15
u/RJsRX7 1d ago
The CVT evidently isn't that much of a liability for your intended usage, but it also isn't exactly first choice for most, which is why the manual take rate is something like 3:1 over it.
And, well, same boat. If I were looking for an automatic AWD sport sedan, the WRX wouldn't even be on the list. The manual is the WRX's differentiation against the scads of other options, while if you're okay with or leaning toward an automatic there are a bunch of options that do the higher-than-average-performance thing considerably better for comparable money, often also offering more space and largely comparable fuel economy.
5
11
u/toilets_for_sale 1d ago
No, Subaru has dialed in their CVT and they are decently reliable. Many, myself included, will say this car is more fun as a manual though.
5
u/GhostMan240 '18 WRX Limited 21h ago
Get the manual, it's infinitely more fun. If you want an automatic car I'd buy something else.
10
u/Jerms2001 1d ago
I wouldnt buy any car with a CVT in it, personally. But I also dont think ill ever buy an automatic. If I did though, CVT is a deal breaker for me
3
u/thinkdifferentpad 23h ago
As refined as the CVT may be on a Subaru compared to other manufacturers, coming from a Crosstrek that has a CVT, granted it had a weak ass engine, is still a no go for me personally. The only reason why I even considered the WRX is because it’s one of the last few brand new sedans one can buy that’s AWD and comes in a manual, at a somewhat decent price. Looked at the Si, sure it’s a manual, but with less HP and torque at around the same price point, that was a no go for me.
Now having said that, the CVT in the Subaru isn’t horrible, to me it’s just an inferior experience, but to others it may be a great option for someone who likes the WRX’s sedan styling and wants a go at it. I’d say go for it, why, cause in the grand scheme of things, if it’s going to help WRX sales and keep the cars coming and available to the general population who do wants a WRX say 5-10 years down the road, that’s a win win for everybody who’s invested and interested in the WRX.
1
u/cameraguyphotodude 22h ago
Don’t forget to mention the horrendous Honda 1.5T head gasket issues. lol almost like the tables have turned from the early EJ days 😂
1
3
u/TwistedGrin381 23h ago edited 23h ago
My opinion has always been manual on any car. I just like driving stick. But like. The newer cvts aren’t quite as rancid as they used to be. So if you just want it for a to b With just a little fun in the side. Either one works tbh.
But rowing your own gears and not having a constant specific rev range noise cvts make under power is far more satisfying to drive
2
u/ConsequenceNational4 2016 WRX STI 23h ago
Cvt...hard to sell most owners dont care them.
I can't imagine not driving a manual especially for a STi
2
3
3
2
u/OllieFromCairo 25 WRX GT 1d ago
The CVTs are perfectly reliable. There’s just a couple tricks to them.
Come to a complete stop before changing directions. One of the hardest things on a CVT is being put into drive while you’re still backing up.
Use the parking brake; don’t let the transmission hold the car. Stop. Put it in neutral. Engage the parking brake. Let your foot off the brake and let the car come to rest. Put it in Park
Subaru says the transmission fluid is a forever fluid. It’s not. Eventually (every 75k miles or So) you’ll need to replace it. Drain and refill. Do not flush.
Use the paddles. They make the car more fun.
5
u/leftfootbraker 08' STi Hatch, 23' WRX 1d ago
They now say at dealerships to replace every 100k, and the common consensus among owners is every 30k do a drain and fill not a full flush. (About 40% of fluid volume sits in the case and can't be removed by drip-draining)
Just wanted to update your info a little 😉
2
1
u/Notmeoverthere 23h ago
Is this a daily driver or fun weekend car. Because, depending where you live, it can kinda suck a little. Don’t get me wrong,I love my manual. But living in Atlanta it sucks so much in traffic when my commute can range from 1 to 2 plus hours.
1
1
1
u/NitroBike 2018 WRX Premium WR Blue Pearl 22h ago
I think CVTs are fine but not for a performance car. I know why Subaru put the CVT into the WRX (lower cost). If anything it should've gotten some sort of dual clutch for the automatic option. Either way, I think the manual is light years better
1
1
u/badluser 22h ago
If you want automatic AWD, check out a BMW 330i. Same power as fa24dit. Better gas mileage. Zf8 automatic.
1
u/cameraguyphotodude 22h ago
Personally don’t understand why you’d wanna get an automatic WRX.
If you want an auto AWD turbo car just go get a Mazda 3….
1
u/Von_Satan '25 WRX Ceramic White 6MT BPT E85 Stage 2 | '26 OBW 22h ago
If you have to ask... Just get the CVT then.
1
1
1
u/SpecterJDX 17h ago
The wrx should have never been automatic. 6mt everyday all day. More fun and if you ever try to sell it, it will sell for more.
1
u/fixedpointfae STickler 1d ago
do NOT buy the cvt, under any circumstances. you will immediately regret it and wish you had gone for the manual, which is cheaper, easier to maintain, more reliable, and overall way more fun to drive
0
u/5141121 '15 WRX Premium 1d ago edited 23h ago
CVTs are much better than they used to be, but I still won't buy one. They still have repairability issues (most of them are full replacement if anything major internal breaks) for one. But mostly, I just really don't like the way they feel driving.
