’t match its aggressive looks, but at least the engine produces intoxicating intake and turbo sounds.
You don’t get Subaru’s autonomous emergency braking system here, which is extremely frustrating considering other cars in this segment do.
This feels like a light car under braking, so at least it's easy to quickly stop and smoothly decelerate in the WRX.
This new 2.4L flat-four turbocharged petrol engine produces 202kW (270hp) and 350Nm. Power is sent to a permanent all-wheel drive system and a 0-100km/h sprint is done in a claimed 6 seconds.
It’s not quick, but it is a lot of power to have fun with. You can use all of this power on the road, and have a tonne of fun blasting through back roads. I was driving an electric SUV that could do 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds, but I had more fun driving this.
The WRX isn’t going to win drag races, but it’s extremely engaging and you can actually ride this car through to redline without risking your licence.
I couldn’t help but think I would probably buy some aftermarket parts to enhance the natural ability of this new motor.
This 6-speed manual has a pretty tall shifter, compared to cars like the Toyota GR Yaris. It feels a little plasticky rather than providing a slick shift. But once you get over that, it is just that much better shifting your own gears.
I only stalled once thanks to an extremely easy to operate clutch. I honestly think those who are skeptical of the new WRX need to experience this car. The manual gearbox paired to a turbocharged motor as unique as this just makes you smile when you find a moment to enjoy it.
This is a low down car that can feel a little jerky over some sections of road. If you don’t nail a shift, the car will jump around a little bit as if it was almost upset at you.
It’s not a back-breaking suspension set up though, so it offers a lot more comfort for longer trips. You’ll probably be the friend who doesn’t need a break, since the WRX refuses to crash over smaller imperfections in the road like some other hot hatches.
The claimed fuel efficiency is 9.9L per 100km. I saw figures in the 12L per 100km range. It’s a larger displacement motor and this is a manual, so this is thirstier than the average car.
This is the first WRX I’ve sat in and actually enjoyed the interior of. I love the new vertical screen (despite it being a little frustrating and trivial to navigate) and appreciate the analogue dials.
It’s a minimalist interior, and I really think that’ll help this age a bit better than previous generations of WRX. The seat design, steering wheel and shifter design add to the excitement factor.
The WRX comes in sedan shape only, so it gets a trunk opening to access the 411L of storage space.
You can fold the second row down to possibly bring a set of track wheels and tyres along with you. It’s plenty of space, but it’s not as practical as a hot hatch at this price point.
The WRX makes for a great sports car still, despite what some might say about it. You need to buy it in a dark colour, like this deep blue, to better integrate the plastic body panels. I actually like the look of the new WRX and think it makes for an exciting and unique performance car choice.
Don’t need AWD? Well, you can buy a faster and slightly more feature-filled alternative, like a Hyundai i30N.
*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.
Positive reviews
Almost perfect – Things I like about the car: - it's such a joy to drive! It has a nice grounded feel to it, swoops effortlessly around corners and gets off the line pretty quickly when you plant your foot - the seats are supremely comfortable and the microsuede finish is very pleasant to sit on - memory seats! My husband drives the car often and I'm fussy with… Read more · 1
my seat position so memory seats are a godsend - large, easy to use touchscreen media screen - flat bottom steering wheel. Gives the car a nice sporty feel - facial recognition is not something I would have thought I'd want in a car but I actually love it! - power tailgate - I personally love the way it looks
Things I don't like:
-fuel economy hasn't been the greatest, but that's not helped by the fact that I seemingly have a lead foot and mostly drive it to work and back (10 minute round trip) with the odd longer trip here and there - no front parking sensors. Learnt this the hard way when I got too close to a safety barrier and now have a lovely scratch on the badge. Instead, it has a front camera that is activated by a button near the gear stick - no HUD - car doesn't lock itself when you walk away. Not a major issue, but my previous car had this feature so had a few instances where I accidentally left this car unlocked - the motion to activate the hands-free tailgate is very hit and miss. The kicking motion that other cars have is more reliable - no ventilated seats. I live in the top end of Western Australia and it gets incredibly hot up here, so ventilated seats would be amazing - no sunglasses holder. A minor annoyance
Reliability and all weather car – Own it since 2013 with trade in my bug eye 2.0 wrx after 11 years .Performance was obvious with 2.5 l turbo and sure-footed under heavy rain on highway and windy road. I only use all terrain tyres and drive to work everyday, so far no trouble with the engine and serviced my car by my own mechanics. Show details · 1
Great value family car that dad actually likes! First 1000km impressions – Had for couple of weeks now, still running in and love the driving experience. Live in a regional area with mostly sealed roads. Overtaking from 80km/hr is a breeze, downshift to 5th out of habit more than need, and to take pressure of drive line. Appreciate strong high beams and handling, especially early morning in 4th at 60 km/hr, swerving… Read more · 1
for possums and wallabies feels incredibly sure footed. I'm no Dan Ricciardo, but feel like you can accelerate out of a corner and maintain solid traction.
