The Subaru WRX has always been the equivalent of an automotive shrug. Not because it lacks character but because it simply doesn't care what others think. It's a punk rock band with enough talent to fill stadiums but band members who don't seem to care about chasing fame. And the STI versions of yesteryear proved so talented that fame chased them.
For 2025, Subaru updated the WRX to now include the tS, which at first glance appears to be the same flannel-wearing street fighter. But looks can be deceiving. The tS hides sharpened tools underneath, translating to better handling and responsiveness.
What does “tS” really mean?
Subaru positions the tS as being tuned by STI, but it's not an STI return. Sure, that's technically true; only Subaru can name something STI. And to be clear, there's no extra power here, no gigantic wing that takes out flocks of birds, and no pink STI badge on the trunk. But the tS is imbued with enough STI-ness to make a case.
The hardware updates begin with electronically controlled dampers, stiffer engine mounts, a reworked steering rack, and huge, gold-painted Brembo brakes from the WRX TR, with six-piston calipers in front and two-piston units in the rear. Subaru's engineers didn't try to reinvent the WRX. They just put some finishing touches on it.
The engine story remains essentially the same. A 2.4 L turbocharged flat-four still produces 271 hp (202 kW) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque from 12.0 psi of turbo boost, unchanged from the standard WRX, and the familiar boxer thrum remains. Power courses through a six-speed manual transmission to Subaru's faithful symmetrical all-wheel-drive system. And not that most WRX buyers or fans would care much, but the sportster logs low EPA figures of just 19/26/22 city/highway combined MPG (12.4/9/10.7 L/100 km).
Driving: Precision dancing
The WRX tS doesn't go any quicker than the base WRX since they both carry the same output, same transmission, and same essential guts and weight, but it's no less fun. I didn't do any measured testing of hard acceleration times, but I did dance around with the tS on my private test track in the Arizona desert.
I'm no Fred Astaire, but cinched into a willing, capable car, finding Ginger Rogers in front of you is rare. When I do, it's time for celebration. Meet Ginger. As a WRX, she might be wearing ripped jeans and rubber soles, but when gliding across this dance floor (sinewy roads), no one cares.
Over the years, several plucky, beasty sportsters have punched way above their weight classes. The STIs of the past; the late, great Integra Type R (yes, I'm old enough to have tested it when new); the odd '60s vintage racing Mini Cooper S ("the flying shoebox"); and various strains of VW Golf GTI all conspire to plant a smile on the face of even the most jaded car snob. This is the tS.
The Robert test
Knowing what good entertainment is worth, I brought my friend Robert along for an afternoon of WRXing. He owns multiple exotic sports cars, loves talking about them (but has never taken them to the track), and can rarely be bothered to discuss anything else with wheels. Robert flies in private jets, wears Brioni, and has a place on Park Avenue stocked with a case of Dom. (Perignon, that is.) "Jaded" is scratching the surface.
After about 10 solid minutes of no-nonsense, twisting private test-track floggery at 6,000 rpm, full of opposite-lock steering and ABS tickling, I looked over at Robert as we came to a stop. I couldn't have slapped the grin off his face if I tried.
"They sell this to the public?" he asked incredulously.
I relayed some more facts to Robert before we roared off again.
"These new adaptive dampers offer three modes, including Comfort, Normal, and Sport. There's also a fourth Individual setting where you pick your throttle response, steering weight, damper stiffness, and all-wheel-drive behavior," I told him.
He demanded to go again.
"Yeah, also, Subaru reduced the body roll rate by 30 percent from the WRX TR and limited brake dive and acceleration squat by 50 percent, I think through the new dampers," I said as we entered a high-speed corner at about 95 mph.
It was at this point that Robert asked if we had a sick bag onboard. He was quiet the rest of the afternoon.
To be sure, I love an overachiever, and that's the WRX tS. The smart cookies out there in Subie-world will take care of the tS engine in creative ways to bring into fuller balance the power/handling equilibrium, because if someone messes with the tS suspension, they'd be nuts. It's about as stiff and capable as I could ever want in a car that needed to be driven on real roads. Perhaps grippier rubber? But even then, more grip would throw off the natural chuckability of the tS, and I love chuckable cars. The tS's steering quickness and feel are both right on point.
Interior and daily use: Highs and lows
Inside, the WRX tS doesn't reinvent the Subaru design playbook, but it does offer upgrades. The most obvious are the Recaro front seats, which are a mixed bag. They provide oodles of support but are perhaps too aggressive for some body shapes. They're extremely snug and hold you in place, provided you fit into them. I'm not that broad-shouldered, but the Recaro's side bolsters nearly allow air to pass between my back and the seatback, so tightly coupled are the upper side bolsters.
The 11.6-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen returns, and while it packs all the obvious functionality, such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a decent native navigation system, it still suffers from terribly sluggish response times. The new digital gauge cluster offers multiple display options, including a driver-focused performance view with boost pressure, gear position, and torque distribution.
A new digital gauge cluster can be configured as a typical presentation of dials or a track-oriented cluster with a bar graph tach. Navigation depicts maps crisply, too.
But Subaru's EyeSight, which offers a variety of driver monitoring systems, breaks all known records in nannyism with pervasive, over-the-top reminders about driver attention. The system instructed me to keep my hands on the steering wheel, even though my hands were already on the steering wheel. It told me to keep my eyes on the road, but I was looking straight ahead at the car in front of me. Perhaps it was programmed by a very nervous George Costanza?
The build quality in the WRX TS is up to snuff, and soft-touch materials cover more surfaces than before. The cabin isn't quite that of a luxury car, nor would anyone really expect it to be. It's functional, durable, and right in character for the tS and for a Subaru.
The WRX tS retains some quirks, like the raucous engine note, especially under load and when first fired up. Until the fast idle has settled down, the exhaust is very boomy at the rear of the car.
And then there's the price. At $48,875, including the required destination charge, the un-optioned WRX tS gives you almost no change from $50,000. That's a big heap of money for a WRX with no additional power than others and no STI badge, except on the gauges and shift knob. However, you do get a chassis above reproach, brakes that never give up, and steering that can shame some exotics. And it renders the Roberts in your life mute.
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