2018 Subaru WRX | Why Buy?

– Detroit, Michigan

Even before it made its way here in 2001, American car enthusiasts salivated over the Subaru WRX. An all-wheel-drive performance machine bred on Europe’s toughest rally stages? What was not to like? The car quickly became an icon, with  turbocharged power that could be deployed equally as effectively on paved roads as on snow or gravel.

The current version of the WRX was introduced for the 2015 model year; this 2018 model, revealed at this year's Detroit Auto Show, has a mild facelift and some small equipment tweaks. As ever, the focus is on performance, with a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four engine dishing out 268 horsepower and a punchy 258 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels.

Yet Subaru also wants to make the WRX easier to live with. The 2018 one, for instance, adds niceties like a rear armrest with cupholders, extra sound deadening to keep the cabin quiet, and a redesigned crash structure to improve safety in collisions. Still, going fast has not been forgotten: a new Performance pack adds red-painted brake calipers with upgraded pads, new wheels, and deletes the sunroof to save weight.

See what all those changes mean for the latest version of Subaru’s performance sedan in our latest Why Buy? video.

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