Around town, i read reviews can be jerky to drive, I haven't experienced this, maybe I'm a light foot! That said need to be careful to not lug engine.
Family of four with a child seat in back, no issues at all, large boot and fold down seats helpful with Bunnings trip to date! Sure there is a compromise compared to an SUV on space, but feel a lot safer without the body roll of the SUVs I've driven previously.
Engine noise is fine, I like it, tyre noise is a bit much, but that's probably a compromise for having sports tyres.
As for reliability, couldn't say, but like any turbo car you want to last, warm it up and down, shift long before redline (still with solid boost), regular oil changes and should hopefully do us well for years to come.
Overall, couldn't be happier, dealer was also good bloke, no crap.
Negative reviews
Love Hate relationships can be hard ! – I bought a brand new Wrx Sti in late 2017, ive always dreamed of owing one since i was a kid and finally was in a position to buy one. My dreams where shattered though and i was filled with disappointment quickly with the overall performance of the vehicle. The car was simply not what it was advertised to be or lived up to what was sold to me. The… Read more
6 speed manual transmission gear selection sometimes is like trying to find Jesus on a rainy night, to get power out of it as the brochure describes " your most exhilarating ride ever" you literally have to drive it like you stole it and then your still filled with disappointment. The road noise was terrible, and the air conditioning may aswell have been one of those tiny little usb cooler things..thats if the USB outlets actually worked.
To add to the wows of the Subaru at just over 40,000km and little over 12months old the engine blows up with the all to familiar piston ringland failure. Subaru Australia did not warrant this and sited a aftermarket "ryco performance" air filter being fitted and "driver abuse" as the cause, I certainly don't deny driving the thing with the pedal to the floor most days and i did put a aftermarket air filter in the *original airbox* (no i did not install a POD FILTER).
After Battling with them for months even getting the support from Ryco Australia i grudgingly conceded defeat, fighting for warranty was pointless. Subaru Australia regrettably stood behind policy and with my admissions of driving the vehicle hard at times and using a aftermarket part instead of the original OEM replacement warranty was denied and i had no option but to cover repairs myself.
I have since rebuilt the engine with a better brand new FULLY FORGED bottom end. When this Subaru Wrx STI High Performance vehicle was sold to me the salesman reinforced my belief that the STI's have the bigger,more powerful fully forged motor than the standard wrx, and in his words " yer there bullet proof ,you can drive it like a race car all day everyday or cruise around like miss daisy utilizing the 3 different tuning modes"! this is not the case the Wrx Sti does not have a fully forged bottom end and regardless of the air filter issue sited by Subaru i warn you driving it like a race car in STI mode everyday may leave you with damage to your piston ringlands and may eventually destroy your engine completely, i believe as do many professional Tuners that Subaru's factory ecu tune for the STI is inadequate and to slow to adapt to conditions leaving a lean air fuel ratio more often than not.
So now having a motor that i can use as intended, installing a better free flowing exhaust system , and having the vehicle tuned by a reputable tuner (thanks MSR) im not so disappointed with the cars performance. Apart from the absent gear selection from time to time, the crapy air con, the non functioning USB ports and the road noise (now better with different tyres) the car is finally exhilarating to drive as advertised and i do enjoy driving it.
However, i am extremely appreciative of Subaru in more recent times and to there credit they did warrant the replacement of a blown door speaker and a LED head light valued over $3000. Not sure if LED headlights was a factory option on the STI model i dont remember selecting it but with only a year of a 5 year warranty left i am dreading having to cover the expense if/when the other headlight goes. It should be noted that understandably i have voided any warranty on engine and drivetrain components by doing the modifications i have done, i am great full that subaru have not voided the warranty all together and replaced the light and speaker without charge.
