Subaru Reviving The WRX Hatchback?

by Derek Kreindler

September 2nd, 2014 3:33 PM

When the latest Subaru WRX was released, the enthusiast fan base was forced to suffer the indignity of a sedan-only lineup. Subaru’s company line was that there weren’t sufficient resources to develop a hatchback model as well. But that might be changing.

A hatchback WRX mule was spied undergoing hot weather testing, with a WRX front end grafted onto an Impreza hatchback bodyshell. Given the popularity of hatchbacks in both world markets, and the WRX hatch’s fanbase stateside (where it accounted for about 45 percent of WRX sales), there’s a good case for its return.

#Hatchback #Subaru #SubaruWrx

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6 of 44 comments

Varezhka on Sep 02, 2014

A return of a WRX hatchback would be a nice addition, but a car I personally would like over here would be a WRX wagon, aka Subaru Levorg. I would think it would help recapture both the former WRX hatch customers and the former Legacy GT customers in a single bodystyle (not too much additional resource).

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- Power6 on Sep 02, 2014
  
  It does seem sort of ridiculous that Subaru of America refuses an existing product which could probably be federalized and justified by a modest sales goal. SOA just doesn't think a wagon only model like that will sell. Once bitten twice shy with sporty wagons I think.
  
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Steve Biro on Sep 02, 2014

Does anyone remember the Subaru Impreza GT? An Impreza Premium hatchback with the WRX engine and none of the silly WRX or STi bodywork. That's what Subaru needs to build now. A WRX for adults. I currently own a 2010 Impreza Outback Sport 2.5. It's a fun, practical car. But I wouldn't ever consider buying a new Impreza or XV Crosstrek with that unnecessarily weak 2-liter powerplant.

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- Power6 on Sep 02, 2014
  
  You should know the short lived Impreza GT...was basically a carry over product when the 2009 WRX got upgraded after just one year on the market becuase the 2008 was way wide of the mark, too soft for the WRX buyers and didn't bring drives of new ones in. When the 2009 got stiffer and bigger turbo that necessitated being manual trans only. And so they carried over the automatic version of the WRX and slapped an Impreza GT badge on it for another couple years then they dropped it. It was a holdover, not a car that Subaru buyers wanted. There are products like the Levorg, what you are talking about, grown up machines. Subaru doesn't think Americans will buy them. Now me I am the fairly old guy who might buy a Subaru, and I would want the WRX/STI, not necessarily the big spolier but don't water it down I want the good suspension I don't mind the ride. It is funny Subaru has basically weak powerplants for someone like me who might like one of their regular models, but needs a certain amount of speed. The turbo options have gone away and replaced by a half hearted H6 that is slow and gets bad fuel economy. But the turbo models are great MPG be damned...
  
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Stumpaster on Sep 03, 2014

Can't be the WRX because it does not have those god-awful spoilers in the back. Can't be hot-testing it without all that drag, erm, I mean, downforce.

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Spoonie on Sep 03, 2014

Now that I've decided on a late 2015 or early 2016 GTI, at least Subaru now has a contender. Hopefully it makes it here by then for an in-car comparison.

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