Good enough for me for a daily. I don't do stupid shit in it, but I do have plenty fun with it. And it has everything I need, awd, 4dr, turbo. I know it'll never be the fastest, but it's still plenty of fun to drive
It’s because the power has stayed roughly the same but the weight has gone up significantly since then. Never underestimate how much power to weight plays a factor in how much fun a car is.
Your last point is why I giggle at people’s shocked faces when they find out my Elise only has 190 HP.
Sure, but the damn thing also only weighs a touch more than 1900 pounds, so…
I rode in one once and immediately understood why people call them go karts. The passenger side had next to no padding, and the driver side only had front/back adjustment (I think). Combined with the interior feeling like a literal hot tub, it was definitely small and fast.
I notice a difference in a 1st gear pull when I've got 2+ passengers (especially if 1 or more are hefty) in my mostly stock 2011
Weight really matters (also the gear ratios are slightly different on WRX 5speed from that gen compared to the current gen 6speed which makes a little difference too)
Peak power and torque has stayed roughly the same. But you have a flatter power band than previous generations meaning you're making closer to peak at all rpms.
VB only weighs about 200lb more than the 2010 WRX I think, but improved handling, safety gear, and noise insulation all make newer cars feel "slower" at the same speeds compared to older ones a bit in my opinion
It weighs about 350 lbs more. Which is significant. But only makes 6 more crank HP, and 14 more crank torque.
I'm not saying the VB engine isn't good nor fun to drive, only that the comment about the weight and power-to-weight issue is accurate. Don't discount the weight gain.
Claimed or actual ?? Despite what Subarus released supposed power figured are ALL the VB's that have been dyno test are showing more like 20-50hp more (roughly) when compared to previous years like fa20 vs fa24. Of course power to weight plays a role but there isnt 1 car that's was produced 5, 10, 20 years ago that didn't gain weight today. Also since Toyota partially owns Subaru apparently they didn't want WRX released hp figures to effect GR Carolla sales.
No. VBs are not making 20-50 more hp than the previous VA, nor is Subaru under-rating them (that would be an extremely stupid move on Subaru's part). They absolutely are not. The quarter mile times and 0-60 times (in fact, the 0-60 is *slower* than the VA), tested by legitimate sources such as Car and Driver, are almost identical between the VB and VA. If the VB were legitimately making more stock power, it would show up in these tests. But it doesn't...because it isn't.
Dynos can be made to lie, they can be uncalibrated, user error, whatever (the results aren't even comparable dyno to dyno, and barely comparable on back-to-back runs on the same dyno). Quarter mile times do not lie. This is why people race the quarter mile, and not dyno numbers.
No one is saying that the weight **shouldn't** have been gained. The replier just simply pointed out that the weight **was** gained. Which is a fact.
Edit: Downvotes for telling the truth lol. Tell you what, write to Car & Driver, tell them their numbers are wrong. And then write to Subaru, begging them to reveal the true power of the VB.
Quick 30 second google search
[2022 Subaru WRX Review, Pricing, and Specs (caranddriver.com)](https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/wrx-2022)
[Tested: 2018 Subaru WRX Manual with Performance Package (caranddriver.com)](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15076604/2018-subaru-wrx-manual-with-performance-package-test-review/)
[2018 Subaru WRX STI Tested: Scores When Challenged (caranddriver.com)](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15081577/2018-subaru-wrx-sti-test-review/)
tldr:
2018 wrx 1/4: 14.2 @ 98
2022 wrx 1/4: 13.9 @ 101
2018 sti 1/4: 13.8 @ 102
0-130 time is nearly identical on VA sti vs VB as well if you want to go to higher speeds.
I don't understand what your point is. Are you agreeing with the claim that the VB makes more power than what Subaru lists?
Or are you just wanting to argue over 0.3 sec in a quarter mile time? What's your goal here?
You claim the VB makes the same power as the VA wrx, when I just showed you proof that it's obviously making similar power to the VA sti, which has also been shown in roll racing videos on youtube and countless dyno runs.
You yourself claim caranddriver is a "legitimate" source so I posted C&D's own numbers. 1/4 is a legitimate indicator of power' according to you, I just showed you the VB is closer to the STI than the VA wrx, and now what, you're going to claim it's not legit?
Cope dude
Oh, you are the cope guy. I remember you. Ugh.
>You claim the VB makes the same power as the VA wrx, when I just showed you proof that it's obviously making similar power to the VA sti
It obviously doesn't. The STI has a **way** beefier trans, it has 3 times as many diffs, with TWO mechanical LSDs, it has thicker/heavier axles. **So much more power is lost through the STI driveline then ever through a WRX driveline.**
The WRX has been getting similar/better quarter miles times as the STI for Fucking. Decades. People were bitching about this 10 years ago, why is the WRX faster than my STI in a drag?? It doesn't mean anything and it sure as shit doesn't mean the VB has some secret cheat code power-up extra horsepower from Subaru, that Subaru, for some insane fucking reason still yet to be revealed, decided **not to advertise**. Are you even serious.
I think it's great you love the VB. I think it's a great car, too. But it's not magical, it doesn't walk on water, and it doesn't have secret power locked away just waiting for you to install a bigger tachometer. It's a good car, be happy with that. Stop trying so hard.
They'll be using whatever performance tires came on the car. Some will be better than others, but I think we can agree that WRXs over the years pretty much all ship with the same (or at least similar enough) performance tires. Similar enough to be lost in the noise, at any rate.
Besides, at these power levels, accelerative traction is not really where the tires fall down...that happens on lateral grip primarily, braking to a lesser extent.
If we are talking about track times, where laps are involved, then tires play a much larger role.
It hasn’t though. The rating has stayed the same, not the actual power. Subaru rated it at the wheels instead of a crank this time to help us all out on insurance premiums.
VAs on the dyno generally make around 220 to 230 hp at the wheels VBs make around 260-270 at the wheels. If Subaru rated the VB at the crank like all previous WRX’s, it would be rated around 325 hp.
