Subaru has announced significant price reductions for the 2026 WRX, including the reintroduction of a base trim that drastically lowers the entry cost. The move comes after a sharp decline in WRX sales last year, making the performance sedan more accessible to buyers.
Price Cuts Across the Lineup
The 2026 WRX lineup will see price drops across all trims. Most notably, the Base trim returns with a starting price of $33,690, representing a $5,230 decrease from the previous year’s lowest available option.
- Premium trim: $35,190 (down $3,730)
- Limited (manual): $40,190
- Limited (CVT): $41,190
- GT (manual/CVT) & tS: $46,190
- Series.Yellow: $47,190
The Limited trim is the only one available with Subaru’s continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), adding $1,000 to the manual price. The top-tier Series.Yellow trim joins the lineup as the most expensive option.
Why Now? Sales Slump in 2025
Subaru sold just 10,930 WRXs in 2025, a 41% drop from the 18,587 units sold in 2024. This substantial decrease in sales likely pushed Subaru to adjust pricing and reintroduce the more affordable Base trim to boost demand. The company seems to be responding directly to market conditions rather than raising prices with inflation like many other car manufacturers.
The cuts suggest Subaru is prioritizing volume over margins for the WRX, hoping to recapture lost market share. This strategy could indicate a broader shift in Subaru’s approach to pricing its performance models.
The price cuts on the 2026 WRX are a direct response to sluggish sales, and the reintroduction of the Base trim makes the car notably more affordable for consumers. The move signals that Subaru is willing to sacrifice profit margins to maintain market competitiveness.
