How the Subaru WRX is keeping rally-inspired driving alive

Throwing out the manual

In the US, the overwhelming majority of new cars sold have automatic transmissions. In fact, it is reported that only 1.7% of new cars sold in the US are manuals, with an estimated 82% of American drivers being unable to drive stick-shift at all.

While in other parts of the world, manual transmissions are still common and even the norm, here in the US they’re all but gone.

Endangered but not extinct

However, while the trend may seem bleak for manual transmission cars, they’ve managed to hang on for longer than you might think. The 1950s saw automatic overtake manual transmissions in a precipitous shift from majority manual cars, but even as late as 2011 it remained stable at 9% or so.

The rate of decline has lessened, and there are still certainly enthusiasts, collectors, and those willing to take the road less traveled who keep the dream alive.

Related: Why buy a manual car in 2024?

The Subaru WRX manages to flip the script on stick

As reported by Car and Driver, 83% of WRX sport compacts are sold as manuals, meaning more than eight out of ten are stick.

It was also noted that the percentage of those opting for the default manual configuration is growing year on year.

The Subaru WRX is not going anywhere – fast

While most manual options are dwindling, the WRX has been selling strong in the US for almost a decade. Over 218,000 models have been sold since 2016, which assuming 83% were manual, around 180,000 manual Subaru WRX are already out on the road.

These healthy sales, coupled with how few are sold as the optional automatic version, point to the fact that for some drivers, manual driving is not only very much alive, but thriving.

What makes the Subaru WRX unique?

The WRX in the Subaru WRX stands for ‘World Rally eXperimental’, and that alone should clue you in to who might be interested in these cars. European rally racing is a high-performance sport, where manual transmissions are all but required to squeeze out every bit of performance.

In fact, as many as 80% of European cars sold are still manual, in sharp contrast to their American counterparts. Those who might consider a WRX might already be inclined towards more European preferences when it comes to driving style and what they want from a vehicle.

The Subaru WRX has rally racing performance under the hood

While those who want a manual might already be drawn to the WRX, it doesn’t hurt that this iconic rally racing-inspired chassis has the powertrain to back it up.

With all wheel drive the standard, and a 271-horsepower turbocharged flat-four engine powering the relatively lightweight WRX, the advantage of manual over automatic is clear, assuming you know how to handle it.

There’s a lot of joy to be found in the 258 pound-feet of torque, and if you were already open to a manual, the WRX is a strong contender… but it doesn’t have as much on other competitors if you are locked into the automatic version.

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Final Thoughts: sometimes less is more

Before I even learned to drive, I learned to operate the stick shift. I have very fond memories of 8 year old me sitting in the passenger seat of my dad’s Saturn S-series, his hands on the wheel and his foot on the clutch, as I learned how to go from second gear through third, forth, and so on.

I haven’t gotten much practice since then, and never really got the hang of going from parked into first in difficult situations like, say, an incline or while parallel parked… but I can drive stick. I am proud to be able to drive stick.

Much like knowing how to write cursive in an age of typing, learning ham radio in an age of social media, or knowing how to care for and ride a horse in an age of planes, trains, and automobiles, there’s a special kind of pride that comes with knowing how to do things ‘the old way’, even if it isn’t strictly speaking the most practical skill anymore.

It is doubtful that manual transmissions will ever reclaim their throne in American markets… but I don’t think that really matters. As long as someone, somewhere, continues to make manual transmission cars, a small number of us will continue to be able to drive them. An anachronistic skill can and is still a lot of fun.

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