Subaru WRX tS Spec B 2025 review

It’s nicer, pricier and sportier, but does the WRX for devotees muster up any of that old-school STI magic?

Kudos to Subaru for bucking modernisation pressures to persist with an old-school WRX recipe for gearhead buyers with traditional tastes and whims.

The “rally derived” mantra might not hold the dirty, oily water it once did, but the pitch remains, pumping a decades-old turbo-boxer lifeblood through “symmetrical all-wheel drive” convention.

However, the properly hot STI machines are no more, with Subaru sadly — if wisely — putting the hallowed nameplate on hiatus years ago when the rally-homolgated DNA that defined ‘true STIs’ dropped off the recipe as the Japanese carmaker’s formal rally ties subsided.

One that’s modernised just enough to slip through contemporary road-going emissions, safety and tech auspices. Is it any good? Is it anything like a classic STI experience? And is it worth its premium? Let’s find out…

What are the WRX tS Spec B’s features and options for the price?

Launched in March this year, the tS Spec B variant exclusively brought 19-inch wheels, high-performance Bridgestone rubber, big six-piston Brembo brakes, a circa-2005 rear wing, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and rig-hugging Recaro front bucket seats to the now nine-variant-strong WRX line-up.

And at a palatable $61,490 before on-roads.

A month after the Spec B debut, Subaru announced an updated MY25 WRX line-up, that went on to add the once-exclusive Recaros and 12.3-inch driver’s screen to all three tS — short for ‘Tuned by STI’ — sedan and Sportswagen variants, robbing the Spec B of a couple of key unique selling points.

Crucially, the tS Spec B remains the only WRX version offering both a six-speed manual transmission and electronically adjustable suspension dampers paired with Drive Mode Select.

The bad news? At 202kW and 350Nm, it’s the same 2.4-litre boxer used elsewhere in the WRX line-up, so no higher outputs.

And, sadly, there’s no ‘Sportswagen Spec B’ as yet — all five-doors maintain the Lineartronic CVT auto, a powertrain that also misses out on the manual sedan’s viscous centre LSD.

All of this leaves the Spec B variant no quicker than the regular — and $13,300 more affordable — manual WRX sedan and with precious little in the way of inimitable specification outside of rolling stock, questionable boot appendage and adaptive dampers.

WRX tS Spec B features include:

• 202kW and 350Nm 2.4-litre turbocharged boxer four
• Six-speed manual with viscous centre LSD
• Electronic control damper system
• Active torque vectoring
• Drive Mode Select (five modes) 
• Six-piston/two-piston Brembo brakes w/ ventilated/drilled discs
• 19-inch wheels with Bridgestone Potenza S007 tyres
• Auto-levelling LED headlights, LED tail lights
• Recaro eight-way electric/four-way manual front seats
• 12.3-inch LCD driver’s screen
• 11.6-inch touchscreen media
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Dual-zone climate control
• 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio
• Proprietary sat-nav
• DAB+
• Rear privacy glass

An STI Performance muffler is available on the Spec B as a no-cost option and possibly best considered essential fitment. The Spec B also debuted Subaru’s Eyesight suite-paired Emergency Driving Stop driver monitoring system. 

Five no-cost colours are available, including a new Galaxy Purple Pearl that replaces the now defunct Solar Orange Pearl option. The RS grade’s standard-fit sunroof is omitted from the pricier Spec B as this, according to Subaru, helps to “reduce weight and optimise performance”.

How does the WRX tS Spec B drive?

Having reviewed umpteenth WRXs — regular and STI, Impreza-branded or not — since the late 1990s, your reviewer considers the gen-two ’GD’ bug-eye STI the high watermark, with a gradual decline in form ever since.

Bar special editions, the breed generally got woolier, more wooden and less connected as time went on, regardless of hiked outputs or specifications added.

So, boy, the tS Spec B is quite a surprise. It’s very good, partly because it’s quick, partly because it’s got a real sting in its tail, but mostly because it’s about the most integrated and synchronous performance package I can recall in a regular WRX…pretty much ever.

Still, it’s not a proper STI by another name. Even if, in some areas, it gets pretty close.

