Subaru WRX Ground Clearance: What To Know

2018 Subaru WRX by EurovisionNim — CC BY-SA 4.0

Subaru has a loyal following, great safety features and technology, and a natural connection to wilderness and outdoor venturing. The WRX’s ground clearance is a surprisingly low 4.9 inches, and less than many of its competitors.

While it may have the recognition to easily drive through tough weather conditions, some car buyers may look twice at that number for wintery and off-road conditions. What does it ultimately mean for its ability to handle the elements and drive outdoors?

Ground clearance is essentially the distance between the lowest point of the vehicle’s underbody and the gap of the tire’s contact with a level surface. This is also known as ride height, and is basically how much your vehicle is separated from pavement, gravel, or other surfaces you’re driving on. It’s one of the most fundamental and important dimensions to research when looking at a vehicle if you’re planning on going off-road.

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The lowest hanging part of a car, such as the chassis, is used to determine ride height. In other terms, it’s how much space you have between the bottom of the vehicle to the road. The higher that the vehicle sits off the ground the less likely the undercarriage and mechanical area is to be damaged by rocks, pavement, and other road debris. It’s also helpful for wintery conditions when snow builds up on the road and can get jammed and stuck under the bumpers and tires.

Most sedans have an average ground clearance somewhere between 4-6 inches, while SUVs have an average ground clearance of 6-8 inches. Having more clearance is typically beneficial, but not always. The WRX’s ground clearance is fairly average for sedans, and isn’t a strong option for rocks and boulders but given its rally-car driving style it is a good option for hills and trail driving.

The WRX is surprisingly powerful, equipped with 268 horsepower, 258 lb-ft of torque, and all-wheel drive that translates to both highway and off-road conditions. Whether you choose to have it fitted with the stock six-speed manual transmission or the optional continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) the car’s maneuverability and strong grip tires give drivers peace of mind that it will go exactly where you want it to go. Although it has a traditionally stiff feel, it is extremely versatile for most weather conditions and driving surfaces.

All-wheel drive is natural, and the vehicle can amuse driving enthusiasts. Its 268-horsepower turbocharged flat-four engine provides a distinctive, grumbly soundtrack and is paired with either a six-speed manual or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).

The WRX has visible turbo lag and strange acceleration spikes, making it sound slower than it is and impossible to drive smoothly. The Subaru’s racy suspension would appeal to those who don’t like bouncing over bumpy roads and it makes the sedan more enjoyable to drive on twisty roads.

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Advantages of Low Ground Clearance

Better handling

Sedans typically have lower ground height and naturally, a lower center of gravity. This can help to stabilize the vehicle and makes it easier to drive at high speeds and handle sudden starting and stopping. The WRX’s ground clearance is low enough that you’ll still have solid control, and it handles sharp turns and has a great suspension system.

Assists in Aerodynamics

When a vehicle is driving at a high speed, the air moving above it becomes denser than the air traveling beneath it, resulting in higher pressure under the road. Low clearance decreases the air under the car, lowering the pressure.

This allows the vehicle to travel at fast and safe speeds. Sedans can reach higher speeds more quickly, and the WRX is often used in rally car racing for its ability to accelerate and maintain control.

Disadvantages of low ground clearance

Of course, the main drawback is that cars with lower ground clearance can’t quite handle the terrain that their SUV counterparts can. Cars with lower ride height can be damaged more easily due to coming in contact with more debris often.

Catching rocks and debris and a general lack of maneuverability make it tough to drive on anything other than smooth pavement on a clear day. Compared to the Forester and Outback, the WRX is significantly more likely to get undercarriage damage but m

Advantages of High ground clearance

Vehicles with higher ground clearance are capable of traveling on more forms of terrain more easily, like bumpy and uneven roads. They are more likely to be able to go offroading and handle the elements better than a low-to-ground sedan.

Being higher off the ground, there’s also typically more cargo space being off the ground and having a larger chassis.

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Disadvantage of High Ground Clearance

Opposite to sedans, higher raised vehicles don’t have as much balance and generally can’t drive or accelerate as fast. The 190 horsepower of the CR-V is good power, but larger vehicles just don’t quite have the same top speed capabilities.

It’s on the smaller size compared to other outdoor sports sedans, but this gives the WRX some extra agility and can make up for lack of ground clearance with nimble driving. Many off-roading race drivers use the WRX as their vehicle of choice, in part because of its all-wheel drive and 260 horsepower.

What the WRX’s ground clearance lacks in true spacing it makes up for with its suspension to easily manage bumps and twisting roads and paths.

It hasn’t changed significantly, but it is down from even 5 inches from the 2019 model year and earlier. It is consistent among all current six models, as each has the exact same length, width, height, wheelbase, and of course ground clearance.

This will hopefully make the car buying process a little bit easier since you can focus on the engine and interior features instead of the physical size.

Starting under $30,000 the WRX doesn’t offer many extra bells and whistles but is still a reliable option for someone looking to get out of the urban area for a bit of extra fun.

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