First Drive: 2025 Subaru WRX tS Is a Turnkey Track Star

This current generation of the Subaru WRX is a great one, living up to what my memory of the nameplate meant when its nascent U.S. fandom grew into a bona fide community in the early- to mid-aughts. It’s approachable, affordable, just a bit on the raw side, and still ready to accept modifications. In fact, “tuner-ready” is what the TR stood for when Subaru first launched the WRX TR in 2006. For 2024, the TR, with its upgraded (and much more comfortable than base) suspension didn’t seem to be quite the foundation for a modification regime as did the base WRX—it was more a ready-made handling weapon for the owner who prefers to leave the suspension tuning to the experts.

The WRX TR doesn’t return for 2025, though. Replacing the hole it leaves in the lineup is the 2025 WRX tS, picking up the same thread and carrying it a little further downfield and upmarket. While Subaru won’t release pricing until later this year, spokespeople said it will be priced similarly to the line-topping GT trim, which currently asks $44,215 before destination for the 2024 model. Like the TR before, the WRX tS features the same powertrain as the rest of the WRX lineup, but justifies its price premium with even bigger improvements to the chassis this time around. And while there’s still no STI on the Subaru configurator, and no signs of one to come, the WRX tS, standing for “tuned by STI,” comes a little closer.

The big news with the tS is its suspension. While the TR employed specially tuned passive damping, the WRX tS features adaptive dampers, electronically controlled based on drive mode selections, and tuned by the same Subaru Tecnica Institute team in charge of the automaker’s motorsports entries. Subaru left the WRX’s beating heart unchanged for the tS, with the same turbocharged, 2.4-liter flat-four making 271 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. That’s delivered to all four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission—no available CVT in the tS, and no tears shed over its exclusion.

The tS also gets a set of Brembo brakes: six-piston fronts with 13.4-inch ventilated, cross-drilled rotors, and dual pistons with 12.8-inch discs in the rear. While you might have to look beyond the configurator for something approximating those classic STI wheels, the gold-painted brake calipers peeking through the satin gray spokes of the 19-inch cast wheels might be just enough of a nod to the past for many. With more performance just a software tune away on the aftermarket, it’s good to know that the extra stopping power is already baked in. Like the TR before it, contact to the pavement comes courtesy of 245/35 Bridgestone Potenza S007 tires.

Little else on the outside visually sets the tS apart from the rest of the WRX stable. There’s the badge on the trunk, as well as “crystal” black mirror caps, spoiler lip and sharkfin antenna—which is more than the TR got. Inside the tS, you’ll be sitting on standard Recaro seats in black “Ultrasuede” with headrests embossed with the the “WRX tS” logo, as well as blue leather bolsters. Matching blue accents and stitching can be found throughout the car. You don’t have a choice about the color; the tS interior is blue on black, even if you pick red, or the new Galaxy Purple, for the exterior. This will undoubtedly be a talking point at cars and coffee meetups.

In front of the driver is a new 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, exclusive to the tS. It has three display modes: a traditional-looking gauge cluster, a map view, and a mode focused on the EyeSight driver assistance system. The rest of the interior is familiar WRX kit, including the 11.6-inch, portrait-oriented infotainment touchscreen. The tS doesn’t get a moonroof, Subaru explaining that this saves weight and provides more room to wear a helmet.

Specs: 2025 Subaru WRX tS

• Price: $44,500 (estimate)
• Powertrain: 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four engine; six-speed manual transmission
• Output: 271 hp; 258 lb-ft
• Layout: Front-engine, four-door, all-wheel-drive sedan
• 0–60 mph: 5.5 seconds (estimate)
• Competitors: Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai Elantra N, Toyota GR Corolla

Getting behind the wheel of the WRX tS, those blue bolsters snuggle you tight, and pressing the red STI ignition button brings that familiar boxer growl to life. Everything about the powertrain feels familiar to the rest of the WRX lineup. The 271 horsepower make the WRX feel quick, but not shockingly so. Gear changes come easy through the six-speed manual, with the firm clutch quickly teaching you where uptake occurs. The turbocharger is a friend when aiming for an on-ramp merge point, and a blessing when climbing hills. The stock exhaust isn’t particularly loud from inside the car, but the grimy snarl and occasional single “snap” of overrun sounds exciting to an exterior observer.

