I’ve owned a GR86 for over a year now, but I’ve always been curious about how the WRX drives. If I hadn’t bought the GR86, the WRX or GTI probably would’ve been more sensible alternatives. After a while, my curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to answer the “what if” question—how happy or unhappy would I have been with the driving dynamics of a WRX? I’m also lightly entertaing the idea of buying a third vehicle so I can avoid driving the 86 in winter.

To satisfy this curiosity, I found a used VA WRX base manual with 60,000 miles at a dealer and took it for a 30-minute test drive. Here are my observations.

The first thing I noticed was the clutch pedal—it was notably heavier than the GR86. Is this normal for this generation of WRX? It was so heavy that my calf and foot started to get sore, and holding the clutch in at a stop became tiring. I’m not a physically really strong person so could just be me. I also noticed that the engagement point was much lower in the travel compared to my car. Is that just how WRXs are, or could it be a sign of age or wear?

One thing I really liked was the exhaust sound. It seemed unmodified, but it was noticeably louder than my GR86. My car sounds kind of bland, making, to me, typical generic four-cylinder noises. The WRX, on the other hand, had a bit of a rumble and a lot more character, without being obnoxiously loud at cruising speeds. I liked it.

The steering surprised me too. For a four-door sedan, it was much quicker than I expected. The on-center sensitivity wasn’t far off from the GR86, but I did notice something odd. The weight of the steering wasn’t linear—it felt heaviest on center, and the wheel wanted to pull back to straight more. However, when I turned the wheel a few degrees off-center, that resistance seemed to ease up. Is that a normal WRX quirk, or was it just this particular car? It was an unexpected detail I felt through my fingertips.

Since it was a test drive, I didn’t push the car hard, but I did give it some throttle while exiting a tight left-hand turn. That’s when I felt the AWD. All four wheels seemed to claw at the road for grip, which felt very different from the RWD dynamics of my GR86. In my car, a similar maneuver would likely induce some oversteer, pivoting the car toward the inside of the turn.

Ride comfort was another area where the WRX stood out. It was more cushy than the GR86—not soft, but better at absorbing road imperfections. In the GR86, bumps and divots feel harsher, while the WRX handled them more comfortably.

When it came to noise and vibration, the WRX felt more isolated, but not overly so. Despite the louder exhaust, the engine noise and vibrations seemed more distant, likely due to the extra sound deadening and the car’s larger size. In contrast, the GR86 feels rawer, with much more road and engine noise getting into the cabin.

The shifter wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t as notchy or precise as the GR86’s. It got the job done and didn’t feel terrible, but it didn’t stand out either.

As for power, it felt comparable to my car, though the delivery was different. The GR86 rushes toward redline, especially in first gear, while the WRX felt flatter up top. It seemed quick, just not as eager perhaps to rev all the way out.

Overall, I came away with the impression that the WRX is a pretty fun car to drive. I have no regrets getting my GR86, though. If I had needed something more practical, I think I would’ve been happy with the WRX. That said, I still prefer the RWD dynamics of the GR86 and how light and nimble it feels—like a ballerina pirouetting through tight turns. It still feels like a special event every time I drive and they are relatively rare in my area (unlike the WRX).