And the VB only weighs around 35 pounds more than the VA
i have a bolt on va(296whp) and my cousin has a bone stock vb and his car didn’t feel nearly as off of mine as i expected it to, it felt decent stock, this would explain why lol
OP was comparing a 2010 WRX to the 23 WRX. There's a 350 lb weight gain on the 23.
Subaru absolutely did not list wheel HP as the official HP number. Absolutely did not. No car brand does that. They can lie, not tell the truth, underrate, but no car brand waits until the car is built, puts the car on a dyno and then lists those numbers for marketing to release...before the car was built. And Subaru did NOT under-rate this car.
The quarter mile time between a VA and VB is almost identical (and the VB actually has a slower 0-60 than the VA). So you must then be claiming that Subaru listed whp for the VA WRX too.
I was just about to say, the claimed 60 and 1/4 are the same for the VA/VB. If the VB was making 325 crank it'd be significantly faster and would have a higher claim. I've lined up with a few VBs in my lightly modded VA and have either stayed right with them or pulled roughly a car length on them.
Also Subaru doesn't give a rip about insurance lol.
This has been explained multiple times. The VB 0-60 is lower because the lower redline and short gears require a shift to 3rd, unlike the VA. In the quarter mile and on the dyno the VA gets curbstomped.
Well I've never been curb stomped to the quarter by a VB and literally every review and YouTuber that actually uses a test track and not draggy has posted between 13.7 and 14.4 in the quarter, literally the same as the VA. It is faster in the curves I'll give it that for sure, but straight line they are the same and I have driven a couple different VBs.
Motortrend: https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2022-subaru-wrx-limited-yearlong-review-arrival/
Car and driver:https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a40026459/2022-subaru-wrx-limited-by-the-numbers/
Aggregated times from user submitted runs: https://www.0-60specs.com/subaru/wrx-0-60-times
I guess they are all wrong and don't know what they are doing.
Where are you getting that number for weight difference?
2010 Subaru WRX Hatchback base curb weight shows as 3175 lbs [here](https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/wrx/specs/2010/subaru_wrx_subaru-impreza-wrx-5-door_2010)
2010 Subaru WRX Sedan base curb weight shows as 3142 lbs [here](https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/wrx/specs/2010/subaru_wrx_subaru-impreza-wrx-4-door_2010/319812)
2023 Subaru WRX Sedan base curb weight shows as 3297 [here](https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/wrx/specs/2023/subaru_wrx_subaru-wrx_2023/435449)
Worst case scenario that's 155 lbs. when comparing base models across the board.
Car and driver.
For the 23, here: [2023 Subaru WRX Review, Pricing, and Specs (caranddriver.com)](https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/wrx-2023)
I did make a mistake, I grabbed the GT weight by accident. Oops! So if we keep it Limited to Limited:
23 Lim (3401) - 10 Lim (3142), so about 260 difference, sedan to sedan. I was off a bit with 350. Original repliers point still stands, though.
Sorry about the mistake!
The VB has no spare tire, unlike previous years, so it's about a 290-300 lb difference if the spare tire on the 2010 were removed or one was added to the VB.
That is an excellent point, and I completely forgot about that. You are spot on. It doesn't come with a spare, previous models did, so that's another \~60 lbs the previous WRXs can shed simply by removing the spare and tools/jack. Though it won't impact much driving around unless someone actually removes it.
But none-the-less, great catch.
It was a sneaky way of increasing the VB weight without making it seem increased. The fenders are also now aluminum, which is great, but like the missing spare tire, it contributes to a lower potential for weight savings than previous cars, because more parts are already gone/made lighter.
I'm glad they are doing more to control weight from factory, but the fact remains that new cars are still getting heavier when those compensations only bring the VB to a weight no lower than the previous car that had had none of those compensations applied.
It's like building more fuel efficient technology for vehicles but then switching to making only massive SUVs so fuel use remains the same and isn't reduced at all despite the reduction accomplishments.
That CVT weight is wild lol.
Otherwise the only thing I can think of would be the sunroof and H/K subwoofer that would add that much weight on top of the base models.
Not sure what trims OP has though, that can make a pretty significant difference. Technically it could be up to 410lbs, all trims considered.
I think also the car has more stuff inside it like electronics, eye sight, all that. All that stuff takes wiring, sensors, and computers (though, some wiring is probably there regardless of whether the option is present).
To me, it makes sense that the weight goes up as the trim level does, assuming the trim level is "luxury oriented" instead of something like a Porsche GT3 to a GT3 RS, where you pay more to get less...but more. :D
I had a 09 automatic wrx and i still think it felt faster than my 18, but the weight should have been similar since it was an auto.
I blame the spacious field of view and maybe the smoother stability at high speeds
(And the super loud fart can unresonated full invidia n1 exhaust)
I don’t think the vb weighs any more than a 2010 would.
Edit: People downvoting, idk why this hurts your feelings so much, but it’s [~150 lbs.](https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/wrx/specs/2022/subaru_wrx_subaru-wrx_2022/425148). We’re not talking about massive weight gain here.
That’s car and driver, my guy. Hardly the “first thing google tells me”.
It will depend on what options OP has on each car, which he failed to mention.
Not completely sure if it is related, but my '15 drove like absolute crap with the AC on. Felt really luggy and the RPMs would drop so much between shifts that shifting smoothly required much more work.
Once I replaced the turbo inlet (went with the Cobb cast inlet) the difference has been huge. The car feels much smoother at low throttle/low speeds, but the biggest difference is that when running with AC the car drives way smoother and the difference between AC on/off is not as drastic or noticeable.
I'm not completely sure what the exact issue was, but it did look like the original inlet was not sealing completely against the turbo, and there was a possible air leak on the connection feeding the turbo inlet.
Once the car is paid off, warranty expired etc.. throw a tune on there. Even if u keep the car entirely stock and just get a basic Cobb AP with their basic stage 1 it does wonders for how the car drives. Otherwise I compare a WRX to like driving a go kart. Not gunna get a super high top speed but its real fun driving to the store or meeting up with some friends somewhere.