At 202kW and 350Nm, today’s 2.4L boxer outpunches the old bug-eye’s (harder-strung) 2.0L on the numbers. And at 1522kg, the Spec B is probably just as quick — interestingly, Subaru makes no acceleration claims for its 2025 champion grade.

So STI-like potency is there, but where this particular boxer shines is in tractability. Where so many boxer forebears lacked low-rpm inertia — prone to stalling unless you’d prod the throttle off the mark — this 2.4 has natural torque off idle that ramps up nicely to where its peak starts at 2000rpm.

Paired with a strong if progressive clutch, it’s easy to move slowly or swiftly off the mark, its short 4.4:1 final drive bringing punch and purpose on tap.

With its short throw, tight gates and positive nature — real shades of older STI transmissions — the six-speeder feels slick enough for serious action and tough enough to withstand clutch dumping theatrics if the driver sees fit.

This taut, terrific, almost STI-lite powertrain nature is matched nicely to the strong, progressive feel of the six-piston Brembos.

These anchors feel vastly superior to even some older STI spec, which could lack bite and retardation power. There’s definitely a newfound, honed fitness to this WRX formula.

The theme continues to the steering. Too leaden in Sport calibration if more fluid and nicely measured in with higher Comfort assistance.

And the direction finder is paired with a front end that does a fine job of milking serious — and progressive — dry-running grip out of licorice-thin 35-series Pontenza S007 tyres.

There’s natural balance, too, in the chassis, with both axles firmly in sync, drumming up an innate sense of control and precision at the helm.

Again, there’s a genuine synergy to the Spec B’s dynamic elements well above the old WRX norm — it not only makes this variant hugely driveable but confidence inspiring when you really grab its scruff hard.

Once you do, it’s wickedly quick and plenty of fun. The ‘walk’ it delivers certainly lives up to the boy- or girl-racer aesthetic the Spec B flaunts.

And when you do overstep the tyre friction, the combination of the viscous centre differential and torque vectoring smarts do a fine job of channeling the torque to the corner of the chassis that needs it the most.

But…the bond-fide STI heroics are missing. The old Torsen axle differential and DCCD (driver controllable centre differential) trickery, that would make the chassis really come alive once you broke traction and grip on any surface, sealed or slippery, just aren’t parts of this regular WRX’s DNA.

As a firebreathing proposition, the Spec B has its technical limitations.

The real surprise is the ride comfort. The Spec B defaults in start-up in Sport, and the firmest of three damper settings. Even then, one member of the Chasing Cars crew who drove it remarked on how compliant it was around town.

Set to its softest setting, this WRX has — without intended exaggeration — nicer ride comfort than half of the SUVs I’ve reviewed over the past few years.

The cooperation and sheer drivability of the powertrain combined with the exceptionally pleasant around town and touring manners really do make the Spec B, in particular, possibly the finest all-rounder ever to wear an WRX badge.

While the preferred ‘attack mode’ essentially taps Sport for powertrain and suspension tuning while resorting to Comfort for steering, the ‘everything soft’ Comfort drive mode preset makes the Spec B incredibly easy to live with — much more so than terser alternatives in the Hyundai i30 N or Honda Civic Type R.

In fact, the Spec B’s manual-and-adaptive suspension combination is such a sweet Jekkyl and Hyde that it’s a real shame that Subaru doesn’t choose to offer it in a more family-friendly five-door Sportswagon form.

What is the WRX tS Spec B’s interior and tech like?

The classic, old-school charm that today’s 2025 WRX carries on road continues through to the cabin, for better and for worse.

The fitment of Recaro-branded bucket seats has been a go-fast flex for Subaru (and other Japanese makers) dating back decades, so often to a result that feels more simply bolted in than properly ergonomically integrated by design.

That’s the case here — they’re not quite a glove fit for the cabin — though issues are perhaps with the seats themselves.

These seats are unforgiving, wedging your thighs and welding your ribs with bolstering. The bases are short, lacking under-thigh support and, worse still, the seat backs are incredibly stiff.

They’re just form-fitting enough to alleviate the need to visit a chiropractor after a long Sunday morning b-road punt…just.

Elsewhere, the design ethos could be a decade old, though no Subaru model is a pillar of contemporary slickness or minimalism. At least it feels familiar and oh-so traditional WRX.

