Why New Subaru WRX And BRZ Will Be The Hardest To Find Models This Year

Are you thinking of buying a next-generation 2022 Subaru WRX performance sedan or an all-new 2022 Subaru BRZ sports coupe? The two sports cars will be the hardest to find models in 2022. There are five reasons why you could wait six months and up to a year to get one according to KBB.

More factory shutdowns

Subaru Corporation announced last week it would suspend production at its automobile manufacturing facilities in Japan due to supply chain issues. Subaru says the plant that manufactures the 2022 WRX and 2022 BRZ will shut down on January 28 and 31 through February 2 and 7 - 8. The shutdown will be for six working days.

The closure will affect the main automobile plant in Gunma and Yakima plant. The engine and transmission plant in Oizumi will also be idle for six days. The 2022 Subaru WRX and WRX STI performance sedans and 2022 Subaru BRZ sports coupe are manufactured at its main plant in Gunma, Japan. The plant shutdown will now put the production of both sports cars behind even further.

Subaru has stopped 2022 BRZ orders

According to multiple reports, Subaru of America has stopped 2022 BRZ orders. A report from Kelly Blue Book says if you want a 2022 BRZ, you’ll have to wait a year. KBB says, “Subaru has taken as many orders as it can fill for the 2022 model.” A report from CarsDirect says Subaru of America stopped accepting orders for the 2022 BRZ on January 13.

The report says, “Subaru closed the books because the sold order allotment was met. Subaru had a specific number of BRZ models it let consumers order, and once those orders were filled, it closed the books. The automaker didn’t share any information on how many BRZs were ordered.”

The WRX and BRZ orders won’t get top priority

Subaru’s largest volume retailer in the U.S. Subaru of Glendale in California shows no 2022 Subaru BRZ and no 2022 Subaru WRX sports cars available. There aren’t any in transit from Japan.

Subaru will produce Levorg and Crosstrek first

Subaru retailers have ordered thousands of BRZ and WRX models, but it’s anyone’s guess when they will be produced and shipped to U.S. showrooms. Subaru now has the tightest inventory of any automaker at four days. The four-day supply includes vehicles in transit from Japan. The Subaru Levorg and Crosstrek (XV), produced at the same factory, will get priority.

The supply chain issues aren’t going away anytime soon

AutoForecast Solutions, which closely monitors the impact of the chip shortage on production, said about 230,700 vehicles had been cut at plants worldwide this year, up about 23 percent from a week earlier. It reported a 25 percent week-over-week jump in its previous estimate.

Automotive News (by subscription) reports that signs indicate the shortage will persist in the coming months, even as more microchip production comes online.

Last week, the U.S. Commerce Department revealed there remains a “significant, persistent mismatch in supply and demand for chips,” with automakers seeing the problem lasting for at least another six months.

What should BRZ and WRX customers do if they want a new sports car?

If you want to order a 2022 Subaru BRZ in the color and trim level you want, you’re going to have to wait possibly six months to a year to get one. Subaru has taken as many orders as it can fill for the 2022 BRZ. It’s still possible to buy one from retailer stock if you can find one.

The 2022 Subaru WRX was supposed to start production last fall, but supply chain issues have delayed the all-new WRX. Subaru says the all-new WRX won’t arrive until the spring, beginning with models equipped with the 6-speed manual transmission. The all-new 2022 WRX GT with the Subaru Performance (8-speed automatic) Transmission will follow about one month later.

What is the price of the 2022 WRX?

The next-generation 2022 Subaru WRX will likely get a significant bump in price. The current price of the 2021 WRX is $28,420 with the 6-speed manual, including the destination fee. The Lineartronic CVT costs an extra $1,900. The base model will still be less than $30,000, making it a good performance value. The 2022 Subaru WRX GT with the Performance Transmission (CVT) will cost around $2,000 more than 6-speed manual models. Pricing will be announced early in 2022. Stay tuned.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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