Subaru’s WRX sport compact sedan is rooted in rally car racing and has the trappings to prove it. A sophisticated 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivers 271 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, sent to Subaru’s famed all-wheel drive system for excellent stability. Manual and automatic transmissions are available, both optimized to make driving enthusiasts happy.
The 2024 WRX comes in Base, Premium, Limited, TR, and GT trim levels. The TR model was a new addition, laser-focused on enthusiasts. Brakes, suspension, steering, wheels and tires were upgraded from the other trims, and Recaro Performance Design front seats were installed as a standard feature, providing increased support for performance driving.
For 2025, the TR is replaced by a WRX tS trim, positioned in the lineup’s same spot. The tS name stands for “tuned by STI” and STI stands for Subaru Tecnica International, the brand’s motorsports program and performance division. To keep the initialism roll going here, I’ll throw in the meaning of WRX: World Rally eXperimental.
The WRX tS upgrades the TR upgrades with higher-performance brakes and tires. It adds Drive Mode Select, previously available only on the GT, with STI-tuned dampers for tailoring performance to Comfort, Normal, and Sport settings.
A wild array of interior and exterior enhancements, infotainment features, and driver assistance equipment is standard on the tS.
The Subaru WRX is among cars favored by boy racers, a term used for young guys who like to modify cars and drive them, shall we say, more enthusiastically than the average bear. I’ve never been mistaken for a boy racer, but the WRX tS’s high performance and hot handling weren’t completely lost on me (boy racers would disagree and I don’t blame them). What impressed me most about the WRX tS was the precise shifting of its six-speed manual transmission, rapid acceleration and tight-turning prowess all being delivered while maintaining a peaceful cabin. The car’s handsome styling is another major attraction.
Exact pricing for the 2025 WRX wasn’t available at the time of this writing, but the base model is estimated to start at $34,000, the top-level GT at $46,000, and the tS at $43,000.
Official fuel economy ratings weren’t available either, but the 2025 WRX tS is expected to achieve 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined.
2025 SUBARU WRX tS
Base price: $43,000 estimated
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.
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