The new-for-WRX 12.3-inch driver’s screen brings some brightness to the darkened near-black cabin theme, which is at least punctuated with splashes of faux suede, not-really-carbon-fibre detailing and stacks of red double stitching.

But sharpness, skin design and content aren’t the driver’s screen’s strong points.

Ditto the 11.6-inch touchscreen. As is Subaru tradition, the display is overly busy and consumed with a dizzying array of different fonts as the media system attempts to bombard the occupants with all manner of inconsequential information (degrees of vehicle tilt, anyone?).

At least the physical audio dials and climate control buttons in the media screen frame are oh-so convenient to use.

The content is good. Wireless Apple CarPlay worked faultlessly — though wireless phone charging is absent — and the Harman Kardon sound is impressively rich and clear.

The reverse camera is also decent, though a lack of reversing sensors (or rear AEB) on manual WRXs specifically is a bit of a head-scratcher.

The 17-button multifunction wheel looks lifted from an Outback and the lack of a sportier, bespoke tiller is a bit of a missed trick.

But it remains fit for the heat of the driving battle, right down to the good-old mechanical parking brake that’s a handy ally during motorkhanas and track work.

Row two offers plenty of legroom and feels spacious, though the ceiling lacks the concave depression found up front and as a result — and despite the lack of a sunroof — headroom is quite limited.

But rear occupants do benefit from decent amenities shared with those in the first row, including dual USB ports, flocked doors bins and seat heating, though yet another strange omission is a lack of rear air vents (otherwise fitted to the wagons).

On that, the decent 411-litre boot is dwarfed by the 492L found in the Sportsback that converts to 1430 with row two stowed. No such convenience here.

A space saver is fitted under the WRX tS Spec B’s floor that appears sized to allow clearance for the large six-piston brakes used on the front axle.

Is the WRX tS Spec B a safe car?

While the last-gen WRX scored a five-star ANCAP rating and four of WRX’s stablemates — Crosstrek, Solterra, Outback and outgoing Forester — get full marks, the BRZ coupe and current WRX generation remain unrated.

There’s a broad array of features fitted to the model, though completeness is spec-dependent. Base versions lack Subaru’s EyeSight smarts, and some features, such as reversing AEB, are missing from manual variants.

As it stands, the Spec B fits the following specifics: 

• Forward collision avoidance
• Autonomous emergency steering
• Driver monitoring system
• Blind spot monitoring
• Lane change assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Side view monitor
• Emergency lane keeping
• Lane centring
• Lane departure warning/keeping
• Lane sway warning
• Emergency Driving Stop System
• Speed sign recognition
• Lead vehicle start alert
• Eight airbags

What are the WRX tS Spec B’s ownership costs?

The Spec B is, by 2025 standards, quite thirsty. The form guide suggests combined consumption of 10.4L/100kms, with an 8.2L highway figure and a sobering 14.2L urban claim.

Our test subject is not only around half-a-litre thirstier than the WRX RS manual sedan — for reasons that remain a mystery given it’s just one kilogram heavier — it drinks two litres per hundred more on a combined cycle and three litres more urban than any CVT sedan of Sportwagon variant.

All WRXs demand a minimum of 95RON premium fuel.

Servicing will cost around $1370 upfront for a three-year plan and $2692 for a five-year plan, with intervals a typical 12 months or 15,000kms between visits.

Warranty is a fairly typical five years of unlimited-kilometre coverage.

The honest verdict on the WRX tS Spec B

Is it any good? Absolutely.

And given your reviewer had lost faith — especially in regular WRX stock — over a very long stint, the form of the fittest example of the latest generation comes as a bit of a pleasant surprise. The Spec B really is better than we were expecting.

Is it anything like a classic STI experience? For strung-out red-misted talent, not really. But for back-road pace and solid fun factor in an endearingly old-school package with impressive new-school resolve, it comes much closer than anticipated.

Better yet, we cannot recall any WRX that’s nearly as fine an all-rounder while maintaining the soul that WRX had for so long traded off. If this isn’t the best WRX yet, it’s been a long, long time since Subaru has executed one this good.

Is it worth its premium? We’re inclined to think so.

