The Subaru WRX – do we even need to introduce this iconic beastie at all? With its rally winning roots to being a legend in its own suburb, the ‘Rex’ is a sports car that’s affordable and fun – although the one we’re testing here is one of the pricier versions: the WRX tS Spec B.
So what is a tS Spec B? Well, the old king of the WRX world – the STI – was retired at the end of the previous generation. Now this new grade – the tS Spec B – is the new WRX monarch.
So does this mean the tS Spec B has more superpower than the rest of the line-up? Does it have a bigger engine? How much more does it cost? Does it have a manual gearbox? So many questions – the answers are below.
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Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 8/10
8 / 10
The WRX tS Spec B sits at the top of its range and lists for $61,490 plus on-road costs, making it expensive for the model compared to say the entry-grade WRX which is only $48,190 and pairs the same engine with the same gearbox.
Still, it comes with some unique features which makes this grade stand out from the other lower rungs in the WRX hierarchy.
The tS Spec B comes standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, six-piston front and two-piston rear high-performance Brembo brakes with ventilated and drilled discs, an enormous rear spoiler, STI Performance Mufflers at no extra cost, Recaro sports bucket seats in the front, a leather STI steering wheel and a 12.3-inch instrument cluster.
Also unique to the grade are drive modes which allow the suspension, engine, and steering to be customised for comfort or performance.
Standard on the ts Spec B, too, is equipment you'll find on lower grades in the WRX range, including LED headlights and daytime running lights, privacy glass, dual-zone climate control, an 11.6-inch touchscreen, a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, proximity locking and push-button start.
Rivals to the WRX tS Spec B include the Hyundai i30 N Sedan that's $10K cheaper, and the Honda Civic Type R and Volkswagen Golf R which are both at least $10K more. The value for money in the tS Spec B is great compared to competitors, but there’s even better value to be found in the lower-grade WRXs.
Design – Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10
8 / 10
The WRX tS Spec B stands out from its siblings with 19-inch matte-grey alloy wheels with gold Brembo brakes and if you don’t notice any of that, then surely you won’t miss the gigantic rear wing planted on the boot lid.
The air scoop jutting out of the bonnet like a pizza oven is standard across the WRX range and it looks tough. There’s the rear diffuser which also looks beefy but also a bit plasticky, and the quad exhaust, that’s nice, and so is the note which wafts out of them at idle.
The tS Spec B’s Recaro sports seats are also in other tS grades – they do look and feel good, and offer outstanding comfort and support.
The rest of the cabin is much the same as other WRX grades with a large portrait-style screen, physical buttons for climate control, and yes, that is a traditional, mechanical handbrake you can see in images.
This is a sporty-looking although slightly outdated cabin compared with more modern rivals.
Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside? 8/10
8 / 10
What’s so appealing about the WRX is that despite it being a performance car, it’s based on a regular 'small' sedan and with that comes all the practicality of a four-door, five-seater with a big 411-litre boot.
Space inside is excellent with plenty of room up front, while rear legroom is ample enough for me, at 189cm tall, to sit behind my driving position with plenty of headroom, too.
That all said the Recaro seats up front are on the snug side and I know they’re supposed to be, but I’m just saying they might not suit everybody – and by that I mean everybody.
Those with long legs might also find they have to adjust their driving position when letting out the clutch.
Big door pockets throughout, four cupholders, and hidey-holes for items throughout make for good cabin storage.
There are four USB ports and one 12V outlet, but no wireless phone charging to be found.
Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its engine and transmission? 8/10
8 / 10
Who doesn’t love the sound of a boxer engine? Well, probably your neighbours if you own a WRX. And while the tS Spec B doesn’t have any more power than any of the other WRXs – with it sharing the same 2.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder boxer engine as the rest of the line-up – the 202kW and 350Nm feel like the perfect amount of power and torque for this package.
It’s probably been about six months since I last drove a car with a manual gearbox, and that shows how rare they’re becoming when you’re testing a new car nearly every week.
The six-speed manual in the tS Spec B has satisfying clunky shifts and a heavy-feeling clutch pedal, but it all plays along perfectly with this engine, sending the drive to all four wheels.
If you’re looking for a version of the tS Spec B with an automatic transmission you’ll be searching forever because this grade only comes with a manual gearbox. There are WRXs with autos – well, a CVT – the entry grade, the RS and the tS.
Efficiency – What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range? 6/10
6 / 10
The WRX tS Spec B manual really likes its fuel – it’s a hungry beastie and everybody who’s about to get into the WRX life should be aware that, like most petrol performance cars, it’s not super fuel efficient.
Subaru is beautifully honest with its fuel consumption figures, which have the the WRX tS Spec B using 10.4L/100km in combined driving and 14.2L/100km in urban environment, which is so close to what we recorded - ours was 14.1/100km after mainly urban driving. You'll also have to feed it 95 RON.
The fuel tank is a healthy 63 litres in volume and that should give you a range of 606km – in theory. Do not test this theoretical range somewhere remote, okay?
Driving – What's it like to drive? 9/10
9 / 10
This may sound strange, but a few months ago I was squished into the tiny cockpit of a 2025 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 sitting at the traffic lights wishing I was in the 2020 Subaru WRX STI beside me. And having driven so many supercars and muscle cars in the past, many costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, I still see the WRX as being such a perfect daily driver performance car.
Sure, it doesn't have Porsche 911 dynamics or the straight-line acceleration of many electric cars, but it's the way the way this boxer engine interacts so beautifully the six-speed manual gearbox, combined with sticky all-wheel drive, a wonderful balance and such direct steering that make the WRX ts Spec B feel exactly right.
The tS Spec B is very much at home in the suburbs dotted with roundabouts and obstacles like speed bumps, but they all become part of the fun of driving this car in the same way that when you let it loose and open road it performs happily and so well, too.
The suspension does feel firm, but part of the big news of this tS Spec B is that it now has a drive mode function and this allow you to adjust the suspension, the steering and the throttle response to either sporty or comfort settings. This just makes this car an even more agreeable thing to live with daily.
Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating? 8/10
8 / 10
The WRX hasn’t been given an ANCAP rating and up until only last year manual versions weren’t equipped with safety tech such as autonomous emergency braking.
The WRX tS Spec B manual has AEB, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and high-beam assist.
It’s interesting but not particularly good that manual versions of the WRX don’t have parking sensors. I don't need to tell you that parking sensors on cars in the city are so helpful for squeezing into tight spots without nudging the vehicle or railing behind you.
A space-saver spare wheel instead of a full-sized spare isn’t ideal either in Australia where dirt and gravel roads beckon the WRX.
For child seats there are three top-tether anchor points and two ISOFIX mounts across the second row.
Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs? 7/10
7 / 10
The WRX tS Spec B is covered by Subaru’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which while the standard for the mainstream segment, is behind the seven-plus terms we're now seeing from a lot of Chinese and Japanese car brands.
Servicing is recommended every 15,000km/12 months and can be expensive compared to other brands, with the five years of capped price servicing coming to $2692.
Verdict
Possibly one of the most perfect performance cars you can drive daily for the price. Dynamic and fun to drive, but also easy to live with thanks to the drive modes for extra comfort, the high ground clearance and the practicality that comes with four doors, lots of storage and a big boot.
The tS Spec B is the priciest WRX in the range, but compared to rivals it's also great value. A car I would buy with my own money for sure.
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