2015 WRX vs. FR-S/BRZ

[CSG David]

Originally Posted by toast

You can get a STI 'branded' short shifter for the WRX but it is not THE short shifter from an STI. The tranny on the STI uses a direct linkage to the shift lever, the WRX uses cables for actuation. You will never get a WRX shift lever to feel as good as an STI.

The STI short shifter does add additional effort to shift. The gear shifts are shorter...probably closer to the BRZ. Overall, it's a marked improvement over the previous generations.

[CSG David]

@Sajakh

The WRX has a very good comfy feel to it. Compared to the previous WRX models, this one has much more room for passengers, the chassis feels fairly rigid, the cabin is quite quiet (comparatively speaking), and the suspension is actually much more comfortable than the 2013 and 2014 BRZ. @Boxer486 mentioned the 2015 is better than the rest, but I can't confirm yet.

If you do need a car to carry people comfortably, the WRX is nice to have if you want to keep it in the Subie family. The downside of the WRX thus far is the DI system. Power upgrades are going to be an issue in the future. We already have a few items in testing phase as we speak.

The plus side of the DI is having an average MPG of 30+...very impressed.

[P86RAVES]

Originally Posted by CSG David

@Sajakh

The WRX has a very good comfy feel to it. Compared to the previous WRX models, this one has much more room for passengers, the chassis feels fairly rigid, the cabin is quite quiet (comparatively speaking), and the suspension is actually much more comfortable than the 2013 and 2014 BRZ. @Boxer486 mentioned the 2015 is better than the rest, but I can't confirm yet.

If you do need a car to carry people comfortably, the WRX is nice to have if you want to keep it in the Subie family. The downside of the WRX thus far is the DI system. Power upgrades are going to be an issue in the future. We already have a few items in testing phase as we speak.

The plus side of the DI is having an average MPG of 30+...very impressed.

I may really consider trading in for one of these instead of a used 5.0 with how you are talking about them.

[Sajakh]

Thank you David. I appreciate your thoughts. Is there anything about the wrx that you think they could improve on? I was thinking of getting the wrx with the sts. I LOVE the shifter on the brz. I what something to be close to that as possible. Again thanks.

[Erci]

Originally Posted by Sajakh

Thank you David. I appreciate your thoughts. Is there anything about the wrx that you think they could improve on? I was thinking of getting the wrx with the sts. I LOVE the shifter on the brz. I what something to be close to that as possible. Again thanks.

Yeah.. The seat. Not nearly as good as the BRZ seat. Of course it's a personal matter and I'm sure plenty of people like them. Quite a few do complain about the seats. I found them uncomfortable and far less supportive.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

[CSG David]

Remember, the WRX is designed to be a sporty car. You got 4 doors and an impressive cabin space. Keep in mind, the BRZ seats are actually one of the best on the market. Deviating from that standard is tough! I would say it's not bad. Overall comfy car with good potential. *wink*

[SuperDave]

does anyone know if it's possible to put brz/fr-s seats in a 2015 wrx?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by SuperDave

does anyone know if it's possible to put brz/fr-s seats in a 2015 wrx?

They may be a little low but getting some risers made up wouldn't be a big deal I am sure.
Any seat can be made to fit any car with some well made adapters but you want to make sure it is done right so it doesn't kill you in a crash.

[jflogerzi]

How does the wrx fair on the track compared to a twin. I imagine i would change the following on the wrx

Springs, new brake pads, fluid, cob access port, wheels and tires. Throw in a good oil cooler and it would be perfect. I may yet sell the frs and get a wrx down the line as a cpo

[DeeezNuuuts83]

But if you're going to do all of that for the purpose of having something good around the track, you might as well just get an STI or an Evo over a regular WRX and have something a lot more capable right out of the box without needing those mods. Assuming you're not cheaping out and getting Rotas or something, between a decent set of wheels/tires, springs (plus installation and alignment) and an AccessPort, you're likely already north of $4,000.

[jflogerzi]

Originally Posted by DeeezNuuuts83

But if you're going to do all of that for the purpose of having something good around the track, you might as well just get an STI or an Evo over a regular WRX and have something a lot more capable right out of the box without needing those mods. Assuming you're not cheaping out and getting Rotas or something, between a decent set of wheels/tires, springs (plus installation and alignment) and an AccessPort, you're likely already north of $4,000.

