Subaru WRX Ground Clearance: What To Know
2018 Subaru WRX by EurovisionNim — CC BY-SA 4.0
Subaru has a loyal following, great safety features and technology, and a natural connection to wilderness and outdoor venturing. The WRX’s ground clearance is a surprisingly low 4.9 inches, and less than many of its competitors.
While it may have the recognition to easily drive through tough weather conditions, some car buyers may look twice at that number for wintery and off-road conditions. What does it ultimately mean for its ability to handle the elements and drive outdoors?
Ground clearance is essentially the distance between the lowest point of the vehicle’s underbody and the gap of the tire’s contact with a level surface. This is also known as ride height, and is basically how much your vehicle is separated from pavement, gravel, or other surfaces you’re driving on. It’s one of the most fundamental and important dimensions to research when looking at a vehicle if you’re planning on going off-road.
GET THE SAME INSIDER INFO THAT DEALERSHIPS USE
The CoPilot app is the smartest way to buy a car. Built using the same technology that dealerships use, we’ll show you everything you want to know about each listing - like how long it’s been on the lot, or if there are similar vehicles at a better price nearby.
The lowest hanging part of a car, such as the chassis, is used to determine ride height. In other terms, it’s how much space you have between the bottom of the vehicle to the road. The higher that the vehicle sits off the ground the less likely the undercarriage and mechanical area is to be damaged by rocks, pavement, and other road debris. It’s also helpful for wintery conditions when snow builds up on the road and can get jammed and stuck under the bumpers and tires.
Most sedans have an average ground clearance somewhere between 4-6 inches, while SUVs have an average ground clearance of 6-8 inches. Having more clearance is typically beneficial, but not always. The WRX’s ground clearance is fairly average for sedans, and isn’t a strong option for rocks and boulders but given its rally-car driving style it is a good option for hills and trail driving.
The WRX is surprisingly powerful, equipped with 268 horsepower, 258 lb-ft of torque, and all-wheel drive that translates to both highway and off-road conditions. Whether you choose to have it fitted with the stock six-speed manual transmission or the optional continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) the car’s maneuverability and strong grip tires give drivers peace of mind that it will go exactly where you want it to go. Although it has a traditionally stiff feel, it is extremely versatile for most weather conditions and driving surfaces.
All-wheel drive is natural, and the vehicle can amuse driving enthusiasts. Its 268-horsepower turbocharged flat-four engine provides a distinctive, grumbly soundtrack and is paired with either a six-speed manual or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).
The WRX has visible turbo lag and strange acceleration spikes, making it sound slower than it is and impossible to drive smoothly. The Subaru’s racy suspension would appeal to those who don’t like bouncing over bumpy roads and it makes the sedan more enjoyable to drive on twisty roads.
THE BEST USED LUXURY CARS ON THE MARKET
Buying a used or CPO luxury car is one of the smartest buys you can make - you can get a lot of car for not much money. You can pick up a three-year-old luxury car for about half of what you’d pay new. Check out this list of the best used luxury cars on the market to find the best deals.
Advantages of Low Ground Clearance
Better handling
Sedans typically have lower ground height and naturally, a lower center of gravity. This can help to stabilize the vehicle and makes it easier to drive at high speeds and handle sudden starting and stopping. The WRX’s ground clearance is low enough that you’ll still have solid control, and it handles sharp turns and has a great suspension system.
Assists in Aerodynamics
When a vehicle is driving at a high speed, the air moving above it becomes denser than the air traveling beneath it, resulting in higher pressure under the road. Low clearance decreases the air under the car, lowering the pressure.
This allows the vehicle to travel at fast and safe speeds. Sedans can reach higher speeds more quickly, and the WRX is often used in rally car racing for its ability to accelerate and maintain control.
Disadvantages of low ground clearance
Of course, the main drawback is that cars with lower ground clearance can’t quite handle the terrain that their SUV counterparts can. Cars with lower ride height can be damaged more easily due to coming in contact with more debris often.
Catching rocks and debris and a general lack of maneuverability make it tough to drive on anything other than smooth pavement on a clear day. Compared to the Forester and Outback, the WRX is significantly more likely to get undercarriage damage but m
Advantages of High ground clearance
Vehicles with higher ground clearance are capable of traveling on more forms of terrain more easily, like bumpy and uneven roads. They are more likely to be able to go offroading and handle the elements better than a low-to-ground sedan.
Being higher off the ground, there’s also typically more cargo space being off the ground and having a larger chassis.
IS GAP INSURANCE WORTH IT?
Gap insurance can prevent you from making payments on an already-totalled car, but is gap insurance worth it? We break down what gap insurance is, if it’s worth it, and more - simply and with plenty of examples.
Disadvantage of High Ground Clearance
Opposite to sedans, higher raised vehicles don’t have as much balance and generally can’t drive or accelerate as fast. The 190 horsepower of the CR-V is good power, but larger vehicles just don’t quite have the same top speed capabilities.
It’s on the smaller size compared to other outdoor sports sedans, but this gives the WRX some extra agility and can make up for lack of ground clearance with nimble driving. Many off-roading race drivers use the WRX as their vehicle of choice, in part because of its all-wheel drive and 260 horsepower.
What the WRX’s ground clearance lacks in true spacing it makes up for with its suspension to easily manage bumps and twisting roads and paths.
It hasn’t changed significantly, but it is down from even 5 inches from the 2019 model year and earlier. It is consistent among all current six models, as each has the exact same length, width, height, wheelbase, and of course ground clearance.
This will hopefully make the car buying process a little bit easier since you can focus on the engine and interior features instead of the physical size.
Starting under $30,000 the WRX doesn’t offer many extra bells and whistles but is still a reliable option for someone looking to get out of the urban area for a bit of extra fun.
Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You
The CoPilot car shopping app is the easiest way to buy a car. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area to make you a personalized list of the best car listings in your area.
Only looking for newer models? CoPilot Compare is the search engine for nearly-new cars. Only see cars five years or newer with low mileage — CoPilot Compare is the best way to find off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO cars.
The best part? CoPilot is built using the same technology that dealerships use to buy and sell their inventories, so we have more info on each vehicle than competitors. CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no sponsored posts or other shady practices — just the most info on the best cars. Check out our About Us page to see how CoPilot works.
_STI_sedan_(2018-11-29)_01.jpg){kind=link}