PassatDub
Moderator
Great article (From a fellow MR member) on a new model that already gets a ton of attention.
http://www.autobytel.com/subaru/impreza-wrx/reviews/2015-subaru-wrx-first-drive-121050/
http://www.autobytel.com/subaru/impreza-wrx/reviews/2015-subaru-wrx-first-drive-121050/
Four years of straight growth have put Subaru in an enviable position – one where it can introduce exciting new low volume models like the BRZ coupe and promise or deliver significant updates to each and every one of its sedans and crossovers within a short span of time. This includes the 2015 Subaru WRX, long the standard-bearer on the compact performance scene and a turbocharged automobile with a cult following that is as strong in Japan as it is in North America.
Married to the 2015 Subaru WRX’s truly world-class chassis is the brand’s trademark all-wheel drive system, which comes in two flavors thanks to the reintroduction of an automatic transmission option (more on that later). The manual car benefits from a viscous-coupling in the center differential that splits torque 50:50 between the front and rear axles, while auto-equipped models feature a more complex electronically-controlled clutch that maintains a slight rear bias (45:55) in order to impart a more sporting feel. Both setups can of course redistribute power should slippage be detected, making it an effective weapon not only when carving canyons but also when fighting the snowy, slushy weather that the WRX has traditionally devoured with a smile.
The move to include a continuously-variable automatic transmission on the 2015 Subaru WRX’s options sheet is one that was taken as a sign that the car had gone ‘soft’ by some enthusiasts, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The CVT, also largely a carry-over from the Forester XT, offers three modes (i, Sport, and Sport Sharp), with the latter two featuring enhanced throttle response as well as stepped shifting through six and eight ‘virtual’ gears, respectively. Paddle shifters are mounted to the car’s steering wheel, and the entire arrangement works remarkably well with regard to simulating a traditional automatic.
The real bonus for CVT buyers – which Subaru predicts will compose 20 percent of owners – is the car’s launch control feature, which abandons any stepped simulations in order to offer pure and unfettered acceleration at full throttle to 60-mph. Subaru is predicting a low five second performance in this metric for manual WRXs, with CVT’s clocking in above the five-and-a-half second mark. With practice, I’m fairly confident owners will be able to best both of those estimates.
A bigger issue for Subaru WRX fans is the elimination of the hatchback body style – a model that represented 50 percent of sales for 2013, and one that has long been the preferred option for those who must balance their thirst for performance with the practical concerns of day-to-day living. It’s a puzzling omission that becomes more understandable when told flat-out by Subaru that there simply wasn’t enough money in the coffers to develop two versions of the car and still achieve the high degree of differentiation between the WRX and the Impreza that is so important to the continued success of the car. A hatchback isn’t coming – one of the firmest comments on future product development I have heard in a long time from any group of auto executives – but if building a five-door WRX meant diluting Subaru's performance targets, then I think the right choice was ultimately made.