25,000K vs 35K for base STI and base WRX is 10K and not 4K. As said above, there is nothing wrong with Rota wheels. I currently use Rota's on FRS without issues. But springs, pads, are cheap. Access port under 1000$

[DeeezNuuuts83]

Originally Posted by jflogerzi

25,000K vs 35K for base STI and base WRX is 10K and not 4K. As said above, there is nothing wrong with Rota wheels. I currently use Rota's on FRS without issues. But springs, pads, are cheap. Access port under 1000$

Actually the difference is a lot closer to $8,000 (the WRX starts at $26,295 while the STI starts at $34,495). I wasn't saying that the difference was $4,000, but just that those parts I mentioned alone are already going to put you at that. But springs, pads and an AccessPort won't simply bridge the gap. The AccessPort might get the numbers close (though I haven't really read up on it much, since it's not quite as dominant as it used to be when it first launched maybe ten years ago, give or take), but springs won't make up for an entire upgraded suspension along with multiple LSDs, and pads won't make up for larger Brembos at every axle.


Personally I like the new motor a lot more than the aging EJ257, but from a performance standpoint, the STI as a whole is a solid package, but the WRX is a better buy. To the modder who installs all of his own stuff and has no concern for a warranty, then yes, a WRX and mods will go a long way. But with these kinds of cars, a valid warranty isn't a bad thing to have, especially with them being so new.


Regarding Rotas, you're correct, there's nothing wrong with them... for a daily driver that sees some fun here and there on twisty roads. But if you are tracking your car and have a good amount of hp and torque, you might want to invest in some stronger wheels. There are more than enough pictures out there of broken Rotas to the point where one might be encouraged to also consider other options when upgrading.

[jflogerzi]

Originally Posted by DeeezNuuuts83

Actually the difference is a lot closer to $8,000 (the WRX starts at $26,295 while the STI starts at $34,495). I wasn't saying that the difference was $4,000, but just that those parts I mentioned alone are already going to put you at that. But springs, pads and an AccessPort won't simply bridge the gap. The AccessPort might get the numbers close (though I haven't really read up on it much, since it's not quite as dominant as it used to be when it first launched maybe ten years ago, give or take), but springs won't make up for an entire upgraded suspension along with multiple LSDs, and pads won't make up for larger Brembos at every axle.


Personally I like the new motor a lot more than the aging EJ257, but from a performance standpoint, the STI as a whole is a solid package, but the WRX is a better buy. To the modder who installs all of his own stuff and has no concern for a warranty, then yes, a WRX and mods will go a long way. But with these kinds of cars, a valid warranty isn't a bad thing to have, especially with them being so new.


Regarding Rotas, you're correct, there's nothing wrong with them... for a daily driver that sees some fun here and there on twisty roads. But if you are tracking your car and have a good amount of hp and torque, you might want to invest in some stronger wheels. There are more than enough pictures out there of broken Rotas to the point where one might be encouraged to also consider other options when upgrading.

You make valid points. As a daily dd plus track car the wrx with a few mods is the better value imo. I really need to go test drive one of these cars

[srt4evah]

I just test drove a BRZ and WRX back to back yesterday at a dealer. My impressions:

BRZ had better seats, better ergonomics, way better road feel since the seating position makes it feel like your ass is skating along the road. Loved the tactile feel of the car.

WRX I drove second, seats are meh, not bad, not as good as BRZ, nowhere near as good as my old Evo X Recaros, ergos are meh, again no feeling either way about that except that the center armrest is too low, seating is pretty high but pretty standard sedan feel, road feel was pretty good, not as good as the BRZ but good, power was.. frankly, just different category. The torque comes in instantly and at all RPMs.

I've owned/own 400-500hp+ cars for years, so I appreciate a lot of torque and power, and the WRX just ticked the box where the BRZ didn't for me. I really thought I would like the BRZ more than I did, and I did like a lot of aspects of it more than the WRX, but the WRX for the same price just brings more performance, and AWD confidence for all-weather driving.

I'm going to lease a 2015 WRX for around $200/mo after $5k down, and in 1-2 years I'll probably pick up a used FRS or BRZ for around $15-18k. Loved the feeling of the BRZ, but I definitely would want to try one with the electric supercharger and full exhaust for that extra 40-60hp before I really felt it was how I want it to be.