I do love the car but i have had to spend a ton of $$ for it to perform as i expected it would. I am hoping and anticipating the release of a all new Subaru WRX STI that will apparently address the under powered out dated dinosaur EJ25 with silicon grenade pistons. A 2.4ltr turbo *fully forged motor???*is supposed to be coming. Im wondering why they feel the need to install forged pistons in the new engine is because they finally have accepted the flaw in the previous design? probably not:) I also hope they upgrade the gearbox and the Suspension from factory.. The all wheel drive system is great and it does mostly stick to the road especially in the wet but it corners like a old freight train at speed on tight bends and tends to drift unnecessarily sometimes. Compared to some other front wheel drive only cars like the Honda Type R which comes with fully adjustable suspension the Subaru is unfortunately just not as sharp in that department.
Nearly killed grandparents – Front drive belt broke, engine blew up, no warning light, lost steering , nearly killed grandparents.All happened within minutes. 100,000ks Bought 2010. always serviced at Subaru. Front drive belt should have been replaced at 48 months. Instead they said 125,000ks. Head office wont take the blame nor will Geoff King seller and mechanic. Not our… Read more
fault!! We have done everything. Body immaculate , engine dead and said will cost $13,000 for new engine, who is in the wrong, not us?????
Was my dream car...ended up trading it – Finally purchased my dream car, a 2015 WRX CVT Premium in August 2016. Unfortunately I didn't have a great experience with the vehicle and traded it in on another car in the end. To give you some background, I did buy it second hand, however the car had previously had one fussy owner, low kms and was bought through a dealership in the country… Read more
that I had previously had good experiences with.
Reliability Issues:
For 12 months the car was fine, until September 2017, when my husband noticed it was leaking oil. I took it to my local trusted mechanic, just for a look over, and they quickly advised me to take it to Subaru as their opinion was that the sump was leaking and the engine would need to be removed to get at the problem. They advised this wasn't a common problem (in their opinion) and was possibly going to be a $1600-$2000 fix if not done through warranty.
As the car was under warranty I booked it in with a Subaru dealer, who diagnosed the same problem. The dealer I went through was great and said the problem I had was rare, involved a bit of work, but was certainly fixable. I'd just been unlucky.
The dealer fixed the sump issue, but unfortunately there had been a problem with the engine when it was fitted back and the dealer had to order me a new one for the vehicle. This was all done fairly quickly and efficiently, and the dealer never, at any stage, argued about warranty items or baulked at doing any of the work. Parts were ordered and replaced as needed.
A further complication arose when the ECU wouldn't play ball with the new engine, so another ECU was ordered and this took around 10 weeks to come in. All in all the car was with the dealer for 3 months and the dealer gave me a new loan car and kept me up to date on the progress of the vehicle.
During that time there had also been a recall on the 2015's for a subwoofer wiring loom issue (potential to catch fire if something pressed up against loom) so I had that fixed too, during it's stay.
Finally got the WRX back, and whilst driving to work one day, the car suddenly had the check engine light come on and several lights started flashing at me on the dash along with a nice beeping sound. I called the dealer and was advised that it was most likely a sensor that had come out of it's parameters. Was told to bring it in asap and they would fix it. I did exactly that, and the fix took 5 minutes if that.
Car appeared to be fine for another 3 weeks, until I noticed oil on the floor of the garage again. I took it back to the dealer and they diagnosed a transmission leak (from pump) and said they had just had a 2015 WRX CVT in the previous week with a bigger transmission leak...my car was now the second one they had seen with this issue.
They fixed that transmission leak for me and gave me another loan car whilst this occurred. This was actually the turning point for me as I liked the loan car they gave me so much that I went and bought one...traded the WRX in as soon as I picked it up from dealer.
Along with the reliability issue, the car didn't have heaps of warranty left and it had cost me a decent chunk of lost time from work (with the to and fro to the dealership) that I had become a bit tired of it all.
Good aspects:
Performance in spades-you really didn't have to put your foot down much to get the car going. It made passing on highways look easy and it was super nimble around town.