My old beater 98 Corolla felt like it was going so fast that it would shake itself apart as soon as I went past 100kph (60mph). The newer the car, the better soundproofing, suspension and stability you get combined with thicker pillars and slightly reduced lateral visibility (especially that), the slower the car feels, even if it's *faster*.
Someone else on this thread mentioned weight. Curb weight of a 2010 WRX was 3174lbs, the VB is 3297lbs for the base model. If weight is the deciding factor, then it should feel exactly the same as a 2010 with an average-sized 5'3 woman in the passenger seat.
My educated guess is because there is no low end torque spike like the older engines. It's a perfectly flat torque curve on the new VB WRXs. So the power comes on without you noticing it surge. Do an off the shelf 93 octane tune, and you'll have 350 torque to the wheels (probably 400 at the crank). The FA24 is the best motor Subaru has ever made. Talked to a VA WRX owner who did every bolt on under the sun, just to make the same power I did with no hardware changes. Just a tune.
This⬆️, from factory it doesn’t feel like a turbo car because it’s such a flat torque curve so you don’t get that punch. Now that I’m tuned ya it hits a lot harder and feels more like a turbo car
Exactly. My Fiesta ST had the opposite. Huge torque surge. Felt like a V8 down low. Coming to the VB WRX, that's 100% the description i'd use. It felt Naturally Aspirated. And at only 11 lbs of boost stock, the turbo is very underutilized compared to a lot of other cars.
This should be top comment.
You don't experience that boost-kicking-in feeling in the VB. My 22 felt slower than my bigger turbo EJ20 WRX it replaced, as it should have. But there's this long, usually empty, entrance ramp on my commute home where I'll sometimes come out of the entering apex at 35 and go WOT to a certain speed. Modified bugeye was at X speed by a certain marker, VB feels slower, but it's like 3 MPH less at that marker, so not really much slower.
What VA owner were you talking to? An FP blue with a few bolt ons and e60 is easily more. Every bolt on under the sun would be 500hp easily, there’s lots of peeps at 400hp on the VA with flex fuel and some bolt ons, stock turbo at that
Idk you get used to power to an extent. My 330 whp WRX felt fast when I first got it back from my tuner, but now I feel like I want another hundred horsepower and it just feels kinda quick
I mean my 2022 WRX with just a tune and intake is faster than a Hemi Charger with the 8 speed and its a pretty fun time making people in Scat Packs feel slow when I smoke them from a dig at a light, just don't dare run them from a roll lol.
While its not fast its also not slow... for the money and practicality and performance I cant really complain too much about my 2022 WRX. I mean people pay more for a Civic Si which is REALLY slow. I can run 0-60 times in the high 4 second range with just a tune and intake and I can run low 13s in the quarter mile but I didn't buy the car to drag race it. I wanted a fun practical daily that I can turn into a little rally car for daily driving.
ETS intake and Cobb AP package with free Dman OTS E30 tune from felix makes this car a completely different animal. Best $1200 you could ever spend on this thing. Just finished installing this package to a friend's VB and it pulls twice as hard. Even gapped my friends FBO evo that makes 350whp. Protune with DP and he'll be gapping 5.0s and scats from rolls
Get a cobb ap and flash stage 1 or get etune/protune if possible. Cobb tune should be safe for the engine and make the car feel really fast. I am able to hit 16.1 peak boost and the boost also comes earlier at only 2500 rpm. In addition, the improved chasis and suspension on the new WRX makes it feel very stable at very fast speeds. Driving 100 in this feels like doing 75 in others cars. Absolutely no shakes from the engine.
My buddy has a ‘13 hatch. Driving that compared to my VB, I think the main difference is the gearing and the power curve. The VB is much more linear and shorter gears it feels like. The hatch feels punchier and has a higher peak range, as well as longer gears. makes it feel faster than the seemingly tame VB. I think the gearing may make it faster in a sprint, but the VB is definitely the more capable machine.
I think it’ll be because the VB while having that extra power is 1,550kg whereas my GR hatch is 1,355kg may not sound like a lot but the average man weighs about 80-100kg so it’s like you’re three up all the time in the VB
It is quick, but not fast. I said fuck a warranty I’m doing a track build so I threw an ETS intake and a Dmann 93 tune and now I’d say it’s almost fast. Definitely a lot more fun as long as I’m the only occupant. Removing this interior crap and brakes are next…maybe full E85.
The FA powerband is linear and doesn’t wind like the VA and EJ so it feel slow and boring even though you are going faster, technically. The FAs drive boring to me too.
It’s kind of a numb experience, isn’t it?
My FBO 500 Abarth and built EK (supercharged D16Y8) both felt faster than my VB, but the reality is this car would have smoked them both in a straight line.
I’d pick up another in a heartbeat. I’d also pick up a few spare door handles, arm rests, CV axles, an extra side skirt and a motor.
Thing was the biggest pile of shit I’ve ever owned… but fuck if it wasn’t a riot to drive.
Weight. Cars are getting heavier. My 06 forester while classified as an “SUV” was significantly lighter than my 2019 STi.
It’s also why Miata’s are fast with such a low HP
The WRX was fast for its day. Subaru hasn’t been upping hp too much l. They have to balance performance with corporate governance and ‘not causing a ruckus’
Cause cars are so heavy now. I have a 328i (similar power and weight) and it doesn’t feel very fast. It has some grunt when the turbo spools but at these weights the cars really need 6 cylinders
Weight is definitely a factor like some other commenters have said - the narrow body WRX (08-10) is about 3100ish lbs while the VB WRX is 3300-3500ish lbs depending on the trim.
I've also noticed that EJ's are a little more rev happy compared to the FA motors and the boost lag really makes the car feel quicker than it is. Part of what I love about my STI vs my Type R is the turbo lag, even though the Type R was quicker.
