Subaru May Build WRX Hatchback if the U.S. Wants it

The all-new Subaru WRX may be built as a hatchback too, according to WRX project general manager, Masuo Takatsu. The Japanese carmaker is still considering a five-door version of the new WRX, Takatsu said at the launch of the WRX sedan in Australia.

“We have received strong interest from the US, where the hatchback was 50 per cent of previous-generation WRX sales, so we’re now considering,” Takatsu told the Motoring website.

Since North America is the world’s biggest market for the WRX, it is understandable Subaru is thinking of a hatchback model too. “The main target for WRX is the US. Japan is number two, Australia number three. Basically, we target these three markets,” Takatsu added. However, he didn’t say anything about a Subaru WRX STI hatchback.

Takatsu blamed limited engineering resources for the absence of the new WRX hatchback and an automatic version of the WRX STI. While the WRX is available with a CVT, the STI can only be had with a manual transmission.

The WRX hatchback is not a priority in Australia however, as hatch versions have accounted for only up to 15 percent of previous WRX sales. “From an Australian point of view our best ever hatch result was 15 percent and most of the years have been below 10 per cent, so while I appreciate the so-called hot hatch does reasonably good numbers, WRX has from day one always been predominantly a sedan,” said Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior.

By Dan Mihalascu

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