Good looks-I liked the slightly euro styling of this model WRX, I felt it had nice lines and looked pretty swish.
Fuel economy: I was getting around 9L/100km before engine was changed. Went up to 9.4L/100km after engine was changed.
Bad aspects:
Reliability-as above.
Ordinary tyres from factory-changed the Dunlops to Michelins as soon as I could. Improved ride a little. The Dunlops were not great in the wet, whereas the Michelins were wonderful.
Busy and often jarring ride-when you went over an ordinary bit of road you knew about it. As the driver of the car I accepted this and knew the car would be like this when I bought it...it's a WRX. However, many of my passengers didn't love it and one disliked it so much they never wanted to go anywhere in it. This and the reliability issue were ultimately the deciding factors in trading the Rex.
I still give the car 3 stars though, as it is a fun drive for those who don't mind the hard, busy ride, and don't experience the same issues I did. I just had "one of those cars" I think.
Recent reviews
Absolutely love this car – I’ve had my WRX Premium since new in 2015, and it has been nothing but a joy to drive; both on the road and on the track (light track). Works well with my family who all also enjoy it. Couldn’t speak any higher of it. Show details · 1
Pure Power – A wonderful innovation without exhorbitant price and maintenance costs. Cruises well on freeways with power packed acceleration , yet glides swiftly in city driving. Costs of servicing is relatively cheap compared to european equivalent. Compared to my former BMW 125i , the WRX maintenance costs is halved yet 30% more powerful at 197kw.Fuel… Read more · 1
economy can be better ,my average fuel consumption is 10.8 liters per 100km mixed city and country driving. Overall a tough car made for rally thus suspension seems hard but not unbearable. Engine noise can be improved but then this is a sports .
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WRX premium 2016 – Use for daily driving easy and comfortable to drive Bought it second hand 2016 manual premium as I love driving manual cars Pretty fun to drive when you rev up the engine Not too loud Good sound system but little disappointed for not having apple car play and reverse camera sound while reverse Overall good value for money Show details · 1
Great Family Sports Car – This car is amazing fits the children in the back with car seats and leaves plenty of room for the driver and passenger in the front. The Boot space is incredible, can easily fit suitcases and a few extra things for holidays. The car gets better than expected fuel consumption, 9.1/100 Daily, can't wait to take it on a long trip. The car has plenty of power down low from 2000rpm. Show details · 1
Best car ever! – I bought this car brand new in Feb 2017. it is my favourite car i have owned. i drive it everyday to work & around on weekends. Very comfortable to drive & great power. It has 3 different driving modes which i enjoy using. I would definitely recommend subaru to anyone buying a car. Show details
WRX STI premium (2017) – Subaru has come along way with the STI. I'm using it as a daily even, its very safe easy to drive and looks great inside and out. Cabin has come a long way, I found it nicer than Benz CLA models. Fuel economy could be better (10L/100km) but not complaining based on performance. Show details · 1
WRX STi – The WRX STi is a great looking car and subaru have it down pat. They are not only a smart company but make good quality bang for buck cars. The STi is a little thirsty similar to a V8 engine. I found the paint work needs attention and the fact you cant do much more to the engine. I think it needs more TQ, otherwise a great overall car. Show details
Its a very fun car, expensive to maintain – Great car, great fun. My main complaints are fuel economy which you'd expect from a turbo boxer motor anyway, and the fact that the rear seats don't fold (I had expected this was just a standard for all cars! So my fault). Only buy one of these if you can afford the upkeep. Otherwise great - sporty, sounds great, looks super nice in my option. Show details
Love my Rex – From the initial test drive at the showroom to the waiting for my car to his Oz shores & road I have enjoyed the experience of buying this vehicle. The Subaru Premium WRX has every bell and whistle you can imagine, standard. I opted for the WRX rather than WRX STi because I didn't feel that I needed the extra performance, nor would I use it… Read more
properly. It's not great on fuel economy but really, who cares?! It's fun to drive and looks beautiful. The service has been great too, literally at the service centre, the crew are friendly & professional. Don't expect a smooth ride, it's bouncy, everything is sharp & tight but it feels rally so enjoy the experience. 10 out of 10 for me & I haven't looked back. The only tricky thing was insuring an MY18 vehicle being purchased in August 2017... but I did it.
