The highly-anticipated 2022 Subaru WRX is here. It’s come with a host of new changes and some rather controversial styling that tricks your eyes. However, people certainly hold the old 2021 Subaru WRX in high regard. So, question is, will the new one measure up to what has become a legendary tuner car?

Things look promising, but only time will tell how the new model compares. For now, we at least know exactly what those changes mean on paper.

The 2022 WRX has to follow the 2021 Subaru WRX’s killer act

The last-gen WRX turned into an icon faster than anyone thought it would. It’s been around for the better part of a decade, and has continued to exemplify what cheap performance should mean in this segment. It’s more tunable than most other cars it competes with and still retains a massive amount of usability.

Obviously, there’s Subaru’s reputation for reliability on top of that. People do everything with these, from rally racing to slammed street builds. The 2021 Subaru WRX is the zenith of this generation of ‘Rex, and the 2022 car will have to reckon with that if it wants to build on the reputation Subaru has built with the WRX.

How much will the 2022 Subaru WRX cost?

For starters, the 2022 Subaru WRX needs to continue to exemplify cheap performance. Thankfully, early figures suggest it does. While we don’t have pricing yet, KBB and several other publications, as well as some whispers from Subaru, point to the $30,000 mark.

Obviously, expect the inevitable 2022 Subaru WRX STI to make big power and command a premium for it. Again, we just aren’t sure yet what that number will be. That said, things look right on track on the money side of things. The new interior certainly looks like a massive improvement for the money as well. That new infotainment cluster is Subaru’s latest, a big improvement over the 2021 Subaru WRX.

The new WRX is on the right track

Things are looking good in the power department as well. For the first time, we’ve got a top-tier “GT” trim with an automatic and some nicer interior touches and, critically, adaptive dampers. The 2022 Subaru WRX only gets 3 more horsepower over the old one, but those dampers will definitely make a world of difference.

Right now, styling aside, things are looking good for the 2022 ‘Rex. The new interior, coupled with the dampers and power bump (however minimal) promise improvement. A familiar motor also means we can expect a lot of tunability out of the new car. No matter what you plan to do with your WRX, Subaru has a trim level for you. Now, the new car just has to be accepted by its fans. For that, only time will tell.