Among all of autodom, the 2015 Subaru WRX stands out as a little odd, but not because of its flared fenders, funky crease-and-angles styling, or even its position as rally beast in a lineup full of granola-mobiles. Okay, so those things are all at least semi-odd, but the thing we’re getting at, the thing that makes the WRX unique, is the 268-hp, 2.0-liter turbo four slotted under its aluminum hood. That’s because, unlike all but one other automaker, Subaru persists with the boxer engine layout. (The other carmaker is, of course, Porsche, where the engine type is reserved for pure sports cars.) Every other company will insist that cylinders are meant to be in lines or vees and not constantly thrusting directly at one another. Yet Subaru puts boxer engines into everything it sells.

The flat-four in the 2015 WRX is a member of the FA engine family that powers the turbocharged Forester XT and the naturally aspirated BRZ and Scion FR-S. Direct injected, the engine inhales 15.9 pounds of peak boost (or slightly more during brief overboost periods) and has a 10.6:1 compression ratio. The redline is painted on the tach at 6700 rpm with the six-speed manual and 6500 rpm with the CVT automatic—yes, the WRX is now available with a continuously variable transmission. Peak twist is 258 lb-ft of torque from 2000 rpm to 5200 rpm, and max power arrives at 5600 rpm; if you wait to shift until redline, you do feel the power taper off ever so slightly.

Flat-fours produce a characteristic growling thrum, and the last WRX announced its engine layout with pride pretty much the entire time from ignition to shutdown. But the 2015 model keeps a great deal of the din away from the driver’s ear, while the four-tipped dual exhaust booms some if you push into the throttle at low rpm. If you’re over 35, you might find it a bit uncouth—and not in an endearing way. And on certain types of pavement, there’s more roar from the 235/45R-17 Dunlop SP Sport Maxx RT tires than we’d like to hear.

The rest of the car sings a much more satisfying tune. A new electric power-steering system is tuned to perfection; whirl the flat-bottomed 14.5-inch wheel, and the nose knifes into corners precisely and predictably. And unlike many other EPS systems, the WRX’s feels natural as the steering effort increases with cornering loads.

Stiffer and Stiffer

Torpedoing into and rocketing out of switchbacks on our drive route in Napa Valley, the 2015 WRX showed that it still has the goods to satisfy hard-core fans of the badge. With all-wheel drive, this Subie has an easy balance and neutrality that’s missing in front-drive cars like the Ford Focus ST, and unlike its front-drive competitors, the WRX has no problem putting down the power and firing itself out of corners. The structure is 41 percent stiffer overall, and the spring rates have been cranked up by 39 percent at the front and 62 percent in the rear. There are also larger anti-roll bars and firmer bushings, and the aluminum lower control arms of the strut front suspension are unique to the WRX. To help keep the WRX stable under limit cornering, the active torque vectoring system uses the front brakes to clamp individual front wheels, which helps steer the car through the corner. The Rex turns in with verve and shows extraordinary levels of front-end grip.

To combat brake fade, Subaru fits each WRX with 12.4-inch vented front rotors with two-piston calipers and 11.3-inch solid rotors with single-piston calipers in back. A larger master cylinder and a more responsive booster are intended to improve brake feel, and although the brakes do feel better than before, the WRX’s brakes don’t have the bite or provide the security and arresting grab of a Ford Focus ST or 2015 Volkswagen GTI.

It takes less than a quarter-mile of driving to realize that the ’15 WRX rides more stiffly than before. On patched pavement or over freeway expansion joints, the car will jostle you, but the rigid body mostly mitigates the impacts. Compared with the Impreza on which it is based—but with which it no longer shares a name—the WRX gets more high-strength steel in its A-pillar, a thicker floor pan, and additional gussets that connect the firewall with the passenger cabin. The payoff for the firm ride is excellent body control and sports-car-like resistance to diving under braking and squatting under acceleration.

Transmission Double Play

Subaru claims a 2015 WRX equipped with the six-speed manual will hit 60 mph in 5.4 seconds—the same time it stated for the outgoing 265-hp, five-speed-manual car. In our hands, the old WRX hit 60 in 4.7 seconds, so we believe we’ll beat Subaru’s seemingly conservative time once we test the new Rex (that will happen soon). Should you opt for the Sport Lineartronic CVT automatic, Subaru claims the 0-to-60 gallop will take 5.9 seconds.

