Its funny I came across this thread, I haven't visited this forum in some time... I sold my 2013 4Runner SR5 a little over a year ago, and bought a 2016 WRX Limited 6MT.
I paid $34,900 for my 4Runner, and was actually able to sell it to a Toyota dealership for ~$28,500! It had 50k miles on it, but was in very good condition in and out. I was actually shocked at how well it held its value!
I had about 3 years left on my 4Runner Loan, but I was able to put the "Equity" I had in my 4Runner down on the WRX, and get a 3 year loan on that, and my car payments ended up being about $20/month less. I am also saving about $60/month in Gas with the WRX, however my Insurance went up about $30/month.
During my 3rd year of ownership, I basically only used my 4runner to commute back and fourth to work. I never got to use it for what it was meant for. With what I was paying for the Gas, and the Car Payment, it just didn't make sense anymore. I also drive alot of twisty backroads, which the 4runner was horrible at. I had always wanted a WRX, and as soon as I figured out it can fit 3 Carseats in the rear, and it would be cheaper to drive, I made the switch. I loved the 4runner, but it was very boring to drive, and I wanted something more engaging, and to be back in something with a manual transmission again.
Ultimately, I know I made the right choice. There are alot of things I love about the WRX, however it does have its annoyances and short comings, but the good does outweigh the bad. There times I do miss the 4Runner, but ultimately the WRX is a better car for me.
Even though the latest gen (2015+) WRX's have made alot of improvements, there are alot of things/issues you need to consider, and be OK with, if you are going to be happy living with one.
Here are the things I like about the WRX:
-Practicality: It is a AWD 4-Door Sedan, with a surprising amount of rear leg room, interior room in general & a huge trunk. There is nothing else on the market like it, at it's price point
-It is fun to drive: It has good power (but not too much), and amazing handling. When accelerating through a corner, the grip is amazing, and you can feel the AWD clawing and pulling you through the corner. Also, even with the stock exhaust, it's sound is amazing.
-Interior: Alot of people say the WRX's interior sucks and is cheap, however, the latest gen has made alot of improvements. It is significantly nicer then the 5th Gens. The seats are comfortable, but have enough bolstering to hold you in. The steering wheel feels amazing (leather wrapped, thick, and flat bottom. The dash and upper door panels are soft touch, and of decent quality. The gauge cluster is nice, and has a useful center screen. Its layout is very clean, practical, and makes sense. It also has a cool screen in the center of the dash that shows boost, oil temp, mileage and other configurable things. Also, its visibility is amazing.
-AWD System is simple yet effective: Most new car's AWD system is some overly complicated FWD based system that drives around in FWD most of the time, and then the rear wheels kick in when needed. The Focus RS's AWD is like this, and its system will actually overheat, if over used, and it will keep you in FWD mode until cooled. The problem with most of these AWD systems, are that they don't react quickly enough and add unnecessary complexity. The AWD system in the Manual Transmission WRX (CVT is slightly different), is mechanical, simple and works well. The Front and Center diffs are contained within the Manual Transmission Housing. The Center Diff is a Viscous diff that splits the power 50/50 Front to Rear split. The front and rear diffs are open, however like the 4runner the ABS system will apply brakes to the wheel that loses traction. There is also a "Front Brake Vectoring System" that will apply the brakes to the inner wheel when turning, to reduce under steer. What is nice about the simplicity about the system is the maintenance. To replace the fluid for the Front Diff, Center Diff, and Transmission, all you have to do is drain the transmission, and refill. There are no complex transmission fluid replacement procedures like automatic and dual clutch transmissions require.
Here are my biggest complaints about the WRX:
-Power Delivery/Stock Tune: The WRX has good mid range power, however it dies out pretty quickly up top. There is also something weird with the tune, where power dies off around 4500rpm to 5000rpm, then picks up. It is very unsettling, and makes you want to upshift early, which takes you out of the powerband. Also, acceleration can be lumpy and inconsistent. Sometimes in some situations the car feels very powerful, other times it feels lethargic. It all depends on how and when you accelerate, as well as several other factors. Subaru also did something really annoying with the throttle mapping. From 0-30% pedal input, it is linear to the throttle body opening. After 30% pedal, the Throttle Body opens to 100%. So basically any time you press the pedal more then 30%, you are going WOT. Not only is this bad for the engine in certain situations, it even cause more inconsistency in acceleration, and can exaggerate the 4500 power dip in certain situations. You can get a Cobb Access Port, which fixes the pedal/throttle mapping issue, as well as alot of other driveablity issues, however that also voids your warranty. I have heard the latest Subaru ECU update fixes the pedal mapping as well, but people are also complaining it makes the car feel slower. I am not sure if the 2018s have this newest ECU logic or not.
-Subaru Paint Sucks: All new car paint these days is pretty delicate, thanks to those damn hippies, but Subaru's paint is on a whole other level of fragility. After 1 year of driving, my front bumper and hood is covered in rock chips. I rarely drive on the freeway, and am very careful of who and how I follow cars, and I still can't avoid them. Every time I wash my car, I find new ones. If you care about your paint, and clear bra is a must for any Subaru.
