2025 Subaru WRX tS Review : The Most Refined WRX Ever, But at What Cost?

There was a time when a Subaru WRX badge symbolized pure adrenaline. Raw, unpolished, and visceral, it was a rally-inspired machine for the road. I know it well—I owned one for almost a decade. When the new 2025 Subaru WRX tS rolled into my driveway, I felt both excitement and skepticism. Could it live up to the legacy?

The “tS” stands for Tuned by STI. It’s supposed to represent the most extreme road-going WRX in Subaru’s lineup. Yet, the reality is less about boy-racer thrills and more about refinement and maturity. And surprisingly, that’s not a bad thing.

Refined, Matured, But Still Fun

The WRX tS doesn’t try to be an STI. It’s calmer, more composed, and undeniably more grown-up. Adaptive dampers transform the ride, balancing comfort and control in ways no WRX has before. This makes it the best daily-driver WRX ever built, even if it loses some of that raw, emotional punch enthusiasts crave.

Storage remains practical, with 13 cubic feet of trunk space and fold-down rear seats, though accessing them requires pulling small release knobs from the rear doors. Inside, the WRX tS is quieter and more comfortable than any of its predecessors, though not luxury-car plush. On soft damper settings, it feels civil, even elegant—traits my old WRX never had.

Performance : Not Blazing Fast, But Exceptionally Balanced

Under the hood, the 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four produces 271 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. On paper, it sounds solid, but in practice, it lacks drama. The exhaust note is muted, the top-end punch is missing, and acceleration is decent rather than thrilling—0–60 mph in six seconds. That’s slower than the 2014 WRX, which managed 5.3 seconds.

But where the 2025 WRX tS shines is in balance. The chassis tuning is excellent, steering feels sharp, and adaptive dampers give it precision on mountain roads that older WRXs could only dream of. Understeer, once a WRX weak spot, is much less of an issue here.

The six-speed manual is slick, engaging, and vastly preferable to Subaru’s CVT in the WRX GT. The clutch is tricky, and pedal spacing isn’t ideal for heel-toe downshifts, but it’s still a proper enthusiast’s gearbox.

Civil Yet Engaging

This duality defines the WRX tS: in Comfort mode, it’s calm enough for a long commute. In Sport, it sharpens its responses, delivering feedback that makes spirited driving rewarding. Subaru even nailed its EPA estimates, with 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. In real-world testing, city numbers matched exactly.

The result is a car that feels equally at home as a daily commuter or weekend backroad machine—just don’t expect the visceral thrill of older WRXs.

Competitors : Toyota GR Corolla, Civic Type R, and Beyond

In the sub-$50,000 AWD performance car market, choices are slim: it’s essentially the WRX vs. Toyota GR Corolla. The Corolla is louder, more exciting, and more engaging. The Subaru is more refined and livable. Your choice depends on whether you want adrenaline or balance.

Other alternatives include the Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai Elantra N, and even used luxury sedans like the Genesis G70. Each offers unique advantages, but the WRX tS remains the only AWD manual sedan in this price range.

The WRX’s Identity Crisis

Here’s the problem: sales are plummeting. In July alone, Subaru sold just 457 WRXs, a 66.6% drop year-on-year. Two reasons explain this. First, the WRX lost its raw identity—it feels like a once-wild rally icon has traded its sneakers for a suit. Second, pricing is creeping too high.

A decade ago, the WRX started at $25,995 ($35,846 today adjusted for inflation). Now, the base WRX costs $38,920, and the WRX tS or GT push past $48,000—STI money, without STI performance.

Verdict : The Best WRX You May Not Buy

The 2025 Subaru WRX tS is the most refined WRX ever built. It’s comfortable, balanced, and genuinely enjoyable to drive. But it’s missing that raw, unfiltered soul that once made the WRX legendary. For enthusiasts, that might be a dealbreaker.

Still, if you want a car that blends AWD grip, manual engagement, and everyday usability better than almost anything else in its class, the WRX tS is worth considering. Just don’t expect it to feel like the WRX you remember.