2022 Subaru WRX Official Announcement *Merged*

[Snow Drift]

Originally Posted by JustyWRC

All the painted bits.....I could take it either way. I wouldn't take it with mesh grill though. The 2008 STI did fine with it cause it still included the wing. Those mesh "only" grills make me throw up in my mouth a bit(I kid. lol). I just don't like them. Not sure if I hate it more than those armour rally flappies though.

I just don't like the stock grille with those boomerangs. Keep it simple. I do like the old wings, but the OEM accessory grille doesn't offer that.

Originally Posted by jimbobjohnbrown

LMFAO, looks good! Not the mesh grill, but I do like the little added red part on the bottom center, adds a bit more contrast.

I'm willing to bet my life savings that there will be an update in 2024 to appease the haters



I'm totally with you on the mesh grill, not a fan of them. Atleast @Snow Drift left the emblem on. They look even worse when they are blank.

I'm definitely not a fan of the "flappies" either, lol! One of the few that doesn't run out and buy them as soon as they get their first WRX. They look tacky, imo.

There needs to be an in-between grille. Leave the badge/wings, but replace the OEM "mesh" with a simpler mesh.

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[jimbobjohnbrown]

Originally Posted by Snow Drift

I just don't like the stock grille with those boomerangs. Keep it simple. I do like the old wings, but the OEM accessory grille doesn't offer that.


There needs to be an in-between grille. Leave the badge/wings, but replace the OEM "mesh" with a simpler mesh.

The grill doesn't really bother me, and I do like that it's gray and not black, as it syncs up with the wheels pretty good.

I edited my original comment, as I just noticed that you removed the side cladding, which I actually really like! The back bumper is my only issue with the looks.

[Snow Drift]

Originally Posted by jimbobjohnbrown

The grill doesn't really bother me, and I do like that it's gray and not black, as it syncs up with the wheels pretty good.

I edited my original comment, as I just noticed that you removed the side cladding, which I actually really like! The back bumper is my only issue with the looks.

I can't comprehend cladding on a sport sedan. Ah well, I am not the target market.

[jimbobjohnbrown]

Originally Posted by Snow Drift

I can't comprehend cladding on a sport sedan. Ah well, I am not the target market.

I don't know, I'm just not so "street" like I used to be. I like the off-road ruggedness of the new look. Kinda fits with the Subaru theme these days. It's almost begging to be lifted, lol! ....which some folks already did.

[Snow Drift]

Originally Posted by jimbobjohnbrown

I don't know, I'm just not so "street" like I used to be. I like the off-road ruggedness of the new look. Kinda fits with the Subaru theme these days. It's almost begging to be lifted, lol! ....which some folks already did.

They should just offer a Crosstrek XT.

WRX = street. Crosstrek = overland.

[jimbobjohnbrown]

Originally Posted by Snow Drift

They should just offer a Crosstrek XT.

WRX = street...

Yes and no. I think the owners are more about "street", but the car was originally a rally car, which is anything but "street". Yes I know that rally cars don't have cladding all over the place, but they have other goodies that definitely take them out of the "street" category.

Oh, and a crosstrek XT would be beyond awesome, provided that you can get it with a 6 speed, of course!

[Snow Drift]

Originally Posted by jimbobjohnbrown

Yes and no. I think the owners are more about "street", but the car was originally a rally car, which is anything but "street". Yes I know that rally cars don't have cladding all over the place, but they have other goodies that definitely take them out of the "street" category.

Oh, and a crosstrek XT would be beyond awesome, provided that you can get it with a 6 speed, of course!

As you said, rally cars don't have cladding. Perhaps they want to mimic baja cars? Then I can see being lifted with cladding as you are driving over sand/rocks/etc. Rally cars are driving on tarmac, snow or gravel (hence the old Evo drive modes).

SWRT and ARA/GRC, etc cars, all have painted or graphics laden bodies. They are also not lifted, they just have a massive amount of travel for jumps.

[umscooby]

Originally Posted by jimbobjohnbrown

Never got the whole side mounted crooked front plate thing. If you must have a front plate just put the damn thing where it goes. Front and center and level = much cleaner looking.

Great thread.