Good car but has a few issues – Pros: Reasonably fast for a sedan when the gearbox decides it want to play ball. Great handling depending on tires. Stock were sticky but after swapping then out it started to slide a bit but was more fun. Decent interior with basic options and a half decent sound system. Looks great on the outside, the paint looks solid and good… Read more
quality.
All round fun car when it decides it's in a good mood.
Cons:
The automatic gearbox is all over the place. It has varied in the time I've had it, after a number of updates they have done, but overall it can be annoying when it decides to redline under a slight but bit gad then suddenly drop down to 2k RPM.
Can be very noisy inside, they installed a bunch of foam in the first year to fix the rattles which must be common issue as they had them all on hand and cut out for the various parts.
Stiff ride but never a problem on most Brisbane road luckily.
Occasionally makes a loud rattling sound under acceleration then blows smoke and loses power. Never have been able to get this fixed by the dealer.
Seats are not made for taller people and can be pretty uncomfortable during long commutes.
Such a performance vehicle – I have the hatchback in black from 2013 with a custom exhaust At first I thought is this car actually safe? But that Subaru boxer engine can get me through anything Yes petrol is a bit more dear but I cannot deny that it’s worth it Enough boot space for a pram and expanding family Show details
Find out how Subaru WRX compares to other Sedans
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Great daily driver + weekend fun! – Great value car for someone who is looking for a good mix between a relatively comfortable daily drive and great thrills along the way on weekends. The only thing I wish they did better was an improved headunit, which the one of the 2015 model is somewhat dated and laggy. Fuel economy is decent for the power you get but you would still be looking… Read more
at an average of 9-10L/100 in peak hr traffic, however it easily gets down to 6-7L/100km on highway so that's preeeety good. 10/10 no regrets :)
Awesome car, if the quality was there – As mentioned before, it's clear that Subaru's efforts into the VA chassis has been focused primarily on the drive-train, as everything else around it is of sub-par quality. So far I haven't had any mechanical issues (as seems to be the case with a lot of owners) sitting on around 36,000 km's. However, with the very thin paint that grace these cars… Read more
(which appears to be a Subaru trend) you would think it has traveled well over 100,000 km's with heavy usage of freeway driving. Which is inexcusable for a car of this price range. Sure, there is paint protection films & ceramic coatings to somewhat prevent this for more $ on top of the $50k+ you've just spent, but that is beyond the the point & at the end of the day it is still a major disappointment, hence my 3 star rating.
Without repeating too much of what has already been said about this generation WRX, there is of course the common rattly, noisy interior which is no doubt amplified in the STi but somewhat expected to an extent, considering the nature of this model which is easily forgiven. However the almost straight-out-of-the-factory side bolster wear to the leather seats, which was already apparent at just 14,500 km's on my example is pathetic. Then there is the intermittent blue tooth connectivity issues, passenger seat seatbelt alarm chime going off for no reason etc. etc. the list could go on, but on the positive side it's nothing that can't be rectified.
All in all, the driveability & performance of this car in my opinion feels like it is worthy of the price tag it is given new & with the looks to match. I will no doubt enjoy it while it continues to run hassle-free & the compliments it receives, though if I was to consider purchasing another Subaru again in the near future, I would be very wary. It's just unfortunate that the negatives outweigh the positives of this model as I do have a soft spot for it. One can only hope that the next generation WRX receives a major improvement in quality!
wrx great car – car great customer service very poor free gps updates but if you get your car serviced elsewhere no free gps updates so you have to pay xtra for service to get free gps updates ha ha spoke to subaru aust said same thing so buy garmin and fit on dash Show details
My favourite car ever – I recently brought a Subaru WRX and am so glad I have. The driving on it is so smooth and perfect running. Never a wrong noise. My leather seats are so comfy and silky feeling always nice and cool. It doesnt cost me to much to run in petrol and always drives smoothly and quickly. Show details
Engine failure just out of warranty – What an expensive exercise and how incredibly disappointed we are with Subaru WRX. Car never driven hard, always garaged , very low Milage , missed one service and told us it had no oil...which was not true as was first thing we checked and no warning lights, but of course they say what they want. I will stir very far away from this company. Show details
I love my WRX – Have been craving for a turbo car since I was in Uni. Finally I can afford to buy one after driving a corolla for almost 10 years. I have the updated MY15 with better wheels and head unit. Can't fault the engine as it is very powerful. The grip is insane. Although the interior trim is all black but I still find it very airy and bright inside.… Read more
I have plenty of headroom at the front but struggle with legroom a bit at the back
The headlight can be brighter
the DRL looks ugly
The rear suspension can be a bit too stiff while going through the carpark humps. It can be a bit unsettle at times
The engine and exhaust can be a bit quiet without modifying it
Brakes feel a bit soft (MY18 has this fixed)
Gear shift is good but my car will have some difficulty getting into first and 2nd in hot days
Stock dunlop tyre is too noisy. Waiting to get rid of them but they do provide very good grip
All the above I can adjust myself to accommodate it. Not a big deal.