It’s a shame Subaru diluted some of the Spec B exclusivity by porting the Recaros and driver’s screen to all tS variants but…the other two options are no cheaper as a buy-in. And, besides, a real WRX deserves a proper manual ’box anyway…

Strike the tS Spec B up as a resounding win, especially for the gearheads among us who lament the shrinking landscape of conventional turbo-charged go-fast machinery.

Let’s hope Subaru can make it a trifecta by adding the illusive manual Spec B Sportswagon variant, and finding justification to once again cook up a pukka WRX STI.

Overall rating

Mini Countryman SE 2025 review

3 months ago

Tom Place

Production specialist

The eccentric, electric Countryman is armed with enough practicality to lure even the most sensible of buyers

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Good points

• Solid value for money
• Joyful interior design
• Bloody quick
• Fun, comfortable dynamics
• Does ‘different’ well

Needs work

• Still expensive outright
• Interior isn’t family friendly
• Range isn’t impressive
• No spare tyre
• Slow DC charging

The electric age is a transition that seems almost custom-made for Mini.

Small cars and SUVs are some of the easiest to convert into electric vehicles as they often only travel short distances, generally don’t carry many people and recoup a significant amount of energy in city-style stop-start driving.

Yet Mini isn’t putting all its eggs in one basket, offering the increasingly important new-gen Countyman in petrol and electric guises, just like the Cooper small hatch.

Following the related and generally impressive BMW iX1 to market, Mini’s new-generation Countryman arrives with a more practical interior and surprisingly accessible price tag.

These attributes saw the Countryman go further than expected in our Car of the Year coverage, easily earning its stripes. Impressively, it was the electric SE version — rather than the petrol variant — we have on test that made the biggest splash.

So, has the Countryman transcended its niche status as a fun and charming small SUV into something a pragmatic buyer should actually consider?

What are the Countryman SE’s features and options for the price?

The electric Mini Countryman range is offered in front-drive single, and twin-motor all-wheel-drive variants, known as the E and SE, respectively.

Both feature a NCM 64.6kWh usable battery size and the less punchy E starts at $67,990, before on-road costs, with a greater range of 462km (WLTP). The SE opens at $72,990 with an extra 70kW and nearly twice the torque, though its quoted driving range falls to 432km.

Each are offered in three sub-trim levels, with the SE starting with the Classic, moving to Favoured you see here and then headline JCW Sport trim — not to be confused with a true JCW offering.

For about $3000 more than the Classic, the Favoured offers a few meaningful upgrades, including larger and more stylish 19/20-inch wheel options rather than the Classic’s 18s, a lovely Harman Kardon sound system and electric front seat adjustment.

It’s a trade-off we think is more than worth it for the price, but the JCW Sport trim above it is less enticing. Aside from the addition of high-performance brakes, the changes are simply cosmetic and will come down to personal taste.

Below are some of the Favoured’s notable features:

• LED headlights
• Panoramic glass roof
• 240mm circular OLED touchscreen
• Digital instrument display
• Head-up display
• Interior camera
• Augmented reality navigation
• Mini connected services
• 12-speaker, 365-watt Harman/Kardon premium sound system,
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wireless phone charging
• Automatic Tailgate with kick function
• Dual-zone air conditioning with rear ventilation
• Electric front seat adjustment with driver massage function
• Front JCW Seats with seat heating
• Sun protection glazing 

The list price of $75,990 for the Favoured is significantly cheaper than the related BMW iX1 xDrive30 ($86,800) or equivalent Mercedes-Benz GLA 350 4Matic ($102,900). If you step up in size in a mainstream rival, like a Hyundai Ioniq 5 long-range RWD model ($75,800), you’ll find yourself with less equipment and verve than the Mini.

The closest match we can find for an AWD-equipped model that doesn’t hail from China is the Subaru Solterra Touring at $76,990, but the smaller Mini is levels more complete in equipment and execution.

But the options shipped in from China are not to be ignored; with the Zeekr X AWD ($64,900), Volvo EX30 AWD ($71,290) and EX40 ($81,990) small SUVs, along with the Smart #1 Brabus ($67,900), all now available to Aussie buyers. While not a segment rival, the popular, larger Tesla Model Y (Long Range AWD, $68,900) is never for from any electric SUV conversation.

