Subaru WRX GT tS Wagon full overview: enjoyable for the entire household

The automotive we now name the Subaru WRX wagon wasn’t at all times known as that. Nope, it began life because the Subaru Levorg which everybody thought was a bizarre identify that may battle to achieve traction out there.

So now it’s the WRX wagon as a result of… properly, in all probability as a result of it was a bizarre identify and didn’t acquire traction out there.

Regardless of what you name it, it was at all times a automotive that shared the underpinnings of the WRX sedan, so genuinely does should be known as a WRX. Provided you take into account the present WRX sedan worthy of it, that’s…

And I’ve to be sincere right here; I’m battling that.

It’s simply that the WRX wagon would not truly really feel like one thing that ought to have the identify WRX placed on it, although neither does the sedan, which was a wholly intentional transfer by Subaru.

The intention with this era when it launched was to mature the WRX, making it accessible to those that lusted after the originals when youthful and at the moment are sufficiently old to afford them, which I feel is arguably the good factor to do, and I’m usually not one for clinging to the previous or whining about desecrating a legendary identify. But nonetheless…

These lingering doubts apart, the trendy model is what the WRX is today is a really civilized, refined, mature, and comfy automotive.

The complete character of the automotive is outlined by how easy it’s, largely as a result of it has a CVT transmission. While CVTs are historically terrible, Subaru’s tackle it (that it calls SLT, which stands for ‘Subaru Lineartronic Transmission So Don’t Call it a CVT!’, or one thing like that) has at all times been top-of-the-line, and the pairing such a transmission with a strong engine that provides quite a lot of torque is the candy spot.

Its driving dynamics are the place it really looks like a correct efficiency automotive, feeling so completely planted and supremely assured in any situations. 

The engine itself is fantastically refined, but nonetheless with an fringe of the normal boxer rumble. Offering a brilliant easy energy supply, the WRX’s 2.4-litre turbo horizontally-opposed 4 isn’t “slam you again in your seat” quick, however as soon as it’s up and operating, the mid-range is superior.

The WRX options a number of drive modes (Normal, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus), and there’s a genuinely noticeable distinction between them, which is definitely not that widespread in quite a lot of fashionable vehicles.

Slap it into Sport or Sport Plus, and it genuinely offers the WRX a little bit of a punch by reprogramming the CVT shift patterns and weighting up the steering, however probably the most noticeable factor is the throttle response that turns into significantly sharper. It has a guide mode, however why hassle?

The WRX wagon really begins displaying its true colors the quicker you go – and strengthening its case that it’s truly a WRX. Its driving dynamics are the place it really looks like a correct efficiency automotive, feeling so completely planted and supremely assured in any situations. Even when it is moist, raining, and slippery, it simply hangs on, fully unfazed by dangerous climate or street situations.

Ride high quality is on the agency aspect, however not unpleasantly so; it feels agency sufficient to remind you that it’s truly a sporty automotive and really succesful automotive. Critically, it handles tough surfaces extremely properly – massive mid-corner bumps or hollows that might upset a lesser automotive, merely don’t hassle the WRX and it stays completely planted with no drama or hysterics. In conditions like that, rising up has positively been for the higher.

The entrance finish grip by the corners is mind-bogglingly good, however what impresses most is simply how forgiving it’s.

On winding again roads, the WRX is solely great: the steering is properly weighted and correct – although there’s a lack of really feel across the centre – and it turns in sharply and precisely.

The entrance finish grip by the corners is mind-bogglingly good, however what impresses most is simply how forgiving it’s; I completely screwed up one nook, moving into method too quick and needed to hammer arduous on the brakes, properly previous the apex, and the WRX simply did not care. It merely responded and went concerning the enterprise of getting across the nook. It genuinely is tough to get something unsuitable when going round a nook within the WRX.

