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What's New for 2025?
The manual-only WRX tS joins the fleet with a smattering of enthusiast-oriented upgrades, including STI-tuned adaptive suspension dampers, upgraded Brembo brakes with gold calipers, unique Recaro front seats and a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel. Also, the base model has been discontinued, so the starting price gets a big bump even though the 2025 WRX is fundamentally unchanged.
FAST FACTS
"A legend in its own time, the rally-inspired WRX continues to offer standard all-wheel drive and a characterful turbocharged flat-four engine that's laggy at first and explosive once the boost arrives. We could do without the optional CVT, which isn't exactly performance-car equipment, but the manual transmission persists, so bless Subaru for that. Although refinement has never been the WRX's calling card, its robust all-season turbocharged performance is a force to be reckoned with. We wish we could say that the WRX continues to be a performance bargain, but price creep means that's no longer the case."—Ranked #5 out of 7 Sport Compact Cars
MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2025 Subaru WRX that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.
The manual WRX's price is now uncomfortably close to $40k just to get in the door. Drive it hard year-round and it'll reward you with tenacious AWD traction and big turbocharged thrills, but that turbo takes a while to kick in — it's one of the laggiest turbo engines on the market. You also won't be wowed by the WRX's interior materials and refinement on the road. We love the spirit of this machine, but it's not the performance bargain it used to be.
It's very nearly as quick as the manual WRX, but the CVT version will need to put the tachometer needle on lock at the 6,100-rpm redline to achieve those numbers. No thrill here of running through the gears, although this CVT does have "gears" that it "shifts" between at less than wide-open throttle. Whether this trickery will win you over probably depends on how much traffic you expect to be sitting in. If you'll be seeing a lot of open road in your WRX, do the right thing and get the stick.
What are the different versions of the 2025 WRX, and how much do they cost? Select a version below or just hit the button to see our full 2025 WRX specs and model data.
| Version | Price | Fuel | MPG | Power | Torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Subaru WRX Manual | $37,750 | Gas | 22 | 271 hp | 258 lb-ft |
| 2025 Subaru WRX Automatic | $39,100 | Gas | 21 | 271 hp | 258 lb-ft |
Publisher and Donkey-in-Chief
Josh has been reviewing cars professionally since joining Edmunds.com fresh out of grad school in 2008. Prior to founding MotorDonkey, he spent 15 years shaping Edmunds' expert automotive content in various capacities, starting as an associate editor and ultimately serving as a senior editor before wrapping up with a five-year term as the company's first-ever director of content strategy. Josh is a card-carrying member of the Motor Press Guild and a lifelong car nut who has driven, compared and critiqued thousands of cars in his career. Helping people find their perfect car never gets old—seriously!
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