What is the Countryman SE’s interior and tech like?

Minimal interiors are all the rage in 2025, but Mini has been doing this since many of its customers were scooting toy cars across the carpet.

Perhaps that’s why Mini is so good at it.

The niche brand has been harking back to its heritage with a ‘circular’ central display for years, but with Mini’s latest products, the touchscreen now proudly occupies all 240mm diameter of circular real estate with a crisp OLED screen that serves as the overall command centre.

Showing its practiced hand in this area, there is limited glare in the harsh Aussie sun, and it’s matched with a sharp head-up display so drivers aren’t constantly taking their eyes off the road — like in, say, a Tesla Model Y.

Mini’s software presents a steeper learning curve than some, with a large amount of information and options presented at all times. After spending more time with the Countryman, the efficiency of this layout becomes clearer, though.

The theatre of the design is the star, with a series of joyful toggles and switches below the screen that cycle through the drive modes, called ‘Experiences’, that affect the display theme, multimedia sound profile and even the driving experience with options such as “Go Kart Mode”.

Dancing on the edge of being a gimmick, the fun modes were a delightful touch that appealed to the Chasing Cars team.

One key reason to upgrade to the Favoured trim is the 12-speaker Harmon Kardon which offers remarkable clarity and depth in the Countryman’s cabin. It combines well with the hushed drivetrain and decent sound deadening to make comprehensible, low-volume listening at highway speeds a reality.

On a more practical note, the seats themselves are firm but supportive and generally comfortable, with enough room in the default position to accommodate my leggy frame at 182cm tall.

Despite a litany of nooks and crannies about the cabin, incidental storage feels a bit lacking, as many areas are too small or oddly shaped to stow items without a bit of Tetris action.

Moving to the second row, there is still plenty of space to seat an adult, even behind my own driving position.

There’s even enough room to fit a rear-facing baby seat, which would have been impossible in small SUVs only a few years ago. The Countryman, like many others, has not only grown, but also matured in its packaging to the point that it can genuinely serve as a family vehicle.

The tops of the interior door cards are trimmed with a wonderful wool-knit style material which is nice to look at, if a bit abrasive to touch. Though, as a parent, a child rubbing a smuggled-in against the cheese-grater-like texture was a constant worry.

Kid-friendly, this material is not.

Conversely, Mini pays thoughtful attention to detail by switching on the Countryman SE’s surprisingly strong air-conditioning as soon as you open the door, and doesn’t shut it off until you close and lock the doors.

This was a real luxury when strapping the kids into a hot car that had been baking in the sun for hours; saving one from hopping in the front seat first to get the cool air pumping.

The Countryman also wins some practicality points with its boot. The rectangular 460L space swallowed a pram with ease. Additional netting is also provided to secure small items from flying around the boot.

There is no full-size or space saver spare under the floor, which is disappointing even in a typically city-based vehicle such as this one.

While many aspects of the Mini Countryman’s interior appear to put form first, it’s impressive how little these joyful touches impact function.

How does the Countryman SE drive?

The high-spec Countryman electric is quick. Quicker than you might think.

The difference between the 150kW/250Nm front-driven ‘E’ and the AWD 230kW/494Nm ‘SE’ won’t be of great consequence for some returning Countryman buyers as the former is still plenty quick when compared with petrol-engine standards.

For those who do indulge in the SE, the three-second gap between the 8.6- and 5.6-second 0-100km/h time feels like a world apart, and the talent of the Countryman extends beyond straightline speed.

For a front-biased, all-wheel-drive SUV, there’s a remarkable sense of playfulness to how the Countryman SE drives, with just enough feedback and accuracy from the steering wheel to give the driver confidence to push harder in the bends on pockmarked roads.

With the Countryman scrambling out of corners in haste, it’s comforting that the strong brakes are similarly up for the task as they clamp down progressively underfoot, even if they are somewhat lacking in feel.

Tying it all together are Mini’s aptly named ‘Experiences’ driver profiles controlled via a toggle that sits just below the main touchscreen.

