Good day gents, I am new to the Subaru world, and I am looking forward to become a proud member of a WRX. But I want to ask for recommendations on this, I am looking to purchase a WRX, but I am afraid that my commute might make me regret it on the long run. I travel +/-3200miles every month all highway miles, 9 hour long drives, I wonder if this is a car for a long distance commuter like me regarding comfort, mileage, reliability and ride quality that been said, the other issue would be the premium gasoline, I would think that the difference of prices per gallon of regular and premium in such long run would be negligible and irrelevant. Can any body who has previously used the vehicle for long distance commuting shed some light on this? Your feedback will be most appreciated, thanks!!
No chance would i own a wrx to put 40k a year on it.
They make good commuter cars. Just not that good. Realistically you'll probably find the regular Impreza better. Better fuel economy, lower cost to repair, less likely to bend a rod, spin a bearing, blow a ringland, crack an oil pickup, etc.
They are great vehicles, that's just not their strong suit.
I don't put on that many miles, but I do have a 66-mile round trip commute five days a week . . . so I put on about 1,300 miles every month which is higher than the average I suspect.
I truly enjoy driving the WRX . . . but honestly for a longer ride I prefer my wife's Legacy. It has a smoother ride and even though it is a bit pokier (it has the 4 cylinder) it just is a much more comfortable car for those long rides. It's quieter and even in the premium model is notably nicer with the fit and finish. Even the base stereo sounds better than the one in my WRX. Plus . . . mileage is around the same (most likely due to the extra weight I am guessing) . . . but one doesn't have to pay the slightly higher price for the fuel.
My personal advice . . .
If I wanted a car for long distance commuting and reliability were major factors I would strongly consider a hybrid like the Toyota Prius.
If I wanted a car for long distance commuting and comfort, reliability and the ride were major factors I would look at the Honda Accord.
If I wanted a car for long distance commuting with AWD and wanted a Subaru and price were major factors I would look at the Impreza.
If I wanted a car for long distance commuting with AWD and wanted a Subaru and comfort were major factors I would look at the Legacy.
My normal life is a lot like @Firefighterjake. I commute ≈69 miles each day. The car works very well for that. I also have taken two 550 mile(each way) road trips in it. The 550 mile trips were bearable. But as @XJman says, it certainly is not what the car is intended for.
I also find that in longer trips in my car, how I feel depends a LOT on the roads themselves. If your 9 hour drives are on mostly all smooth even asphalt, then the ride is not bad at all and very tolerable. However, if on rough, uneven roads, it quickly gets old.......
I feel like I can weigh in a bit on this. I've had my 2018 WRX since June 2017 and have put 32,000 miles on it in that time.
My average commute it about 40 miles per day, but sometimes I have to drive out to a different location for work which is a 70 mile round trip commute. I've put 20k of those 32k on it since August of this year mostly because I spent a lot of time at that other location this fall.
The only major mechanical issue I had was a burned up header gasket (not head gasket) due to the nuts backing off the studs (not properly torqued by the guy that did my TBE). It's pretty modded as well - TBE, intake, ebcs, bypass valve, pro-tuned - but has thus far been reliable. My family lives about 650 miles away (one way) and I've made that drive at least half a dozen times in my WRX. I've also driven it to Florida from Austin a couple of times and Gulf Shores (most driving done after the mods at this point).
Like others have mentioned, it depends on your priorities. Mine were a car that's daily drivable but also fun to rip in from time to time. If road noise really bothers you, you won't like commuting in the WRX. It doesn't have the greatest ride in the world either, but it's better than my Xterra was.
Even though I love my WRX and love commuting in it, I can admit it's not the ideal commuter car. I don't think reliability is the issue (but what do I know I'm only at 32k and am modded). It's pretty noisy and rough but great for getting past those sketchy 18-wheelers on the interstate.
You just gotta be honest with yourself about your priorities.
You spend a ton of time in your car, from the sounds of it. How much do you enjoy driving in general? I'm asking a serious question when I say will it satisfy you to compromise a little comfort in order to have fun the majority of time in the car? Do you enjoy being behind the wheel in general and feeling the car when just going from point A-B?
