The ULTIMATE 2015-2021 WRX Buyer's Guide and 5 Year Review

[@arinb.756]

If you're in the market for a CVT: -Subaru of America says the CVT fluid is a lifetime fluid, it isn't. If you plan to keep the car for a while then I've heard it's best to get it changed every 30k miles or so. Get the HT CVT fluid (this is bright orange) - The CVT in the WRX is also specifically for this car, it's an older unit that's a lot more robust than people give it credit for. I think it's also the same unit that they now call the Subaru Performance Transmission but I don't really know if that's entirely true. It's possible to launch it but I've also heard that it's not a good idea if you're tuned. If it goes, I think the entire unit gets replaced.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks for adding this info, that is a great point about it not being a lifetime fluid. I just did some research and had no idea that there were so many fluid options for Subaru CVTs but thank you again for the tip on getting the Subaru High Torque CVT Fluid - Orange Fluid. According to @MrSubaru1387 the CVT service interval is 3yr/36000miles in Japan, it's only America that says lifetime. I just checked my factory service manual out of curiosity and it says the CVT in the WRX is the TR690. I just checked Subaru's website and the 2017 WRX CVT part number is 31000AJ510 and the 2022 CVT is 31000AK610 and almost $2000 more, so I'd assume it's different from the VA.

[@JRBurlingame]

my opinion always has been, why get anything other than a full manual but yes, you should change fluids as needed or sooner for anything with moving parts. the best way to do so is assume it will eventually fail and check on it during every service to have a baseline and watch it as it ages and performs. If you dont have the training to determine its viability, find someone you trust to advise you who both can and won't be making money off you if you decide to change it

[@arinb.756]

​@@kylethecarenthusiast I'll add a few more things for the benefit of any Subaru nerds: -In Japan the car is sold CVT-only as the WRX S4. You can get parts for that car that should in theory fit the USDM models -The AWD system is VDC which, strangely enough, has a 45/55 torque split as opposed to the 50/50 split on the manuals. I've heard VDC is only slightly less advanced than the DCCD found in the WRX STI. The CVT found in the WRX is also based on a much more robust unit that was once in the Imprezas, meanwhile the other Subaru models have a different CVT that takes green fluid, I think. I don't know anything about the SPT but I have heard that it's basically just a reprogramed TR690 with a cooler finally added to it. Which kind of makes sense cost and engineering wise. But, I'd have to know someone who worked on the design of the WRX and sadly I don't know anyone who did. Perhaps the best source of information on the car is Belipotens's build thread on NASIOC. A quick google search should lead you to it.

[@arinb.756]

@@JRBurlingame you'd be surprised how many people don't understand the basic fact that things like tires wear down and need to be replaced as part of maintenance. And since the info I've listed is somehow shockingly hard to find (i.e. the WRX subreddit knows jack about the CVT and the few threads discussing it on forums come mainly from early model years) it's worth repeating the obvious.

[@JRBurlingame]

@@arinb.756 im not surprised at all. I used to work in the automotive industry. i had this one customer who i swear would damage her car for the free detail after body work

[@dleetrini]

My 2020 WRX has been maintained by the dealership and so far she works great. Same for our 2019 Crosstrek.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Awesome, glad to hear! Thanks for watching :)

[@Failtality8l3it]

Thank you for your detailed review of your WRX! It was very informative, I really appreciated all the snippets of information added during your explanations.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks for the kind words! I wanted this video to be a one stop shop for information as best as I could :)

[@paulverstraete9157]

my 15 has 120k....zero issues i do my own maintenance....as good as toyotas i have owned

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

That's awesome to hear! Thanks for watching

[@jessejasper3420]

How about today ? How many miles , any issue ?

[@RipStickCanada1]

@@jessejasper3420I’m looking at buying a 2019 too I wanna see if he’s had any issues

[@Paine-yr9wd]

I have a 2018 WRX that I added the Cobb Stage 2 upgrade a few years back. The tuneup transformed the car! Rev hang gone, better throttle response, better sound, and way better performance all the way around! I highly recommend making similar mods. The fun factor is through the roof! P.S. Great video

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks for the kind words! I hear good things about tunes so far, I've been considering one recently. The rev hang is really annoying to me lol

[@younggunna1wayLcs77Filthy3]

Definitely one of the best subiii videos I’ve seen thanks for the content keep up the great work!!!

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks I appreciate it!

