2022 Subaru WRX reveal delayed! Big setback for new Toyota GR Yaris and Volkswagen Golf R rival - but it's still bringing turbo fun soon: report

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An artist’s impression of what the new WRX will look like when it’s revealed. (Image credit: Kolesa)
Justin Hilliard
Head of Editorial
17 Aug 2021
2 min read

Subaru has officially delayed the much-anticipated reveal of the fifth-generation WRX sports sedan, according to new report.

The new WRX was set to be revealed at 6:00am this Friday (AEDT), but the in-person event it was supposed to make its big debut at, the 2021 New York motor show, was cancelled at the proverbial last minute, raising questions on whether Subaru would change its plans.

A Subaru spokesperson has now confirmed to US publication Carscoops that the sports sedan’s reveal is currently up in the air due to the COVID-related cancellation, with its new timing and location “not confirmed” at this stage.

Needless to say, it’s only a matter of time until the new Toyota GR Yaris and Volkswagen Golf R rival takes centre stage somewhere, likely digitally, with a livestream ironically planned from the outset, anyway.

Either way, the WRX’s Australian launch was also recently delayed, with it now expected to enter local showrooms in the first quarter of next year.

While little is official regarding the sports sedans, the rumour mill has given us a good idea of what to expect, with it all but confirmed to use a new 2.4-litre turbo-petrol boxer four-cylinder engine with about 220kW of power. For reference, the fourth-generation model's 2.0-litre unit produces 197kW.

Naturally, Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive system will be a fixture in the WRX, likely alongside two transmission options: a six-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Furthermore, the sports sedan is set to use the now-ubiquitous Subaru Global Platform (SGP), which brings with it several performance upgrades, including adaptive dampers that would add further adjustability to its drive modes.

Of course, the WRX will form the basis of the next WRX STI, which is expected to up power to around 300kW while forgoing the CVT option for just the traditional three-pedal set-up.

Justin Hilliard
Head of Editorial
Justin’s dad chose to miss his birth because he wanted to watch Peter Brock hopefully win Bathurst, so it figures Justin grew up to have a car obsession, too – and don’t worry, his dad did turn up in time after some stern words from his mum. That said, despite loving cars and writing, Justin chose to pursue career paths that didn’t lend themselves to automotive journalism, before eventually ending up working as a computer technician. But that car itch just couldn’t be scratched by his chipped Volkswagen Golf R (Mk7), so he finally decided to give into the inevitable and study a Master of Journalism at the same time. And even with the long odds, Justin was lucky enough to land a full-time job as a motoring journalist soon after graduating and the rest, as they say, is history. These days, Justin happily finds himself working at CarsGuide during the biggest period of change yet for the automotive industry, which is perhaps the most exciting part of all. In case you’re wondering, Justin begrudgingly sold the Golf R (sans chip) and still has plans to buy his dream car, an E46 BMW M3 coupe (manual, of course), but he is in desperate need of a second car space – or maybe a third.
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