2024 Subaru WRX TR Review: It’s No STI, But That’s Not a Bad Thing

Subaru’s latest WRX range-topper specializes in subtlety, and that’s a strength.

Published January 15, 2024

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Let’s jump right into it: the Subaru WRX TR represents the purest focus on the driving experience out of any model in the line. It’s the natural choice for the enthusiast. The TR stands for “Tuner Ready,” reflecting the fact that it’s the stripped-down version of the standard Subaru WRX that acts as a blank canvas for tuners to carry out their creative vision with brush strokes of burbly 3-inch turbo-back exhausts, and a dab of HKS SSQV blow-off valve.

Oh, whoops, I forgot to mention: I’m talking about the 2006 version of the WRX TR, not the new-for-2024 version. Subaru revived the TR moniker for the latest addition to the Rex lineup, but not necessarily the ethos of the original TR. The 2024 version of the WRX TR takes the top spot in the WRX hierarchy, bringing together the creature comforts of the WRX GT with the added performance benefits of new Brembo brakes and a stiffer suspension — and of course, a six-speed manual. No CVT on offer here.

So if you missed the WRX TR the first time around in ‘06, is this your second chance at a “pure” WRX driving experience? Well, sort of.

The tuner scene certainly ain’t what it used to be — you’ll note those Fast and Furious movies have changed quite a bit since then — and brand-new cars aren’t the same, either. What the TR does best is almost exactly the opposite of what the original ‘06 model did: where that one was stripped down and ready to tune, the new one is factory-loaded with the sort of mods that we would have wanted to do … albeit with a restraint that may not have been exercised back in the tuner glory days.

You’ll pay for the privilege, too: the 2024 WRX TR rings in at $42,775. Like we said, this isn’t 2006.

The 2024 WRX TR: What We Think

The best way to approach the new WRX TR is to forget about the TR of 2006 — and to forget about the ERX STI, which used to sit at the top of the lineup in previous generations, while you’re at it. They’re gone, and there’s nothing we can do about it.

Instead, appreciate the ’24 TR on its own terms. It’s a blast to drive, it’s practical — and perhaps most surprising of all, it’s subtle. But there are signs that it’s not a “normal” WRX. The first is the bright red Brembo calipers peeping through the model-specific 19” anthracite wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza S007 tires. Inside, you’ll see Recaro stitched into the sport seats with microfiber inserts. What you won’t see — but rather feel — is the worked-over suspension setup with stiffer spring rates and tuned damping.

subaru wrx tr interior 2024 — The aforementioned Recaros.

Less is more when it comes to the WRX TR

You’re not getting a big wing, you’re not getting a throaty exhaust, you’re not even getting Subaru’s signature gold wheels: isn’t this supposed to be the track-ready model?

But hold on a second. Making something simple is often more difficult than making it over the top. This isn’t a sleeper by any means; it still has the exact same 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four rated at 271 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It doesn’t even benefit from cranked-up boost; it’s still running at a conservative 12 psi. What you get, then, is an “IYKYK” WRX.

Subtlty is an art, and it would have been very easy for Subaru to slap some pink badging on and capitalize on the STI name, which is exactly what it did with the new BRZ tS. Instead, the WRX Tr is an exercise in subtlety, especially in dark blue paint. It’s almost as if Subaru has grown up alongside the teenagers who lusted after the TR in 2006 and designed a WRX for who they might be close to 20 years later.

Subaru stuck to the formula we know and love

To get to know the WRX TR, Subaru brought me to Italy, where I was able to rip through the course of the famed Targa Florio — Siciliy’s daring road race that claimed the lives of nine drivers from 1906 to 1977. I drove on a rainy day, and that meant slick roads, the kind that made the WRX absolutely shine. Truthfully speaking, there isn’t a car I’d rather be driving in a setting like that.

Enthusiasts might bemoan the dumbing-down of the latest WRX’s rally-ready character, but truth be told, it’s not that different than it ever was. You have a turbocharged flat-four up front, symmetrical all-wheel-drive underneath you and a stick shift at your command. How can that not be fun?

the inside of a car — Yes, you still get a giant touchscreen infotainment.

By the end of the drive, my fluency in sliding sideways was thoroughly proven — and it wasn’t even at all that nerve-wracking, just a little controlled fishtailing engineered to the driving dynamics. Grip is a spectrum, and the WRX TR never strayed too far from the grabby side of it … except when I wanted it to.

It’s worth applauding Subaru’s decision to keep the manual transmission and a performance-oriented internal combustion engine around. There’s talk of the STI’s eventual return in hybrid or even electric form eventually; that means the 2024 WRX TR might be the last chance to capitalize on a formula that can only be described as the stuff of legend.

You can’t outdrive the WRX TR

The brutally honest reality is that unless you’re Petter Solberg or Brandon Semenuk, it’s unlikely that you can outdrive the TR.

There’s a narrative out there about the WRX becoming soft. I’m not sure that’s true. The 5-percent-stiffer springs and the six-piston Brembo brake calipers with 13.4-inch rotors of the TR are plenty capable, and the whole package is actually engineered for track use. (For the record, that’s what Subaru is saying TR now stands for: Track Ready.)

The setup is so capable in the areas where we know the WRX shines: snow, sleet, rain, gravel and of course dry pavement. It has the same sort of confidence-inspiring nature that it’s always had behind the wheel, but what it lacks is the cultural prowess of something with cherry red accents.

The biggest problem with the TR is that Subaru made a WRX that performs well in all categories, but doesn’t broadcast that message the same way past performance models did. But here’s the thing: that’s a strength, not a weakness.

The 2024 Subaru WRX TR

Powertrain: 2.4 liter turbocharged flat-four; six-speed manual; all-wheel-drive
Horsepower: 271
Torque: 258 lb-ft
EPA Fuel Economy: 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway
Starting MSRP: $42,775

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