The mad rush to electrification has claimed the lives of many old and beloved enthusiasts’ cars, and the one sporty car that a lot of gearheads still mourn to this day is the death of the STI. That said, while the new Subaru WRX that you can buy today is still pretty fantastic, offering tons of rally-inspired, all-wheel drive fun, combined with the everyday practicality of a four-door sedan, a lot of Subie fans have a carnal desire for something more. Bringing back the STI will handily settle some of the criticisms we had about the regular USDM WRX when we test drove it a little while back. Thankfully, you don’t have to wait for Subaru to make a proper STI revival happen, because you can instead buy a secondhand Subaru WRX TR.
In fact, a used 2024 model year Subaru WRX TR, which is the closest we’ve gotten thus far to a VB-generation “STI,” has all the makings of a proper track-ready car from the factory, with upgraded brakes, suspension, steering, and wheels, not to mention a custom interior. It comes exclusively specced with a manual transmission only, along with a strong focus on weight reduction all around, making it one of the sportiest, most enthusiast-friendly WRX models Subaru has created in recent years. And, best of all, thanks to depreciation, you can find used Subaru WRX TR examples in great condition in the classifieds today for the price of a brand-new Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid, and it’s pretty obvious which one we’d prefer.
This is a retrospective look at the 2024 model year Subaru WRX TR, and all the pricing, specs, features, and information mentioned below are accurate as of publishing. We’ve also compiled a tuning guide further below, but remember to tune your car responsibly.
What Is The Subaru WRX TR?
A More Focused, Tunable, Track-Ready Car Made For Driving Purists
Fun fact, this isn’t the first time that the ‘TR’ moniker has been used on a Subaru, as the 2024 model year WRX TR is actually a revival of the classic 2006 and 2007 WRX TR. Back then, TR used to stand for ‘Tuner Ready,’ and the cars that wore this hallowed badge were designed to be stripped-down, budget-friendly, tuner-focused base models that were made to be easily modified and customized by their owners. Since a lot of Subaru owners modify their WRXs anyway, making a tuner-friendly car from the factory makes a lot of sense. It comes with a super basic stereo and multimedia system, and its spartan interior is built incredibly simply, with fewer creature comforts, to make it easier for you to modify and customize.
You get a non-leather steering wheel, normal seats, and unpainted side mirrors. This way, it’ll be way easier for you to tack on a racy rally-style wheel, carbon side mirrors, or racing bucket seats. Outside, neither the 2006 nor 2007 Subaru WRX TR comes with side skirts, fog lights, or even a rear spoiler, since most WRX owners might’ve otherwise ripped those off to fit an aftermarket body kit on it, anyhow. Another gadget you won’t find is automatic climate control, though you still get air-conditioning, power windows, power mirrors, and central locking, as well as cruise control. The powertrain is untouched, and with this ultra basic spec, the TR will save you at least $1,000 (in 2006/07 money) off the standard WRX sedan.
Fast-forward to today, the VB-generation Subaru WRX still lacks any top-spec STI version, at least here in North America, and to fill that gap, Subaru has since introduced a variety of “tuned by STI” models, complete with factory performance upgrades. This includes the revival of the Subaru WRX TR for only the 2024 model year, but after a lengthy hiatus, its focus has since changed. It went from a basic, budget-friendly ‘Tuner Ready’ spec to a pricier, much more track-oriented TR variant. This time, the WRX TR sits near the top of the USDM WRX lineup, with a plethora of upgrades that make it sharper and more engaging over the standard WRX sedan, albeit unlike the old TR, it now comes with a higher price tag.
“This is where the heart of the new [Subaru] WRX value proposition comes alive: symmetrical all-wheel drive, 271 horsepower, a stick shift, and a suspension that encourages you to try harder on the next corner.”
– Seyth Miersma, Director of Communications, CarBuzz
What Makes The Subaru WRX TR Special?