[kayen]

Originally Posted by umscooby

Never got the whole side mounted crooked front plate thing. If you must have a front plate just put the damn thing where it goes. Front and center and level = much cleaner looking.

Great thread.

But I need maximum cooling doing red light to red light WOT pulls, while on my way to Walmart to get some Ben & Jerry's for the pregnant wife.

[Straight6]

Originally Posted by kayen

But I need maximum cooling doing red light to red light WOT pulls, while on my way to Walmart to get some Ben & Jerry's for the pregnant wife.

[Straight6]

Originally Posted by jimbobjohnbrown

The grill doesn't really bother me, and I do like that it's gray and not black, as it syncs up with the wheels pretty good.

I edited my original comment, as I just noticed that you removed the side cladding, which I actually really like! The back bumper is my only issue with the looks.

Agreed. I like it a lot more with the cladding than it being painted. I don't hate the rear bumper but the overall design of it is just too busy. I am sure they will tweak it for the facelift but I hope the side cladding stays.

[jimbobjohnbrown]

Originally Posted by umscooby

Never got the whole side mounted crooked front plate thing. If you must have a front plate just put the damn thing where it goes. Front and center and level = much cleaner looking.

Great thread.

I had the plate straight, but it looks kind of boring, so I decided to angle it to match some of the angles on the car. I still can't figure out if I like it exactly the way it is, but I definitely like it more than having the plate front and center. Too boring.

Originally Posted by Straight6

Agreed. I like it a lot more with the cladding than it being painted. I don't hate the rear bumper but the overall design of it is just too busy. I am sure they will tweak it for the facelift but I hope the side cladding stays.

Same! The back bumper is a bit busy, and it could use some curves where it connects to the body, rather than the straight line going across. TBH, I don't really think about it much as I can't see the back bumper from the front seat

[JustyWRC]

Originally Posted by heavyD

They had a record March because there was a tonne of inventory on lots sitting and discounts have that effect of moving vehicles that have been slow selling. Come talk to me when they have some year over year sales to compare rather than a month here and there.

Originally Posted by JustyWRC

Heuberger redefined "selling like hotcakes" and was selling them net/net(and less sometimes). That doesn't mean anything. Look at where they are heavily discounted and see how many retailers are in the area. Doesn't one retailer try to undercut the others to get customers? Now, I'm not saying if they only sold at MSRP they'd sell just as well; but, all I am seeing is normal, pre-pandemic type selling. But, no matter the reason they are selling. They are not slow selling. And the retailers are getting bonus on them......like they regularly do on units sold. Getting cars out also brings more service customers. Where the real money is.....


Just checked. On par with the last several years and even higher YTD than 2019 and approaching and possibly moving past 2018. People want these cars. The price is just the contention. Is that not how it ALWAYS is?

Yes, I agree with you. This year, I am waiting a few more months to see if this trend continues. You know my fanboi'ism; but, I also don't agree with the utlra-boi in here a vast majority of the time.

I don't agree with your assessment though. People are hating this car, right? You don't buy cars you hate to this degree. They aren't being discounted "that" much.

[Snow Drift]

Originally Posted by JustyWRC

Yes, I agree with you. This year, I am waiting a few more months to see if this trend continues. You know my fanboi'ism; but, I also don't agree with the utlra-boi in here a vast majority of the time.

I don't agree with your assessment though. People are hating this car, right? You don't buy cars you hate to this degree. They aren't being discounted "that" much.

3,000 cars or so a month are being purchased. Who are these people? Are they owners of VAs or GRs? Are they conquest buyers? Are they brand new to a drivers license? Are they just so in love with the WRX (myself included) that they will buy anything with that name on it?

I can't imagine a VA owner looking at their car and saying, you know what this needs...black plastic cladding, everywhere! If they did, that would have been a major aftermarket boom. It never happened (ok, sure you can show a handful of crazy mad-max off road guys, but let's be honest with ourselves).

[JustyWRC]

Originally Posted by Snow Drift

3,000 cars or so a month are being purchased. Who are these people? Are they owners of VAs or GRs? Are they conquest buyers? Are they brand new to a drivers license? Are they just so in love with the WRX (myself included) that they will buy anything with that name on it?

