Subaru is pondering a hatchback version of its WRX performance sedan due to strong interest from the US market.
WRX project manager Masao Takatsu made the statement at the Australian launch of the WRX sedan earlier this week, as reported by Motoring.au.com. According to Takatsu, 50 percent of WRX sales in the United States were of the hatchback variant.
By contrast the hatch comprises only 15 percent of the Australian market, according to Subaru Australia’s managing director Nick Senior. Oddly enough, Australians tend to prefer hot hatches like the Volkswagen GTI and Ford Focus ST in the rest of their performance car segment, whereas despite a strong percentage of Subaru hatches sold, American buyers prefer sedans in general.
Nevertheless, the US is Subaru’s largest market, says Takatsu, with Japan and Australia rounding out the top three. This bodes well for American enthusiasts who were critical of the sedan-only WRX decision at the time of the WRX launch last fall.
Takatsu cites limited resources as the reason for a lack of a WRX hatchback at launch, as well as the absence of an automatic STI.
If produced, the WRX hatch would likely share the same drivetrain — a 268hp turbocharged 2.0-liter boxer with either a six-speed manual or CVT auto putting power to all four wheels — as the recently launched sedan, which starts at $27,090.
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