Back in March, Subaru revealed that it had formed a new internal performance division to expand and develop its line of sporty cars, and it previewed those models just a few months later. It marked a shift for the company that seemed content releasing special editions and handling packages. So what changed? According to an interview by Best Car in Japan, it has to do with hybrid sales. Plus, we should see some power increases in the new models.
The Boring Cars Cover For The Fun Ones
Best Car interviewed Subaru’s Chief Technical Officer Tetsuro Fujinuki, who confirmed that Subaru’s new performance push is made possible by strong hybrid sales. The high sales of those vehicles, combined with their improved fuel economy over standard combustion variants, means that Subaru’s corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) numbers have improved. As a result, the company has enough breathing room to launch niche performance vehicles that might have brought down the CAFE number too far. He also expects the brand’s EVs to help, too.
2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid front 3/4 angle in brown while parkedSubaru
He didn’t say whether he was talking specifically about CAFE regulations in Japan, or the US, but we would expect that Subaru has seen improvements in both regions. Subaru doesn’t give its powertrain sales breakdowns in its monthly updates, but last month, it reported that 20% of its nearly 55,000 sales in June were of hybrids. Subaru clearly expects significant US sales of the Forester hybrid, too, as that model was added to the production line at its Indiana factory this year. While EV sales aren’t enormous, they’re showing signs of improvement, as the new Trailseeker and Uncharted have together nearly matched the Solterra’s sales for the year so far.
The Turbo Cars Are Finally Getting More Power
The most powerful factory combustion Subaru sold in the US was the WRX STI S209, and it made 341 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque, and that was in 2019. Subaru also only sold 209 of them in America. The regular STI in its final model year of 2021, still made around 300 hp, like it had since the model’s arrival in the US in 2004. Even the regular WRX, despite gaining more displacement with its redesign, only gained a few horsepower over its predecessor. However, the moratorium on more power seems to be over.
Subaru High Performance X Version II race car for Super TaikyuSubaru
Subaru already revealed that it would be reviving the TY85-series six-speed manual transmission used in all of those old STI models. It’s more robust than the TY75 transmission in the WRX. In fact, Fujinuki confirmed that the TY85 is able to handle up to 443 lb-ft of torque, well above what STIs have offered in the past. Additionally, he said that Subaru has developed versions of the FA24 2.4-liter four-cylinder that are making more than 350 hp, so we can expect to see at least that much in its new WRX variants. It’s likely he was referring to the Super Taikyu race car that was revealed this year. It makes 359 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque.
At Least Two Of The New Performance Subarus Will Be Turbocharged
Subaru previewed three of its new models in June, and even though they were hidden by cloth, the basic idea behind each was clear. One will be an upgraded WRX sedan with the aforementioned transmission and certainly more power, likely in the range of that race car. Another is a hatchback, meaning that there will be a WRX hatchback for the first time since the 2014 model year. Subaru said it will be based on the concept shown at the Tokyo Auto Salon in 2025, which also featured an impressive wide body kit. We wouldn’t be surprised to see it sold with the same upgraded engine and transmission.
Teaser For Three New Subaru Manual Cars Due In 2027 – June, 2026Subaru
Finally, a new BRZ variant will launch that Subaru said will be based on the Type RA, but will be even lighter. We’re not expecting it to get a power boost. The mention of lighter weight, plus the fact that the Type RA also lacks any extra power has us thinking it will continue with the same naturally aspirated 2.4-liter engine as all other versions.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
It’s great to see Subaru finally having a bit of fun again and paying attention to the side of its business that earned it many diehard fans. Even if these models don’t sell in huge numbers, they should be good halos that could help cultivate a new generation of Subaru fans that will either buy a WRX in the future for themselves, or some other Subaru for their families.
Additionally, Fujinuki’s comments show that enthusiasts shouldn’t completely write off hybrids and EVs. We would argue they shouldn’t regardless, because we’ve found some seriously fun examples of each, whether they’re the new Prelude or the Ioniq 5 N. However, at the very least, their success could allow automakers to still offer some fun specials for people that want more than just simple transportation.
Source: Best Car
