Around town, get used to the rubber band. That leads to more conventional-feeling acceleration and highway kickdowns, but it takes a consistent lead foot to bring it about. Subaru says both modes adhere to six fixed gear ratios like a stepped automatic if you push the accelerator past a given point (40 percent down in Intelligent, 30 percent in Sport). SI-Drive’s Sport mode hurries up the rev climb, but it still exhibits a soupy nonlinearity that’s anathema to driving fun. The rubber-band sensation familiar to anyone who’s driven a CVT - wait, here it comes - is alive and well in the WRX. The transmission employs driver-selectable modes, and our editors agreed the efficiency-minded Intelligent mode treats the car’s power like ABC Family would treat an airing of “Blackhawk Down.” Engine revs climb late, and it takes a good prod on the gas before you reach higher rpm. That’s when the Subie surges ahead, though it falls short of really hauling ass. In the 268-horsepower Subaru WRX, it’s all about hitting a sweet spot around 3,000 to 6,000 rpm. Performance enthusiasts might set their Subaru effigies ablaze for the automaker’s decision to pair the WRX with a CVT. Limited models have LED low-beam headlights. Standard 17-inch alloy wheels wear factory-installed Dunlop SP Sport Maxx RT tires. Around back, a hodgepodge of tailpipes - four! - and off-color diffusers look just plain silly. But the oversized bumper portals have a cluttered mix of lighting elements and obviously faux carbon fiber. The headlight accents carve a mean expression, and the deep bumper extensions integrate well with their surroundings. The functional hood scoop integrates nicely into the hood. The car gets a slew of unique body panels, including the hood, front fenders, doors and bumpers, and the results bear only a passing resemblance to the Impreza. Subaru went to great lengths to differentiate the Subaru WRX, which is a visual smorgasbord of performance and clutter. Inside and out, the Impreza’s econobox styling factored into its sixth-place overall finish among seven compact sedans we tested in 2013 (click here to read more). Click here to compare the Impreza, WRX and STi, or here to stack up the prior-generation WRX with this 2015 redesign. While the Impreza comes as a sedan or hatchback, both turbocharged siblings are sedan-only. We cover the higher-performance WRX STi separately in the Research section. We tested a Limited with the optional continuously variable transmission, an automatic that’s new for 2015. The WRX comes in base, Premium and Limited trims, and all-wheel drive is standard. The current Impreza went on sale in October 2011 its turbocharged sibling remained based on the prior generation for three model years, so a redesign has been a long time coming.

Redesigned for 2015, the Subaru WRX catches up to the fourth-gen Impreza on which it’s (finally) based. The 2015 Subaru WRX remains one of the quickest all-wheel-drive vehicles you can buy for less than $30,000, but automatic-transmission shoppers will have to settle for a disappointing new CVT.

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