The next Subaru WRX will be using a smaller engine but have more power. Motor Trend has found out from a Subaru spokesperson the next WRX will use a 2.0L turbo variant of the FA20 engine found in the new BRZ.

Although the new engine is half a liter smaller in displacement than the current WRX’s 2.5-liter 265-horsepower engine, Subaru is targeting a 270 HP rating.

So why a smaller displacement? Part of it is due to fuel economy. The current WRX gets EPA rating of 19 city and 25 highway. Subaru recently announced the new FA20 engine to get 30 mpg highway.

The move also signals a change Subaru announced awhile ago with the Impreza and WRX/STi going their separate ways. The new Impreza 2.0L flat four from the FB family of engines found in the Forester SUV and other models. The engine does not feature the same compact dimensions, 86 mm x 86 mm bore and stroke, or complex D4S port/direct injection technology as the FA20 engine.

Source: Motor Trend

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This is a good thing...the WRX really doesn't need the 2.5L engine...the STi doesn't either especially if that will help us see an 8k RPM redline in the US. I like the fact that the STi has a 2.5L for the extra torque but I really wish it had a higher redline.

newer technology yields smaller displacements with the same or better power. The 2.0T I am driving now has 200hp, 200 ft-lb gets 35mpg and it is the least powerful 2.0 that I've driven recently.

Smaller is fine as long as they do NOT loose Torque. I am so tired of people gushing over engines that have 8 or 9K redline with 300HP but only 200LBS of torque. I might be a very small group of people, but I want my torque equal to or a bit better than my HP so that I can move when I step on the gas even just a little bit and not have to rev it to the moon with a whiny tin sound.

So far I have not been impressed with small engines even turbo models yet. Hopefully that will change in the near future.

Direct injection + turbo seems to be the killer combination. The DI-Turbo ecotec 2.0 and the Ford Ecoboost V6 both have all of their torque available way down low. The 3.5 liter Ford is something like 350 ft-lb at 1,750rpm (off the top of my head, but close). That makes the AWD Lincoln MKS Ecoboost launch forward like you just engaged warp drive. V8? What V8?

Direct injection + turbo seems to be the killer combination. The DI-Turbo ecotec 2.0 and the Ford Ecoboost V6 both have all of their torque available way down low. The 3.5 liter Ford is something like 350 ft-lb at 1,750rpm (off the top of my head, but close). That makes the AWD Lincoln MKS Ecoboost launch forward like you just engaged warp drive. V8? What V8?

Guess I will have to go test drive one as it sounds great if it truly has that kick you in the gut feeling when you step on it.