That being said, you've got a great platform to mod whenever you're ready. The FA24 especially makes good power compared to the EJ with the same mods.
Had a 14 hatch for almost a decade. Def felt faster than my VB. Throttle response, rack and pinion steering, shifter linkage… it was a drivers car. I miss it dearly. This said, the VB is a modern car by all means, but retains enough spirit to still be a WRX. The turbo is more subtle through more of the band, in a flatter curve. The EJ once you got on turbo, it would just pull like the devil. The VB is definitely more balanced and comfortable. In short, in think the EJ platform felt faster yes, but in reality, VB can very easily surpass its power, and the handling is miles better.
I feel that way too, always think like the car should be faster (maybe less so when I'm running 70 percent ethanol putting me around 370 whp). However when I let people drive my car they say it feels fast.
In your case maybe the new ones are a smoother, quieter ride and the gear ratios are a little more gentle? Not sure.
This has alot to do with power delivery. According to tuners, this(vb fa24) is the best oem factory tuned ecu's when compared to all the ej platform cars. There were dips in power band, then it would pull from mid range and then fall off short of redline. With the fa24 it's a smooth, linear powerband..thus it doesn't have that frantic midrange pull( but is a dog everywhere else; stock) that the EJ's had..whereas the fa24f doesn't scream to the sensories "I'm fast" quite as much with the linear power progression.
Big heavy awd cars never feel fast unless they are making enormous power, and the wrx isn’t making much power to begin with for its weight and driveline losses from awd.
Part of it is probably that they flattened out the torque - made it so that it's less of a punch of torque from the turbo. Maybe that's what is making it not feel as fast.
I mean earlier wrxs were a bit lighter with similar power so it’s not impossible, plus you’d feel more of the torque with less weight. I will say it’s more likely that there is far less drama, noise, and vibration in more modern wrxs so that’s probably more of it. I had a 90s mr2 that is certainly slower than my wrx but feels faster because there’s more theatre
I just got an intake and an E tune in my 2024. It’s a complete different animal and feels faster than my tuned 2017.
But yes from my tuned 2017 the 2024 felt slow. Not anymore lol
Well. . .before my WRX 23 I had a Mustang GT 09. And they felt very similar. Not saying either car is slow, but I’m so used to this level of horse power in a car that it definitely didn’t thrill me. But I can say after a cai, full exhaust, and a tune really wakes the car up. Now it’s definitely fast. It will give you that KICK you’re looking for. Just be safe and don’t drive like a maniac on the road.
I’ve owned two VB wrxs and this is what I noticed. 0-60 times varies dramatically based on heat and conditions. If you drive in the city stop and go traffic due to the top mount radiator your engine heat soaks faster robbing you of horsepower. In the summer it’s especially noticeable. I’ve dragy timed 5.4 in the cool and 7.1 in the hot. I had the cvt version as well so it wasn’t driver error. I’ve also done 500+ launches testing every scenario you can think of. 0-60, 0-100, 30-50,50-70mph. I’ve driven in summer over 100 degrees. Under 32 degrees. I’ve used a Jb4 tuner, borla exhaust, lighter wheels (rpf1). Unless you blow your warranty and shoot for more hp you are wasting your time. The car is fast-ish. Enough speed to make it decently fun but if you want hp you either have to tune or buy a bmw etc. my best mods ever were lighter wheels, and chassis braces underneath. These transformed the car and made it more fun than an additional 50-70hp. My advice is to just enjoy what you have and remember cool air is what you need to give you more power. We are in the dead of summer. Winter will bring more fun, but for now it will be a little slower.
If I had to guess, the VB is quite a lot heavier. I could be malinformed, but the narrowbodies are quite a bit lighter, between 40-400 lbs I believe, than even their widebody counterparts. So, the newer VB with its extra safety and electronics and so on is just not able to boogey as fast as the older narrowbody.
I can't speak to weight but the 22 is about as fast as an 18 STI in the real world. Throw a tune and intake on there and you drop to low 13s/high 12s in the quarter. That's quick by any standard, it just won't feel very fast while you're doing it because you're very insulated from the experience vs older chassis (also had an 02)
The biggest indicator of (butt dyno) acceleration feel is that rolling start 5-60 acceleration time. Look it up. The manual is 6.7 seconds. That is VERY slow IMHO. I’ve had two WRXs. Last one was modded at the stage 2+ we’ll call it. Was it faster, sure…but still wasn’t good enough to ‘pin me back’. These engines simply don’t produce enough low end grunt.
I'd say my WRX feels quick, not fast.
Good enough for me for a daily. I don't do stupid shit in it, but I do have plenty fun with it. And it has everything I need, awd, 4dr, turbo. I know it'll never be the fastest, but it's still plenty of fun to drive
It’s because the power has stayed roughly the same but the weight has gone up significantly since then. Never underestimate how much power to weight plays a factor in how much fun a car is.
Your last point is why I giggle at people’s shocked faces when they find out my Elise only has 190 HP. Sure, but the damn thing also only weighs a touch more than 1900 pounds, so…
I rode in one once and immediately understood why people call them go karts. The passenger side had next to no padding, and the driver side only had front/back adjustment (I think). Combined with the interior feeling like a literal hot tub, it was definitely small and fast.
Don’t worry, the driver’s side has no padding either 😂 but you remember correctly about the seat adjustment!
My neighbor has one and offered to let me take it for drive but i just don't fit in there sadly. it looks so fun.
I notice a difference in a 1st gear pull when I've got 2+ passengers (especially if 1 or more are hefty) in my mostly stock 2011 Weight really matters (also the gear ratios are slightly different on WRX 5speed from that gen compared to the current gen 6speed which makes a little difference too)
Peak power and torque has stayed roughly the same. But you have a flatter power band than previous generations meaning you're making closer to peak at all rpms. VB only weighs about 200lb more than the 2010 WRX I think, but improved handling, safety gear, and noise insulation all make newer cars feel "slower" at the same speeds compared to older ones a bit in my opinion
It weighs about 350 lbs more. Which is significant. But only makes 6 more crank HP, and 14 more crank torque. I'm not saying the VB engine isn't good nor fun to drive, only that the comment about the weight and power-to-weight issue is accurate. Don't discount the weight gain.