-Using the AC upsets drive ability: It is very annoying to drive the car with the AC on. You can feel it when the compressor cycles on or off. If it does this during acceleration, the car will literally jerk. The compressor will cycle off under hard acceleration, so every time you accelerate with the AC on the acceleration will be interrupted and jerky. Also, if you are at a stop light and the compressor is on, you have to give it alot more gas then usual, but if you don't once you let the clutch out in 1st, it will bog down horribly for a few sec, then pick back up.
-Clunks, rattles, and weird noises: Even though the WRX is still built in Japan, they aren't problem free like other Japanese brands. There are alot of common issues with these car that can get kind of annoying. You can take it into the dealership under warranty, but half the time they will say they can't reproduce the issue, or its normal. Even if it is acknowledged, they will just throw the wrong parts at the car hoping to fix it, and then it doesn't. You also have to worry about the techs hooning/abusing your car during the test drive. I have seen many horror stories, even dash cam footage of this.
The issues I have with my WRX at 1 year and 15k miles are:
-Clunk in front suspension when going over rough roads, bumps, pot holes, ect
-Clunk in Electric Steering Rack, when I turn the wheel quickly when driving >5mph or stopped (Will require a new steering rack, however those who have had that done say the noise comes back after a few months)
-Clutch Pedal creaks twice when pushing the pedal down, and twice on the way back up
-The throw out bearing isn't sealed by design (cheapness) so if it rains, or there is moisture in the air, the TOB will make a constant chirping sound for the first 5 min of your drive, when you press it in. This has been going on with all Subaru Manual Transmissions since 2008. They finally came out with a revised part this year...
There are also several rattles from various places all around the car
-The Stock Radio (6.2 Starlink) is painfully slow. It takes about 15sec to load your music off USB/Bluetooth/CD. And if you are listing to something, and get a phone call using bluetooth, it takes 15 sec after the call has ended before it starts playing again. It also can take up to 10 sec for the rear view camera to load, after you shift into reverse, and when it does, the unit is so slow, the video is choppy. I am not exaggerating on the time either, I actually timed this. The higher trim 7.0 Starlink systems have normal loading times
-The quality and durability of the leather seats is marginal at best
-The seat heaters are almost pointless. Even on high, they just turn on for about 2 min, then turn off for about 10, then turn on again for another 2 min. It is by design, once they reach a certain temp which is very low, they will turn off until they get below a certain temp, then turn back on again.
-Subaru is a repetitively small car company, so they take forever to release revised parts and fixes. The cars also don't' have alot of features that basic cars have had 10 years ago.
Examples:
-Doors don't automatically lock when you start driving, or unlock when you turn off the car
-Auto down is only on the driver side window (although they 2017s finally have this feature).
-Only driver seat is powered (on the higher trims)
-Can't operate windows after you turn off the ignition
Also some things to be considered:
-Oil Changes - The FA20DIT engine is very hard on oil. Oil changes should be performed every 4-5k miles, because of oil sheering and fuel dilution issues this engine has. Luckily Oil changes are really easy with the oil filter being a canister (Not cartridge) and located on top.
-Attention - The car gets alot of attention from kids, and even worse the police. Kids want to race you, and other drivers expect you to drive like an A-Hole. It is way too easy to get a ticket in one of these cars.
-The FA20DIT is direct injected, and it has known issues with carbon buildup. The intake valves will probably need to be cleaned (via walnut blasting) every 60k miles or so. You can buy a kit/setup for less then $200 and DIY, or pay a shop ~$600 to do it.
-Harsh Suspension/Ride - the WRX handles amazing, however it comes at a cost of a very harsh ride. You will feel every bump and pot hole on the road. Bridge expansion joints are especially jarring. With all of the potholes this last winter left behind, the suspension's harshness can get kind of annoying.
So the WRX can kind of a PITA at times, but most of the "issues" are minor annoyances, and can be addressed one way or another. For me it is totally worth it, and I would buy one again without question. I still love driving the car every day, and actually look forward to my commute on the backroads now. Make sure you thoroughly test drive one though to see if you can live with the weird acceleration. Also, DON'T GET A CVT!!!!! A manual transmission is how that car was meant to be driven, and there are durability issues and longevity concerns with it, even at stock power.
For MPGs, I take the same route on my daily commute with both the 4Runner and WRX. It is 25 miles each way, mostly hilly back roads, with 1-2 miles on a freeway. For that route my 4runner averaged about 18mpg, and my WRX 23mpg. On freeway only trips, I see about 26-26mpg. Here are my fuelly links for reference:
Here are some pics:
Here is a good website that shows all of the different models/options/accessories, as well as pics and details on each.
http://www.cars101.com/subaru/wrxsti/wrxsti2018.html
Also, when it comes to buying a WRX, it is typically harder to get a good deal on what they have instock, because they can only order so many WRXs a month, and they typically sell quickly. For the best price, you will want to talk to the Fleet Manager or Internet Sales Manager, and order one. It takes 3 months, but you get what you want for a much better price. The MSRP on my Limited (no additional options or accessories) was $31,190. The Fleet Manager ordered mine for me for $29,900, and that was with no negotiation.
You can also go through Heuberger Motors for a good deal. They can typically beat any price, including the cost to ship your car to you once it arrives.
https://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2463068
