Even though they're supposed to be this heaven of reason and logic, Consumer Reports does seem to have a wild and subjective side to their reviews. This latest clip for the 2015 Subaru WRX shows that perfectly. There's no mention of them buying the car at their local Subaru dealer, no talk of how other cars are cheaper and more practical it's just… a bunch of fun with some relevant info on the top.
According to CR, the new WRX is more refined than the old one, but it's still stiff. This is because Subaru have dumped a lot of money into chassis development. A stiffer body allows for a more compliant suspension without compromising performance. The CVT gearbox is also surprisingly good for what it is. The Sports Lineatronic is based on the Forester transmission but it's been enhanced to operate differently, keeping the revs up. Heck, it even simulates speeds, like a sports automatic or a DSG. There are three driving modes:
I# is short for intelligent mode and will give you the best fuel economy
S# which is sport and raises the response and keeps the engine revved up
Sport Sharp, which is the most hardcore and simulates eight forward speeds via the paddle shifters
While it seems the CVT is fine, the WRX is not completely without flaws. Both the standard radio and the one that comes with the premium package are out of date.
For 2015, the WRX retails at $26,295, excluding a $795 destination fee. Power comes from a brand new 2-liter boxer, based on the BRZ but fitted with a big turbo for 268-hp and 258 lb-ft (350Nm). That gets a new six-speed manual, though it doesn't get the short shifter of the STI. If you really do want the Lineatronic CVT, that's going to cost you $29,695 without destination, which is definitely not cheap.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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