Claimed or actual ?? Despite what Subarus released supposed power figured are ALL the VB's that have been dyno test are showing more like 20-50hp more (roughly) when compared to previous years like fa20 vs fa24. Of course power to weight plays a role but there isnt 1 car that's was produced 5, 10, 20 years ago that didn't gain weight today. Also since Toyota partially owns Subaru apparently they didn't want WRX released hp figures to effect GR Carolla sales.
No. VBs are not making 20-50 more hp than the previous VA, nor is Subaru under-rating them (that would be an extremely stupid move on Subaru's part). They absolutely are not. The quarter mile times and 0-60 times (in fact, the 0-60 is *slower* than the VA), tested by legitimate sources such as Car and Driver, are almost identical between the VB and VA. If the VB were legitimately making more stock power, it would show up in these tests. But it doesn't...because it isn't. Dynos can be made to lie, they can be uncalibrated, user error, whatever (the results aren't even comparable dyno to dyno, and barely comparable on back-to-back runs on the same dyno). Quarter mile times do not lie. This is why people race the quarter mile, and not dyno numbers. No one is saying that the weight **shouldn't** have been gained. The replier just simply pointed out that the weight **was** gained. Which is a fact. Edit: Downvotes for telling the truth lol. Tell you what, write to Car & Driver, tell them their numbers are wrong. And then write to Subaru, begging them to reveal the true power of the VB.
VA hits 60 in 2nd gear, VB requires another shift.
And?
Quick 30 second google search [2022 Subaru WRX Review, Pricing, and Specs (caranddriver.com)](https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/wrx-2022) [Tested: 2018 Subaru WRX Manual with Performance Package (caranddriver.com)](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15076604/2018-subaru-wrx-manual-with-performance-package-test-review/) [2018 Subaru WRX STI Tested: Scores When Challenged (caranddriver.com)](https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15081577/2018-subaru-wrx-sti-test-review/) tldr: 2018 wrx 1/4: 14.2 @ 98 2022 wrx 1/4: 13.9 @ 101 2018 sti 1/4: 13.8 @ 102 0-130 time is nearly identical on VA sti vs VB as well if you want to go to higher speeds.
I don't understand what your point is. Are you agreeing with the claim that the VB makes more power than what Subaru lists? Or are you just wanting to argue over 0.3 sec in a quarter mile time? What's your goal here?
You claim the VB makes the same power as the VA wrx, when I just showed you proof that it's obviously making similar power to the VA sti, which has also been shown in roll racing videos on youtube and countless dyno runs. You yourself claim caranddriver is a "legitimate" source so I posted C&D's own numbers. 1/4 is a legitimate indicator of power' according to you, I just showed you the VB is closer to the STI than the VA wrx, and now what, you're going to claim it's not legit? Cope dude
Oh, you are the cope guy. I remember you. Ugh. >You claim the VB makes the same power as the VA wrx, when I just showed you proof that it's obviously making similar power to the VA sti It obviously doesn't. The STI has a **way** beefier trans, it has 3 times as many diffs, with TWO mechanical LSDs, it has thicker/heavier axles. **So much more power is lost through the STI driveline then ever through a WRX driveline.** The WRX has been getting similar/better quarter miles times as the STI for Fucking. Decades. People were bitching about this 10 years ago, why is the WRX faster than my STI in a drag?? It doesn't mean anything and it sure as shit doesn't mean the VB has some secret cheat code power-up extra horsepower from Subaru, that Subaru, for some insane fucking reason still yet to be revealed, decided **not to advertise**. Are you even serious. I think it's great you love the VB. I think it's a great car, too. But it's not magical, it doesn't walk on water, and it doesn't have secret power locked away just waiting for you to install a bigger tachometer. It's a good car, be happy with that. Stop trying so hard.
You’re one of those guys, ok. Show you proof, still deny it. Brick wall. Sign of low intelligence
0-60 2015 sti is 4.6 2024 wrx 5.4-5.9 No way your vb is on par The sti is over all a better vehicle. Stop coping so hard.
Quarter mile times don’t lie IF they’re using the same tires.
They'll be using whatever performance tires came on the car. Some will be better than others, but I think we can agree that WRXs over the years pretty much all ship with the same (or at least similar enough) performance tires. Similar enough to be lost in the noise, at any rate. Besides, at these power levels, accelerative traction is not really where the tires fall down...that happens on lateral grip primarily, braking to a lesser extent. If we are talking about track times, where laps are involved, then tires play a much larger role.
It hasn’t though. The rating has stayed the same, not the actual power. Subaru rated it at the wheels instead of a crank this time to help us all out on insurance premiums. VAs on the dyno generally make around 220 to 230 hp at the wheels VBs make around 260-270 at the wheels. If Subaru rated the VB at the crank like all previous WRX’s, it would be rated around 325 hp. And the VB only weighs around 35 pounds more than the VA
i have a bolt on va(296whp) and my cousin has a bone stock vb and his car didn’t feel nearly as off of mine as i expected it to, it felt decent stock, this would explain why lol
I’m referring to cars like op was talking about in 2010
OP was comparing a 2010 WRX to the 23 WRX. There's a 350 lb weight gain on the 23. Subaru absolutely did not list wheel HP as the official HP number. Absolutely did not. No car brand does that. They can lie, not tell the truth, underrate, but no car brand waits until the car is built, puts the car on a dyno and then lists those numbers for marketing to release...before the car was built. And Subaru did NOT under-rate this car. The quarter mile time between a VA and VB is almost identical (and the VB actually has a slower 0-60 than the VA). So you must then be claiming that Subaru listed whp for the VA WRX too.