[@kram7511]

Love the video! Very informative, definitely helped me decide whether 16’ WRX was the right decision and if I wasn’t convinced before.. I’m convinced even more!

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks so much for the kind words! Glad you liked it, glory to God :)

[@bigslowbro]

2021 base here, 40k miles. It’s almost completely stock. I’ve done track days and auto cross days in it with no issues. It will need pads, fluids, the stock summer tires are honestly great.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Good to know! I definitely want to get on track one of these days

[@danielcurran2030]

Awesome video.

[@Ryskimus]

Not sure if they still do, but Subaru used to use Idemitsu for all their transmission and diff lubricants. You can find the exact same spec lubricant and scoop it up directly from Idemitsu (just not Subie branded) and pay a lot less. I get all my transmission fluid for my 05 LGT that way. Rebranded stuff is intended for resale at dealers so they can maintain margins on services. If you're doing all the work yourself, just go straight to the source.

[@Ryskimus]

Also.. excellent plug for Mr Subaru's channel. Anyone who owns a Subaru and wants them to last should check out his videos. Good review man, appreciate it!

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

@@Ryskimus Thanks for the tip on the Idemitsu fluids. I knew they used them for engine oil but never thought of the other fluids, I will definitely look into that. Also thanks for the kind words!

[@chrisfusco1108]

I have a neighbor with a '18 WRX, it has 225k miles as of Dec '22. It was his daily from Philly to NYC, six days a week. The only issue he ever had was he had to replace the AC compressor. Then again, the rig was stock.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Wow that's awesome! Thanks for the info, glad to hear people are getting well over 200k! :)

[@thailluminator]

Lights: If anyone with a Base or Premium wants LED low lights, Diode Dynamics SL2 pro's are under $200 for a pair new (so a lot less than buying Limited lights for $1500 total). They are expensive, but excellent. That said, upgrading the fog lights made an even bigger difference in nighttime vision for me, than upgrading the lows. So if you only are going to buy one or the other (i.e. you can spend $200 but not $400), I would strongly recommend fogs

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

I agree. I added Diode Dynamics fog lights and made an astounding difference, totally worth it. I hear that upgrading to LEDs in low beams is similar to getting brighter halogen bulbs (like Sylvania SilverStar Ultras) so I haven't tried them yet. Thanks for watching!

[@InLikeFlynn2013]

Thank you..this is probably the most informative review I've ever heard in my life! 👍

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

You're welcome! Glad you liked it :)

[@axeya366]

Good review. You pretty much got everything spot on. Its a reliable car if you get all the services done on time and look after it. I have a 2019 Premium and ive only got aftermarket wheels and some michelins on with a catback exhaust. Maybe i might lower it in future and a color matched bodykit but thats about all. Like to keep it stock and not tuned. Keep its value for an upgrade in future. My daily is a Forester XT and i pretty much get my fun out of that. If you get Whiteline springs and sway bars it would improve the handling and better tires. It would be on rails.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thank you! My dream upgrade right now is some nice wheels, what wheels are you running? I agree with you though, I prefer OEM plus style and want it to look like it could have come from the factory that way. The XT is such a great daily, I was dreaming about that the other day so I could keep the WRX out of the snow even better :)

[@axeya366]

@@kylethecarenthusiast I just convince a friend to upgrade his car to a new Forester lol. Yeah im running on WORK wheels D9R in matte black 18", they are 9" wide on a +38 offset, wrapped in Michelin PS4 255/40s. Sits fully flush with the fenders so its not tucked in or any poke. I went for more meaty tires for comfort and running stock suspension so theres less wheel gap.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

@@axeya366 That's awesome lol I love those wheels it's a shame they were discontinued. I love the route you went with, I was thinking of a similar tire size even if I went 9 inch. Helps the car fill in the fenders without losing ground clearance! Did you notice a difference in handling with the lower offset? That's one of the main things holding me back because I love the handling as it stands and I see mixed reviews on offset affects. My current plan was RPF1s in 18x9.5 +45 on 265/35s but I was looking at other 9 inch wide options but there aren't too many sadly

[@axeya366]

