Daily Archives: December 16, 2013

2015 Subaru WRX: The Street-Legal Rally Car Gets Sharper

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/12/16/2015-subaru-wrx-review-first-drive/?ncid=edlinkusauto00000017&ts=1387215748

This particular article has some more talk of how Subaru decided to ax the hatch model:

What’s super sad, though, is that people won’t necessarily be buying the new model for its functionality, either – the hatchback bodystyle is dead, and Subaru has no plans to resurrect it. When asked about the decision to kill the five-door, the company’s engineers said that, basically, it came down to money – spend it on making two bodystyles, or pump that cash into the chassis and powertrain development. Subaru would rather have one great-driving car than two that are simply good. I get that logic, but let’s just say I don’t want to be the one to have to explain it to the 50-percent of previous WRX buyers who opted for the more functional, better-looking five-door.

And here’s another paragraph that caught my eye (due to all the whining that the car is ugly):

The WRX has never been a particularly pretty thing, and the new model does nothing to break that trend, despite its decidedly hot concept car roots. Then again, you don’t have to look at the sheet metal while you’re driving (I’ve used this same logic with prior versions of the car), and even Subaru’s executives know that people aren’t buying this thing for its glamor.

Overall, a good review.

2015 Subaru WRX Reviews

http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/driven/1403_2015_subaru_wrx_review/

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-subaru-wrx-sedan-first-drive-review?src=spr_GOOGLE_PLUS_PAGE&spr_id=1458_35464575

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1312_2015_subaru_wrx_first_test/

All of the reviews are pretty good, considering that these are still pre-production cars.  At least one magazine said that a full review would be done relatively soon, so we should have an in-depth review to read, “relatively soon.”

At least one mag also tested the car in the 0-60 and quarter mile:

In straight-line testing, our 3330-pound tester, a top-of-the-line Limited with the six-speed manual, proved slower than the 2013 WRX Special Edition (4.7 seconds, 13.5 seconds at 100.0 mph) and the 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR (5.1 seconds, 13.8 seconds at 100.0 mph), with 0 to 60 mph coming in 5.5 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.0 seconds at 98.1 mph. Quick, for sure, and quicker than the 3193-pound 252-horsepower Ford Focus ST (5.9 seconds, 14.6 seconds at 95.9 mph), but well off the times of the 3195-pound WRX SE and the 3631-pound Evo MR. What’s with the weight gain? Chalk it up to additional safety structures and new equipment such as a power moonroof and harman/kardon audio. The silver lining: road test editor Scott Mortara noted that a better launch could easily drop the times a couple tenths, and in our handling and braking tests, the WRX flat-out exceled. Max lateral acceleration registered at 0.96 g, a level of adhesion that matches the Evo MR and easily outgrips the WRX SE (0.92). Figure eight? A speedy run of 25.3 seconds – 0.2 second behind the Evo but 0.3 ahead of the SE.

There’s only a 60-lb weight gain between the old and new WRX…that does not account for the huge discrepancy in the 0-60 and quarter mile, though.  The 2015 will never be as fast as that 2013 WRX SE they tested, mainly because the 2013 was equipped with a 5-sp manual, while all 2015s will be equipped with either a CVT or a 6-sp manual.  Yes, that means the 2015 now has an extra shift point, just as the GR/GV STIs did…remember everyone stating that the WRX was quicker like it was some magic sauce that Subaru had applied to their go-fast concoction?  Well, the reason why it was faster was because the STI has closer-ratio gears…a driver has to shift the STI before the end of the 0-60 and quarter mile, which means it’s going to finish both events slower than the 2013 WRX.

Also, look at the other data…the max lateral acceleration and figure eight results…ahead of the 2013 SE  in both cases and ahead of the Evo in one.  That’s not bad at all.