Subaru teases new WRX with STI six-speed manual

Subaru is preparing a new manual WRX for Japan, using the six-speed transmission previously fitted to the WRX STI.

The company’s Japanese teaser site confirms a November 2026 announcement, while its development material identifies the gearbox as the TY85. That gives the upcoming model a mechanical link to the old STI, with Subaru highlighting the transmission’s durability and reliability.

The WRX is being developed as a regular catalogue model, making the announcement more significant for Japanese buyers than another limited-edition release.

Japan has already received a manual through the limited-run WRX STI Sport#. The upcoming version would put a manual back into the country’s regular WRX line-up, while markets including New Zealand have continued to offer three-pedal versions.

Subaru’s development team says the TY85 can accommodate high power and torque, and that work on the new model has included refining shift operation and steering response to improve the connection between driver and car.

In an interview published on Subaru’s Japanese website, the WRX development team described an approach focused on building on the current car’s strengths and improving driving feel.

The teaser does not provide engine outputs, acceleration figures or a complete specification list, and the STI gearbox connection alone does not confirm the return of a full WRX STI model.

A shadowy preview appears to show a sedan based on the current fifth-generation WRX. It offers little evidence of major exterior changes, leaving the transmission as the clearest confirmed development.

For Kiwi buyers, the interest is in the gearbox upgrade rather than the return of a manual. Subaru New Zealand already offers the six-speed manual WRX tS Spec B, priced at $72,490 plus on-road costs.

The local model’s turbocharged 2.4-litre boxer four produces 202kW and 350Nm, with all-wheel drive, adaptive dampers and Brembo brakes also included.

Further details are due with the November reveal.