Subaru and I go way back. When I was a kid playing Gran Turismo — the first one, before PlayStations had numbered sequels and hideous markups — my two favourite cars in the game were the Dodge Viper GTS because of course, and the Impreza WRX STI Wagon. I liked that it was blue, I liked that it came with cool wheels, I liked that it sounded different, I liked that it was easy to drive fast, and I liked the idea of a sports car that could go anywhere and do anything. Some 25 years later, the 2024 Subaru WRX RS keeps that idea alive. I like this thing.
The new RS trim — TR in the U.S. — presents a compelling value proposition, blending the high-performance goodies of the top-skew GT model with a slightly lighter equipment load-out to create a very enthusiast-spec sports sedan. Lightweight wheels, huge Brembo brakes, Recaro seats, and bespoke tweaks to the steering and suspenders all combine to sharpen the already lively WRX into a pretty proper driver’s car.
In that pursuit of being a better driver’s car, the WRX loses its sunroof, navigation system, Harmon Kardon audio, and adaptive dampers. Perhaps the most important option this RS loses is the automatic transmission; these driver-grade Rexes are dictated exclusively by a close-ratio six-speed manual. This is the car we all wanted to see from Subaru when they announced this WRX a couple years ago, and I’m happy to report it was worth the wait.
The engine is unchanged. It’s the same turbocharged 2.4L-litre Boxer four-cylinder producing 271 horsepower, with the same distinct warble, the same booming drone at 1,500 rpm, and the same linear powerband. Subaru went to some length to smooth out the power delivery of this new generation of engine and it shows. It’s much more consistent and easier to drive than an older WRX and its bipolar turbo setup.
That character isn’t completely gone, though. The WRX RS still has a tick of old school turbo lag, with a satisfying whoosh of torque that comes with it to keep things interesting. It’s curious that the boost gauge indicates this is a pretty mild setup, never having spiked above a relatively milquetoast 13 psi of boost — whereas its nearest competitor, the VW GTI, pushes nearly 30 psi to make about the same power. It’s almost like Subaru intentionally left a lot of headroom on the table because they know what WRX enthusiasts usually do. Hmm.
The mandate of a DIY gearbox goes a long way towards enhancing the WRX’s fun factor. It greatly enhances its old-school charm, I enjoy that it has a proper handbrake, and I love that it doesn’t have drive modes. These always bother me, making me feel like I’m always missing out on something, wondering why it can’t just be calibrated properly once so as to be directed by the angle of the driver’s right ankle. Car companies foregoing this tomfoolery today are few and far between.
The WRX RS’ transmission is one of the few manuals on the market that I would file under “good.” I feel like an increasing number of them are held back by balky shifters, awkward clutches, and fun-sucking rev hang, creating a problematic disconnect in what’s supposed to be a direct connection for the driver. The WRX has none of those issues; the shifter is tight, the clutch is easy enough to read, there’s hardly any nanny-state throttle manipulation. It all contributes so much to feeling like a car you can connect with and have fun.
That fun only gets better as the road gets twisty, as the tweaks to this WRX’s steering and suspensers really wake it up. The steering is sharp — almost too sharp, such that it might feel artificially eager to some. Despite being a little over-eager on-centre, it weights up nicely and turns in incredibly well, even if it’s pretty void of feel. The WRX RS is still fun to chuck around despite this, as it displays some of the best handling balance I’ve ever encountered in a Subaru. There’s an abundance of mechanical grip to dial out the chronic understeer that’s plagued past WRXs, too, no doubt alleviated by the super sticky Bridgestone Potenza S007 running shoes.
In typical Subaru fashion, the WRX RS really comes into its own on loose surfaces. It’s hilarious to chuck around, calling back to the DNA of every rally-bred WRX that preceded it. In much the same way as its forebears, the WRX RS demands to be driven hard, redlined, kept on a rolling boil, and thrown into corners, counting on the gloriously mechanical all wheel drive system to pull you out of whatever situation your exuberance has created. Unlike Rexes of old, however, it doesn’t fall apart on dry pavement. The RS is still just as much of a riot thanks to the balance imbued by its chassis tweaks.
Once it’s time to slow down, the RS handles itself about as well as any other Subie, for the most part. There’s a little more road noise than you might expect, and the ride is hard, but it’s not too punishing. The Recaro seats are glorious, the driving position is good, visibility is terrific because it’s a Subaru after all, there’s piles of room in the back seat and trunk, and the rear doors even open 90 degrees for ease of access. The WRX RS is even pretty decent on fuel, logging an average thirst of 10.9 L/100 km in my week with it. That’s pretty fantastic for a sporty, turbocharged, all-wheel-drive car that was being driven like a sporty, turbocharged, all-wheel-drive car.
This generation of WRX may have been the target of ire upon its launch, but that’s just tradition. Any new WRX always get torn apart until everyone calms down and remembers that Subaru actually kind of does know what it’s doing, and that’s plainly on display here. This is the car we wanted from day one, and like every WRX before it, it’s brilliant specifically because it fulfills my and many others’ fantasies from Gran Turismo. The 2024 Subaru WRX RS is a sports car that can go anywhere and do anything, forging its own path and making a riot out of it along the way.
