Has the new 2022 Subaru WRX done enough to retain its performance hero crown?

The 2022 Subaru WRX has at last been revealed, with the Japanese brand’s new performance hero packing a turbocharged 2.4-litre engine that pumps out 202kW and 350Nm.

Those aren't huge increases over the current-gen vehicle, which makes 197kW and 350Nm from its turbo 2.0-litre engine, but Subaru says more performance is unlocked through a stiffer chassis, sportier (auto) gearbox and other fun-focused equipment.

Revealed in the USA overnight, the all-new AWD ‘Rex essentially shares its engine with the new Subaru BRZ, only this time equipped with a turbocharger, which pairs with a six-speed manual or a Subaru Performance Transmission, which the brand has been careful not to call a CVT, though that’s apparently what it is.

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This is not your garden-variety CVT, mind. The brand says the Subaru Performance Transmission is 30 percent faster on the (simulated) upshift, and 50 percent faster on the (simulated) downshift, rev-matching, and has been engineered with eight gear-like ‘steps’ which allow the driver to use the wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

"To say we're incredibly excited about the all-new Subaru WRX global reveal is an understatement,” says Blair Read, General Manager of Subaru Australia.

“We look forward to sharing more information about this highly-anticipated model with Subaru enthusiasts and Australian consumers in the coming months.”

The 2022 Subaru WRX should arrive in Australia in Q2 next year.

Full Australian specification and pricing is yet to be confirmed, but will be closer the vehicle’s local launch in the first half of 2022. For now, though, we’ve got the US model to guide us.

The new WRX adopts the new Subaru Global Platform, which the brand says “significantly enhances the driving dynamics” thanks to its “highly rigid body and chassis”

Also assisting in its AWD performance is its available centre differential and Variable Torque Distribution in auto models.

“The Variable Torque Distribution AWD system delivers both vehicle stability and sporty turning performance, and is adopted for the vehicles equipped with Subaru Performance Transmission,” the brand says.

“For the trim featuring Drive Mode Select function, AWD sport mode further enhances turning performance by controlling LSD torque.”

The huge central screen dominates the dash of the 2022 Subaru WRX.

The new WRX is also bigger (there’s a longer wheelbase and more passenger and cargo room) and safer (Subaru’s EyeSight systems have been upgraded) than the car it replaces, while the cabin is home to a new massive central screen, new-gen Recaro seats and an interior design treatment that feels sportier and more premium, too.

The new WRX is expected to arrive in Australia in Q2, 2022, with local details to be confirmed closer to launch.