I can't imagine a VA owner looking at their car and saying, you know what this needs...black plastic cladding, everywhere! If they did, that would have been a major aftermarket boom. It never happened (ok, sure you can show a handful of crazy mad-max off road guys, but let's be honest with ourselves).

Or they just don't care as much as NASIOC or car reviewers always skewed to speed(complaining a Crosstrek was too slow in the same article it was faster than the other cars they didn't complain about speed). They are likely looking at the VB seeing the improvements and wanting that. As for who is buying them. Those you mention are always the questions. A good question, though.

Our first '23 just backed into the spot next to my desk. There's a customer for it with a Product Specialist now. We do have 3 '22s left still. We are back to our normal on the WRX. I know we have 2 customers for WRXs that won't order; yet, don't want the colors we have.

An update for Heavy D. As of this post, they are 76 away from beating that 2018 YTD I mentioned. And they have punched 39 today.

[Snow Drift]

Originally Posted by JustyWRC

Or they just don't care as much as NASIOC or car reviewers always skewed to speed(complaining a Crosstrek was too slow in the same article it was faster than the other cars they didn't complain about speed). They are likely looking at the VB seeing the improvements and wanting that. As for who is buying them. Those you mention are always the questions. A good question, though.

Our first '23 just backed into the spot next to my desk. There's a customer for it with a Product Specialist now. We do have 3 '22s left still. We are back to our normal on the WRX. I know we have 2 customers for WRXs that won't order; yet, don't want the colors we have.

An update for Heavy D. As of this post, they are 76 away from beating that 2018 YTD I mentioned. And they have punched 39 today.

Yea, perhaps they just want a fun four door car, and the WRX has a lot of cachet and credibility (plus no ADM), so they are buying. Cladding or not.

I doubt they would have said "I DEMAND cladding," but they are saying, "I don't mind." Ugh.

[jimbobjohnbrown]

Originally Posted by JustyWRC

Yes, I agree with you. This year, I am waiting a few more months to see if this trend continues. You know my fanboi'ism; but, I also don't agree with the utlra-boi in here a vast majority of the time.

I don't agree with your assessment though. People are hating this car, right? You don't buy cars you hate to this degree. They aren't being discounted "that" much.

The discounts have dried up now, even the dealership I bought from (at $4500 below MSRP) has a few 22s still in stock (and several more 23s), but they stopped discounting them, which is weird. Must be a specific time thing, and not because they are left over 22s. Furthermore, right before they stopped the discounting frenzy, they were also discounting a couple of 2023s...

There's a lot more to the story about why they discounted a bunch of them for a period of time.

Speaking with two Subaru dealers about the subject, it basically boils down to supply chain issues.
Subaru largely focused on building as many crosstreks as they can from spring of last year, rather than building WRXs, which is a less profitable car for them.

When they finally finished with the 2023 crosstreks, they started building a crap ton of these 2022s, which really should be 2023s.
Weird fact; my 2023 Crosstrek was built in June of 2022, but 2022 WRX was built in December of 2022.

On some level they did good (profit-wise) making a lot of SUVs while other manufacturers like Toyota and Honda had zero inventory (last August I bought a 2023 Crosstrek and waited a week and a half for it to arrive, and paid MSRP. They were the only ones with reliable incoming vehicles.), but they didn't adapt enough to the situation and totally screwed the pooch with the WRX. I couldn't get the dealer to admit it to me, but I believe that Subaru was subsidizing the losses that dealers were taking on these clustered 2022s (and some 23s).

Sorry for the long post

[umscooby]

Originally Posted by jimbobjohnbrown

I had the plate straight, but it looks kind of boring, so I decided to angle it to match some of the angles on the car. I still can't figure out if I like it exactly the way it is, but I definitely like it more than having the plate front and center. Too boring.

Huh, guess I never thought of a license plate as being something that brings joy or excitement so I am fine with the boring center location.

Keeping on topic of the thread. The wheel arch cladding is senseless and ugly. The back bumper is atrocious. The front isn't AS bad but still too much fugly black plastic. And nobody seems to be mentioning the running boards, excuse me, chunky and not very well executed side skirts. Am I supposed to step on those when getting into the car?

[samagon]

Originally Posted by kayen

But I need maximum cooling doing red light to red light WOT pulls, while on my way to Walmart to get some Ben & Jerry's for the pregnant wife.

hopefully she's in the passenger seat while you are doing these pulls?