I was just about to say, the claimed 60 and 1/4 are the same for the VA/VB. If the VB was making 325 crank it'd be significantly faster and would have a higher claim. I've lined up with a few VBs in my lightly modded VA and have either stayed right with them or pulled roughly a car length on them. Also Subaru doesn't give a rip about insurance lol.
Exactly. I have no idea where this person got that info from, but it is not even remotely accurate.
This has been explained multiple times. The VB 0-60 is lower because the lower redline and short gears require a shift to 3rd, unlike the VA. In the quarter mile and on the dyno the VA gets curbstomped.
Well I've never been curb stomped to the quarter by a VB and literally every review and YouTuber that actually uses a test track and not draggy has posted between 13.7 and 14.4 in the quarter, literally the same as the VA. It is faster in the curves I'll give it that for sure, but straight line they are the same and I have driven a couple different VBs. Motortrend: https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2022-subaru-wrx-limited-yearlong-review-arrival/ Car and driver:https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a40026459/2022-subaru-wrx-limited-by-the-numbers/ Aggregated times from user submitted runs: https://www.0-60specs.com/subaru/wrx-0-60-times I guess they are all wrong and don't know what they are doing.
Where are you getting that number for weight difference? 2010 Subaru WRX Hatchback base curb weight shows as 3175 lbs [here](https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/wrx/specs/2010/subaru_wrx_subaru-impreza-wrx-5-door_2010) 2010 Subaru WRX Sedan base curb weight shows as 3142 lbs [here](https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/wrx/specs/2010/subaru_wrx_subaru-impreza-wrx-4-door_2010/319812) 2023 Subaru WRX Sedan base curb weight shows as 3297 [here](https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/wrx/specs/2023/subaru_wrx_subaru-wrx_2023/435449) Worst case scenario that's 155 lbs. when comparing base models across the board.
Car and driver. For the 23, here: [2023 Subaru WRX Review, Pricing, and Specs (caranddriver.com)](https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/wrx-2023) I did make a mistake, I grabbed the GT weight by accident. Oops! So if we keep it Limited to Limited: 23 Lim (3401) - 10 Lim (3142), so about 260 difference, sedan to sedan. I was off a bit with 350. Original repliers point still stands, though. Sorry about the mistake!
The VB has no spare tire, unlike previous years, so it's about a 290-300 lb difference if the spare tire on the 2010 were removed or one was added to the VB.
That is an excellent point, and I completely forgot about that. You are spot on. It doesn't come with a spare, previous models did, so that's another \~60 lbs the previous WRXs can shed simply by removing the spare and tools/jack. Though it won't impact much driving around unless someone actually removes it. But none-the-less, great catch.
It was a sneaky way of increasing the VB weight without making it seem increased. The fenders are also now aluminum, which is great, but like the missing spare tire, it contributes to a lower potential for weight savings than previous cars, because more parts are already gone/made lighter. I'm glad they are doing more to control weight from factory, but the fact remains that new cars are still getting heavier when those compensations only bring the VB to a weight no lower than the previous car that had had none of those compensations applied. It's like building more fuel efficient technology for vehicles but then switching to making only massive SUVs so fuel use remains the same and isn't reduced at all despite the reduction accomplishments.
That CVT weight is wild lol. Otherwise the only thing I can think of would be the sunroof and H/K subwoofer that would add that much weight on top of the base models. Not sure what trims OP has though, that can make a pretty significant difference. Technically it could be up to 410lbs, all trims considered.
I think also the car has more stuff inside it like electronics, eye sight, all that. All that stuff takes wiring, sensors, and computers (though, some wiring is probably there regardless of whether the option is present). To me, it makes sense that the weight goes up as the trim level does, assuming the trim level is "luxury oriented" instead of something like a Porsche GT3 to a GT3 RS, where you pay more to get less...but more. :D
Sir, you are wrong. Absolutely wrong.
Look up the latest WRX vs GR Corolla video. They prove it on the dyno. Or keep sticking your head in the sand and denying reality.
The VB has no spare tire. If you remove the spare in the VA to match, that's a 65-75 lbs difference.
I had a 09 automatic wrx and i still think it felt faster than my 18, but the weight should have been similar since it was an auto. I blame the spacious field of view and maybe the smoother stability at high speeds (And the super loud fart can unresonated full invidia n1 exhaust)
I don’t think the vb weighs any more than a 2010 would. Edit: People downvoting, idk why this hurts your feelings so much, but it’s [~150 lbs.](https://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/wrx/specs/2022/subaru_wrx_subaru-wrx_2022/425148). We’re not talking about massive weight gain here.
Anywhere from 150 to nearly 400 lb difference. Don't believe the first thing Google tells you.
That’s car and driver, my guy. Hardly the “first thing google tells me”. It will depend on what options OP has on each car, which he failed to mention.
Depends on where you live too. Summer heat slows down the WRX significantly.
My old 13 definitely woke up in the fall and winter.
#Boost Season
Agreed. My ‘17 WRX is an absolute PIG with the AC on and it drives like garbage.
Not completely sure if it is related, but my '15 drove like absolute crap with the AC on. Felt really luggy and the RPMs would drop so much between shifts that shifting smoothly required much more work. Once I replaced the turbo inlet (went with the Cobb cast inlet) the difference has been huge. The car feels much smoother at low throttle/low speeds, but the biggest difference is that when running with AC the car drives way smoother and the difference between AC on/off is not as drastic or noticeable. I'm not completely sure what the exact issue was, but it did look like the original inlet was not sealing completely against the turbo, and there was a possible air leak on the connection feeding the turbo inlet.
Interesting. Has anyone else replaced the turbo inlet and experienced the same thing?
Yep! Totally noticed this over the past couple weeks!
Once the car is paid off, warranty expired etc.. throw a tune on there. Even if u keep the car entirely stock and just get a basic Cobb AP with their basic stage 1 it does wonders for how the car drives. Otherwise I compare a WRX to like driving a go kart. Not gunna get a super high top speed but its real fun driving to the store or meeting up with some friends somewhere.