@@kylethecarenthusiast Yeah they are great wheels for the price. I was looking at the Enkies in black also but they are quite pricey and with rubber it was a bit too much. I did notice from my stock 8.5 wide wheels with the dunlops were more sharper in response on corners and turning. The 9 wide and michelins just give you massive grip all round, its just not as responsive when going around corners and through windy roads. I might go to like Goodyear eagle F1 or Falken or even Pirellis. Somewhere in the middle perfomance without breaking the wallet. If you get the RPF1s that would be pretty nice on the car with 265/35 you would want to lower the car.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

@@axeya366 Yeah that's a good point on the 265/35s. Who knows maybe more wheels will come out in 9 inch wide for some more options in the near future, thanks for the input! :)

[@paulchxn]

very informative review! Learned lots

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks! Glad you liked it

[@chadthomas7820]

Can you put a wrx sti wing on this the 2015-2018 models that are cvt if so im so buying one.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Yes, the wing can be put on any WRX or STi (if it had a wing delete) from this generation but you will have to drill through the trunk to mount it. Thanks for watching!

[@bendtheski]

I had an '08 2.5i too! My '21 WRX limited is better in virtually every way. Also had a '97 impreza for 250k miles. I went Stage 1+ within two months to address the twitchy throttle, torque flat spot and rev hang. Will be going Stage 2 in the spring. Have also upgraded sway bars with a Whiteline sway bar/end link kit. Overall love the suspension for a daily, but would definitely want stiffer for track. Agree with the solid euro feel right out of the box. Have a rear cross-brace coming in tomorrow. Hoping it compliments the beefed up sway bar and helps the rear track a little better Nice review, hope you enjoy many more years with your ride!

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

That's awesome! I agree the 15-21s are so good in the handling department it's almost like it improved more than one generation worth of suspension tuning! Nice mods you have going there, how do the new sway bars feel in comparison to stock? I would love to do some track days coming up, that will probably necessitate some more mods once I see what can be improved at the limits. Enjoy many more years with your as well! :)

[@bendtheski]

@@kylethecarenthusiast The sway bars seem to improve turn-in and car stays flatter in corners. I want to say the ride is more confidence inspiring, but I've also become more well versed driving the car over the past 18 months, which probably contributes to carrying more speed through corners. I'm even getting better at timing the turbo lag to exit corners with some actual torque, but it's a work in progress. I put a Nameless front strut tower brace on after a few months, which makes the front end feel more squared up for lack of a better term. I'm hoping the rear cross-brace (Mission) will have a similar effect. Red footwell lighting coming with the cross-brace tomorrow, so something fun to do over the next few days between Thanksgiving courses! I'm able to walk to work, so mine is pretty much dedicated to pleasure driving (to the ski resort) and grocery getter. Hoping to top the 14 years I got out of the '08 impreza while I was still commuting. Here's a super-fun drive I have right from town. I was still on the studded snows, so trying hard not pop too many studs cornering, kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6rLaH6wmN56lZI

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

@@bendtheski Wow that road is amazing, the views are super nice too! Have fun installing the new parts that's always an enjoyable experience. The floorwell lighting is really nice when driving at night you're gonna love it! :)

[@bendtheski]

@@kylethecarenthusiast update on the rear cross-brace; $$$$$. You want one of these! Rear end feels more planted, and whole car tracks better in corners. Significant improvement for less than the cost of a single coilover.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

@@bendtheski Thanks for the update! I will definitely look into those :) How would you say it compares to the improvement you noticed with the sway bars?

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

We just reached 25 Subscribers! Thank you! :)

[@User2djdb]

Love your vids! One more sub here!

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

@@User2djdb Thanks so much for the kind words, glad you like them! :)

[@TW39]

Factory rear sti wing looks nice on those

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

I agree, I am a big fan of those as well

[@ianholmquist8492]

Loved my 17 base wrx but the engine started knocking badly on cold starts after only 40k miles with zero mods and religious maintenance. I traded it in for a 21 sti. It's an unpopular opinion but i have always found the ej engines to be reliable when taken care of.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Sorry to hear about the engine knocking on yours, I actually agree with you that the EJs are reliable when taken care of. To be honest I would love to pickup an 04-05 STi someday just for the nostalgia of it. How have you been liking the STi so far?

