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Subaru confirms new WRX coming this year

Expect the next-gen WRX to have turbo power, all-wheel drive and World Rally Blue paint.

Steven Ewing Former managing editor
Steven Ewing spent his childhood reading car magazines, making his career as an automotive journalist an absolute dream job. After getting his foot in the door at Automobile while he was still a teenager, Ewing found homes on the mastheads at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog and Motor1.com before joining the CNET team in 2018. He has also served on the World Car Awards jury. Ewing grew up ingrained in the car culture of Detroit -- the Motor City -- before eventually moving to Los Angeles. In his free time, Ewing loves to cook, binge trash TV and play the drums.
Steven Ewing
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Subaru WRX teaser OGI
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Subaru WRX teaser OGI

The sun will soon rise on the 2022 WRX.

Subaru

gave us our first official look at the next-generation on Tuesday, with a shadowy teaser image that leaves plenty to the imagination. The company doesn't have much to say about the 2022 WRX right now, only confirming that its sporty little sedan will debut "this year."

The new WRX will ride on the current platform, which originally debuted in 2016. Don't forget, the WRX we know and love today still shares its architecture with the last-generation Impreza, which dates back to 2011. Time for an update? Most definitely.

While we can't make out much in Subaru's teaser photo -- and yes, we tried screwing around with it in Photoshop -- there are a few details we know. The 2022 WRX will share much of its design with the new Subaru Levorg, which debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2019. At the Levorg's premiere, we were told everything from the B-pillar forward would be used on the WRX. That means an evolutionary design with sharp headlamps, a more sculpted front bumper and a big ol' hood scoop to feed cold air into the engine.

Speaking of engine, that part is still TBD. Subaru could use an updated version of the current WRX's 2.0-liter turbo flat-4, but that seems unlikely. Instead, an earlier report suggested the WRX might get the same 2.4-liter engine found in the , Legacy and , where it makes 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. Currently, the 2021 WRX offers 268 hp and 258 lb-ft, and can be paired with either a six-speed manual or continuously variable transmission.

It's unclear if Subaru will debut the new WRX at an auto show or a one-off event. The New York Auto Show is still scheduled for August, which is one option, though many automakers are finding success with individual digital reveals in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whenever Subaru decides to show us the new WRX, we just hope it's painted World Rally Blue. Gold wheels, too, please.

2020 Subaru WRX Series White looks quite alright

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