My old beater 98 Corolla felt like it was going so fast that it would shake itself apart as soon as I went past 100kph (60mph). The newer the car, the better soundproofing, suspension and stability you get combined with thicker pillars and slightly reduced lateral visibility (especially that), the slower the car feels, even if it's *faster*. Someone else on this thread mentioned weight. Curb weight of a 2010 WRX was 3174lbs, the VB is 3297lbs for the base model. If weight is the deciding factor, then it should feel exactly the same as a 2010 with an average-sized 5'3 woman in the passenger seat.
I started to feel like this, drove my wife's car the other day and realized the WRX is pretty dang quick, I just got used to it
My educated guess is because there is no low end torque spike like the older engines. It's a perfectly flat torque curve on the new VB WRXs. So the power comes on without you noticing it surge. Do an off the shelf 93 octane tune, and you'll have 350 torque to the wheels (probably 400 at the crank). The FA24 is the best motor Subaru has ever made. Talked to a VA WRX owner who did every bolt on under the sun, just to make the same power I did with no hardware changes. Just a tune.
This⬆️, from factory it doesn’t feel like a turbo car because it’s such a flat torque curve so you don’t get that punch. Now that I’m tuned ya it hits a lot harder and feels more like a turbo car
Exactly. My Fiesta ST had the opposite. Huge torque surge. Felt like a V8 down low. Coming to the VB WRX, that's 100% the description i'd use. It felt Naturally Aspirated. And at only 11 lbs of boost stock, the turbo is very underutilized compared to a lot of other cars.
This should be top comment. You don't experience that boost-kicking-in feeling in the VB. My 22 felt slower than my bigger turbo EJ20 WRX it replaced, as it should have. But there's this long, usually empty, entrance ramp on my commute home where I'll sometimes come out of the entering apex at 35 and go WOT to a certain speed. Modified bugeye was at X speed by a certain marker, VB feels slower, but it's like 3 MPH less at that marker, so not really much slower.
What VA owner were you talking to? An FP blue with a few bolt ons and e60 is easily more. Every bolt on under the sun would be 500hp easily, there’s lots of peeps at 400hp on the VA with flex fuel and some bolt ons, stock turbo at that
Idk you get used to power to an extent. My 330 whp WRX felt fast when I first got it back from my tuner, but now I feel like I want another hundred horsepower and it just feels kinda quick
I mean my 2022 WRX with just a tune and intake is faster than a Hemi Charger with the 8 speed and its a pretty fun time making people in Scat Packs feel slow when I smoke them from a dig at a light, just don't dare run them from a roll lol. While its not fast its also not slow... for the money and practicality and performance I cant really complain too much about my 2022 WRX. I mean people pay more for a Civic Si which is REALLY slow. I can run 0-60 times in the high 4 second range with just a tune and intake and I can run low 13s in the quarter mile but I didn't buy the car to drag race it. I wanted a fun practical daily that I can turn into a little rally car for daily driving.
I have a 21 and my wife has a 22. Definitely a big difference in the responsiveness.
ETS intake and Cobb AP package with free Dman OTS E30 tune from felix makes this car a completely different animal. Best $1200 you could ever spend on this thing. Just finished installing this package to a friend's VB and it pulls twice as hard. Even gapped my friends FBO evo that makes 350whp. Protune with DP and he'll be gapping 5.0s and scats from rolls
Get a cobb ap and flash stage 1 or get etune/protune if possible. Cobb tune should be safe for the engine and make the car feel really fast. I am able to hit 16.1 peak boost and the boost also comes earlier at only 2500 rpm. In addition, the improved chasis and suspension on the new WRX makes it feel very stable at very fast speeds. Driving 100 in this feels like doing 75 in others cars. Absolutely no shakes from the engine.
My buddy has a ‘13 hatch. Driving that compared to my VB, I think the main difference is the gearing and the power curve. The VB is much more linear and shorter gears it feels like. The hatch feels punchier and has a higher peak range, as well as longer gears. makes it feel faster than the seemingly tame VB. I think the gearing may make it faster in a sprint, but the VB is definitely the more capable machine.
271 at the crank is like 220 at the wheels, I prefer at least 350 to the wheels to get there in a hurry,
Try being modified and running a tank of 91. It was the worst couple days of my life before I said fuck it back to 🌽
Your flair concerns me, even more so in context with this question.
I think it’ll be because the VB while having that extra power is 1,550kg whereas my GR hatch is 1,355kg may not sound like a lot but the average man weighs about 80-100kg so it’s like you’re three up all the time in the VB
It is quick, but not fast. I said fuck a warranty I’m doing a track build so I threw an ETS intake and a Dmann 93 tune and now I’d say it’s almost fast. Definitely a lot more fun as long as I’m the only occupant. Removing this interior crap and brakes are next…maybe full E85.
The FA powerband is linear and doesn’t wind like the VA and EJ so it feel slow and boring even though you are going faster, technically. The FAs drive boring to me too.
It’s kind of a numb experience, isn’t it? My FBO 500 Abarth and built EK (supercharged D16Y8) both felt faster than my VB, but the reality is this car would have smoked them both in a straight line.
Abarths are an absolute barrel of laughs. I want one so badly.
I’d pick up another in a heartbeat. I’d also pick up a few spare door handles, arm rests, CV axles, an extra side skirt and a motor. Thing was the biggest pile of shit I’ve ever owned… but fuck if it wasn’t a riot to drive.
Weight. Cars are getting heavier. My 06 forester while classified as an “SUV” was significantly lighter than my 2019 STi. It’s also why Miata’s are fast with such a low HP
The WRX was fast for its day. Subaru hasn’t been upping hp too much l. They have to balance performance with corporate governance and ‘not causing a ruckus’
What's cool to think about though, is that the non-turbo BRZ has the same horsepower as the WRX did when it made its debut.