The inside of the WRX is one other place that exhibits its modern-era maturity, reflecting how each era of Subaru recently has been a step up. The supplies used are very top quality, together with leather-based and suede on the sprint, and the Recaro seats are spectacularly grippy and impressively comfy.

In phrases of expertise, Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist system has been massively improved and, relatively than simply chiming and yelling at you on a regular basis, is now delicate, useful, and solely interferes whenever you truly must be yelled at.

While Subaru has made spectacular strides in truly getting affordable gas consumption out of horizontally-opposed engines, the WRX remains to be fairly abysmal on this regard. After some around-town commuting and open-road cruising, I used to be sitting on 13L/100km common gas consumption, which is frankly terrible. Even light open-road cruising resulted in 9.3L/100km, which remains to be not nice by fashionable requirements.

It’s not an SUV or perhaps a wagon with a barely raised trip top pretending to be an SUV. It’s only a wagon, and wagons are cool.

However, I genuinely do just like the WRX wagon – it would not do something unsuitable and, gas consumption apart, it does every thing just about proper. It merely destroys corners and is an exceptionally succesful, mature, grown-up automotive. It’s simply that I’d in all probability really prefer it extra if it was nonetheless known as a Levorg.

How a lot is the Subaru WRX GT tS Wagon?

Subaru has stored the pricing of the whole WRX vary good and easy – it is $69,990 for every thing. Regardless of whether or not your tastes lean in the direction of the shouty wings and guide transmission of the WRX tS Spec B, or the extra reserved wingless WRX 2.4T tS and WRX GT tS Wagon – each of that are automated –  you’ll be able to have it for $69,990.

What are the important thing statistics for the Subaru WRX GT tS Wagon?

The WRX Wagon makes use of the identical 202kW/350Nm 2.4-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine as the remainder of the vary. It makes use of Subaru’s ‘Lineartronic’ repeatedly variable automated transmission with a 8-speed ‘guide’ mode and pushes its energy to all 4 wheels through Subaru’s ‘Symetrical AWD” system.

Is the Subaru WRX GT tS Wagon environment friendly?

Not notably. Subaru claims a mixed common gas consumption of 8.5L/100km for the GT Wagon, however day by day driving returned double figures of as much as 13L/100km. And should you determine to take it for a little bit of an enthusiastic thrash… properly, you actually will not care what that does to the gas consumption anyway.

Is the Subaru WRX GT tS Wagon good to drive?

Yes it most actually is. While by no means is it the uncooked, visceral expertise driving a WRX as soon as was, it’s nonetheless a deeply satisfying automotive to throw right into a collection of corners. Stable, forgiving and unimaginable tenacious, the WRX destroys corners whereas additionally offering a surprisingly comfy trip. 

Is the Subaru WRX GT tS Wagon sensible?

It most actually is! It is a wagon, in spite of everything. This means it boasts 492 litres of boot house (up by 81 litres over the sedans) and a really respectable 1430 litres with the rear seats folded down. 

What will we like concerning the Subaru WRX GT tS Wagon?

The sheer brutal competence it shows on a winding street is deeply spectacular, whereas the truth that it stays a cushty and relaxed day by day driver is much more spectacular. Plus, it is a wagon: it isn’t an SUV or perhaps a wagon with a barely raised trip top pretending to be an SUV. It’s only a wagon, and wagons are cool.

What don’t we like concerning the Subaru WRX GT tS Wagon?

The gas consumption that’s made even worse by the actual fact it wants 95 octane petrol, each of which might truly be bearable if it had extra energy – 202kW/350Nm is completely high quality, however extra could be so significantly better, because the spectacular Honda Civic Type R exhibits, with its 235kW/420Nm for less than fractionally extra money. And due to that there’ll at all times be that nagging thought that it isn’t actually a WRX… 

What type of individual would the Subaru WRX GT tS Wagon swimsuit?

Exactly the form of individual Subaru is aiming it at – somebody who grew up lusting after WRXs and is now on the stage of life that they will afford one, however would now make outdated man noises climbing into one.