Why Buy? | 2018 Subaru WRX Review

Motor1 Senior Editor Jake Holmes gets behind the wheel of the 2018 WRX to see if Subaru's refresh has civilized the rally-bred machine.
For more Subaru WRX:
As-tested price: $32,205
Even before it made its way here in 2001, American car enthusiasts salivated over the Subaru WRX. An all-wheel-drive performance machine bred on Europe’s toughest rally stages? What was not to like? The car quickly became an icon, with turbocharged power that could be deployed equally as effectively on paved roads as on snow or gravel.
The current version of the WRX was introduced ; this 2018 model, revealed at the Detroit Auto Show in January, has a mild facelift and some small equipment tweaks. As ever, the focus is on performance, with a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four engine dishing out 268 horsepower and a punchy 258 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels.
Yet Subaru also wants to make the WRX easier to live with. The 2018 one, for instance, adds niceties like a rear armrest with cupholders, extra sound deadening to keep the cabin quiet, and a redesigned crash structure to improve safety in collisions. Still, going fast has not been forgotten: a new Performance pack adds red-painted brake calipers with upgraded pads, new wheels, and deletes the sunroof to save weight.
See what all those changes mean for the latest version of Subaru’s performance sedan in our latest Why Buy? video.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Engine: 2.0-Liter Turbocharged I4
Output: 268 Horsepower / 258 Pound-Feet
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
EPA Fuel Economy: 21 City / 27 Highway / 23 Combined
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CREDITS
Host: Jake Holmes
Video Producer: James Bradbury