As the California wine country road surface varied from bumpy to smooth, and curvy to straight, I made use of the various drive modes, selected via a button on the steering wheel. Comfort, Normal, Sport and Sport+ are preprogrammed with tuning exclusive to the tS, and an Individual mode lets you mix and match from the throttle mapping, steering, suspension and EyeSight settings. Comfort mode left the steering feeling just a tad light and playful for the tighter transitions through the curves, but allowed for good suspension compliance on a bumpy road. Normal was a pretty good balance in terms of steering effort and suspension feel, closer to an ideal daily driving setup. The Sport settings made for a hefty feel through the tiller, and the suspension was a bit stiff for comfort on the undulating pavement—still not as punishing as the WRX’s base suspension—but made the tS feel controllable and communicative through the mountains between Napa and Sonoma.

We ended up at Sonoma Raceway, where I’d get a chance to lap in the very same vehicle I drove in. After a recon lap, drivers were cut loose to enjoy the WRX tS at full throttle. I proceeded somewhat cautiously at first, recalling the blind corners and deceptively tricky esses from previous drives years earlier. Quickly, though, the tS built up my confidence with its surefootedness, and it was pretty forgiving as I warmed up to the circuit. By the end of my session, I was happy with the howling of the tires, as well as the lingering, acrid smell of hot brakes as I pulled off the course.

During a break between outings behind the wheel on Sonoma Raceway, I had the opportunity to ride along for a lap with Subaru’s resident hot shoe, the aptly named Scott Speed, at the helm of the tS. The former Formula 1 driver was quick to demonstrate that the true limits of this Subaru are higher than I thought, and a fair bit further than what I had been asking of it. Speed and the tS put me through impressive g forces as he braked later than I had dared, and correspondingly harder. The tires sang around the carousel as the car danced on that delicate balance of lateral momentum and forward thrust. I marveled at how easily Speed was able to extract changes in velocity from the tS. There was more capability in the tS’s reserves for me, too. I just had to ask for it.

I came into my next session on the track confident in the car’s abilities. I accelerated longer, braked later and harder, trusting those golden Brembos. Reaching a groove where time almost seemed to slow down, I could better appreciate the precision with which the WRX responded to steering inputs, the heavier steering of Sport mode feeling natural in this state of heightened adrenaline. Blending in more steering angle as the tires fought for and gave up just a dollop of lateral grip, I was able to finesse the accelerator like squeezing a measured amount of juice from a lemon. Taking mental notes of places on the circuit I knew I could brake harder, or combine more throttle and steering angle, I realized what a great track this was for this car, and vice versa.

Do you need to spend top-trim money for a daily-driver WRX that’s great on the track, too? No. Get the base car and pick your aftermarket ingredients. But if you’re looking for a turnkey WRX chassis that’ll perform beautifully whether you’re hitting your favorite back road, unfamiliar pavement, or the occasional track day (even a mountainside like Sonoma Raceway), it’ll cost you less than the average selling price of a new car. Of course, there are still plenty of ways to personalize the WRX, and the tS provides a great platform for someone who wants the adaptability and performance of the electronically-controlled suspension, and there’s really no need for many drivers to make any changes at all. Either way, the tS will be a WRX that enthusiasts celebrate, not just for the bright blues of the interior, but for the memorable drives lucky owners will get to take with it.

2025 Subaru WRX tS

Price: $44,500 (estimate)

Highs: Adaptive damping and drive modes mean versatility for various driving conditions. There’s tons of grip, and it’s given up gracefully when pushed to the limit. It’s plenty quick, with more power easily accessible on the aftermarket.

Lows: It’s more expensive than the WRX TR it replaces. Blue is the only interior accent color. The tS is a reminder that there’s still no full-fledged STI in the lineup.

Summary: The Subaru WRX tS is a more serious effort to offer not just a more adept driver, but also a special edition that actually feels special. Let’s just hope you like the color blue.