New Brakes, New Wheels, Re-Tuned Suspension, & Less Weight, Too
First up, the bad news, because, despite making a lot of mechanical changes to the base WRX sedan, under the hood, the 2024 Subaru WRX TR has an identical powertrain to the standard model, without anything changing. As such, it still gets the same symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, though that’s no bad thing, along with the exact same 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer-four engine. This engine still makes 271 hp at 5,600 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 to 5,200 rpm, which, once again, is identical to the base car. At the very least, you now get active torque vectoring fitted as standard, so that’s a plus. On the bright side, it does get a bunch of upgraded parts elsewhere that set it apart from the base-spec sedan.
For starters, the 2024 WRX TR now comes with high-performance Brembo brakes to offer you improved stopping power, better fade resistance, and better pedal feel. This brake kit includes six-piston front calipers and two-piston rear calipers, both painted red, of course, larger brake pads and rotors, and a bigger brake master cylinder. Additionally, you also get a brand-new set of stiffer springs, re-tuned damping rates, and a revised steering rack to gain you better body control, steering responsiveness, and road feel when you’re driving, without sacrificing the ride quality. Since it’s even more of a driver’s car now, as expected, it’s sold exclusively with a manual gearbox, so no lineartronic CVT to be found here.
To compound those changes and make it more athletic still, the WRX TR gains a shiny new set of 19-inch satin gray multi-spoke wheels, paired with Bridgestone Potenza S007 tires (245/35 R19), which promise better wet and dry grip, and improved braking performance. On the inside, to set it apart from the regular WRX sedan, it now comes equipped with a set of Recaro black and gray Ultrasuede front bucket seats for better support when you’re driving exuberantly, complete with contrasting red stitching. One major difference here is the deletion of the moonroof to reduce weight and give you a lower center of gravity, but the lack of a moonroof also gives you more headroom if you want to wear a race helmet.
“The stock [Subaru WRX] brakes were less impressive here. Several of the drivers got into cars with a really soft pedal after a half dozen or so quick laps, and even when fresh, the stoppers don’t bite as hard as you’d want for this kind of work.”
– Seyth Miersma, Director of Communications, CarBuzz
How Much Does The Subaru WRX TR Cost?
A Pretty Hefty Price Difference Compared To The Regular WRX Sedan
When the Subaru WRX lineup got refreshed for the 2024 model year, the pricing of the TR variant was enough to give many would-be owners pause. For context, the standard WRX sedan had a reasonable $32,735 base MSRP, while the track-focused WRX TR base MSRP is a much more expensive $41,655 (excluding destination), which is a hefty $8,920 premium. Thankfully, at least it tried to justify the added expense with those sporty track upgrades from earlier, and it also gets more tech as standard. When it came out, the WRX TR gained the latest version of Subaru’s then-new STARLINK 11.6-inch infotainment system, in addition to tons of new Eyesight driver aids that came as standard for the first time on all WRXs with a manual transmission.
Nonetheless, journalists, Subaru fans, and the enthusiast community at large scoffed at the pricing of the 2024 WRX TR, as it’s a massive jump in price versus the standard WRX sedan, without even a single extra horsepower or torque. Thankfully, it’s much more reasonable to buy one now, thanks to depreciation. While you might come across low-mileage, showroom-spec used examples costing as much as $38,000+, most of the listings we’ve seen as of publishing, including on the CarBuzz Marketplace, currently float in the $32,000 to $33,000 range, or around $34,000 or slightly more for well-kept examples. As we noted earlier, you can either buy this racy, track-ready WRX, or for the same price, a new Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid, with its $33,980 base MSRP.
How Easy Is It To Tune The Subaru WRX TR?