Some people do. Some people prefer the act of driving in general. An act you can constantly perfect and experience. I can relate to this. Other people prefer to have a car as a comfortable and luxurious place where they'll spend a lot of time. Some of these people care much less about the driving experience and more about creature comforts.
If your priorities lie more in enjoying the act of driving over ease of driving, consider the WRX as a real option. It's seems to be a good compromise. If you're going this route, I suggest going fully loaded with leather seats, upgraded stereo, etc. Make the cabin feel as high quality as you can.
I love driving, although only on highway I can really feel the urge to actually enjoy this...in the city not so much as I am very weary and careful of others way of driving, but I really appreciate your two cents on my question sir
So, I am a fan of the WRX, but I'm thinking a legacy or outback would be more comfortable considering all the miles you drive.
The premium gas does add up for sure. For the last 7 years I've had at least one turbo Subaru, and at times 2. I sold my obxt in December and for now, have 2 NA Subarus. I spend less on gas and have to fill up less frequently, it's honestly been nice. This will be short lived as I have a 19 WRX on order [emoji16].
Even if you opt for a WRX, I would recommend the CVT with eyesight. Adaptive cruise makes highways and traffic so much easier than without.
You didn’t mention AWD was a must. How about an Accord Sport 2.0t? Basically just as fast & has excellent reviews. Sorry to throw in an outlier...but probably better for high mileage.
Holy smokes, I put almost as many miles as you on a car at ~2700 miles/month, ~170 mi round trip, 4 days/week. I’ve been commuting in a new 2017 wrx manual 6 speed for a little over 2 years now. Before that, I’ve been a consistent Toyota woman since 2004, rav-4, 2 corollas and a Camry, all commuters.
You don’t mention where you commute. In northern climates, any all-wheel drive is definitely an advantage. The WRX is great in most cases, hell, it’s a little snowmobile, but if the snow gets too deep, you better not stop because it’s low ground clearance will get you stuck and stranded.
Subaru’s are awesome in that they still sell manual transmission options which is one reason I made the switch. Works for my commutes but if you’re in a heavy urban area with stop and go, maybe not so much.
The WRX has an extra stiffened frame because of what it is…which is a blast on my rural local back roads on the way to the grocery store but can be quite jarring up on the hwy going to work, especially in the winter freeze thaw periods where the roads are buckled and potholed. My Toyota Camry and Chevy pickup rode/ride much more smoothly than this car.
Do you carry passengers? This car is very low slung, my 20 yr old son springs out of the passenger seat like a jack-in-the-box…my 71 yr 6’2” dad doesn’t so much. Thank goodness for grab handles. Then when I do get a guy that size in the passenger seat, I’m grabbing their knee every time I shift gears, awkward… I have to say that my 5’10” frame fits pretty comfortably in this car even though it’s the size of a Toyota Corolla.
Gas mileage: I’ve always commuted a distance and mpg has been too much of a focus for me over the years. I was so bored with my front wheel drive cars and their great mpg’s (considering the time I spent in the vehicle) that I threw my arms up and bought this wrx. I get the same mpg with this car as my awd 2004 Toyota Rav-4, ~27 mpg…so I’ve digressed 15 yrs. I don’t care, I’m old enough to want satisfaction, not good fuel mileage and I do enjoy the commute more. I think the best I do is ~30 mpg. If you’re worried about mpg you have to stay out of that turbo I guess. When it’s time to replace the wrx, I’ll probably get an awd suv either Toyota or Subaru.
Julie, thanks for the feedback, it comes as an interesting insight, I drive in South and West Texas, where it is mostly flat but some hills when going thru the hill country of central Texas 80 percent of my driving is interstate highway and farm to market back roads. that small 20 percent is only when I am either home or running errands in town, 99 percent of the time no passengers unless as said before I am at home and dropping the kiddo at school. Your post has actually helped getting me to think a lot in the WRX LOL, I guess I need to make up my mind. Thanks!!
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