If you’re one of the 20 percent of WRX buyers Subaru expects will opt for the CVT, take note: The transmission tries its damnedest not to act like a CVT. Instead of fixating on one rpm number and therefore droning under hard acceleration, the CVT usually steps through preset ratios to mimic a conventional automatic’s shifting. In the least aggressive setting (Intelligent), the CVT “moves” through six preset ratios. Use the steering-wheel-mounted button to switch into Sport or Sport # (“Sharp”) mode, and your CVT will serve up eight preset ratios. Paddle shifters provide control of the ratios, and a 3.5-inch LCD nested between the analog speedometer and tachometer helps you keep track of which ratio you’ve selected.

Yet for maximum accelerative oomph, the CVT cans the stepped “gearchanges” and reveals its true self. Pin the throttle from a stop, and the WRX activates what Subaru is calling launch control. This isn’t launch control in the truest sense, though, where the car steps away in the most aggressive manner possible; instead, Subaru’s system involves a transmission program that continuously moves among the CVTs ratios to keep the engine at full boil. In practice, though, this pretty much means the thing just hangs out around a certain rpm and keeps the engine howling.

What the CVT can’t do is provide the instantaneous and immediate connection to the powertrain provided by the manual gearbox. In CVT cars, there’s a slight transmission-induced delay before power comes online when you stand on the throttle. There’s a small delay in the manual WRX, too, but the cause here is a whiff of turbo lag, not the gearbox. In use, the six-speed has pedals set up perfectly for heel-and-toe downshifts and boasts throws shortened by 12 percent over those of the old five-speed box. Shifting requires a firm hand, but the gates are closely spaced and the action is precise.

The interior is a modified version of what you’d find in a regular Impreza. There are soft-touch plastics throughout, but they possess a sheen that won’t win over parishioners of the church of the VW GTI. Splashes of fake carbon-fiber trim attempt to inject some pizazz, but the driver’s interior view is dominated by a functional and no-nonsense instrument panel. Near the top of the dashboard sits a 4.3-inch multifunctional color display that provides audio and climate-control information, Bluetooth settings, and a boost gauge. Automatic climate control is standard, as are all-day comfortable cloth sport seats. We found it easy to find a good driving position, and outward visibility is excellent for a modern car, which is a pleasant surprise.

Aside from a 0.6-inch increase in length, the WRX is the same size as before, although a one-inch stretch to the wheelbase delivers a larger rear seat with almost two more inches of legroom. Despite the similar footprint, overall interior space is up, and trunk space has grown from 11.3 cubic feet to an even 12. On the safety side, there’s a new knee airbag on the driver’s side as well as three-mode stability control—on, off, and off with brake-based yaw control (active torque vectoring) on. The firmer structure and the additional standard equipment have bumped up the curb weight by a claimed 60 pounds.

Hot-hatch aficionados will have to shop at Ford or VW stores, as the WRX is now available only as a sedan. (The greater differentiation from the Impreza meant that only one body style could survive to this generation.) Three trim levels are available—base, Premium, and Limited. Major standard features on the plebeian WRX include power windows and locks, a six-speaker audio system with Bluetooth audio and USB connectivity, a rearview camera, and automatic climate control. Moving up to the Premium unlocks CVT availability and adds a glass sunroof, fog lights, heated seats and exterior mirrors, and a trunk-mounted spoiler. The top-shelf Limited rolls with power leather seats and LED low-beam headlights. Premium and Limited models offer navigation, the automatic, keyless access, and a nine-speaker 440-watt audio system as options. No pricing is available yet, but Subaru officials assure us the price will remain near the current car’s $26,790 base price. Expect a fully loaded Limited with the CVT to come in at about $33,000.

On the whole, buyers should be pleased with the return for that money. The 2015 Subaru WRX delivers a slightly more refined and mature experience in cabin ambience, and with its firmer chassis and tenacious grip, it also comes across as a slightly harder-edged version of the previous car. Put another way, this new Rex reminds us of the old STI, which makes us wonder where Subaru will take the upcoming next-gen STI. Based on this experience, we look forward to finding out.

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