Subaru WRX VB Sportswagon AWD tS

More comfort and space but not as 'raw' as a WRX Sedan – The Levorg lives on! Now it’s called the WRX Sportswagon for the Australian market, despite keeping the Levorg name in Japan. There aren’t too many sporty wagons left. Skoda makes one, but then you’ll need to fork out a lot of moolah for the crowd favourite, the Volkswagen Golf R Wagon. But there’s a catch: this WRX is only available with an automatic. Not just any auto, but a CVT.

Those cross-shopping with the sedan version of the WRX will be happy to see that the wagon misses out on that exterior plastic trim that you find on the new WRX sedan. This means the exterior should withstand UV damage a little better over time.

I’m not sure if it was the adjustable suspension, but I found the wagon to produce less creaks than the WRX sedan.

Sure, there are cheap plastics aplenty inside this wagon, but assembly feels tight and in line with what you’d expect from Subaru. That's all fine for the price point, but I would have liked to have seen less gloss black plastic in here.

This top-of-the-range WRX wagon will set you back $57,990 before on-road costs. I think that’s a fair deal for how well rounded this wagon is.

The warranty is 5 years/unlimited kilometres, and servicing will cost you $2366 for 5 years of coverage or 75,000km. Service intervals are every 12 months or every 15,000km, whichever comes first. Annoyingly, this car only comes with 12 months of roadside assistance.

It’s almost as if the Sportswagon has a little more sound deadening than the sedan, as there was just that little more isolation from the road.

Tyre noise sounded a little more distant but turbo and intake sounds were just as audible. The exhaust sound was disappointing to say the least. I just wish Subaru would embrace that iconic rumble, like Hyundai does with their N Performance cars.

I could feel the extra weight in this wagon compared to the sedan when using the brake pedal. It’s quick to bite, but needs a little more convincing to hook up. I assume that’s tuned for comfort more than aggressive track day braking.

At least this model comes with Subaru’s EyeSight camera system that provides you with autonomous emergency braking.

This new 2.4L flat-four turbocharged petrol engine produces 202kW (270hp) and 350Nm. Power is sent to a permanent all-wheel drive system and a 0-100km/h sprint is done in a claimed mid 7 second range. It’s far from feeling rapid, but once up to speed, that turbocharged motor offers plenty of pace. You’ll appreciate the extra power compared to non performance-oriented wagons, especially when you feel like carving up parts of your favourite back road.

This is the most controversial part of this review and the entire WRX range. Regardless of whether you opt for the sedan or wagon body style, the tS models will always come with a CVT transmission. It’s not the best suited transmission as it's a transmission designed for efficiency and smooth driving - two things you don’t want to hear when buying a sports car.

Subaru has managed to engineer this CVT to mimic the characteristics of a 6-speed transmission, despite technically being just a single forward gear. The revs jump around like a regular transmission, and it’ll ‘drop a gear’ if you stab the throttle.

You can even change gears via paddles on the wheel, which can feel properly engaging. But just like when you’re enjoying a box of cheap calamari, you’ll feel that rubber band characteristic of the CVT. It’ll take a moment to react to your input and sling through to the correct rev range it needs to be in. The kicker is, it’s slower than the manual!

These tS models come with adaptive dampers, which make all the difference. In Comfort mode especially, this wagon will float over the road and quickly become a new favourite as a daily driver.

It’s a shame this car resets its drive mode every time you shut it off.

Dynamics sharpen up in Sport and Sport+ modes, making this a treat to drive. Steering stiffens up, and you genuinely have a family car that can proudly look and feel like a WRX.

There’s a little more body roll in this car than the sedan, but for a family-oriented WRX, it can walk the walk. Steering is a little numb, and the ride feels just a little too soft for harsh corners, but you can’t beat that AWD grip on those rainy days.

he claimed fuel consumption is 9.8L per 100km, but you’ll easily enter the 12-14L per 100km depending on your driving. And since this is a performance wagon, it demands 98RON, so it’s a little more expensive to fill up.

As I mentioned in the WRX sedan review, I think this is the best WRX interior yet. That large screen offers plenty of usability and declutters the interior. But that user experience could do with some improvements to avoid hiding key functions under layers of menus and taps.

It’s not the most technologically advanced interior, but it’s more than enough for most families.

I especially loved the STI-specific seats, steering wheel and gauge cluster which reminds you you’re riding in something a little more special than the regular WRX sportswagon. Although it’s a little insulting too, being reminded that Subaru doesn’t have plans for a STI version of this generation of WRX… for now.

Boot space is enormous and a major plus point for this wagon. You get 492L with all the seats up and 1403L with all the seats folded. It’s not class-leading, but it is extremely useful. You can even fold the second row in a 40:20:40 split, again increasing the usability of this car for long trips.

The second row seats can feel just a little tight for taller adults, but for most there’s plenty of space, and plenty of amenities in the form of heated seats and rear USB ports.

For the money, it’s the better option in the sports wagon market. It offers enough power, driver engagement and practicality to make it the ultimate daily driver for many, it does it all.

Although, it feels like it's moving away from the performance aspect of the WRX name. And I’m not sure why you’d want to buy this over the incoming Outback with this same motor, aside from price and the fact that it's not a WRX.

If there was a little more excitement to be offered in exhaust sound and even a little more power, or even a manual option, then it would make more sense to grab the WRX over an Outback.

*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.