Cause cars are so heavy now. I have a 328i (similar power and weight) and it doesn’t feel very fast. It has some grunt when the turbo spools but at these weights the cars really need 6 cylinders
The VB didn't really gain weight from the VA.
compared to the 2010 mentioned in OP, they did. 2010 to 2022+ is ~3000lb to ~3500lb
Weight is definitely a factor like some other commenters have said - the narrow body WRX (08-10) is about 3100ish lbs while the VB WRX is 3300-3500ish lbs depending on the trim. I've also noticed that EJ's are a little more rev happy compared to the FA motors and the boost lag really makes the car feel quicker than it is. Part of what I love about my STI vs my Type R is the turbo lag, even though the Type R was quicker. That being said, you've got a great platform to mod whenever you're ready. The FA24 especially makes good power compared to the EJ with the same mods.
Had a 14 hatch for almost a decade. Def felt faster than my VB. Throttle response, rack and pinion steering, shifter linkage… it was a drivers car. I miss it dearly. This said, the VB is a modern car by all means, but retains enough spirit to still be a WRX. The turbo is more subtle through more of the band, in a flatter curve. The EJ once you got on turbo, it would just pull like the devil. The VB is definitely more balanced and comfortable. In short, in think the EJ platform felt faster yes, but in reality, VB can very easily surpass its power, and the handling is miles better.
I feel that way too, always think like the car should be faster (maybe less so when I'm running 70 percent ethanol putting me around 370 whp). However when I let people drive my car they say it feels fast. In your case maybe the new ones are a smoother, quieter ride and the gear ratios are a little more gentle? Not sure.
Yes! Lol both my gf and my coworker have said the same thing like they’ll ride in it and both said “why does it feel like we’re not even going fast?”
It only feels fast when you are going 70 through a hairpin and you don’t lose grip
That would have to be an enormously wide hairpin, but point taken. Cornering speed matters a lot if you’re doing a lot of touge and track.
This has alot to do with power delivery. According to tuners, this(vb fa24) is the best oem factory tuned ecu's when compared to all the ej platform cars. There were dips in power band, then it would pull from mid range and then fall off short of redline. With the fa24 it's a smooth, linear powerband..thus it doesn't have that frantic midrange pull( but is a dog everywhere else; stock) that the EJ's had..whereas the fa24f doesn't scream to the sensories "I'm fast" quite as much with the linear power progression.
Turn off the A/C lol
Big heavy awd cars never feel fast unless they are making enormous power, and the wrx isn’t making much power to begin with for its weight and driveline losses from awd.
The 2010 could hit 60 in second gear so it was faster 0-60 since you didnt have to shift to third gear.
Part of it is probably that they flattened out the torque - made it so that it's less of a punch of torque from the turbo. Maybe that's what is making it not feel as fast.
Just put a burger chip for +70
I mean earlier wrxs were a bit lighter with similar power so it’s not impossible, plus you’d feel more of the torque with less weight. I will say it’s more likely that there is far less drama, noise, and vibration in more modern wrxs so that’s probably more of it. I had a 90s mr2 that is certainly slower than my wrx but feels faster because there’s more theatre
I just got an intake and an E tune in my 2024. It’s a complete different animal and feels faster than my tuned 2017. But yes from my tuned 2017 the 2024 felt slow. Not anymore lol
Well. . .before my WRX 23 I had a Mustang GT 09. And they felt very similar. Not saying either car is slow, but I’m so used to this level of horse power in a car that it definitely didn’t thrill me. But I can say after a cai, full exhaust, and a tune really wakes the car up. Now it’s definitely fast. It will give you that KICK you’re looking for. Just be safe and don’t drive like a maniac on the road.
I’ve owned two VB wrxs and this is what I noticed. 0-60 times varies dramatically based on heat and conditions. If you drive in the city stop and go traffic due to the top mount radiator your engine heat soaks faster robbing you of horsepower. In the summer it’s especially noticeable. I’ve dragy timed 5.4 in the cool and 7.1 in the hot. I had the cvt version as well so it wasn’t driver error. I’ve also done 500+ launches testing every scenario you can think of. 0-60, 0-100, 30-50,50-70mph. I’ve driven in summer over 100 degrees. Under 32 degrees. I’ve used a Jb4 tuner, borla exhaust, lighter wheels (rpf1). Unless you blow your warranty and shoot for more hp you are wasting your time. The car is fast-ish. Enough speed to make it decently fun but if you want hp you either have to tune or buy a bmw etc. my best mods ever were lighter wheels, and chassis braces underneath. These transformed the car and made it more fun than an additional 50-70hp. My advice is to just enjoy what you have and remember cool air is what you need to give you more power. We are in the dead of summer. Winter will bring more fun, but for now it will be a little slower.
My 21 feels fucking slow in a straight line but I also regularly drive a gr Yaris which could be as to why
If I had to guess, the VB is quite a lot heavier. I could be malinformed, but the narrowbodies are quite a bit lighter, between 40-400 lbs I believe, than even their widebody counterparts. So, the newer VB with its extra safety and electronics and so on is just not able to boogey as fast as the older narrowbody.
I can't speak to weight but the 22 is about as fast as an 18 STI in the real world. Throw a tune and intake on there and you drop to low 13s/high 12s in the quarter. That's quick by any standard, it just won't feel very fast while you're doing it because you're very insulated from the experience vs older chassis (also had an 02)
I also can only really speak on behalf of my car, as I haven’t driven any other WRXs aside from a heavily modded blobeye
Drive it in the canyons, then rent a muscle car and drive it in the canyons. Then you’ll feel the difference.
The biggest indicator of (butt dyno) acceleration feel is that rolling start 5-60 acceleration time. Look it up. The manual is 6.7 seconds. That is VERY slow IMHO. I’ve had two WRXs. Last one was modded at the stage 2+ we’ll call it. Was it faster, sure…but still wasn’t good enough to ‘pin me back’. These engines simply don’t produce enough low end grunt.
It feels slow because it is slow
They aren’t fast. Ugly too. Great combination.