[@ianholmquist8492]

@@kylethecarenthusiast thanks man. the old car having that issue was actually the best thing that could've happened. I placed the order and took delivery just before the chip shortage and price hike during covid and 6 months later they announced there would be no new sti any time soon. Almost 2 years and 20k miles later and i'm still deeply in love. It puts a smile on my face every time i drive. The handling, power delivery, crispness of shifts and steering feel are amazing. I expected all that. What i did not expect was the ride quality to be far better than the newer wrx's that i have driven (my old 17 and a 20 and 22 that i test drove. Yes, the suspension is stiffer on the sti but it is also less bouncy. Better dampened i guess. It was wierd, i tested a 2015 sti and the suspension was so harsh it was unbeleivable. So they must have changed something. I'm all for it in any case. My dream car has always been a blob eye sti. But good ones of those are few and far between. Plus whatever one i got would be my daily driver and i figured i would spend most of my time wrenching on the car instead of driving if i bought an 04-07 so the 21 was the logical choice. I would love to get an 04-07 as a project car someday though. Anything but the 08-14. I still think those are ugly.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

@@ianholmquist8492 Wow! You got the STi at the perfect time! I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that the newer STis ride better, I rode in a friends 16 and it was unbearably stiff even on the smooth roads we were on. One of these days, I'll have to see how the new ones ride for comparisons sake. Totally understand the move to the newer STi for a daily. I agree how hard it is to find a clean 04-07 these days, I was just checking Bring a Trailer and most of the decent ones are 20-25K now :O and that's with 90K miles. Hold onto yours, these types of cars are going to be harder and harder to get. For some reason, not many manufacturers are building sporty manual AWD cars anymore :,(

[@roddydykes7053]

Were you the first owner? Maybe someone before you bagged on it when it was cold and got it started towards shit performance

[@LukasKoh]

Out the 13 years of working on cars I would say all timing belt Subaru engines leak from the head gaskets. At least they somewhat fixed it on the FA. Now it just leaks from a different spot that costs more to the customer 6-7k at the dealer to reseal 😂

[@HoweDoYouDo1999]

Working for a Subaru dealership has completely changed my entire appeal for this car a lot especially with the newest one the VB. And I regret not taking the opportunity to own one now simply because I had this really bad stigma over the reliability of this car for obvious reasons of not understanding the platform. And I'd honestly trade in my Cadillac for one in a heart beat if I had the chance and the funds. Since they let me take it out one morning for me to get gas. And I literally fell in love with it from the minute I got it out onto the main road. I just find it sad that in order for me to find one I can afford it would have to be much higher in mileage which would suck for obvious reasons. However I'd love to own one at some point in my life lol

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Wow, that's quite high praise. It's refreshing to hear people still appreciate these cars even coming from a luxurious car! Hope you find a clean example soon!

[@balla2172]

REALLY thinking about purchasing one of thses but all in my price range are from 110 - 160k miles that worries me just a bit

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Understandable, service records become very important at that point

[@DblyaC]

Would highly recommend an air oil separator if you’re concerned about the life of the fa20. No tune required I also just did a Cobb stage 2 tune but when I set up the access port and did a stage 1 tune rev hang disappeared immediately. Highly recommend if rev hang hangs anyone up. The kick caused me to slide right into another turning car last winter

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Good point, I'm definitely thinking about getting one installed one of these days. I'm hoping to get the valves walnut blasted too while I'm in there. Also good to hear that the tune helps with rev hang, that makes me want a tune asap :)

[@Thesaurus-Rex]

I own a 2017 FA20 also. It's reliable if you know how to wrench on it yourself. I just replaced my clutch @75k miles and I don't want to go through that ever again😬

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

I don't blame you, clutch replacements are not fun at all

[@r.s.1381]

Hey man, what about the clutch? Is it hard to operate?

[@wolfeman96]

Great video, helpful info.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks so much :) Thanks for watching!

[@ccr508]

Great video Kyle. Thanks.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks for watching!

[@kcspeed9980]

Great video, awesome car. You’ve kept the car very clean for 5 years. I’ve seen plenty of “particularly white” wrx in rough shape. ✌️

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks so much for the kind words, made my day :) Thanks for watching!

[@schenkmeister19]

Very solid and thorough video. I’m looking into getting a VA myself as I’m not the biggest fan of the VB

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks so much! I tried my best to pack as much info in as possible. You'll love the VA it really is a great do it all car :) I'm not a huge fan of the new styling either

[@harrydaniels9436]

thanks and great job

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching :)

[@patrickrooney5221]

What is the easiest way to find out if my car is a genuine 2015 WRX S4

[@zeno15sti33]

😅 first all direct injected cars have the same problem unless they running a port fuel injection on top of it. . Its a Used entry level sports sedan. No doubt they've been driven hard and put away wet it a known known. The price is generally going to reflect the condition. Personally i won't do a DI car with out either Toyotas D4S or methanol injection.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Yeah I was hesitant on getting the car knowing about the carbon buildup issues but I went for it anyway lol. I wish it had D4S, too bad there's no way to retrofit the port injectors from the Brz/Frs since its still an FA20 platform. Thanks for watching!