‘Go Kart’ mode is the most appropriate for hooliganism, and provides a delightful whirring noise that enhances the sense you’re being slingshot into hyperspace between one corner and the next.

The Countryman’s ride is compliant — more so than the BMW iX1 xDrive30 — and yet it retains the brand’s signature agility. It will run out of talent eventually, when its Pirelli P Zero tyres get a polite tap from its 2000kg heft, but its lateral limits are impressive.

It’s a trade off that becomes worthwhile once you head in town, where small SUVs like this one do most of their driving.

Sudden potholes, pestering road-joins and sharp speed bumps are all felt inside the Countryman but they don’t crash through to your tailbone and the car itself is still small and agile enough to make avoiding obstacles a simple task.

Similarly, the Countryman is a decent highway rider for an EV, with good sound deadening and seat comfort on the odd occasion that you do want to stretch its legs, though if it’s relatively short range and lack of a spare wheel will limit its touring ability.

Mini offers a variety of regeneration levels for the Countryman, including a one-pedal driving mode, but the real party trick is the adaptive mode that works with the adaptive cruise control to apply as much, or as little, regeneration as needed in different circumstances.

Is the Countryman SE a safe car?

The Mini Countryman range was given a five-star rating by ANCAP in March 2024, covering both petrol and electric variants. It scored the below ratings in ANCAP’s various tests. 

• 83% – Adult occupant protection
• 86% – Child occupant protection
• 81% – Vulnerable road user protection
• 83% – Safety assist 

Generally speaking, yes it is a safe car; even if the on-paper subscores aren’t quite as high as its sibling in the BMW iX1 – although the Bimmer was tested under older and less strict 2022 protocols.

Where both the Mini and the BMW shine over newer competition from China, such as the Zeekr X, which earned remarkable scores in its 2024 test, is in the calibration of its safety equipment in the real world.

Lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, speed sign recognition and particularly the driver monitoring systems all offer a slick sense of implementation, to a degree that you barely notice they’re there until they kick in at the appropriate time and do so in a polite manner.

Put simply, they help not hinder, the driver.

What are the Countryman SE’s ownership costs?

The Countryman falls under Mini’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with separate eight-year/100,000km coverage on the battery and other high-voltage components.

Rather than traditional service intervals, the Countryman SE requires condition-based maintenance and will alert the driver when servicing on components, such as brakes, are required.

Mini offers maintenance packs in four- and six-year lengths, priced at $1500 and $2225, respectively. This covers basic maintenance and excludes brake pads and windscreen wiper replacement.

Chasing Cars conducted a highway range test in unusually hot 40+ degree weather, meaning the aircon was putting in the work to keep this motoring journalist from ending his trip medium rare.

Despite this, the Countryman clocked a quite impressive 16.1kWh/100km in terms of efficiency, indicating a range of 401km from the 64.6kWh battery. This compares to the stated range of 432km in combined conditions.

Key rivals include the BMW iX1 xDrive30 (400km), Zeekr X AWD (425km), Volvo EX30 Dual Motor (445km) and EX40 Dual Motor (485km), with only the latter offering a meaningful upgrade in outright range improvement according to the WLTP standard.

Maximum DC charging speeds are slow on paper with a peak of 130kW, but Mini still quotes a 10-80 per cent top-up time of 29 minutes, which is still plenty quick.

AC charging peaks at a more impressive 22kW, promising a flat-to-full time of three hours and 45 minutes.

Key to note here though: having charging speeds like that at home will require seriously heavy-duty three-phase wiring to be installed.

The honest verdict on the Countryman SE

By maturing incrementally over its many generations, the attractive and practical Countryman has slipped neatly into the electric age with an air of confidence.

Keenly priced rivals from China, such as the Zeekr X and Volvo EX30, hint at a challenging future ahead for the Countryman but where the Mini pulls ahead is in the difference in execution.

From how the suspension is calibrated through to the astute safety nannies, the Countryman consistently and confidently pulls ahead of many of its rivals, and that impressive layer of polish will make a meaningful difference to your everyday commute.

A surprisingly practical interior, relatively inoffensive price and a vivid sense of character; the Countryman SE is a vehicle we wanted to love at first sight of its lovable exterior, and by the end of our week of testing it was clear that there was substance behind the style.