On twisty Welsh roads and on the track, the WRX proves it’s fun to drive without breaking the bank.
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“Would you like to drive the 2026 Subaru WRX from Manchester, England, to Goodwood?” my editor asked. I didn’t even bother to look at my calendar before firing back a resounding “Yes!” Then came the itinerary, and somehow things got even better: start with a few hours of track time at the Oulton Park circuit, then point the WRX southwest toward Wales before arriving at the Goodwood Festival of Speed .
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Two days of zigzagging across the Welsh countryside on some of Britain’s best mountain roads proved the perfect setting to take the measure of the WRX’s ever-playful character. But as we found out during our trip, the WRX can feel just as engaging to drive on city streets and highways as it is on backcountry two lanes (we use the word “two” loosely) and racetracks.
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New Trim, Who Dis
Subaru is bringing the Base trim back for the 2026 model year, making it the new entry point to the WRX lineup. With a starting price of $33,690, it’s a reminder that enthusiasts can still buy an affordable performance car with a manual transmission without breaking the bank.
Our chariot for the trip was a Ceramic White WRX Base equipped with the 11.6-inch infotainment display, Subaru’s EyeSight driver assistance suite, and—most important—the two ingredients that define the WRX experience: a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer-four matched with a six-speed manual transmission. Every WRX Base comes equipped this way, with the only factory choice being the exterior color. That limited configurability is part of how Subaru keeps the price in check, and after spending many an hour behind the wheel, we never found ourselves wishing for much else.
The Base trim strikes a thoughtful balance between equipment and performance, offering the features most buyers will actually use without driving up the price. It isn’t inexpensive, but compared with other enthusiast-focused compact performance cars, the WRX remains one of the more attainable ways to get behind the wheel of a manual-equipped, all-wheel-drive sport sedan.
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Behind the Wheel
Oulton Park’s 17-turn, 2.6-mile circuit was the perfect place to find out what the WRX Base was made of. The 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer-four’s 271 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque won’t raise any eyebrows on paper, but on track it proved to be ample power. The WRX has always been more about confidence and composure than outright speed , and that character carried over here. The six-speed manual made it easy to keep the engine in its sweet spot, and despite a modest 6,000-rpm redline, the WRX remained eager to charge from corner to corner.
The WRX’s standard all-wheel-drive system and Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT 600 tires delivered impressive grip, allowing the WRX to put its power down cleanly through Oulton’s twisty bits. The brakes responded with a progressive bite that made them easy to modulate during low-speed maneuvers, though the sport-tuned suspension kept body motions largely in check. The result was a car that inspired confidence with each passing lap, encouraging us to carry ever more speed into corners.
The rest of the first day was spent winding along narrow, twisty roads as we made our way from England into Wales. Because our WRX had been imported from the U.S., we were driving left-hand-drive cars on the left side of the road. As someone visiting the U.K. for the first time, remembering to stay on the left required more concentration than I’d like to admit. Thankfully, at least I was still shifting with my right hand.
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The second day took us across some of Wales’ most spectacular driving roads, from the rugged peaks and dramatic descents of Eryri National Park to the rolling hills and open plateaus farther south. Thanks to the surprisingly generous speed limits on many of our route’s exceedingly narrow two-lane roads, we were able to easily breeze past slower-moving traffic, and it never broke a sweat climbing steep grades. The WRX always felt eager, with enough power in reserve for confident passing maneuvers.
The WRX’s suspension proved just as well suited to the journey. Britain’s back roads are far from smooth, but the WRX absorbed broken pavement and midcorner imperfections without upsetting its composure. You could feel the road through the cabin, yet the ride never crossed the line into wicked harshness. The standard 18-inch wheels struck a nice balance between sporting intent and everyday comfort.
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We also came to appreciate the WRX’s six-speed manual. The clutch takeup was light enough to make frequent shifts effortless, and the well-defined gates made it easy to slot into the right gear every time. That proved especially welcome as our route went through one picturesque Welsh town after another, many with roots stretching back to the 12th century. Between reduced speed limits and admiring centuries-old stone buildings, we were rowing through the gears almost as often as we were taking in the scenery.
Our day ended in a traffic jam just before Jeremy Clarkson’s The Farmer’s Dog pub outside Burford, and that’s where we learned that a clutch pedal that feels light on a mountain road can feel considerably heavier after half an hour of inching toward a pint.