We use cookies to make your experience better. To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies. Learn more.
New Cars Need More Personality
January 09, 2024
New cars are becoming more and more similar in the name of efficiency. So, what can be done to give a car a heartbeat and make it feel unique?
What is it that gives a car a unique personality? We are often willing to overlook things like fuel economy, comfort, quietness, and sometimes even reliability in exchange for an experience where it feels like the car is talking to you. This personality does not come from one single characteristic of the car, but all of the quirks, features, and history of both the car and the brand. Character is something that a lot of modern cars seem to be losing, sacrificing excitement in the name of safety, efficiency, and legislative standards. This is where Subaru and their new lineup can get a step ahead of their competitors.
Electric cars in particular are the most guilty of this uniform blending, all feeling like the same thing either turned up or nerfed down. It makes sense, they all use the same, or very similar design architecture. Tesla, for example, built one drivetrain system and turned it into four different vehicles. This phenomenon is catching on with traditional manufacturers, allowing them to save a few dollars on production and sell more cars with less effort. Subaru is doing the same thing with their global platform which was introduced back in 2016. The Subaru Global Platform (SGP) has become the base of every new car in their lineup, with the 2022 WRX being the most recent adaptation. The new WRX has already suffered through its fair share of critique and judgment, and the fact it shares its bones with the Crosstrek and new Forester SUV rightfully raises the question, will it lose the identity that made the WRX so famous?
Everything in Subaru’s lineup has a much different reputation than the WRX. Their other vehicles are focused on outdoorsiness, efficiency, and safety, while the WRX has always been a sports car for someone who needs to carry people and things on a daily basis. Is Subaru aware of how important the WRX is not only to their lineup, but to the consumers, as well?
We were all worried the new WRX would be a softened, toned-down shadow of its aging brethren. But, now that we have lived with the new WRX for some time, it’s clear that Subaru is committed to this lineage of usable sports cars. One of the biggest advantages of the SGP is its adaptability. SGP was designed with a low center of gravity and stability in mind, which contributed to making the new WRX the best handling WRX ever (in a stock-for-stock comparison, of course). The upcoming WRX TR is another example of Subaru giving drivers the option for a major upgrade. New wheels and Recaro seats are headliners, but the real star of the show is the 6-pot front 2-pot rear Brembo brakes. When the TR was announced a few months back, worried murmurs of a ludicrous price increase spread through the community like wildfire. But, Subaru recently announced the 2024 WRX TR will cost $42,000 and some change, which makes the package seem like a no-brainer for anyone planning to do some serious driving and track time in their WRX.
The future of Subaru sports cars is still somewhat up in the air, we are walking on unmapped ground with this new generation of car, and the lack of an STI at the top of the line is cause for some worry. But, Subaru’s attention to extending the lineage of the WRX as a unique, lovable car is as present as ever. I think they are doing exactly what they should by producing funky, fun cars that provide something special for every different type of person.
- Carter Bell
