WRX VA

About the WRX VA

The last WRX that came with an STI option. That fact alone makes the VA significant. Everything after this is the new era, for better or worse. The base WRX moved to the FA20 turbo — 268 horsepower, better response than the old EJ, and a willingness to rev that its predecessor never had. Six-speed manual. Symmetrical AWD. The formula, refined but intact. The VA sat in an odd space. Too refined for purists who wanted the raw, unfiltered EJ experience. Not refined enough for people cross-shopping GTIs and Civic Type Rs. It existed in the gap between rally nostalgia and modern sport sedan expectations. But that gap is exactly where the WRX has always lived. Not the fastest, not the most polished, not the prettiest. Just the one that works in every condition, every season, and asks for nothing but regular oil changes and the occasional new clutch.