After rolling past 30,000 miles, has this Subaru WRX been a hoot or a headache?
A few months ago, I had the itch to pick up a new, hopefully fun daily driver. I had a problem, though, as do so many other folks shopping for their next ride these days…new car prices are an absolute mess. Take, for example, my previous Mazda 3: What was a $28,995 car would now set you back $33,280, for what is fundamentally the same car. I wanted to try something other than Mazda this time around, and eventually landed on a Subaru WRX, but I faced the same issue in that buying a new one would set me back nearly $39,000. Considering “that’s just how much cars cost anymore”, it’s not terrible when you look at it against a new VW Golf R ($50,730) or a Toyota GR Corolla ($41,590). It’s still a lot though, so I went a different direction.
After a bit of searching, I managed to pick up this early VB-generation, a 2022, for $26,879. To put it another way, that’s more than $13,000 less than new, for a car that (at the time) had a shade over 26,500 miles on the clock. Now that I’ve had it a few months, it’s about time I check in with you guys. What has it been like to own, have I generally been happy with it, and would I pick this car again?
If you’re looking for a TL;DR version, here’s a quick sum-up: It’s been great, I have been happy with it, and yes I would do it again. As far as elaborating on each of those points, and I hope you’d want more detail, read on (and watch, where the videos are linked in) below.
The WRX proved surprisingly useful right off the bat.
Almost immediately after I picked up the WRX, we ended up bringing it in not just for a single video, but a whole series of drag races (and hopefully you didn’t get too sick of seeing it in that short span). It took on the Toyota GR Corolla, Volkswagen Golf R and Acura Integra, so it definitely proved a useful purchase on that front.
Against that crop of sporty cars, the Subaru has the largest engine by displacement, thanks to a 2.4-liter FA24F four-cylinder boxer engine. On paper, the turbocharged engine’s 271 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque in stock tune doesn’t sound that impressive. That said, you can (and absolutely should) get it with a 6-speed manual transmission, plus there’s a crazy amount of aftermarket support to tune the WRX to hell and back. Put enough into it, and it’s not inconceivable to run at double or even triple that stock figure.
What it’s cost me so far
To be clear, since I bought the WRX in August, I’ve personally racked up just over 4,600 additional miles. That’s more than I expected, actually, since we do get a steady stream of press loans through the TFL office. I sort of expected to do a few daily commutes in this, maybe take it out a weekend or two, and leave it at that. But that hasn’t been the case, by and large.
Over time, I keep wanting to take the Subie out on a quick day trip or do some canyon carving, and as we’re finally rolling into the winter season here, you know I’m itching to test out just how solid its capability is in the snow. I’ll have another update on those snow shenanigans as I fit winter tires for the season (it’s not quite cold enough here yet, at time of writing, so that will be in a few weeks).
Beyond the $26,879 asking price for this 2022 WRX Premium, I’ve mainly funneled cash toward preventative maintenance and small, mainly cosmetic, upgrades. For the sake of maintaining what’s left of my powertrain warranty, I don’t want to go too crazy on performance upgrades yet, so this and other updates will stick with a (mostly) stock setup.
I dropped $1,002.46 into a new set of daily tires back in September, as the Continental ControlContact Sport SRS+ fitted by the previous owner were coming up on the end of their useful life. Another $503.88 went to the local Subaru dealer to replace all the fluids as part of the automaker’s recommended 30K-mile regimen (including brake fluid, clutch fluid, differential oil and the usual engine oil change). I replaced both the engine air filter and cabin air filter for $51.89, and threw in some fuel system cleaner for $8.64. So, all in, I spent $1,566.37 on servicing, though I wanted to make sure this car has a strong, fresh start with me, since I had no prior service records to show how well the previous owner kept up on maintenance.
Fuel costs aren’t quite as bad as I expected, either. The official EPA estimates aren’t too promising, with 19 City / 26 Highway / 22 Combined mpg figures. In my time with the car, though, I’ve managed 25 mpg on average, even hitting 30 mpg when I’m decently careful. The Subaru WRX is also dead consistent across most fill-ups, too, so you can feasibly expect that 22-25 mpg through every tank.
