I own one. A WRX GT. Got 855ks on the clock. I'll argue all day with anyone about the SPT (CVT) it's the best Auto I've ever driven. Really Subaru knocked it out of the park.
$40K+ car being referred to as a bargain. For an AWD performance car. Okay.... But if we're talking the VW GTI as a FWD competitor, Base S trim of the GTI gives you literally all the absolute most important performance features at $10K less money.
So glad i got the base model with the dual screen, the big ass tablet makes it less appealing, not even a question once you factor in the gloss black everywhere lol, easy to keep clean
I just bought one. It looks so good to me in person. I’m used to plastics on my vehicles from jeeps, to rzr’s, to atv’s I happen to think it’s utilitarian for off roading. Also, this car will not need mud flaps which look really bad on sedans in my opinion. Oh yeah, of course I went for the 6speed. Might add the Sti short throw shifter someday.
I have rally armor on my Sti…… I think they look good, most importantly they help keep my CWP paint nicer. My pain was way dirtier on the sides before the flaps.
I love my very “analog” original ‘02 Bugeyes WRX wagon that I’ve been driving for over 22 years and would only want a manual WRX if there is a choice. But I’ve driven the NA 2.5 and 2.4T in the Outback with the CVT for test drives and a brand new Forester Wilderness that I rented for a week a few days ago and find those powertrains to be responsive and enjoyable. Experiencing the EyeSight functionality adaptive cc and lane keeping/steering which you only get with the auto was a revelation as well. I’m a sport wagon guy though so looking forward to the new Impreza RS trim hopefully bringing us an 8/10s WRX fun and practical hatch to drive with its updated chassis, powertrain, suspension, steering and AWD.
Just reached 67k miles with the Limited 17 MY. it’s such a great car. As long as the factory recommended maintenance is done at the correct intervals, the car will run for a long time. What really makes this a joy to drive is because it’s a Manual transmission. How boring to shift to drive or use silly paddles with a sport mode. The skill to properly drive a manual, with a turbo charged engine, and to shift gears correctly with the clutch, makes the experience so awesome. Go Manual 100% and forget the automatic.
I just test drove the SVT and the manual today. My thoughts on the SVT. It holds the revs in gear and the up and downshifts are very impressive. Driving around in at 40-60km it stayed in 2 gear with lots of rev and torques on acceleration. The suspension actually adjusted and you could clearly feel the difference between comfort and sport+. Then I drove the manual and immediately thought this was better as I could shift and control my own gears… then I kept driving and realised that all the technology was deleted from the manual. Such a same. I drive 120km to and forth from work and I have a CVT levorg. I would be hard pressed to make a decision on which one I’d take home. I’m leaning toward the SVT 😅
@@geneforte9038 I’m not sure but my seat dyno felt impressed. I think the manual revs faster but the SVT rev matched and felt somewhat like a normal transmission.
I own an older model CVT and have 67k on it and ill tell you its been nothing but incredible. 0 issues in 7 years and very reliable! Ive been surprised by it time and time again
@@dominiclussier8810 luck has nothing to do with it, you had to have done something to destroy it, I have a 2016 outback xt and havent changed the fluid and I just reached 112k miles.
my first wrx and I ordered a black 6 speed. i want this as a daily driver that I can have fun in. If I wanted automatic, I would've gone with an electric car (which I still may get later on) but right now, I want a fun car
My other comments about my own SPT experience aside, reading through some of these comments (and some others online) makes me wonder why anyone is treating this car as a top notch Subaru performer. As fun as it is, it is not an STI, nor was it built to appeal to the exact same crowd. I was waiting for the 340+ HP STI but...It wasn't meant to be..... So I got this one in an SPT. My view is that where the STI is a pretty violent car, it needs a violent 6 speed transmission, the 2022 WRX is just not enough of a car to worry about the transmission. For this generation, it's a preference and not a performance enhancer. For those of you who haven't tried it, I encourage it. It's a pretty impressive setup.
