Thumbing through a manufacturer’s quarterly and yearly sales reports is mind-numbing at best. We try to carve headlines out of something dropping in popularity or skyrocketing in sales, usually when percentages are deep in the double digits in either direction. Rarely will we come across something that’s hit triple-digits, let alone a 252.3% increase in sales over the same month last year.
Subaru might just be the big winner of our inner-office pool for the best sales turnaround this year with the WRX. Helping it rise to the top is a series of strategic price cuts over last year’s model, which thankfully proves that if a small, exciting sedan is cheap enough, people will still come out of the woodwork to buy it.
The WRX’s Entry Price was Slashed, Base Trim Returned
2026 Subaru WRXSubaru
Subaru discontinued the Base trim on the WRX for 2025, handing off the job to the Premium, which started at $35,750 ($36,920 after destination). For 2026, the Base trim returns and starts at $32,495. Prices were slashed across the range as well. The Premium with 6-speed manual starts at $33,995 ($1,755 less than 2025), the Limited was discounted by $1,135 for an MSRP of $38,995, and the GT and tS’ shared MSRP of $44,995 was cut by $710.
April through November last year was a difficult time for the WRX in the US. Sales dropped as low as 350 units in June 2025, making June 2026’s 250% increase in sales look astronomical. But for the WRX model as a whole, sales have averaged 1,200–1,500 units per month over the last three years. The first half of 2026 saw WRX sales return to a steady average of nearly 1,200, with the 2026 models arriving at dealers in the spring with cheaper sticker prices.
The addition of the Base trim drove the starting MSRP down significantly, marking the WRX as a competitive, real alternative for shoppers considering the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Hyundai Sonata rather than dismissing it altogether. With the manual transmission, the choice between the WRX and others in the class becomes tougher, thanks to its AWD system and a heritage rooted in WRC titles. Price was the WRX’s biggest enemy, which Subaru witnessed when sales dove below 1,000 units for eight straight months.
The 2026 WRX Holds its Own at $32,495
2026 Subaru WRXSubaru
We consider the WRX to be one of the performance cars that holds its own in the mainstream sport sedan segment, with the Honda Civic Si and Volkswagen Golf R at either end of the spectrum. Between these two spicy compacts are the Hyundai Elantra N, Volkswagen Jetta GLI, Toyota GR Corolla, Honda Civic Type R, Volkswagen Golf GTI, and the Mini Cooper JCW. With its cheaper pricing this year, the WRX now plays a key role in overlapping this segment of cars with, shall we say, the previously-named more boring means of transportation.
Higher trims of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry start around $35,000. Considering something with more performance for the same price means giving up some of the luxuries that the Accord or Camry might offer. When the WRX started at $36,920, it put its entry price nearer to where these two top out. Moving it closer to the mid-range models affords Subaru the ability to charge similar money for a well-equipped Limited ($38,995) model right around where the Accords and Camrys’ ceiling is.
2026 Subaru WRXSubaru
Less money and fewer features are given up to justify the jump, it also doesn’t cut back on cabin size as noticeably as a Civic or Elantra would, nor will it limit you to just one transmission like the two remaining Golfs will. The WRX also slots into Subaru’s lineup as the brand’s only sedan in 2026. The Impreza lives on in a hatchback-only form and the Legacy was discontinued after 2025. Not only will it serve as Subaru’s entry into the performance sedan market, it’s the only sedan available.
Serving a dual-purpose in 2026, the WRX is better equipped to accomplish both tasks Subaru has placed on its most iconic model with its new pricing structure. A majority of returning Legacy owners will likely find themselves moving into one of Subaru’s seven crossovers, but those who are steadfast in their preference for sedans will hopefully enjoy the WRX as their consolation prize.
!!!MODEL TAG!!! Listing Carousel 2026 Subaru WRX Sedan
/cars/subaru/wrx-sedan/2026/
The 2026 WRX Lineup
All models receive power from a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer-4 that makes 271 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The money charged for more expensive models doesn’t go into the engine, rather, it’s put into other goodies like brakes, suspension setups, and steering systems. All models receive Subaru’s Symmetrical AWD system and all trims, save for the GT, come standard with a 6-speed manual transmission. Only the Limited and GT can be had with Subaru’s Performance CVT that simulates 8 individual ratios.
AWD Systems Vary by Transmission
While all models get AWD, there are two differing setups available depending on which variant of WRX you prefer. Continuous AWD is a standard option for the Base, Premium, Limited, and tS. Variable Torque Distribution AWD is used in conjunction with the automatic gearbox offered for Premium and GT models and, unlike the 50/50 torque split delivered by Continuous AWD, has historically been rear-biased (45/55).
Base, Premium, and Limited
Subaru offers no additional packages for the Base trim, with all but the Galaxy Purple Pearl exterior paint costing an additional $395. Premium models can be equipped with an optional package which includes an upgraded Harman Kardon sound system and moonroof for $1,865. Limited models have no additional packages available, aside from the $1,000 charge for swapping out the 6-speed manual for a CVT. Six-way manually adjustable cloth seats are standard in both Base and Premium models, with the Limited getting 8-way powered black Ultrasuede and leather-trimmed seats.
GT and tS
The top-ranking members of the WRX’s lineup offer the most performance available from automatic and manual gearbox platforms, but you’ll find Subaru has clearly picked favorites with the tS. The GT gets sport-tuned electronically adjustable dampers, the tS gets STI-tuned dampers. Ventilated disc brakes are fitted to the GT while the tS gets Brembo performance brakes. Everything the GT can do, Subaru made sure the tS could do better. It even found a way to pinch the tS’ turning radius tighter than the GT’s (and every other model) with the same steering rack.
Where Does the WRX Rank Among the Competition Now?
2024-2025 Subaru WRX Exterior RedSubaru
The 2026 WRX earned some extra points with us after our first drive in one. The Base model returns excellent value in the sub-$50,000 performance sedan category, with hardly anyone else building something like it in sedan form. No others in the space offer AWD, let alone a system paired with a 6-speed manual (the GR Corolla might pop to mind, but that’s a hatchback). The WRX falls nicely into Subaru’s lineup after its well-needed price adjustment, suiting both WRX owners and Subaru sedan drivers that won’t give up their three-box sedan for anything.
The only issue we still have with the WRX stems from its engine. The flat-four boxer engine is a unique offering from Subaru, but the lack of extra power as you move through the ranks is only exacerbated by the absence of a proper STI model. The GT and tS deliver the performance one would expect from the creative ways Subaru differentiates the WRX’s personality in higher trims.
But that pitch doesn’t work with enthusiasts who see Corollas with 300 horsepower or Honda Civics with sub-8 minute Nürburgring Nordschleife lap times. Without an all-out STI model, it’s hard for us to report that the current WRX is the one we’ve known and loved for over three decades. It is, however, the one we have, and it’s likely to stick around as long as Subaru remains committed to affordability and fun. The company has hinted at a new focus on performance across all models, something the WRX has embodied since its inception in the 1990s, and we’ll be eager to see if more of the spirit that defines the WRX makes its way into other offerings soon.
Sources: Subaru, Good Car Bad Car, Financial Times
