2022 Subaru WRX price and specs: Advanced safety not available on manual models

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With a new engine, more technology, and the option of a wagon, the new Subaru WRX will cost up to $5100 more than the car it replaces – but autonomous emergency braking and other key safety features are off-limits to manual models.


  • 2022 Subaru WRX pricing and specifications
  • Sedan and wagon available, across eight trim, gearbox combinations
  • 202kW/350Nm 2.4-litre turbo engine standard
  • Autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist not available on manual models
  • Priced from $44,990 to $57,990 before on-road costs

The 2022 Subaru WRX sedan and wagon will arrive in showrooms in the coming months priced from $44,990 before on-road costs – up as much as $5100 over the car it replaces.

However, in a major blow to Subaru’s safety credentials, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) – mandatory overseas, and soon to be compulsory in Australia – is not available on manual versions, nor is lane-keep assist.

Subaru has exploited a loophole in Australian government regulations by beating the deadline for the local mandate of AEB, by introducing the new model before the new regulation is enforced from 2023. Manual versions of the new Subaru BRZ coupe launched this year also lack AEB.



Subaru has previously boasted about its safety credentials, so the omission of a key piece of advanced safety technology – available on other performance vehicles sold in Australia with manual transmissions such as the Toyota GR Yaris, and basic models such as the Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max – is an unusual mis-step for the brand.

It means there will likely be two safety ratings for the new Subaru WRX – one for the manual model without the full suite of advanced safety tech, and another rating for automatic versions that come with the works.

In response to a question about the absence of key advanced safety aids on manual versions of the new Subaru WRX, a statement from Subaru Australia said the company is “committed to delivering safe vehicles and are working towards zero fatal road accidents in a Subaru vehicle by the year 2030.”



Subaru Australia said although its “EyeSight” forward crash-avoidance technology is not available with manual transmission vehicles “we are in continuous discussions with Subaru Corporation on this topic.”

As previously reported, Subaru will offer eight variants of the new WRX in Australia across four model grades, with six-speed manual or CVT automatic transmissions depending on variant – and, for the first time in two decades, a choice of sedan and wagon body styles.

Prices for the sedan span from $44,990 plus on-road costs for the entry-level WRX with a manual transmission, to $56,990 for the flagship, CVT-only WRX tS. These new prices represent increases of between $3100 and $5000, depending on model.



Meanwhile, the new WRX Sportswagon – the replacement for the old Levorg, a badge it still wears in Japan – is offered only with the automatic, and costs from $49,990 to $57,990 before on-road costs.

The base variant is $400 less than the old base 2.0-litre Levorg, the GT-S – but the GT and tS models (which have standard equipment levels closer to the GT-S) are $4750 to $5100 more than the outgoing GT-S and STI Sport grades.

The $56,990 and $57,990 sticker prices of the tS grades place them on par with the outgoing WRX STI sedan flagship, priced from $52,940 in base form, or $57,690 for the Premium – but as reported, there will be no STI version of the new WRX range.



All models are powered by a new 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder ‘boxer’ engine, matching their US counterparts with 202kW and 350Nm – up 5kW over the outgoing WRX and Levorg’s 2.0-litre turbo engine.

Drive is sent to all four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission in the unnamed base and mid-spec RS variants of the sedan, or a CVT automatic with eight simulated ratios in all others – including the tS grades, the only way to get adaptive dampers or multiple drive modes.

Manual models use a 50:50 front-rear torque split with a centre limited-slip differential, while the automatics offer a 55:45 split as standard, with variable torque distribution on the fly.



No 0-100km/h time is claimed, though the old WRX sedan could do the dash in 6.0 or 6.3 seconds with manual or automatic transmissions respectively, increasing to 6.6 seconds for the Levorg. Expect the new models to cut a few tenths off these times.

Standard features across the range include 18-inch alloy wheels, an 11.6-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4.2-inch instrument display (rather than the 12.3-inch screen offered in Japan), dual-zone climate control, cloth seats, a six-speaker sound system, and LED headlights.

Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and tyre pressure monitoring are standard on all variants – but like the BRZ coupe, life-saving features like autonomous emergency braking and lane-keep assist cannot be paired with the six-speed manual, instead exclusive to the CVT autos.

Opting for either the mid-spec RS sedan or GT wagon adds niceties including an electric sunroof, front and side cameras, electric front seats with heating, satellite navigation, and either suede or leather-accented upholstery, depending on body style.

The flagship tS variants are automatic only, and add adaptive dampers, more advanced drive mode selectors, unique wheel designs, and tS and STI branding.

The 2022 Subaru WRX range is expected to begin reaching customers in the coming months, with pre-order books now open, and the first demonstrator models in showrooms this June.



  • WRX sedan manual – $44,990 (up $4000)
  • WRX sedan auto – $48,990 (up $5000)
  • WRX Sportswagon auto – $49,990 (new base variant vs 2020 range)
  • WRX RS sedan manual – $50,490 (up $3100 over WRX Premium)
  • WRX RS sedan auto – $54,490 (up $3900 over WRX Premium)
  • WRX GT Sportswagon auto – $55,490 (up $5100 over Levorg GT-S)
  • WRX tS sedan auto – $56,990 (new addition)
  • WRX tS Sportswagon auto – $57,990 (up $4750 over Levorg STI Sport)

Note: All prices above exclude on-road costs.

2022 Subaru WRX (base) standard features:

  • 18-inch alloy wheels
  • Automatic LED headlights
  • 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and digital radio
  • 4.2-inch instrument cluster display
  • Six-speaker sound system
  • Black and grey cloth seat upholstery (sedan), or black (wagon)
  • Manually-adjustable front sports seats
  • Keyless entry and start
  • Rain-sensing wipers
  • Dual-zone climate control
  • Power-folding side mirrors
  • Rear privacy glass
  • Ambient interior lighting (wagon only)
  • One-touch power-folding rear seats with reclining (wagon only)
  • Blind-spot monitoring
  • Rear cross-traffic alert
  • Tyre pressure monitoring
  • Autonomous emergency braking (CVT only)
  • Cruise control (adaptive with the CVT)
  • Lane-keep assist (CVT only)
  • Lane centring assist (CVT only)
  • Traffic sign recognition (CVT only)
  • SI-Drive selector (Intelligent, Sport and Sport+, all CVT only)
  • Electronic parking brake (CVT only)

2022 Subaru WRX RS sedan adds (over base sedan):

  • Electric sunroof
  • Ultrasuede upholstery
  • Satellite navigation
  • Eight-way power-adjustable front seats (with driver memory, CVT only)
  • Heated front and outboard rear seats
  • Front and side cameras
  • Driver monitoring system
  • Heated door mirrors
  • Puddle light projection
  • Ambient interior lighting
  • Two rear USB ports
  • Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
  • Memory for interior screens
  • Memory and auto-dipping mirrors (CVT only)
  • CD player

Above: Japanese-market Levorg tS (badged STI Sport there).

2022 Subaru WRX GT Sportswagon adds (over base wagon):

  • Electric sunroof
  • Leather-accented seat upholstery
  • Satellite navigation
  • Eight-way power-adjustable front seats (with driver memory)
  • Hands-free power tailgate
  • Heated front and outboard rear seats
  • 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system
  • Front and side cameras
  • Driver monitoring system
  • Hands-free power tailgate
  • Heated, auto-dipping door mirrors with memory
  • Puddle light projection
  • Ambient interior lighting
  • Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
  • Memory for interior screens
  • CD player

2022 Subaru WRX tS adds (over RS sedan or GT wagon):

  • Drive mode selector (Comfort, Normal, Sport, Sport+ and Individual)
  • Adaptive dampers
  • Unique 18-inch wheel design (different between sedan and wagon)
  • Felt-lined door bins
  • tS badging
  • STI-branded steering wheel and instrument cluster

Alex Misoyannis

Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020.

Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines as a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.

Read more about Alex Misoyannis LinkIcon

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