No fault so far after 30000km. Averaging around 9.5L/100km which is great (not based on the trip computer). Go as low as 8.5 with some highway driving
This car is good for everyday life – Car looks good. Drives ok. But There is some issue with it. I have bought a premium my17. Subaru should add the Spoiler, brembo brake and 18" wheel on the premium. It shouldn't be cost extra. The car suspension is not very good. Fog light is warm white light. They should make it similar to the headlight. Premium should comes with the heated seat.… Read more
But it is not. Didn't like the automatic system for dipper (highbeam). Already driven 9000 kms. Didn't give any trouble yet. A real head turner. Feel proud to own one.
Service very very poor – I took my subaru wrx sti 2015 for a service they told me that my engine mounts needed changeing after 2 months still waiting on engine mounts to come from overseas.i rang up service several times and still nothing they just keep saying we are still waiting on parts to arrive from overseas this is a very poor customer service from subaru Show details
Fantastic balance of practicality and performance – Great car, upgraded from 2 door sports coupe and gained functionality without any loss of driving enjoyment. Great on fuel consumption and average 7L/100km while highway cruising. It obviously will consume more once you put your right foot down heavier. The only downside is that cabin noise is above average and ride suspension is stiffer than most… Read more
cars. Subarus service pricing is also higher than its competitors, roughly 700 per year, sometimes higher.
Good Engine. Poor bell & Whistles - extraordinarily pathetic service from both Subaru Australia – Good performance. Poor Service from Subaru Australia and the dealership Subaru Toowong. It is just not worth the pain. The car is just under two years old, but I have been taking it back constantly to get issues fixed (security system, Informant Unit, Sat Nav, leaking transmission, ...the list goes on). Have had couple of meetings with Dealer in… Read more
Principle of Subaru Toowong - his stand is - "We cannot afford to be considerate towards customers inconvenience". Service station keeps blaming Subaru Australia and Subaru Australia customer services says your Dealership is providing you poor service. Can't get anyone to be hold accountable. Everytime they attempt to fix something either the issue still stays or they break something else. Service station has got very unskilled technicians - they are very quick to deny any issues until you get around and prove them wrong - very very very painful experience.
Fantastic vehicle! – Fantastic performance - I was looking for a fast car and now I've got it! Absolutely love everything about the WRX. The interior is so refined and detailed. The memory seat setting makes life so much easier as my husband drives my car often and I'm constant having to adjust the seats. The exterior of the car is so sleek and refined. The old WRX's were definitely a boy-racer type of car but this model is elegant. Show details
Ongoing warranty issues, Subaru dont want to know – After one of the first services it developed a center diff fault, after multiple dealer visits Subaru said I needed new tyres to make it go away - at 18,000kms! Another dealer cleared the fault and no problems since. Front suspension noise and handling issue is another matter. 9 visits for warranty repair, half the front end replaced under… Read more
warranty and problem still the same. Subaru Australia have now said the noise is normal and will not provide any further assistance. Independent reports say otherwise so case now with consumer affairs.
Excellent Value, Great car – So far I'm extremely happy with my 2016 WRX Premium, performance is excellent the CVT auto is extremely good, Handling is incredible and the Interior fit and finish is spot on. This truly is an amazing car for 45k. If I can fault anything the factory Dunlop tyres although grippy are very noisy and I mean VERY noisy. The other great point is so far… Read more
over 5000k's the car is averaging 9.5l/100. Well done Subaru this really is the performance bargain of the decade.
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