@@perfectperfecto I miss banging gears like a mad man. Not like a smooth adult. Even with an exhaust and tune it sounds like a Honda Civic. Idk I’m sick
Few comments popped on the 0-60 times. So I did some runs today with the SPT. Being in Canada these are 0-100 Kms (so 62mph). I've tried traction off/on and everything off/on without any consistent difference so I didn't bother identifying it. Undoubtedly the launch on the SPT is slower and this is where you're seeing that .5 second difference vs the 6 spd reported elsewhere including the Aussie SPT vs 6spd YT thread. . It would be interesting so see some 20-130 benchmarks where I think the SPT would actually be faster. Two things of note. 1) The maximum stall start (break and full throttle) on the SPT is 2200 rpm. Definitely dog territory and not nearly enough for a good launch. 2) When using break and full throttle to launch, the transmission seems to go into a FULL traditional CVT mode which gets you to 5800 RPM after launch and holds there (which interestingly enough yielded the quickest times). If you do a regular launch (no brake) the transmission will shift through gears (5900-4900 rpm). This was consistent on every run. I used a GPS app to do this. About 5 runs a piece so these are average with about a .3 second variance each way. All in S#. The launch times (0-20) were inconsistent across the board. From 1.2 sec to 2.2 sec in each category however it's impossible to rule out the GPS. Auto, brake/throttle 2200 rpm 5.9 sec (no shifts) Auto, throttle only from stop. 6.3 sec (3rd virtual gear) Manual shift (both variants) 6.6+ sec (3rd virtual gear)
So actually brake hold and throttle it's called launch controls, its the fastest way to 0-100 but your cvt suffers a lot. What version of the wrx with spt are you running?
@@javro99 So the term of "launch control" refers to an electronic mechanism built in to facilitate a break launch. I don't believe the SPT has such a function built in by design. What it likely has is a protection mechanism not allowing you to launch the car with the brake above 2200 RPM to protect the transmission. Either way, I would say that's where the .5 second loss is when compared to a 6 spd 0-60
Awesome review! Just got my 2022 WRX Premium and I LOVE IT!!! I do notice from 1 to 2 gear is a bit jerky even when I let off the clutch super slowly. I usually shift between 2500-3000 RPM. Any suggestions for a smoother transition??
Yes it’s a CVT to call it something else is a lie! I want a GT limited car with Brembos and the Recaro seats and suede on the dash like the auto GT Limited. I’d rather have the brakes than the shocks.
That's the theory, but might not be 100% the case. There seems to be an argument for increased belt slip while constantly changing ratios with this type of system. Engineering explained did a video on it. This CVT might actually hold a gear (ratio) while in manual. If that's true, it would be more like a DCT
Question: what features come with the SPT? I was trying to figure out if Eyesights and other optional features come with SPT or I have to get them separately.
So yes, if you go with the SPT the major difference beside the transmission is Eyesight. Otherwise you can use the compare tools on the USA website to help you. Otherwise, simple mods as SI-DRIVE Engine Performance Management System and Variable Torque Distribution (VTD) comes with the SPT.
@@CarQuestion Thank you! The US site only says those are optional on the non-GT trims. So I was quite confused. But thank you. Now I know I will want a WRX with SPT now.