There are a few annoyances
Even if you don’t drop a ton of money into performance upgrades right off the bat, it can be fun to pick up some small aesthetic items just to make the car yours. The previous owner already saved me the trouble of fitting the STI short-throw shifter kit, but I did grab an OEM extendable center armrest, which you annoyingly don’t get on the Premium. You also don’t get the slightly nicer looking Ultrasuede trim pieces that come on the Limited, GT and tS, nor do you get the upgraded Harman Kardon stereo without an upgrade package (it comes standard on the higher trims).
Comfort is a mixed bag, at least for this early VB.
The ride is actually a high point: It’s about as firm as I’m willing to tolerate these days, but it’s remarkably composed as you roll over sudden bumps, dips and crests. The seats, however, are another story. After the first few days, the lack of adjustable lumbar support (or support at all, for that matter) gave me back ache after the first hour or so of driving. A $20 lumbar pillow mostly fixed that issue, but back support is one of my little pet peeves, and the Premium’s lack of that adjustment did have me wishing I went for the Limited…even if it is about $4,000 more. However, other owners also pooh-pooh the Limited’s seats for still not being supportive, with the general consensus being that the WRX’s seats just generally just suck.
If you want the more tricked-out Recaro seats, you’ll either have to compromise on having a manual to get the GT, or spend upward of $50,000 on a WRX tS. I didn’t want to do either. Those models also offer adaptive dampers to tune your experience toward comfort or sportiness, but…is it really worth it? At double the price of the WRX I picked up, my answer is a solid “no”.
On the flip side, I’ll give Subaru a point back for how well the heated seats work, because my goodness, do they work. Heated front seats has long been a standard staple in all Subaru models, and they instantly work to warm you up with the standard cloth seats. Set them to high, and they can actually get butt-burningly hot, and that certainly hasn’t been the case in past cars I’ve owned, and even most of the press cars we drive.
Subaru’s software is also a bit of a headache, at times…
With the former base WRX now gone, all models from 2025 onward get an 11.6-inch infotainment display. This iteration of Subaru’s Starlink system looks decent enough, but I came across plenty of frustrated owners in researching this car, complaining about its sluggishness. When I first picked up this WRX, that is absolutely the case — especially as it was still rocking the same software it shipped with from the factory.
Fortunately, you can update the infotainment software over-the-air. The car’s onboard modem is still slow as all get out, but once you can consistently connect to a Wi-Fi point, you’re able to download sequential software updates over a few hours. Doing so does yield results, as later versions change the button skins and make the climate controls (particularly the heated seats) way easier to use. The system overall feels a little snappier to use, too, though it’s still slow to get to the main screen on startup.
Despite the (minor) frustrations, I’m thoroughly enjoying the WRX
Here’s the thing: In my experience so far, the VB-generation Subaru WRX has been a great daily driver. I know plenty of folks criticize this car for being “too soft” and not quite as playful as the last-gen VA or older Impreza-based generations before that.
Nevertheless, this car incorporates everything I wanted. It’s just the right size, it handles like it’s on rails under most circumstances, only pushing wide when I’m being stupid. It may not be the most nimble car in this size class thanks to the all-wheel drive setup, but the added security has paid some dividends so far with the couple snowstorms that have rolled through.
The steering is excellently weighted, and the clutch and shifter action are exactly what I want. I’ve critiqued the Honda Civic Si/Type R’s clutch for being too light for my liking, while the shifter throw is literally perfect. Mazda has a nicely-weighted clutch, even if the throws could be a little tighter (at least in the 3; the MX-5 Miata is pretty well-sorted). The Subaru WRX really splits the difference between the two, helped by the STI short-throw kit. I have a Perrin shifter stop upgrade I’m going to throw on too, so hopefully that will improve things even further.
Bottom line: I love my Subaru. For $26K or so, this car packs a hell of a lot of performance for the money. Moreover, if you don’t want the more hardcore feel of a VA STI — I get it, that model is notably faster, but man does it have a stiff ride — this is a great option. On the reliability front, it’s been absolutely undramatic. I put money in to try and ensure that remains the case, and take care to warm up the car gently as we roll into winter.
I’m looking forward to sharing more updates with you guys in the coming weeks, but if you’re thinking about picking up a WRX, I’d wholeheartedly recommend it. The trick is how much money do you really want to spend? If you don’t want to go all-out on the TR or tS, I’d try to save a little money and get a 22-23 model, if it hasn’t been treated too harshly.
