Road test review: Subaru WRX Saigo

Saturday, 3 October 2020

Is the one-of-18 WRX Saigo worth $56k of your dollars? We find out.

SUBARU WRX SAIGO
Base price: $55,990
Powertrain and economy: 2.0-litre turbo-petrol boxer four, 197kW/350Nm, six-speed manual, AWD, combined economy 9.2L/100km, CO2 211g/km (source: RightCar).

The Saigo is the final special edition of the current-generation WRX. There isn’t any special badging but there are a few special bits and pieces.

Vital statistics: 4595mm long, 1795mm wide, 1475mm high, 2650mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 340 litres, 18-inch alloy wheels.
We like: Manual transmission, better brakes, fantastic steering, Saigo visual additions

That’s a menacing front with that huge bonnet scoop.

We don't like: Chassis feels dated, no extra power or noise, rear visibility, road noise

Subaru is readying a new WRX for next year, which means the current model is due for a send-off special.

The 2.0-litre flat-four is untouched from the standard WRX but that doesn’t make it slow.

What does Saigo even mean?

‘The last’, which is fitting This is the final special edition for the first standalone WRX. Since 2015, Subaru has separated the Impreza and WRX/WRX STI models, allowing the high-performance twins to distance themselves from the more eco-minded hatchback.

The STI-branded steering wheel and suede seats are both Saigo-specific and are fantastic.

There’s a quartet of exhaust pipes but unfortunately not much noise.

* Is your car worth a hashtag?

* Subaru has added some green credentials to the hard-core WRX STi

The Recaro seats could do with more support around the sides but are plenty comfortable otherwise.

* Subaru STi, WRX and Levorg - driver's car triplets

It might not be as slick as Honda’s but a manual is a manual and we’re so glad Subaru has kept the three-pedal flag flying.

The WRX is only available as a four-door sedan, same with the STI, though it’s still fairly small for such a body shape.

Just 18 Saigo models are available, each adding black exterior accents, 18' STI wheels, an STI-branded D-shaped steering wheel and suede interior trim along with Harman Kardon audio and Recaro seats. The manual version, which we have here, also gets uprated Brembo brakes.

I wish there were some Saigo badges to show off the limited nature of the car but sadly there aren’t. The key does come in a cool Saigo box, though.

Wait, no more power?

Correct. The WRX Saigo offers the same 197kW/350Nm as the standard WRX on which it is based. On its own, that power figure is actually totally fine. It’s more than enough to quickly hit highway speeds (six seconds from standstill with the manual transmission, 0.3 seconds faster than the SLT-equipped version) and it’ll keep you entertained up until silly speeds.

The manual transmission isn’t as slick as something like the Civic Type R’s but it’s still concise and a hell of a lot of fun. The pedals are well spaced for some heel-and-toeing and the subtle whoosh of the turbo is pretty addictive… When you can hear it over the tyre roar.

The engine does has a tendency to drop off boost at higher rpm, which is annoying. It can probably be fixed with an ECU tweak but it shouldn’t be a problem at all. A boost gauge in the centre screen shows when the turbo is running properly and when it’s not.

Thankfully, when the turbo is spooled up, the Saigo is a properly brisk sedan. It’ll happily break 120kmh (I’ve heard) and it doesn’t overpower the available grip when pushed hard.

I do wish there was some extra sound from the exhaust, though. Everyone knows Subaru flat-fours can make quite a loud burble and a send-off special for the WRX really should have something a bit fruitier in the exhaust department.

What about the rest of the thing?

There haven’t been any performance tweaks other than the manual-specific Brembo brakes. This is the same WRX that we’ve had since around 2015 and it feels it. The chassis can get a bit squirrelly under braking and the all-wheel drive system doesn’t send enough power rearward mid-corner, which results in understeer. It’s all manageable though and can be a lot of fun if you’re expecting it.

Steering is balanced well, if a smidge light but it’s quick enough to keep up with the rest of the car when thrown through some tighter corners.

The Saigo’s Recaro seats are comfy and supportive, though a bit more side bolstering wouldn’t go amiss. That said, they aren’t so buckety that you have to angle your butt to avoid the excruciating pain of catching a cheek on the bolster. If you know, you know.

As mentioned, the manual version gets uprated Brembo brakes that work quite well indeed, particularly after a bit of warming up. The feel is great, from the initial bite in the pedal right through to “why is this horse float doing a U-turn in front of me” panic moments. Unfortunately, the manual goes without Subaru’s Eyesight driver assistance package, meaning this sports car only has non-adaptive cruise control and ABS as its main electronics package features.

The suspension doesn’t build on the WRX’s base but that’s fine, it’s supple enough to absorb the worst of Auckland’s roads but tight enough to keep the car level when needed. The tautness combined with the low-profile tyres does result in a few judders entering the cabin and quite a bit of road noise, however.

At the end of the day, this is a sports car that’s refreshingly analogue. It might not have the rifle-bolt transmission of the Civic Type R or the refined tractability of a more expensive Mercedes-AMG A 35 but it can generate a hell of a lot of smiles. It’s not perfect but the Saigo WRX is a car you can properly thrash in a way that could soon go the way of the dodo.

There are only 18 coming into New Zealand. Should I bother or just go for the standard WRX?

Honestly, the normal WRX is fine. It doesn’t have some of the Saigo enhancements like the seats, steering wheel, brakes or rims but it also costs $7k less. You can find a middle ground in the WRX Premium, which costs $53,990 but at that point I’d suggest trying for a Saigo.

The Saigo also finds itself about $4k shy of the WRX STI, which objectively outclasses the upspecced WRX. The STI has more power, more torque, larger wheels, similar Brembo brakes and a huge rear wing.

Any other cars I should consider?

Well, the STI. You could also consider the $60k Honda Civic Type R if you don’t mind the looks and a track-first mentality. In the same vein is the Hyundai I30 N, though both the Honda and the Hyundai are front-drive hatchbacks rather than all-paw sedans. Maybe one day we’ll see a new Mitsubishi Evo to do battle with a future WRX but that’s a pipedream… for now.