Subaru WRX Base vs Premium vs Limited: Prices, Equipment, And Facts

The Subaru WRX needs no introduction as it’s one of the most renowned sedans in the Rally Racing scene. It has proven time after time why it has earned its name of WRX as “World Rally Cross” or “World Rally X” for The World Cross Rally Championship.

Why is the Subaru WRX Best Speed Sedan?

The Subaru WRX series has one of the most loyal fan-base among all sedans. It definitely makes sense why there would be so much hype for the Subaru WRX as it for sure delivers on the title of best sports sedan out there. This rally-based sedan offers a 2-liter turbocharged engine that generates a whopping 268 horsepower and an impressive 258 pound-feet of torque that certainly excites all the car enthusiasts out there. The keyless entry and push-button of the 2021 Subaru WRX are the highlight features of the premium models, while its jaw-dropping handling and performance with the symmetrical AWD (all-wheel-drive) distinguish it from its competitors. The 2021 Subaru WRX is undoubtedly the best model to be produced as it leaves no room in impressing all those who have utmost expectations from their vehicles in regards to both functionality and performance.

What do Subaru WRX trims have to offer?

While there are 5 trims available out there, none of them is for the faint-hearted:

• WRX
• WRX Premium
• WRX Limited
• WRX STI
• WRX STI Limited

Each trim from the basic WRX Subaru to the WRX Premium and the luxurious WRX STI Limited is precision-engineered to deliver the most outstanding performance in its class. All trims have the Symmetrical AWD that enables its drivers to truly experience the beast that it is with its enhanced traction and cornering technology. The Subaru WRX, WRX Premium, and WRX Limited come with an impressive 2-liter boxer four engines while the Subaru WRX STI and STI Limited are equipped with 2.4-liter boxer four engines.

Get More With Cutting-Edge Features

All the Subaru WRX trims not only focus on the straight-line drive but with their track-tuned suspension, six-speed manual transmission and 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds, and an extremely responsive quick-ratio steering from the aluminum front lower control arms allow you to beat all fast lap times as you’re guaranteed extreme uniform stability and low center of gravity to drive with lightning-fast speed even around the corners.

Well, let’s move on to talk about the trim levels.

Subaru WRX Base and WRX Premium Trim

The Subaru WRX wins points in almost all departments as it’s a mid-size sedan car that is surprisingly fast on any circuit. It sticks to the road to give you that magical grip and has a rear spoiler and a beautiful aerodynamic shape. All the non-STI trims come standard with a six-speed manual transmission, and the boxer four turbocharged engines. The WRX Premium may come with the Sport Lineartronic Automatic Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) System that adjusts instantly to match your acceleration. This amazing technology allows the vehicle to preserve momentum and eliminates the need to shift.

The Subaru WRX Base is equipped with all the right tools and features to enhance your driving experience to the next level. But the WRX Premium allows you to add plush additions and also comes with default paddle shifters to provide you with amazing control over your vehicle. The sedan is built with extreme balance and stability in mind and even the engine is mounted with equal weight on either side. Both the WRX Base and WRX Premium have heated side mirrors and trunk spoilers. They also come with manually adjustable seats for the driver while the back seat has a 60/40 split-bench in all trims. The Premium however has heated seats as well along with a power slidable sun-roof. Both trims come with Active Vectoring and Vehicle Dynamic Control system which is built to provide extra control over your vehicle, taking your corner turning skills to the next level.

Both Subaru WRX Base and WRX Premium come with the Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) while also including the Limited-Slip Helical Front and Torsen Rear Differentials that allow for efficient variable torque distribution in the front and rear for much smoother responses. The Base WRX comes with the 17-inch wheels while the Premium WRX comes with the larger 18-inch wheels. They both come with rear-vision cameras and standard brake assist. Both the trims include the SUBARU STARLINK Multimedia system that comes with standard Apple Carplay, Android Auto, wireless pairing, and easy-to-use hands-free operation with any smartphone allowing easy entertainment on the go. A 6.5-inch multimedia system is built-in with the Base WRX with a 3.5mm AUX jack as well; however, a seven-inch built-in touchscreen with active voice commands is available with the WRX Premium trim as well.

Which Is Better? WRX Premium vs WRX Limited

The Subaru WRX Premium starts from $30,970 that goes up as you keep adding plush features to get that Premium experience, while the Subaru WRX Limited starts from $33,020. You’re thinking of getting the WRX Premium but wondering if the additional $2k is worth it to get the Limited.

Well for starters, the WRX Premium is equipped with cloth upholstery and a 6-way manually adjustable driver’s seat while in the Subaru WRX Limited you get the Leather-trimmed Upholstery Seating plus the driver seat getting a 10-way power adjustment. You can adjust the Lumbar and physically move the seat forward and backward and vertically adjust the front and back of the seat giving you a business class feel. Both trims come with an Automatic Climate Control system and 6 speakers. While both the WRX Premium and the WRX Limited give you lavish features like keyless access, push-button start, and even a PIN code to access your vehicle, some features are available exclusively to the WRX Limited. A few of such exquisite features are the STARLINK 7-inch Multimedia Navigation System that allows you to find the best route to your destination in the most luxurious style and the Harmon Kardon Premium Audio speaker system that provide you with a high-performance 9-channel, class-D amplifier including a subwoofer that has Harman Clari-Fi Technology with 9-speaker sound system to take your entertainment level to the next level.

This was all for the interiors, however, things get so much more exciting for the exteriors. Starting from the headlights, the WRX Premium is equipped with a low-beam projector and multi-reflector halogen headlights and halogen fog lights which get an upgrade to LED fog lights for the WRX Limited that even adjust to the direction of the turn thanks to the LED Steering Responsive Headlights (SRH).

Both the Premium and Limited are equipped with Font and Rear underspoilers and a stylish rear bumper with an integrated diffuser. They both have exquisite features that distinguish them from the other cars in their class like the Exhaust system with quad stainless-steel outlets and Body-color power side mirrors with automatic heating. While the Limited has upgrades to these as well like the integrated turn signals for the power side mirrors.

When it comes to the safety concerns of these trims, the Subaru WRX Limited surely has many more available options to include. Although both include the EyeSight Driver Assist Technology that’s proven to reduce rear-end crashes by a staggering 85% by using adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, and giving warning functions during lane departures. The Subaru WRX Limited exclusively gives you the option to include High Beam Assist that works together with the EyeSight system to automatically detect another vehicle coming towards you to switch the headlights between the high and low settings, enhancing overall safety to the next level.

It also offers the Blind-Spot Detection with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and also with Lane Change Assist that gives you the freedom to freely change lanes as it informs you as soon as any object comes into your blind spot on the sides or rear of the vehicle to prevent any traffic to take any toll on you.

Finally, there’s the Reverse Automatic Braking or RAB that makes sure the vehicle stops in the case a rear collision is about to happen or any obstacle detected in the closed proximity. All and all, it is definitely worth it to upgrade your vehicle to the Subaru WRX Limited as there’s so much more that it has to offer in terms of both power and comfort compared to the Subaru WRX Premium. WRX Limited gives you the best of all worlds as these luxurious features give you ergonomic comfort and provide the best driving experience you ever had on a sedan.