Rip and Roll: 2026 Subaru Sardine WRX Review

What this is — and what it tries to be

Call it cheeky or call it brilliant marketing: Subaru’s Sardine WRX takes the familiar WRX recipe, seasons it with oceanic design cues, and serves a sporty compact that wants sticky corners and grocery runs in equal measure. The Sardine keeps the brand’s hallmark symmetrical all-wheel drive and flat-four heritage, but it’s been reworked for sharper responses, more power, and a personality that grins at fast back roads.

Powertrain and performance

Under the hood sits a 2.4-liter turbocharged flat-four Boxer producing 318 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque. That’s a tidy bump over the previous generation and the sort of power that makes mid-size sedans feel small. Subaru offers a crisp six-speed manual with a short, mechanical clutch, or the new eight-speed dual-clutch unit Subaru calls SardineShift. I tested both.

The manual is the one for purists: tactile gates, a positive throw, and a hydraulic clutch with a predictable engagement point. The dual-clutch is faster on paper and in the real world for sprint times, but it occasionally hunts at very low speeds. With the DCT the Sardine posts 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds; with the manual it’s an honest 4.9 seconds when you nail the launch properly. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.

Fuel economy sits around 22 mpg city and 28 mpg highway with DCT, slightly lower with the manual if you enjoy aggressive downshifts. Real-world combined economy during my week of spirited driving and commutes hovered near 24 mpg.

Chassis, braking and handling

Subaru retuned the suspension with adjustable dampers and a stiffer subframe. The Sardine’s geometry favors mid-corner composure: ingress is neutral, turn-in is sharp but communicative, and the all-wheel-drive torque-split system masks understeer better than expected. There’s a predictable, progressive breakaway if you get greedy, and that’s the kind of honesty you want in a sporty compact.

Brakes are four-piston Brembo fronts and single-piston rears with large vented rotors front and back. Fade resistance is excellent; pedal feel is firm and linear. The available limited-slip center differential with torque vectoring is the magic trick — it lets the car rotate through tighter bends without the abrupt snap you get from less sophisticated AWD setups.

Interior and real-world usability

Inside, the Sardine is practical and mildly indulgent. The seats are heavily bolstered but stay comfortable on long drives; there’s optional Alcantara with a subtle fish-scale stitch pattern that is more wink than gimmick. Fit and finish are solid, with useful storage cubbies and a trunk that swallows several suitcases — far from a two-seat toy.

Tech is current: a 12.3-inch central screen with crisp graphics, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12-speaker sound system tuned for punchy mids, and a configurable digital gauge cluster that makes revs and torque mapping feel alive. Driver assists are present and can be dialed back if you prefer to drive rather than have the car hold your hand.

Exterior, styling and yes, the fish angle

If you’re expecting literal fins and cartoon scales, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Subaru leaned into subtlety: a flared front splitter, gill-like vents along the lower bumper, and a paint finish called Ocean-Run Silver that has a faint pearlescent sheen. The wheel arches are wider, the stance lower, and the rear wing is effective without being park-lot loud.

There’s an optional Ocean Pack that adds salmon-tanned leather and a faint seaweed-scented ambient fragrance for an ironic wink. I sampled the fragrance for about two days — it’s less ‘fish market’ and more ‘coastal candle.’ The base cabin smelled neutral and new; no eau de sardine here. Subaru deserves points for restraint.

What it’s like to live with

The Sardine is both weekend hoon machine and weekday commuter. Noise suppression is improved versus previous WRX variants; wind and tire roar are present but not intrusive at legal speeds. The ride is firm but compliant thanks to adaptive dampers that soften for town and stiffen for twisty roads.

Maintenance expectations are in line with other performance compacts. Subaru’s boxer layout does mean slightly different service items and a preference for shop familiarity, but there’s nothing exotic to scare owners away.

Numbers you’ll ask about

• Engine: 2.4L turbocharged flat-four
• Power: 318 hp @ 5,800 rpm
• Torque: 330 lb-ft @ 2,400-4,800 rpm
• 0-60 mph: 4.6s (DCT), 4.9s (6MT)
• Top speed: 155 mph (limited)
• Fuel economy: ~22 city / 28 highway (DCT)
• Curb weight: ~3,450 lbs
• MSRP: starts at $39,995 (well-equipped tester: $48,800)

Pros and cons — quick list

1. Pros: engaging chassis, usable power, practical interior, refined despite sport focus.
2. Cons: competing sports sedans can be quieter or lighter, optional packs feel gimmicky, DCT can be inconsistent at very low speeds.

Verdict

The 2026 Subaru Sardine WRX is more than a themed headline. It’s a coherent, well-executed performance sedan that keeps its fun and increases its polish. If you crave a driver-focused car that will still fetch kids from soccer practice and haul tools, the Sardine is a rare catch — rowdy when you want it, civilized when you need it, and mercifully free of actual fish smell. In a market of over-serious performance machines, the Sardine flirts, bites, and then helps you load the groceries into the trunk.

Recommended for: drivers who want raw engagement wrapped in everyday usefulness, and who appreciate a tasteful wink from the styling department.