Subaru WRX Forum banner

Questions about the 2015 WRX turbo 2.0 motor

16K views 21 replies 13 participants last post by  physwm2501 
#1 ·
Hey Guys
I've been interested in getting a WRX for the longest time. I really dig the new 2015. Also the fact that it's an auto CVT. Saw the postings of the 100k plus club. My concern is the engine is a direct injection motor. Two of my friends one being a 2002 wrx owner and both being mechanics. They've both voiced concerns about longevity with that set up, engine tranny etc... Can anyone give me some informed feed back on both the engine and tranny. I need a car that is a complete package. Fun to drive and reliable. Need the automatic and the four doors. Wanted the hatch but they discontinued it for now. Thanks

Mike
 
#2 ·
Get a warranty on it problem solved....lol, honestly they better hope there isn't an issue with it, the same trany is in the new forester and I'm sure it will start popping up in there other cars.... The new 2.0 I have no idea about..Subaru makes great vehicles though in my opinion. I drove a cvt yesterday it's honestly a super peppy car . I was very surprised it's surprising how much faster it feels than my 13 optima turbo....also the car feels way sportier than my optima....sorry this probably didn't help but j would honestly buy the car. I did just waiting for her to show up����
 
#5 ·
Get a warranty on it problem solved...
...or not. First, we don't know how long Mike plans to keep his car. As the car enters the period where problems are more likely to occur the warranties tend to get more expensive and also limited. Next we don't know if Mike plans to modify his car, thus blowing his warranty in the areas which count. The last factor is Subaru or the warranty provider. People tend to buy WRXs because they want to drive them like WRXs - and warranty companies try to pass off some problems as "abuse" whether it's true or not.

Only time will tell if the FA is a reliable engine, but I was happy to take the risk because I believe it will be. Subaru have been using 2.0 turbo engines in other countries for a long time. Then the FB was developed as a modern, more advanced product than the EJ a few years ago, and the FA is a lighter and improved version of the FB. I expect their to be some teething problems, but the engine itself isn't in its first year and has shown some signs of its potential in other applications like the BRZ and FXT.
 
#3 ·
If you drive it like you stole it all the time, it will break. That goes for pretty much any car. Period. I'm sure subaru wouldn't put this transmission in a turbo charged AWD car if they thought it wouldn't hold up. Now, if you start throwing more power at it, you should anticipate some problems. If you intent to modify this car, you're probably way better off with the 6 speed.

I could be wrong.
 
#6 ·
This would be a daily driver #1. #2 i don't usually beat up on my cars. But do however enjoy some spirited driving. Maybe the occassional autoX. I plan on keeping the car for about 8-10 years. Right around the 100k mark. I do already have a sports car in the garage. It's a 71 Datsun 240Z. But it definitely isn't a daily. My other pick would be a 2014-15 Rav4. Great vehicle and more practical. Which is usually the side i vere towards. I can't help but love the WRX. It's a complete car right out of the box. I'm concerned about cost of maintenance. Is it as bad as having a BMW? If it's cheaper than a Bimmer than i'm good. Never had one so this is a learning experience. Thanks for all the imput Guys. Much appreciated.

Mike
 
#8 ·
Cheaper than a BMW to maintain but more than the Rav. Although if you are looking for a sporty drive you should really be cross-shopping with the Forester XT (mostly the same setup as the WRX with the same CVT, turbo and FA20 engine) or the 2.5 CX-5 (only those made from November 2013 for 5 star safety ratings I believe). The Rav is a great and reliable family vehicle but dull for spirited driving. Any engine is repairable and Subaru have a good track record for cars being on the road after 10 years.
 
#8 ·
Mike
I’m assuming your concerns with the FA engine are carbon build up on the injector nozzle surface inside the combustion chamber. I own a 2000 Lancer Cedia direct injected out here in Japan. The car is driven at local speeds of around 40 KPH keeping it in a very low range for engine speed, increasing the risk of carbon build up. I have had no problems with carbon build up on the injectors and the car works great. (Other than being a Mitsu Lancer). While I am not sure of the placement inside the combustion chamber of the injectors on the WRX I’m sure that it shouldn’t be a big issue since there seems to be no complaints from 86 and BRZ owners about it. Direct Injection is a proven tech in diesel applications where the atomization of fuel must be much more precise to allow for combustion. As I’m sure you know diesel engines pull many long haul high carbon emitting hours on the same solenoid based injectors that are used in gasoline engines. I’m attracted by the build of the FA engine and plan on buying the WRX once I return to the US.
CVTs work well in low torque applications. Since the WRX is a relatively low torque application and the internals have been properly engineered for the turbo FA engine all you can really do is wait and see how it turns out in 5 years time. I hope this helps, I’m really excited about the new WRX and can’t wait to get my hands on one!
Here is a nice article I found on the injection system used in the engine. Toyota's Twofold Strategy | News & Analysis content from WardsAuto
Tom
 
#9 ·
Overall the DIT and CVT are a great combo. Just a bit of history...
Subaru ran this combo in the JDM Legacy GT for a solid year + after testing before it came to the US in the FXT.
Having owned a 14 FXT for a year now I can recommend it to others. It is fun, sporty and gets great mileage in the summer for an AWD. We get around 28mpg highway, but have seen 30.
That said there are a couple pitfalls...
1. The FXT suffers from a hard start issue. Subaru has an ECU update that members on Subaru forester.org have reported solves the issue. I'm hoping to get ours flashed soon.
2. The great mileage is only seen in the summer. When it was cold my WRX saw better mileage than my wife's FXT. If you live in a warmer area of the country this is a non issue.

A couple other noteworthy items.
-the CVT is better than your traditional autobox imo, but it's no manual replacement
-it is very hard to get the car sideways in the snow so it's not as fun as my old Legacy was.

Hope this helps!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
 
#11 ·
No one can comment on the longevity of the motor/transmission as of yet. What we know:
1. The FA20 has a high power ceiling: FA20s in the BRZ were pushed to north of 400whp before failure. With the mill in the WRX, I expect no less.
2. The 6MT is strengthened over the prior generation units. The CVT has been postulated to be borrowed from the Impreza turbo diesel, so may be no stranger to high-torque output.

However, this is not an indication of long-term reliability and longevity. The motor and transmission are new to Subaru with the BRZ and again with the DIT version in the Forester/JDM Legacy Touring. We won't know until people like you buy the car and report your findings!
 
#21 ·
Because of the types of differentials used in the wrx. It is far more likely that they will overheat and be damaged if one or more wheels are rotating at different speeds than the others. This is also why you don't want to replace just one tire of it is damaged and the others are worn down some.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top