Posted Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at 10:27pm

The 2022 Subaru WRX Looks A Whole Lot Better In Person

By now, everyone’s seen press shots of the new 2022 Subaru WRX. Takes abound concerning the plastic fender cladding, the cheap-looking black rear bumper, and the CVT-only Recaro package. What most people haven’t done, however, is actually seen the thing in person. I did, at this year’s Wicked Big Meet, and let me tell you folks: it’s good.

There’s some important context to lay down in terms of Subaru design. Namely, function usually begets form rather than the other way around. A Blobeye isn’t classically beautiful in the same way as a Toyota 2000GT, but its performance still makes it appealing — despite the misshapen, melted-looking headlights.

The latest entry in the WRX line will likely outperform its previous counterparts. It’s grown in both displacement and horsepower, and Subaru is claiming substantial improvements in the rigidity of the chassis. If tradition follows, it should only need to be fast — not to look good doing it.

And yet, it does.