Since 2002, the Subaru WRX has been the go-to for anyone on a budget who wants a high-performance car that is fun to drive in any weather. Its capabilities in the snow have made it legendary among northern sport sedan enthusiasts. With the new tS trim level, the WRX picks up a few key upgrades, adding a dose of modern tech and a broader envelope of performance.
Photo: Tim Stevens
The 2025 WRX tS covers these upgrades over previous WRX variants:
The tS also brings in some of the nicer features from the higher trims of the WRX, like the bolstered Recaro seats and Subaru's EyeSight system, which the Japanese automaker updated in 2024 to work with manual transmissions.
As of this writing, Subaru hasn’t announced the trim lineup for the 2025 WRX. As of 2024, the WRX is also available in Base, Premium, Limited, TR, and GT trims, with prices ranging from the mid $30,000 range up to the mid $40,000 range.
JD Power previously published a review of the 2024 Subaru WRX TR. This review focuses on the WRX tS and how it potentially impacts the WRX’s overall consumer appeal.
For this 2025 WRX review, Subaru provided a test vehicle equipped with tS trim. The tS doesn't offer many options besides exterior color, with desirable features from other trims like the Recaro seats and Brembo brakes included as standard.
Subaru has not announced pricing for the 2025 WRX tS at the time of publishing.
Since its earliest days as a performance option of the base Impreza, the WRX’s keen handling and stiff suspension have been something of a hallmark. With the 2025 WRX tS, this sport sedan takes a giant leap forward compared to anything a WRX has ever offered. And yes, that includes the special STI editions.
Here, tS stands for "Tuned by STI," a reference to the company's tuning division. If you're unfamiliar with Subarus, think of STI like BMW's M or Mercedes-Benz's AMG. As a tS, this isn't a full-fat STI model that we haven't seen since 2022, but like the 2024 Subaru BRZ tS, this car at least offers some of the STI magic.
And the new suspension here really is sublime. It offers three modes: Comfort, Normal, and Sport. As you can imagine, the suspension gets progressively stiffer as you move through the various modes.
Your average WRX owner will probably start with the stiffest setting, and there, the car will feel very familiar with the same sort of eager dynamics as other WRX models. But the handling here feels even more aggressive than last year's TR, making Sport mode perfect for a racetrack or particularly smooth asphalt.
In Comfort mode, the car feels vastly different. The punishing harmonics on a bumpy stretch of asphalt are very capably muted, with the suspension at its softest. But that isn't to say the car rides like a limousine. Comfort offers just the right blend of compliance and handling capability on a bumpy, twisty road.
The WRX tS isn't the first WRX to offer Brembo's six-piston front and two-piston rear brakes. They were also on the 2024 WRX TR. That "tuner ready" model now feels vastly overshadowed by the tS—a far more comprehensive machine.
But the brakes here work every bit as well as they did there. Over a few sessions on a scorching hot Sonoma Raceway, where track temperatures were handily in the triple-digits, the WRX stood on its nose in every braking zone without a hint of fade. Those brakes smelled awful at the end of every session, but they worked flawlessly.
For the tS, Subaru made some other tweaks to the car's overall feel, the most noticeable being the steering. The automaker modified the level of power assistance to provide more steering feedback—a common complaint in the WRX. Unfortunately, this hasn't been entirely successful. While the steering wheel takes more effort to turn, there wasn't much additional feedback coming through it to my hands. The overall effect just made the car more exhausting to drive.
Thankfully, the WRX tS offers an Individual drive mode where you can dial up your choice of key parameters, including suspension stiffness and steering feel. With the steering feel set to Comfort, I was much happier.
You can also adjust the throttle response of that engine. While it's still the same turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder that came before, making the same 271 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, the sharper throttle curve makes it feel a bit more rowdy than before. You'll still have to wait a bit for that turbo to work up to the maximum 12 PSI of boost.
Photo: Tim Stevens
The tS comes standard with a fully digital 12.3-inch gauge cluster. That's a first on a WRX, and Subaru uses it to good effect here. The default view features Subaru's familiar gauge layout, with a sweeping tachometer on the left, a speedometer on the right, and an STI logo for good measure. However, with the press of a button, you can replace it with a full-screen view of navigation or a view of the car’s EyeSight system status.
EyeSight is standard here despite this being a car with a manual transmission. As such, it offers niceties like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, and a lane-keeping assistance system, giving the WRX a comprehensive active safety suite for a sports car.
A portrait-oriented, 11.6-inch central screen running Subaru's infotainment system handles the rest of the in-car experience. It's a bit ugly, and the screen is crowded, but the experience is comprehensive. That said, if you don't like it, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available, and there's a wireless charging pad to keep your phone juiced up too.
Photo: Tim Stevens
It wouldn't be a special edition without Subaru layering on the special touches, including no shortage of Cherry Blossom Red badges—the classic color of STI. That includes a pink engine-start button.
There are other chromatic highlights, most notably the slashes of blue across the Recaro seats. The blue is a bit loud on a blue car, in my opinion, but it looks stellar on a white WRX for those bold enough to choose such a muted exterior hue.
Those Recaro seats are excellent, by the way. The bolsters are pronounced, which won't fit everybody, but they provide excellent support on the track and good comfort on the street too.
Photo: Tim Stevens
What's new on the WRX tS is genuinely impressive. The suspension is excellent and makes one of the best daily-driving sport sedans on the market all the better for everyday commuting duties. It's a far more comfortable and practical option than something like Toyota's always-on GR Corolla, yet it manages to be more edgy and engaging than the Volkswagen Golf R.
However, the WRX tS's most significant competition is very close by. While Subaru hasn’t announced pricing for the tS trim, expect it to start somewhere north of the WRX TR, which for the 2024 model starts at $41,655. That's about $9,000 higher than a base WRX, which offers the same engine and drivetrain as the tS.
So, are the enhanced suspension, better seats, brakes, and that gauge cluster worth the additional cost? I can't say for sure until seeing the price. Still, buyers with a little extra discretionary income—especially those who feel the allure of the STI—won't be disappointed.
Tim Stevens is a veteran automotive and technology journalist with over 25 years of experience covering everything from smartphones to supercars. In addition to JDPower.com, his expert perspectives have appeared in numerous national and international outlets, including print, online, and broadcast television.
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