[Machinebuilder]

I love Subarus and have bought many. My favorite was a 2009 Outback XT with the WRX motor with a 5 speed and Cobb tune. I had studded snow Hakka tires and never got stuck in a storm. They are not perfect but in their element of cold winters and snowy roads they are awesome. Honestly they rule in snow ski country for a reason. They are tough and can get through almost anything. I actually think they are easier to drive in bad weather than trucks as they have great control, decent clearance and are not to big. Unfortunately they are a small company and can only do so much. I see them getting absorbed by Toyota in the near future.

[RMachuca3d]

What have they done?!?!

Absolutely hideous, since when is plastic cladding=rally inspired!?!?

[wtwo3]

Subaru stopped becoming relevant after I graduated high school.

[stein_325i]

[wtwo3]

Originally Posted by stein_325i

They 100% took the rear end off the new BRZ and stuck it onto the WRX. It works for the small coupe, not so much for a 4 door sedan.

The overall profile of the car isn't terrible, but they definitely ruin it with those plastic wheel arches.

[Red Bread]

What a failure. They had a chance to take power up and make it a decent design. They found 3hp and made it uglier than it's bland predecessor.

[jmg]

Doesn't look as bad lowered. Still not sure I like the plastic wheel arches. Here are my photochops:

[RM7]

Originally Posted by jmg

Doesn't look as bad lowered. Still not sure I like the plastic wheel arches. Here are my photochops:

That looks pretty bad tho.

Elantra N-line is probably better.

I found it interesting the front wheel drive honda type r is significantly faster around a track than the current sti…that just shows how far behind these cars are.

[ntg44]

Originally Posted by jmg

Doesn't look as bad lowered. Still not sure I like the plastic wheel arches. Here are my photochops:

Appreciate the effort but the looks in my opinion are not the biggest offender. Although the rear bumper is unforgivable.

I really thought after the new BRZ reveal Subaru was starting to get its mojo back but the new engine output is such a WTF that I'm over the model entirely. Everyone's comparing it to the previous 2.0 but I'll go a step further and compare it to 2 generations ago. The EJ255 in its final iteration had 265hp and 244 lb ft or torque. So in 2 engine revisions the best Subaru could get is 6 more horsepower and 14 lb ft over a wider rpm range. Subaru was able to increase the EJ255 output more than that from 08-09, and the engine was still considered old back then.

Meanwhile the car just gets bigger and heavier. The STI is no longer something I'm looking forward to after this complete fail of a reveal. Just kill the car off if it's going to remain stagnant. Adaptive dampers with a CVT and an 11 inch screen are not even close to what the WRX enthusiast was thinking this car needed.

But I'm over it. As an owner of an 09 WRX and 20 STI, I'm happy to move on.

[frchdragon]

What an ugly car... It looks like an outback, not a WRX.
I gave up on Subaru because of several bad experiences but the new ones don't have any appeal to me.

[gatorfast]

The black cladding is just awful. It really cheapens the look.

[heavyD^2]

Originally Posted by stein_325i

I wonder if that protruding rear bumper is for US crash regulations? I just can't believe they would design it like that on purpose. You could rest a can of beer on that bumper.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by ntg44

Appreciate the effort but the looks in my opinion are not the biggest offender. Although the rear bumper is unforgivable.

I really thought after the new BRZ reveal Subaru was starting to get its mojo back but the new engine output is such a WTF that I'm over the model entirely. Everyone's comparing it to the previous 2.0 but I'll go a step further and compare it to 2 generations ago. The EJ255 in its final iteration had 265hp and 244 lb ft or torque. So in 2 engine revisions the best Subaru could get is 6 more horsepower and 14 lb ft over a wider rpm range. Subaru was able to increase the EJ255 output more than that from 08-09, and the engine was still considered old back then.

Meanwhile the car just gets bigger and heavier. The STI is no longer something I'm looking forward to after this complete fail of a reveal. Just kill the car off if it's going to remain stagnant. Adaptive dampers with a CVT and an 11 inch screen are not even close to what the WRX enthusiast was thinking this car needed.

But I'm over it. As an owner of an 09 WRX and 20 STI, I'm happy to move on.

