Powerful New Subaru WRX S4 Unveiled for Japanese Market
Last month, Subaru teased a darkened teaser image of a new WRX S4 sport sedan coming soon to the Japanese market. Now, exactly one month later, Subaru has released full details for their new quad-threat sports car.
What makes the new WRX a quad-threat car?
The S4 in the name stands for ‘Sports Performance’, ‘Safety Performance’, ‘Smart Driving’ and ‘Sophisticated Feel’. In other words, this isn’t just a sportier version of Subaru’s WRX sedan; it’s a “high-level fusion of these four [core] attributes, enabling more drivers to comfortably enjoy breathtaking Subaru performance with peace of mind.”
As you continue reading, we’ll go through each of these attributes so you can see exactly how the WRX S4 represents each one.
Sports Performance
The Subaru WRX S4 runs on a tuned up 2.0L DIT (Direct-Injection Turbo) boxer with an impressive 296hp and 295 pound-feet of torque. You can compare that to the 268hp of the regular WRX. The powertrain will be configured with Subaru’s Symmetrical AWD and their Sport Lineartronic CVT, which we’ll talk more about under the Smart Driving section.
Safety Performance
The Subaru WRX S4 will essentially get improved versions of Subaru’s current safety suite. For example, the S4 gets a new version of Subaru’s EyeSight technology with a wider viewing angle, longer-distance driver assistance and better color recognition. The Active Lane Keep steering assistance system is more responsive, and the car also comes with all the safety features below:
- Pre-Collision Reverse Throttle Management
- Brake Light Recognition
- Pre-Collision Braking Control
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- New Collision-Absorbing Material in Front-End
Smart Driving
The higher output engine we talked about in Smart Performance will transfer more power to the road thanks to a number of modifications to the body and chassis. The S4 will use more durable, light-weight high-tensile steel and strengthened joints throughout. It’ll also get more rigid steering box mounts and an electronic parking brake to keep the car going where you want it.
Subaru says that the Sport Lineartronic transmission is a key part of the S4’s Smart Driving philosophy. They say that it “draws out the full potential of the 2.0L DIT Boxer engine in terms of power, torque and environmental friendliness.” One of the coolest elements of the improved transmission is its Sport# mode with SI-DRIVE, which allows drivers to switch to virtual eight-speed shifting while driving in the D-range.
Taken together, these powertrain and chassis improvements all result in better fuel economy and more predictable, more enjoyable driving.
Sophisticated Feel
Finally, the Subaru WRX S4 achieves Sophisticated Feel through a number of exterior and interior refinements.
Outside, you’ll find the new Japanese sports sedan gets a slightly redesigned front clip with a silver mesh grille and a lower air dam, along with a rear diffuser and twin dual mufflers. You’ll also find redesigned head- and taillights, along with a small rear spoiler and a shark fin antenna. Newly designed 18-inch alloys complete the look.
Inside, you’ll find the WRX S4 has larger front and rear doors with more backseat space. The front seat feels like a racecar cockpit, complete with newly designed sport seats befitting a performance vehicle, along with a flat-bottom steering wheel. The color scheme is primarily piano black, with red stitching and accents throughout.
