Subaru WRX, The Last Of A Dying Breed

Now Subaru is down to one.

When you think of Subaru, the WRX performance car is tightly linked with the Japanese automaker; it's like biscuits and gravy or eggs and bacon. They cannot be separated. You can tell that I must be hungry. Ok, back to the WRX.

WRX is left standing alone.

Subaru has only one sedan left. The WRX is the last four-door sedan in Subaru's all-wheel-drive lineup. Subaru decided to drop the Legacy sedan after the 2025 model year. After that, the WRX is standing alone in a space vacated by many automakers.

In April, Subaru of America said, "The Subaru Legacy has been beloved by owners and renowned for its exemplary safety and reliability," but went on to say, "Production of the Legacy sedan will end next year at the conclusion of the 2025 model year."

Subaru called code red on the Legacy sedan because of slow sales. I've documented the Legacy sales drop for the past two years. It's finally being axed in favor of new electric models for U.S. customers. 

Subaru attributes the discontinuation of the Legacy, the longest-running Subaru model line, to market shifts favoring SUVs and crossovers, as well as the company's transition to electrified and fully electric vehicles. These shifts have left the WRX as the sole remaining sedan in Subaru's lineup.

Subaru says, "Though the Legacy is the longest-running Subaru model line, its discontinuation reflects market shifts from passenger cars to SUVs and crossovers and Subaru's transition to electrified and fully electric vehicles."

The decline of WRX and its sales is worrying. 

I've also written extensively about the drop in WRX's sales over the past year. The sales decline is staggering. When Subaru dropped the WRX STI high-performance sedan, the lesser horsepower WRX sales steadily declined. Subaru Corporation chose to discontinue the STI because of emission regulations and the massive push towards electric vehicles in 2021. 

Subaru of America said, "As the automotive marketplace continues to move towards electrification, Subaru is focused on how our future sports and performance cars should evolve to meet the needs of the changing marketplace and the regulations and requirements for greenhouse gasses (GHG), zero emissions vehicles (ZEV), and Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)." 

"As part of that effort, Subaru Corporation is exploring opportunities for the next-generation Subaru WRX STI, including electrification. In the meantime, a next-generation internal combustion engine WRX STI will not be produced based upon the new WRX platform."  

However, Subaru may have made the decision too quickly with the cooling off of battery electric vehicles. Still, the automaker plans to bring an all-electric STI to the U.S. sometime in 2027, although plans could change. 

Will Subaru also drop the WRX because of its diminishing sales?

Automotive News (by subscription) interviewed Alan Bethke, Subaru of America's senior vice president of marketing, who said no, the WRX is too valuable for Subaru of America to drop. The WRX is sticking around. 

Bethke says, "The low sales volume is not a liability, with the small production more than offset by the payoff from sales, marketing, and owner loyalty."

Through July, WRX sales in the U.S. were down close to 40 percent to 10,664 performance cars sold to customers. Despite the decline, the WRX was the top-selling nameplate in the compact sporty car segment through the first six months of the year, according to the Automotive News Research & Data Center. WRX sales in the U.S. rose 32 percent to 24,681 in 2023.

That's good news for Subaru's performance fans. Despite the decline, the WRX is not going the way of the Legacy sedan or the WRX STI. 

SUVs are in, and sedans are out. 

Most of Subaru's U.S. sales come from the Forester, Outback, and Crosstrek SUVs. The 2025 Subaru Forester, 2025 Outback, and 2024 Subaru Crosstrek account for almost 80% of all its U.S. sales and show how crucial they are to Subaru's business. 

AutoForecast Solutions Vice President Sam Fiorani describes Subaru WRX fans as rabid and points to the performance car's popularity at American Rally Association (ARA) events across America. 

"Their attachment to the brand leads many of them to purchase a larger model when it comes time to settle down," he said.

Automotive News says Subaru's U.S. marketing and branding are primarily centered around love, the outdoors, safety, dogs, and volunteerism. However, motorsports and related events such as ARA's Olympus Rally allow the brand to forge closer ties and build loyalty with owners.

"Engaging people on an emotional and deep connection for our brand is important," said Bethke. "Motorsports does that for us."

The WRX draws fans to the Subaru brand.

The Camden, N.J. automaker knows the value the WRX brings to Subaru of America. The Automotive News report reveals Subaru Motorsports USA surpassed 1 million followers on Instagram in June and now has around 160,000 more followers than Subaru of America's account.

"The numbers are huge," Bethke said of video views from the combined social media accounts. "The scale is huge, and it's a growing audience."

Even though the WRX will soon be the last sedan offered by the automaker once Legacy output ends after the 2025 model year, the WRX performance sedan is not going away. It's here to stay. 

The WRX performance car, a unique and iconic creation of Subaru, is a rare gem in the automotive world. As the sports sedan category faces a decline, the future of the WRX becomes even more intriguing. Can it withstand the changing automotive landscape? Subaru's resounding answer is yes, promising an exciting journey ahead for this beloved model.

My question is, will Subaru Corporation bring back the WRX hatchback body style? Stay tuned. 

Your Turn

Let's hear from Subaru's performance fans. Would you be more likely to buy a WRX hatch than a WRX sedan? Click the red 'Add new comment' link below and let us know.

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Writer since 2012. I’ve invested over 13 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role, working with every major car brand. I am an experienced Rocky Mountain Automotive Press member. You'll find my expert Subaru analysis here. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Competition Subaru