2023 Subaru WRX Wagon GT-S Review | Philkotse Philippines

Wagons are becoming a rare sight on Philippines roads, which is sort of a letdown since this type of vehicle offers the ride comfort of a sedan while having a large cargo area. It has been away from the local market’s limelight, which is filled with crossovers, MPVs, midsized SUVs, and even pickup trucks.  

Subaru is one of the remaining car brands in the country that still offers a wagon. With the WRX Wagon, Subaru Philippines aims to capture a niche market that sees value in a vehicle that stands like a sedan but with a longer and wider rear end. Can the Subaru WRX Wagon revive the market’s appeal towards the said vehicle type? Here’s Philkotse’s 2023 Subaru WRX Wagon full review.

The WRX Wagon doesn’t come with a flashy exterior design yet it has the right amount of swag, especially when you look at it from the front. The sweptback LED headlights along with the prominent LED daytime running lights complement well to its angular fascia.

2023 Subaru WRX Wagon

The grille further adds to the lowkey aggressive look of the WRX Wagon, which I find to be sized just right to complete the front-end design. The hood scoop gives character to the rather simple-looking fascia of the WRX Wagon. It also adds a touch of sportiness to the vehicle, which I find not over the top.    

Simple yet distinctive side profile

Turning to the side, I prefer the overall look of the WRX Wagon as compared to its Sedan sibling. The reason for such is it looks cleaner and more seamless due to the absence of the black cladding, which you can see on the WRX Sedan. You might say that the WRX Wagon is too plain and conservative, but those are the qualities that make this vehicle stand out. It’s as if it’s not trying too hard to impress you–it’s rather confident in the way it looks. 

Look at that rear-end

The same design approach is seen on the rear, where Subaru is gunning for a less is more strategy. The C-shaped LED taillights give enough character to the WRX Wagon’s rear while the bumper’s angular look further highlights the vehicle’s prominent rear end. Again, I favor the WRX Wagon’s rear look more than its Sedan sibling since it’s not over the top.

Inside, the less is more design approach is once again seen. The large portrait touchscreen dominates the dashboard, giving the cabin a modern appeal. With the said touchscreen, the Subaru WRX’s interior has fewer buttons since most of the vehicle controls can be toggled through the screen. 

The dashboard is dominated by the large infotainment touchscreen

It comes with a black interior theme along with piano black trims, dark silver accents, and red stitching. I appreciate Subaru’s decision to go with dark silver accents rather than using shiny chrome trims as the former looks more aesthetically appealing and complements better to the vehicle’s black interior. Soft-touch materials also filled the cabin, which is a welcome sight.
   
The flat bottom steering wheel wrapped in leather feels nice to the grip, and it comes with a tilt & telescopic adjustment. The leather seats offer good cushioning, and it has a nice bolster support that helps you to be in place when tackling wide curves.  

Rear passengers get rear aircon vents

The rear seats can accommodate up to three passengers but the center tunnel could be a bit tricky for the middle passenger as legroom is a bit compromised. When only two individuals are seated at the back, the WRX Wagon offers plenty of leg- and elbow-room.
 
It also comes with rear aircon vents, which help cool down the cabin more effectively. The rear passengers also get a center armrest with cup holders. But I find the height of the center armrest a tad high, which affects the overall comfort when you rest your elbows on it. 

It comes with a spacious cargo area 

The Subaru WRX Wagon has a manual tailgate, which could have been better if it already comes with a powered version. But, regardless, it offers plenty of cargo space, which is one of the aces up the WRX Wagon’s sleeve. You can easily fit up to three medium-sized luggage with room to spare, which makes it an ideal vehicle if you’re the type of individual who carries or transport a lot of things.

The Subaru WRX Wagon comes with a 10.1-inch infotainment system that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. I find this feature to be essential nowadays since I am fond of using Waze and Spotify every time I’m out on the road.  

The infotainment touchscreen is integrated with Apple CarPlay

The screen is responsive and the resolution quality is relatively at par with its price point. It is also integrated with several vehicle controls such as the option to activate the auto brake hold. However, some might need a bit of time to get familiar with the screen’s interface as you need to access different menus to get to the vehicle function you’re looking for.

The WRX Wagon also has a dual-zone aircon, which is a nice feature to have. But, I wish that there was a dedicated physical button for the fan speed control. Integrating it into the screen could result in a clutter-free dashboard but I find it easier and more convenient to adjust the fan speed via physical buttons.

Reverse camera with dynamic guidelines

Among the tech features integrated into the vehicle is the reverse camera, which comes with dynamic guidelines. This further assists you in ensuring safer maneuvers when reversing, especially in tight parking spaces.

A Subaru wouldn’t be a Subaru if it didn’t come with its EyeSight safety tech. EyeSight is an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) that includes features such as pre-collision braking, lane departure warning, and pre-collision throttle management, among others. It essentially aims to give you safer drives.

Dual tailpipes add a sporty finish

Other safety features that the WRX Wagon has are the following: eight airbags, an anti-lock braking system with electronic brakeforce distribution, reverse automatic braking, and brake assist, among others.

The Subaru WRX Wagon is powered by a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer engine, which is the same gasoline power unit found on its Sedan sibling. It delivers 271 hp and 351 Nm of torque, and the engine is connected to Subaru’s CVT with eight-speed manual mode and paddle shifters.

Powered by a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer engine

The power delivery from the 2.4-liter boxer engine is good, giving you a pleasant driving experience even in Intelligent mode, which is Subaru’s version of Eco mode. The CVT transmission also doesn’t feel sluggish, translating to a confident drive. In fact, I didn’t find the need to engage the WRX Wagon’s Sport driving mode since the Intelligent mode is more than enough to give you a surefooted drive.

The vehicle’s suspension tuning surprised me since I was expecting it to lean on the firm side. But during my weeklong test drive, I find the suspension tuning to be in the middle. It’s not too firm or soft, which translates to a comfortable drive. It absorbs road impacts nicely, which plays to your advantage if you plan on making the WRX Wagon your daily drive. It’s also stable and planted, especially when you take it out on the open highway. 

The hood scoop is a nice touch

The front seats also have good side bolsters, keeping you in place when tackling sharp turns. Outside noise is also reduced to a minimum but I wished that the aircon fan speed control comes with a physical button instead of being integrated into the touchscreen. It’s easier to toggle it if it comes with a separate tactile button, especially when you’re driving.

When it comes to fuel efficiency, the Subaru WRX Wagon registered 5.7 km/l while driving at an average speed of 18 km/h. On the open highway, it posted 14.5 km/l while cruising at 90 km/h. For comparison, the WRX Sedan posted somehow similar fuel economy figures. In the city, it yielded 5.4 km/l while on the highway it returned 15.2 km/l. 

The Subaru WRX Wagon is a well-rounded car that comes with the right amount of swag especially when you look at its exterior design. The not-too-flashy exterior is one of the things I liked most in this car, and it is also one of the reasons why I prefer it more than its Sedan sibling.

2023 Subaru WRX Wagon

Some might find its price tag, Php 2,658,000, a bit steep especially when you compare it to market favorites such as the midsize SUVs. However, the WRX Wagon offers you a one-two-punch combo that might entice you to get one–performance and practicality. It has the performance DNA that Subaru is known for while at the same time giving you enormous space to carry different kinds of cargo.