WRX stands for World Rally Experimental. Subaru introduced the name on the Impreza WRX in Japan in 1992. It identified the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive performance model developed around Subaru’s growing rally program.
The name has outlived its original place in the Impreza range. In the United States, WRX has appeared as both the performance version of the Impreza and, since the 2015 model year, a separate model name. WRX also does not mean the same thing as STI: WRX identifies the car line, while STI stands for Subaru Tecnica International, Subaru’s motorsport and performance company.
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Does WRX mean World Rally Experimental or World Rally Cross?
Subaru’s published history uses World Rally Experimental. Explanatory text sometimes styles the last word as “eXperimental,” although Subaru writes it normally in its own history.
“World Rally Cross” and “World Rally eXperimental” both appear in dealership pages, forums, and enthusiast discussions. World Rally Cross is not the expansion Subaru gives in its own WRX history. It can also cause confusion with rallycross, a different form of motorsport held on mixed-surface circuits.
Where did the WRX name come from?
Subaru launched the first Impreza WRX in Japan in 1992. The company had begun a full-scale World Rally Championship program with the Legacy in 1990, then moved its top-level rally effort to the smaller Impreza. The road car and competition program developed alongside each other, which gave the World Rally Experimental name a concrete purpose.
The Impreza made its WRC debut in 1993. Subaru went on to win three consecutive WRC manufacturers’ championships from 1995 through 1997. In Australia, WRX drivers won ten consecutive national drivers’ championships before Subaru withdrew after the 2005 season, then won again when the company returned in 2016. The WRX name was already in use before those championship results.
Subaru introduced the WRX to the United States in 2001. U.S. buyers initially knew it as the Impreza WRX, a turbocharged performance model within the broader Impreza family.
Is a WRX still an Impreza?
That depends on the model year and market.
| WRX era | Relationship to the Impreza |
|---|---|
| 1992-2014 | WRX was sold as a performance version of the Impreza in many markets |
| 2015-current U.S. models | WRX is sold under its own model name rather than as an Impreza trim |
Subaru gave the 2015-2021 VA performance line distinct bodywork, engines, transmissions, suspension tuning, and model identity. The 2022-current VB WRX continued under the separate name. “Impreza WRX” can therefore be correct for an older car but wrong as the official name of a current U.S. WRX.
When discussing parts, service information, or a used car, use the model year and chassis generation rather than treating every WRX as the same type of Impreza.
What is the difference between WRX and WRX STI?
WRX and STI are separate parts of the name:
- WRX identifies Subaru’s all-wheel-drive performance model line.
- STI means Subaru Tecnica International, the company that manages Subaru motorsport activity and develops performance cars and parts.
- WRX STI identifies the higher-performance WRX model developed with STI-specific drivetrain and chassis hardware.
Depending on the generation, a factory WRX STI can add its own engine, close-ratio six-speed transmission, Driver Controlled Center Differential, front and rear limited-slip differentials, Brembo brakes, steering, and suspension hardware. Our WRX vs. STI comparison covers those mechanical differences by model year.
The same distinction applies to newer badges. A WRX tS uses chassis tuning associated with STI, but it is not a WRX STI and does not use the former STI’s complete drivetrain package.
What do VA, VB, and other WRX codes mean?
Names such as GC, GD, GG, GR, GV, VA, and VB are generation or model codes used to distinguish different WRX families. They are not additional words in the WRX acronym.
Owners commonly group the cars this way:
| Common code | WRX generation |
|---|---|
| GC/GF | 1992-2000 sedan and wagon; not sold as a WRX in the United States |
| GD/GG | 2002-2007 sedan and wagon |
| GE/GH | 2008-2010 narrow-body sedan and hatchback |
| GR/GV | 2008-2014 wide-body hatchback and 2011-2014 wide-body sedan |
| VA | 2015-2021 WRX and WRX STI |
| VB | 2022-current WRX |
The Bugeye, Blobeye, and Hawkeye names refer to front-end designs within the GD/GG generation, not separate WRX acronyms. In the United States, Bugeye generally means 2002-2003, Blobeye means 2004-2005, and Hawkeye means 2006-2007.
These shorthand labels are useful, but body and model codes can vary by market and body style. Use the exact model year, VIN, engine, and transmission when checking parts or service information. Our VA versus VB WRX guide explains the mechanical differences between the two newest U.S. generations.
Sources
- Subaru Australia WRX history - Subaru’s definition of WRX as World Rally Experimental and the model’s 1992 launch in Japan.
- Subaru Corporation 2022 WRX announcement - first Impreza WRX in Japan in 1992 and U.S. introduction in 2001.
- Subaru Tecnica International history - the Legacy and Impreza WRC timeline and Subaru’s 1995-1997 manufacturers’ championships.
- Subaru 2015 WRX announcement - the launch of the VA-generation WRX as a dedicated performance model.