[@r.s.1381]

Hey man, what about the clutch? Is it hard to operate?

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

The clutch is actually quite easy to operate. The only tricky thing with Subarus is since the car is AWD, you have to keep it in the engagement zone a little longer than a RWD or FWD car. If you let the clutch out too fast in FWD or RWD, the wheels just spin a bit. In an AWD car the whole car jerks back and forth since the drivetrain and bushings have to absorb all the energy. I see a bugeye in your profile pic, I drove a blobeye WRX and STi in the past and I would say the clutches are comparable in regards to feel. Rev hang in the new WRXs makes shifting smoothly, especially 1-2 a little tricky but it's not too hard to adjust to. Thanks for watching!

[@r.s.1381]

@@kylethecarenthusiast Thank you for such a detailed explanation. You are really kind! Oh yes, the bugeye in the photo is mine

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

@@r.s.1381 Thanks for the kind words! I wish the new FA20s had the rumble like yours does, Subaru Wave!👋

[@dudefat1785]

Not really just stiff when shifting

[@xClyptox]

Subaru owners love them, people who have had several other vehicles see the flaws more clearly. Easily the most over hyped and disappointing car Ive ever owned. Good vid, at least you mentioned more of the flaws the VA WRX has.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks, no car is perfect. It just so happens to be one of the only cars that offers manual, AWD fun for a decent price. A lot of people in snowy climates gravitate towards them for this reason alone. Evos, GR corollas, Focus RSs, S4s also fit the bill but are either more expensive to buy or maintain (take with a grain of salt as I haven't owned any of those so I could be wrong lol)

[@TGTV-cg7co]

How did you only put 30k on it in that amount of time 😅

[@lightningsrt4707]

Really good job. But it’s time to do upgrades.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks! Just filmed another video on one, stay tuned! :)

[@User2djdb]

I would avoid that dealership lol

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Haha yeah I was definitely taken aback by that :)

[@Sleepymazda999]

1:45 nvidia is a graphics card brand my guy.

[@awesomeunicorngeronimo5335]

stock wrx 100%, worth it, stay stock, lifetime used.

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

The more I drive it, the more I realize just how good it is stock. A lot of mods these days make cars worse

[@progpogs]

Rats nest in the air filter tf

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

The car was sitting on the lot for a while before I got it. Was near the woods too I'm assuming that's how the nest got there. Thanks for watching! :)

[@AlvinYakitori-ib3bi]

less of a "buyers guide" and more of you sharing your life story for 45 minutes. This could've been a 10 minute video 😂

[@ccr508]

BUT ….very informative and probably answered a lot of questions.

[@bradgreen987]

Never track a car without a built motor and transmission. Factory engines and trans are generally garbage. Never track an OEM wrx trans! Suicide 😢

[@AndyRoss-z3t]

My humble opinion. Subaru is not Honda, Acura or Toyota. They are as well built or engineered in a manner that will last the same as these Japanese manufacturers. But.....i expect my 2023 WRX tp last. Careful upkeep, oil changes very frequently, don't drive like an asshole and be mindful of any mechanical modifications. WRX's are often driven poorly and over-modified. Far beyond their known build parameters.

[@killer2miller23]

Gape

[@jimjones5419]

Grow up

[@austinjohnson5207]

“BUYERS GUIDE” 😂😂 DO NOT BUY ONE!!! Very simple!! They are very cheaply made and a mediocre car at best. Every teenager has to have one and they are played out imo. Good video and review tho bro👍

[@kylethecarenthusiast]

Thanks for sharing your opinion. A WRX was my dream car, I loved the value proposition. Thanks again for watching :)

[@ejayasaula]

any luxury car never get 300k miles my 15' is at 296k miles only did the AC compressor and rear bearing replace. orig motor done at 5-6k miles oil change interval lmao. its cheap but reliable. oh wait it can go boom boom anytime i don't care it serve me well enough but don't think so im thinking it will go for another 100k miles. hahaha