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An Easy Way Subaru Could Offer A You A Hot Turbo Hatch Without Building 
One

Why doesn't Subaru bring back the WRX and STI hatchback? Here is how they could offer a hot new hatch without building one.

Subaru performance enthusiasts have asked for a WRX and STI hatchback body style since the automaker dropped them for the 2015 model year. Here is how Subaru of America could offer a hot new hatch in the U.S. without building a new one.

According to new reports from Motoring, the next-generation Levorg sports wagon will get the new 2022 Subaru WRX 2.4-liter Boxer engine pushing more than the current 2.0-liter engine's horsepower and torque. Subaru will increase power from the current engine's 268 horsepower rating, but Subaru has not released any information on how much.

2022 Subaru WRX, next-generation WRX

Motoring says Subaru Australia's national corporate affairs manager, David Rowley, said that the Australian-spec Levorg would "take on a slightly different form which potentially will appeal to a more performance-orientated audience."

The second-generation Levorg comes with a 1.8-liter turbocharged engine producing 175 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque. But with a new 2.4-liter turbocharged powerplant, it would be the hot hatch U.S. buyers want.

2022 Subaru WRX, next-generation WRX

If a new Levorg with WRX power is a possibility, U.S. performance enthusiasts would like to get their hands on the new, more powerful sports wagon. Subaru does not offer the hatchback WRX or STI, and it would be a brilliant way for the Japanese automaker to offer a hot hatch in the U.S. without building a new model.

Subaru Corporation prioritizes the U.S. market because it sells approximately 66 percent of all its cars to U.S. customers. What better way to reward its loyal followers than with a new 2022 Subaru Levorg STI with 300 horsepower.

The 2022 Subaru WRX begins production later this year and will likely get the 2.4-liter turbocharged engine. Subaru Corporation is silent on the next-generation WRX and WRX STI performance sedans, and none of this information has been confirmed by the Japanese automaker.

A new Levorg sports wagon will be a hot-selling model if Subaru Corporation drops in the WRX engine for the 2022 model year. It would be a hit with North American performance enthusiasts.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Subaru

Comments

John M. (not verified)    March 1, 2021 - 11:50AM

The Levorg is right-hand drive only so they're only sold in markets that drive on the wrong side of the street. :-)

Tim (not verified)    March 1, 2021 - 3:25PM

How the hell is 300 hp rewarding the fan base?!?the sti has had 300 hp since it came stateside.

Jason Snodgrass (not verified)    March 1, 2021 - 9:20PM

A “hot hatch” has 2 doors. Everyone wants a 2 door hatchback STI. It would sell like crazy if it was priced right unlike the Focus RS. 4 doors is a wagon. If you want a turbo wagon they’re readily available from multiple automakers.

SubaStar (not verified)    March 2, 2021 - 9:33AM

Not many differences between the actual Impreza hatch and the Levorg, which is nothing else than an Impreza wagon...