Video: 2022 Subaru WRX: Up Close

The current Impreza, based on Subaru's global platform, debuted all the way back in the 2017 model year. But Subaru, in turn, says this is the most differentiated WRX in the history of the nameplate, despite sharing those underpinnings. Let's take a closer look. The WRX will only come, at least in the U.S., as a sedan. You won't get a WRX hatchback. We actually haven't seen that here since the 2014 model year, and there's no plans to kind of reprise it, we're told. What it looks like is kind of a wide-body version, with a lot of performance add-ons of the current-generation Impreza. Subaru actually says it's considerably wider and has a lot of different body panels. Actually, only the windshield and the front windows are shared with that Impreza, according to Subaru officials here at the auto show. The hood, the fenders, even the roofline, those are very specific to the WRX. You get a low, wide hood scoop on the WRX, as well as aluminum front fenders, which save a purported five pounds of weight. Tucked right into the rear of the wheel arches are these little air channels. There are similar air channels at the rear bumper. Those help to reduce lift. Those wheels, by the way, 17- or 18-inch alloys. You also get dual-pinion electric power steering in place of the prior setup, which was electric in the WRX and hydraulic in the WRX STI. It was a higher-performance version of the sedan. There's a stiffer chassis, lower center of gravity as well. And a GT model in the new WRX comes with extras like exclusive 18-inch alloy wheels, high-performance summer tires and adaptive shock absorbers. So what about that STI? Well, Subaru officials here at the auto show wouldn't say it's not coming, but they said they're just focusing on the WRX right now. So I guess, stay tuned. Speaking of the WRX, under the hood, a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine makes very similar power to the outgoing WRX's 2.0-liter turbocharged four cylinder. Although Subaru says the torque curve is a little bit flatter. You get a six-speed manual transmission, but here's the bad news. If anybody was hoping that Subaru would get rid of the continuously variable automatic transmission from the outgoing generation of the WRX, well, the CVT is back. Now, Subaru says, in the sportiest driving mode, the CVT does have different shift points. It really tries to mimic kind of the shifting that you'd get from a dual-clutch automatic transmission for example. Of course, there aren't actual gear ratios, there's just pulleys. But Subaru says it does kind of a better job trying to mimic a traditional stepped unit. The big news inside involves Subaru's touchscreen here. It's an 11.6-inch vertical unit. By contrast, in the Impreza, you can get a 6.5- or 8-inch unit. Now we've used this screen, a very similar one to it, in the Outback and the Legacy. And while it's impressively large, it does confine Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to just kind of a small portion of the screen. Subaru addressed that with kind of an update of Apple CarPlay that kind of expands it to a larger portion of the screen. Unfortunately, Android users, you're out of luck. You still get it in just a small area. We'll see if the WRX changes that. Now, GT models get Recaro sport seats. They can hold you in a bit better, and all cars will get this large touchscreen, as well as Subaru's EyeSight suite of driver-assistance safety systems. Those are all gonna be standard on the WRX. The unfortunate news though, is the GT's pairing of all those performance doodads, from the Recaros to the adaptive shocks, with only an automatic transmission. So arguably, if you really want all the performance stuff in a manual, you're gonna be more of an enthusiast type. Subaru says that's not in the works for now, but they are listening to owner feedback. So get on those forums and start talking to them. Stay tuned for pricing and much more on the WRX. That should come closer to this car's on-sale date in early 2022. (upbeat music)