Definitely the CVT for daily driving & you have that performance..but unfortunately the sedan has that ugly plastic cladding, thankfully here in Australia we get the wagon & no plastic cladding at all👍
Few things: 1) Stop already with "better launches"...sooo everyone is street racing and destroying clutches? If a review or opinion is based on abusing a car, it has no merit. 2) Few people take a WRX off road than SUV drivers, meaning virtually nobody. Look around. How many lifted gravel stage set-ups you see? How many lowered tarmac stage set-ups do you see? This makes the entire point 100% irrelevant. (Snow would be the one exception, but... 3) I'm in Wisconsin and unless you slam your car (yuck) and install huge splitters (rice) you can tear through snow...with snow tires. If one can afford these cars, they can get some smaller, skinnier set-ups and own the snow. Besides, most deep snowfalls are fluff. My Audi S4, Legacy wagon and Eclipse GSX were never damaged and were a blast. Quattro is still king, I'll be honest. 4) This is painful...but very, very few of the boy racers out there are as good at shifting (or anything else) as they think they are...if you are, and go online opening about cars, there's no legitimacy to opinions based on thrashing cars around 5) No Subaru was made for drag racing. As far back as the 90's they conceded 0-60 and 1/4 mile runs to Evo's, in exchange for a more compliant, comfortable ride, which included things like more sound deadening to long travel suspension. 6) Two hands on the wheel...there is simply no argument on this? Want to argue with Lewis Hamilton? Or Hélio Castroneves? Rally cars use sequential, which is just bang, bang, bang, hand barely leaves the wheel, shifter inches away, no clutch, stay on throttle. 7) Have a family? Spouse work? Have a teen driver? Yeah? How many are big car nerds and all love manual? Maybe 100 of you? For the rest, you wind up with a car your spouse, who, if working, is paying for it, but can't drive it) and teen, who likely drives a car that breaks more, doesn't have the safety features and may need to borrow a car when it's down. I just sold my XT and STI. The XT was my son and wife's backup car, while I could drive the STI. Now we're back to 3 cars, and having the WRX GT was a must. 8) Cars need to stop being reviewed based on "at the limit" evaluation...you can't legally drive (or do 4-5k clutch slips) so what's the point? Seriously. It's not as if a car with better at the limit capability is better at 50% of the limit. In fact, it's probably better. 9) Is it simply cognitive dissonance that explains how everyone is miss I ng the fact this new FA provides full hp/tq at 2k RPM sooner? This alone makes the SPT shine. It's a game changer. Yet I have yet to read or watch a review that mentions this combination. 10) People are bitching about the GT getting the goodies...what a load of crap. The active suspension (dampers)? You're all installing coilovers in your cars! The safety equipment, driver aids? All the he-men "manuals rule" guys turn all that off (my he-man brother-in-law did.) And Recaros? Really? First, you can buy them, I'm not kidding. Expensive? So is the GT...I paid for them. Also, look at Ebay...why are there so many WRX/STI seats available? Because people are installing Bride, Recaro's, Sparcos, etc. All the whining about the good stuff in the GT is being extremely ignorant. Finally, when it comes to shifting, here's one last point. My 17 year old Outback XTwas a pig off the line, no question, because it hit full power so much later than the GT. But it did have Sportshift...something every review claimed was crap. No, it wasn't. All you needed to do was use it for a week and learn the delay in button push/shift. Once tou did this, the car was a blast. If everyone is so talented, knowledgeable and insightful, how do these things elude everyone? (I do not work for Subaru)
Well said brother, the internet truly is the worst place to decide which Trans to get. I'm guilty of it. I wanted a manual so bad because I wanted to "bang gears" and "feel closer to the car", but that's me being selfish. My wife can't drive manual and doesn't plan on learning. With only a 2 car family if hers breaks down or needs shop time, then we'd have to get a rental. Comments like this have helped me get over my buyers remorse and honestly all the little boys and girls that come up to me and say something bad about my cvt, kind of makes me happy. I like people getting mad about it lol. I love my car and regret ever feeling any different about it. You have to learn to love it for yourself and not worry about other people opinions. Like you said, most of the haters are the ones who are probably on their second or third engine cause for some reason wrx means "red line everytime you see another sports car" smh. It is fun having even vehicles like jeep Cherokees try to race you lol
@@CarQuestion no but on the track the elantra n kills the wrx. And anything beyond a quarter mile the wrx loses and its worse fuel efficiency. If subaru actually pushed the new fa24 I'd feel differently but I have a 2019 wrx and I can't think of a reason why I'd trade my current wrx for a new one based on performance. Styling is subjective of course.
@@Youcallthesebagels_ Redline reviews tested it to 5.4 i believe. And in any case, half a second is not really that noticeable unless your racing. With outback being a lot larger and only a small penalty... to me it seems the more practical option if going cvt. I agree that if it's a wrx, it needs to be manual.
My wife had a lancer that had a Cvt, and it was fine for a slow daily, however I would never get a sports car with a Cvt, they just really arnt designed for much abuse or big numbers. The sti trans was engineered to hold up to 6-700 hp. You throw an extra 100 at a Cvt and it will have problems before long.
This car isn’t about speed or acceleration at all, electric has changed the game on that. I ordered a 6 speed because I have a Tesla Y performance but also want a fun car that absorbs bad city roads!