[Snow Drift]

Originally Posted by jimbobjohnbrown

The discounts have dried up now, even the dealership I bought from (at $4500 below MSRP) has a few 22s still in stock (and several more 23s), but they stopped discounting them, which is weird. Must be a specific time thing, and not because they are left over 22s. Furthermore, right before they stopped the discounting frenzy, they were also discounting a couple of 2023s...

There's a lot more to the story about why they discounted a bunch of them for a period of time.

Speaking with two Subaru dealers about the subject, it basically boils down to supply chain issues.
Subaru largely focused on building as many crosstreks as they can from spring of last year, rather than building WRXs, which is a less profitable car for them.

When they finally finished with the 2023 crosstreks, they started building a crap ton of these 2022s, which really should be 2023s.
Weird fact; my 2023 Crosstrek was built in June of 2022, but 2022 WRX was built in December of 2022.

On some level they did good (profit-wise) making a lot of SUVs while other manufacturers like Toyota and Honda had zero inventory (last August I bought a 2023 Crosstrek and waited a week and a half for it to arrive, and paid MSRP. They were the only ones with reliable incoming vehicles.), but they didn't adapt enough to the situation and totally screwed the pooch with the WRX. I couldn't get the dealer to admit it to me, but I believe that Subaru was subsidizing the losses that dealers were taking on these clustered 2022s (and some 23s).

Sorry for the long post

I like the investigative journalism! It was also the end of a quarter.

My local has 12 on the website, with 4 or so in transit.

[samagon]

Originally Posted by Snow Drift

3,000 cars or so a month are being purchased. Who are these people? Are they owners of VAs or GRs? Are they conquest buyers? Are they brand new to a drivers license? Are they just so in love with the WRX (myself included) that they will buy anything with that name on it?

I can't imagine a VA owner looking at their car and saying, you know what this needs...black plastic cladding, everywhere! If they did, that would have been a major aftermarket boom. It never happened (ok, sure you can show a handful of crazy mad-max off road guys, but let's be honest with ourselves).

honestly, the simplest answer is usually the right one.

look at any competition for the WRX.

expensive and not easily accessible.

the WRX is available today for someone to walk in and get a choice of colors and trims, add to that, you can get what you want at or below MSRP.

[Snow Drift]

Originally Posted by samagon

honestly, the simplest answer is usually the right one.

look at any competition for the WRX.

expensive and not easily accessible.

the WRX is available today for someone to walk in and get a choice of colors and trims, add to that, you can get what you want at or below MSRP.

Yea, it is the fun car, that's available and at the best price (comparatively).

[Straight6]

Originally Posted by Snow Drift

Yea, it is the fun car, that's available and at the best price (comparatively).

It is a lot more than that. It is the real deal. People are pushing 400 WHP out of this engine. It is attainable, it is available, it has a ton of potential, the aftermarket is endless...Why spend thousands more for a FWD based "AWD" system when you can have the real deal for much, much less. If you know, you know. Often imitated, never duplicated. Tried, proven and true. I suspect another month of record breaking sales. The proof is in the pudding.

[rallly 4]

Originally Posted by Straight6

It is a lot more than that. It is the real deal. People are pushing 400 WHP out of this engine. It is attainable, it is available, it has a ton of potential, the aftermarket is endless...Why spend thousands more for a FWD based "AWD" system when you can have the real deal for much, much less. If you know, you know. Often imitated, never duplicated. Tried, proven and true. I suspect another month of record breaking sales. The proof is in the pudding.

Another stupid comment, WRX has open differentials and the GRC is running a homologated drivetrain with triple Diffs and drive mode settings.

New WRX is the slowest one we’ve ever seen, that is the only proof in the pudding all my friends who ran the OG cars, the 04-07 STIs which are the best by a long mile, haven’t even considered buying one. Many have GRs, Focus RS, or moved on to Porsche/BMW/Shelby offerings


By the way it isn’t a FWD based system either. It’s more more advanced and motorsports derived than any Subaru AWD system than we’ve ever gotten here.

[Scorpius]

My Nissan Frontier looks better than this wrx, just sayin....