And how much have emissions regs changed since then? I don't know why "enthusiasts" constantly ignore the obvious.

[ntg44]

Originally Posted by OkieSnuffBox

And how much have emissions regs changed since then? I don't know why "enthusiasts" constantly ignore the obvious.

It's not ignoring anything. If Subaru could manage to keep the dinosaur EJ257 emissions compliant up to MY2021 while increasing the output however little it was, surely they must have learned something over 2 complete new engine redesigns to increase the output more than 6 horsepower on the WRX.

The 2.4 isn't exactly new, it's been in the Ascent, Outback, and Legacy for a few years now. Meanwhile, competitors have been making more power and torque from 2.0s for close to a decade now.

I gave Subaru a break on the FA20 because it seemed to be a genuine improvement in torque range while still making an overall quicker car than the previous generation. My 09 WRX was quick but below 3500 RPM nobody was home. And the widely spaced gearing only made this worse around town.

And by this same argument, there's absolutely no hope for the STI then if all they could get out of the new 2.4 is a measly 271 HP. I have no confidence in the 400HP rumor, but if by some chance it is 350 or more, then it further blows up any argument against emissions regs holding back the 2.4.

It's far more likely that the WRX output is on 87 octane, much like the Ascent. In which case it should have been tuned to adjust output and take advantage of up to 93 octane like many other vehicles have.

[W///]

Originally Posted by jmg

Doesn't look as bad lowered. Still not sure I like the plastic wheel arches. Here are my photochops:

Don't think lowering helps at all IMO, the wheel arch finishers are some of the worsts I've ever seen. So proportionally huge and a weird shape.

[1MOREMOD]

Yeah still looks dumb. Ex wife got new outback all that plastic cladding makes it one of the ugliest vehicles out, now they added that crap to the wrx.

[RM7]

Audi did that too (and it looks bad there too). I've seen a few lowered all-roads trying to recapture what the wagon used to provide, but the wheel arches really throw it off...

[chris719]

Subaru is circling the drain now. Only a matter of time before people buying Foresters and Crosstreks on name alone buy something with a less awful drivetrain.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by chris719

Subaru is circling the drain now. Only a matter of time before people buying Foresters and Crosstreks on name alone buy something with a less awful drivetrain.

Want to make a wager? It's only enthusiasts who complain about what 99% of people want to buy isn't exactly overpowered and unreasonably cheap for them.

[chris719]

Originally Posted by OkieSnuffBox

Want to make a wager? It's only enthusiasts who complain about what 99% of people want to buy isn't exactly overpowered and unreasonably cheap for them.

It's not great if you compare it to Mazda and Honda drivetrains. I'm not even talking BMW.

Hopefully they are putting the money they aren't putting into their current products into that EV strategy or they will be out of business within a decade.

[W///]

Originally Posted by chris719

Subaru is circling the drain now. Only a matter of time before people buying Foresters and Crosstreks on name alone buy something with a less awful drivetrain.

I agree. Never owned one personally, but always liked the idea of an STI (more so than an Evo back in the WRC day). However, I can't find too many compelling reasons to get a regular Subaru over a Mazda personally.

[kyriian]

Originally Posted by OkieSnuffBox

Want to make a wager? It's only enthusiasts who complain about what 99% of people want to buy isn't exactly overpowered and unreasonably cheap for them.

^ This, Toyota owns 20% of Subaru now so the chance of them going under is VERY slim, there is a massive demand for 4WD SUVs globally, Subaru offers that and they can still at least claim to have the best 'commoner' level 4WD system, something highly coveted above the snow belt.

Originally Posted by chris719

Hopefully they are putting the money they aren't putting into their current products into that EV strategy or they will be out of business within a decade.

^Being under Toyota, it is more likely you will see more of Toyota's hybrid in Subaru cars in the short term, and likely adapt solid state at some point if Toyota ever crack that, to 95% of people, this is hardly going to make much difference and most will happily plop down cash for another Subaru

Going back to the WRX, honestly it wouldn't matter if the car looks like burning cow poop on a stick. Like the 400Z, they have a mass of followers more than willing to have the latest, and would be happy to buy em.