- Subaru confirms a trio of manual models will debut by 2027.
- The WRX sedan will revive the TY85 gearbox of the STI.
- A new hatchback and a lightweight BRZ complete the trio.
Subaru has handed driving purists in Japan a fresh reason to celebrate. The automaker has confirmed three new manual models arriving by 2027, including a WRX sedan, a special BRZ coupe, and a new five-door hatchback. The reveal came during a media roundtable at the Fuji 24 Hours Race, the third round of the Super Taikyu Series in Japan.
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According to Subaru, the trio will “incorporate the technology and knowledge cultivated through our motorsports activities” and promises to “make driving more enjoyable and accessible.” Fittingly, all three will be developed by the company’s newly established Sports Vehicle Planning Office.
A New “Affordable” Hatchback
Starting with the most intriguing and mysterious member of the trio, the “five-door hatchback” will be the production version of the Performance-B STI Concept from the 2025 Japan Mobility Show. Subaru says the newcomer will have “a new personality that is different from the WRX and the BRZ.”
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While we’d assumed the Performance-B STI Concept would morph into a fresh WRX STI hot hatch, it seems there’s more to the story. Tetsuro Fujinuki, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President at Subaru, described the upcoming manual hatchback as an “affordable base car”, one being developed to let car-loving engineers bring their own “ideas” to life while making use of existing assets.
That hints at a mashup of the humble Impreza hatchback and the WRX sports sedan, tuned for driving enthusiasts. Judging by the Performance-B STI Concept and the High Performance X Version II race car, it could serve as the basis for a WRX STI performance flagship, complete with a non-electrified boxer engine, a sharper chassis, and upgraded aero. That theory might also explain why the model in the teaser drops the wide fenders of the earlier concept.
A WRX Sedan With An STI Manual
Earlier this year, Subaru launched the WRX STI Sport♯ in Japan, packing a tweaked engine, an STI-tuned chassis, optional aero, and a manual gearbox. The catch was that it was capped at just 600 units, doled out through a lottery system.
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Luckily for fans of sports sedans with three pedals, the manual will return as a permanent fixture of the WRX lineup in 2027. This time, though, it won’t use the TY75 gearbox found in the Japanese-spec WRX STI Sport♯ and the US-spec WRX tS. Instead, Subaru is fitting the heavy-duty TY85 manual from the previous-generation WRX STI, which it promises will deliver “high durability and reliability.”
The company didn’t get into details about the powertrain of the upcoming models, but the hood scoops on the WRX and the hatchback suggest they’ll run the non-electrified turbocharged 2.4-liter boxer.
A Lightweight BRZ With STI Parts
Last but not least, a manual BRZ “Complete Car” takes center stage in the teaser image. This one will be based on the STI Sport TYPE RA limited edition that debuted in November 2025, with promises of being “lighter and more enjoyable to drive.”
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The BRZ STI Sport Type RA (Record Attempt) came loaded with aggressive aero, ZF dampers, and Brembo brakes, but was capped at 300 units. Reading between the lines, the new manual BRZ should pack similar upgrades and weight-saving measures while sticking around as a permanent fixture in the local lineup. There’s no word on a power bump, sadly, so don’t go expecting the turbo boxer from the new BRZ racecar under the hood.
Subaru will reveal the debut dates for all three manual models in the coming months. Whether the Japanese-market launch leads to a wider global rollout, though, remains to be seen.