Simple Bolt-On Parts Can Easily Take The WRX TR Up To 400+ HP
2024 Subaru WRX TRSubaru
Like the rest of the Subaru WRX lineup, the WRX TR is highly pliable, and it responds well to simple off-the-shelf bolt-on parts and some moderate tuning, without compromising how comfortably daily-able and reliable the stock car is, either. Plus, since the WRX TR is made to be modified and tuned, you now have a good opportunity to settle the one key criticism that most folks have with it, which is the lack of extra power over the base car. It sounds like many WRX TR owners agree that it’s really only the powertrain that needs some upgrades, and there’s no real need to change the suspension, steering, or brakes, as the stock car already gets pretty solid parts right from the factory. If you need inspiration, look towards YouTube and Reddit.
One of the top Reddit posts that discusses tuning and modding a VB-generation WRX TR sees its owner get 333 water hp (not crank horsepower, mind you) and 379 lb-ft of torque from a dyno run. Most of the changes made to get this much power and torque were common bolt-on parts. These include an ETS intake and J-pipe, an IAG air-oil separator, a COBB Accessport, along with some cosmetic add-ons and a new shifter. The owner wanted this specific tune to be easy and comfortable to daily drive and not significantly affect long-term reliability, while also doubling as a dependable family car. At the same time, it’s more fun to drive, particularly on a nice road, and according to them, the torque difference is immediately noticeable.
If you’re looking for somewhere to start modding your WRX TR, COBB Tuning sells a variety of Stage 1 and Stage 2 packages for the WRX lineup as a whole, which should also be compatible with the WRX TR. COBB Tuning’s Stage 2 Power Package, for example, bundles together a COBB Accessport, a custom intercooler kit, a new charge pipe, intake tube, and a high-flow filter. Altogether, they claim that this can get you up to around 327 hp and 363 lb-ft of torque with 93 octane fuel. Looking beyond just COBB Tuning, a quick TL;DR list of some essential mods to make on your 2024 WRX TR include a custom ECU map, a cold air intake, an uprated intercooler, and a high-flow downpipe (or maybe an axle-back or a mid-pipe).
You can even consider adding a new shift stop or a short-throw shifter to improve the TR’s stock shifter feel. Just remember to tune and modify your car responsibly. The stock FA24 2.4-liter turbo boxer-four engine is generally a reliable powertrain, and many WRX owners agree that anything up to around 400 hp and 400 lb-ft is a decently safe threshold to stay under if you want your car to remain dependable. Anything beyond that, though, and you’ll start to stress the stock transmission and engine internals. If you’re going to push the engine up to 400–450 hp and beyond, it’ll require at least some robust head studs and maybe a last-gen WRX STI transmission swap to reliably survive such a massive power boost.
Should You Buy A Subaru WRX TR In 2026?
A Fun Track-Focused Tuner Car For The Price Of A New Prius
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All of this begs the question: should you buy the 2024 Subaru WRX TR as a fun-to-drive used car? It’s definitely worth putting on your shortlist, especially since depreciation has made the price of a second-hand WRX TR a much more attractive proposition today as a well-used example compared to paying MSRP back when it was new. While it might lack any power upgrades over a stock WRX, the TR still gets welcome changes to enhance the driving experience, particularly if you’re looking for a sharper, more athletic and engaging car, thanks to its upgraded brakes, suspension, and steering. On the other hand, if you’re eyeing one as a collector’s car or an appreciating asset to invest in, there’s a good chance it might disappoint.
Even though it was only sold for just one model year, it lacks the performance boost that usually helps to appreciate second-hand values. Moreover, the WRX TR is a series production car, not a limited edition or a serialized, numbered example, unlike some early STI models. Granted, the WRX TR is still desirable for Subaru fans and JDM enthusiasts seeking a pure and unadulterated modern WRX experience, especially as an “STI-lite” sort of car. Rather than treating it like a garage queen, it’s best to buy one and enjoy it right now, or consider turning it into a project car and start modding it, since it’s really easy to get a lot of power out of the stock powertrain with common bolt-on parts, without sacrificing its usability.
Sources: Subaru, COBB Tuning, Reddit
