The WRX is a wild child in the Subaru family, a favorite among rally drivers and other motorsport enthusiasts. It’s armed with a 271-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine that goes from zero to 60 mph in a number of seconds you can count on one hand.

For 2024, Subaru makes its EyeSight group of active safety systems a standard feature on all WRX models, and likewise an 11.6-inch infotainment display. But the major news is the addition of the TR trim to the lineup.

Slotted between the mid-level Limited and top-tier GT models, the TR comes equipped with 19-inch wheels, and high-performance Brembo brakes that enhance stopping power, fade resistance, and pedal feel. Compared to other WRX models, the TR has stiffer springs, revised damping rates, and a retuned steering rack for better body control, steering response, and ride quality.

TR models also come with grippy Bridgestone Potenza tires which, in combination with Subaru’s trademark standard all-wheel drive, give the car virtually foolproof stability.

A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the base, Premium, Limited and TR models. A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is optional on Premium and Limited trims, but standard on the GT.

I drove the WRX TR and spent the week as a failed imaginary rally racer and sports car enthusiast. The shifter and clutch pedal require more effort than I (a wuss) like to expend on gear changes. A video of me shifting in the WRX would look like slo-mo. By the way, in 0-to-60 track testing, the CVT is faster than the manual anyway. I can’t outshift many mortals, but mortals can’t outshift a tech transmission.

With its grip, suspension, and steering upgrades, the WRX TR handles like a gold medalist on winding roads and tight corners, delivering excellent goods when it comes to

fun driving. On the highway, the ride is on the rigid side but not unpleasantly so. It’s a sports car, after all.

Recaro front seats are standard on the TR, providing ultra comfortable and supportive seating. Typical of small sports sedans, there’s not a lot of room in the back, but the area is usable enough. Rear seats are foldable and there’s a 12.5 cubic-feet trunk, so the WRX offers decent practicality along with its sports-car enthusiast magnetism.

Subaru’s mostly user-friendly Starlink multimedia system, standard on my TR tester, includes navigation, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM, a celestial Harman Kardon 11-speaker sound system and more.

EPA fuel economy ratings for the 2024 WRX TR tester are 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined.

2024 SUBARU WRX TR

Base price, including destination charge: $42,775

Price as driven: $42,775

Mary Lowry is a member of the Motor Press Guild and a member and past president of the Northwest Automotive Press Association. She lives in Snohomish County. Vehicles are provided by automotive manufacturers as a one-week loan for evaluation purposes only. Manufacturers do not control content of the reviews.