2023 Subaru WRX GT: Small sedan offers a lot of punch(es)
The rally car from Subaru looks like a lot of fun, and has a bunch going for it on paper. But the reality is an abrupt car — in shifting, seating, and suspension.
2023 Subaru WRX GT AWD: A rally fun time from Subaru?
Price: $42,890 as tested, everything included.
Conventional wisdom: Edmunds likes how the “standard all-wheel drive enhances traction and performance, available 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen is easy to read, brisk acceleration, stable and engaging handling,” but not the “subpar fuel economy, noticeable road and wind noise, need to order the automatic transmission to get most of the car’s driver aids.”
Marketer’s pitch: “The rally legend for the next generation.”
Reality: That next generation had better start toughening up.
What’s new: The WRX was redesigned for the 2022 model year, adding this top-line, highest-performance GT trim in lieu of the old STI name. It’s designed to take on the worst that an off-road rally racetrack can dish out, and it carries over pretty much unchanged for 2023.
Competition: Hyundai Elantra N, Mazda3, Volkswagen Golf R.
Up to speed: Here’s the brightest note of the Subaru WRX — it does get you where you’re going in a hurry. The 2.4-liter four creates 271 horsepower and shoots the vehicle to 60 mph in just 6 seconds. Great time, but as Edmunds notes, it was 5.9 seconds in the last generation. Still, that’s some pretty good punch.
On the road punch: This kind of punch, however, is the bad kind. The vehicle’s suspension encountered road seams with great force, enough that it kept Mr. Driver’s Seat’s speed in check, which goes counter to what this car is all about. Perhaps other trim levels offer a ride that’s easier on the nerves.
Country roads were also a disappointment, at least for people who like to feel the sway and swerve of Pennsylvania curves. The suspension of the WRX GT felt hard and rigid, as if it knew how to make the dance moves but without any groove.
Shifty punch: Here’s another bad kind of punch, straight from the Subaru Performance Transmission. The performance automatic with eight-step manual mode abruptly made shifts well known to everyone in the vehicle.
A six-speed manual is also available, but not on the GT model.
Driver’s Seat punch: The ultrasuede seats were the final GT fist, right to the ribs. The front bucket seats had enough lumbar support to render kidneys black and blue, and the angle left Mr. Driver’s Seat’s back feeling as if he were being dipped in a tango. (He prefers to lead, if he’s being honest.)
The vehicle sits at a nice height, so someone who thinks most sporty sedans are too low may like this setup, but I think the chiropractor bills would be a heavy tradeoff.
Friends and stuff: The back seat in the WRX is comfortable, but space is at a premium. There’s lots of room to stretch out legs and even feet, but headroom is a tight prospect. I just fit in, but Sturgis Kid 4.0 did not.
A center-seat passenger will feel the hump and the console both intruding.
Cargo space is a snug 12.5 cubic feet.
Play some tunes: Subaru’s 11.6-inch Starlink navigation system interface is big and bright, perched vertically on the dashboard. Dials control volume and tuning, while the touchscreen handles everything else.
Sound from the Harman Kardon 11-speaker system is only OK, maybe a B or a B+.
Keeping warm and cool: Buttons control the temperature while other functions happen through tiny touchscreen buttons, a difficult, eyes-off-the-road setup.
Fuel economy: I averaged about 21 mpg in some hard driving that included a lot of highways.
Where it’s built: Ota, Gunma, Japan
How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the WRX reliability to be a low 2 out of 5, though it shows no data from previous years to help back that up.
In the end: Normally, I like Subaru. I find the Outback Wilderness to be a delightful ride both on and off road; the BRZ to be a fun little unit; and even the barebones Impreza hatchback offers a bit of enjoyment.
But the WRX GT never got the memo. It’s trying too hard, and I felt beaten down after a week of rallying. The other Subarus offer so much more.
Among direct WRX competitors, the Golf R is very hard to beat.
Next week: Is Acura’s returning Integra a more fun small machine?