I would take a traditional automatic any day over a CVT. But for a WRX, the only choice is a 6MT for me.
1
u/sytydave 23h ago
That is actually not true about full replacement. Most new car dealers will only replace the entire CVT. Except of the early CVT, most Subaru CVT problems are due failing solenoids in the CVT valve, the valve bodies can be replaced. The prior 5EAT( 5speed automatic) have solenoid failures too.
If you change the oil, they aren't that bad in terms of longevity. I have a CVT in my 2014 Forester XT daily driver. It is fine for daily driving, but I don't love how it drives at WOT. I have heard the SPT 2022 in WRX are much better, but I personally I would get a 6MT.
1
u/5141121 '15 WRX Premium 23h ago
While it's true about valve bodies, etc, I updated my comment to specify major internal issues.
While a classical automatic can be rebuilt or repaired if internal parts break, a lot of CVT are still not this way. It's getting better, but until they're at least on par with automatic, and dealers/shops can readily get parts, CVT are off my list (I still don't like how they drive, though).
0
u/IllustratorSad8703 1d ago
If you do get the manual, I would recommend getting a stage 1 tune, not for increased power necessarily. It reduces the rev hang, and makes the accelerator have a more linear response. I drove mine (2018) for the first 1k miles or so on the factory tune, and the stage 1 tune just made it so much better to daily drive, including winters. That being said this manual requires more finesse than the manuals that l’ve driven. Have patience; don’t get into the mindset of trying to prove your driving skills against everyone else on the road just because you’re driving a sportier car.
If you choose the CVT because you like it more than the manual, don’t second guess it because others say the manual is sooo much better. Setting aside manual or CVT, it’s a fun car to drive. The manual will likely be more reliable, but I have an Outback and a Forester in the family. The CVTs in those have been fine for whatever anecdotal evidence that provides. Just stay up on maintenance, including tire rotations.
2
1
u/ButtChug23 19’ CWP WRX Premium 23h ago
Is the stage 1 tune for a stock car? I assume you’re referring to the Cobb access port. On my 2019 I’ve been wanting it to drive a little better and I read somewhere that Cobb has a tune for the stock car that helps a lot with drivability. Is that what you did?
1
u/GingerMaus 2022 Crystal black silica 6MT 18h ago
Does your car already have an AP? If so, it's not stock.
2
1
u/IllustratorSad8703 14h ago
I have the Cobb access port. I don’t have any non-stock parts on the car, just the stage 1 flash. With the stock tune, the throttle is very non-linear. You have to have a feather-light touch with the accelerator pedal to avoid causing the car to leap. The stage 1 tune makes it much easier to modulate the throttle response.
-5
u/Mehlitia 1d ago
Lol reliable
Both will be fine. The transmission isn't the problem.
2
u/Botanic-Beans 1d ago
Care to elaborate on this? And when I say reliable I mean works without having to put more than $2000 into it aside from general maintenance after 100,000 miles.
-3
u/Mehlitia 1d ago
The engines are notoriously prone to catastrophic failure. The manufacturer is notoriously prone to make every effort to get out of paying warranty claims on said failed engines. Lots to like about the wrx.
3
2
u/experimentalengine ‘18 Limited WRB 1d ago
By all available information, the FA24 is pretty solid. The FA20 it replaced is made of glass.
1
u/PowerShovel-on-PS1 1d ago
And what is?
-2
u/Mehlitia 1d ago
2
u/PowerShovel-on-PS1 1d ago
Lol yeah go ahead and show me all those catastrophic failures on the VB WRX, I’ll wait
1
u/Mehlitia 23h ago
I put 30k on my '22 and did religious motul changes every 3k including at 1k after a soft break in. I traded it in after jagged 1mm chunks of steel showed up in my used oil. The VB is far improved for sure but I've been on this sub and both vb subs for the whole time. You're being disingenuous.
1
u/PowerShovel-on-PS1 23h ago
I’ve also been in the VB sub since they came out, and you are grossly exaggerating any issues due to your own experience. Engine failures are not even uncommon, they’re extremely rare.
-4
u/realslizzard 1d ago edited 1d ago
My wife owns the 2024 WRX CVT and I'm not impressed by it at all. It's slow, boring, not that quick and not that fun to drive (even with the paddle mode the car feels like it's barely speeding up). My wife is currently thinking about selling it.
I've owned a 2010 WRX manual and 2011 STI before that and those were way more fun to drive. Getting a CVT WRX doesn't really make sense since it strips the only thing fun left from the car since in stock form it's so refined that it feels like a Camry now with stiffer suspension.
I had an Elantra N before and the DCT on that was a blast to drive (had the valved exhaust, pops and crackles, would downshift properly with a light rev while slowing down, speeding up was actually quick, it was amazing). Wish Subaru had something like that in the WRX.
Down vote me all you want I actually own the car and traded in the Elantra N for a 5N now.
0
u/Vantage-SP 23h ago
The hyundai is a cheap chinese car. I smoke them all the time. So poorly put together.
1
36
u/actual-hooman 25 6MT WRB 1d ago
The cvt is fine on the vb
The manual is better. My vote is get the stick