i'm looking to buy a WRX Wagon and I'm selling my Evo for one. I want something less sporty and more practicle, but also fun to drive. Is the only difference between the 2.5TS and the WRX the motor size? I know I'd regret not getting the 2L turbo motor, but there is one for sale here for a very very good price.

Is there any suspension differences or differences with styling (with except to the hood)?

 

Just trade me!!

 

Granted that the WRX wagon and TS are the same year, styling will be the same, IIRC the struts and springs are essentially the same, however the TS has a smaller rear sway bar and will understeer more. Other than that, you're looking at just 2.0 liter turbo with tall gears vs a 2.5 liter NA motor with a close ratio box.

 

I've owned and driven both an 2.5TS (04) and WRX wagon (03).

The struts may be the same but the spring rates are different. The WRX feels a lot stiffer and more responsive. The swaybars on teh TS are 20F/13R, where as the WRX is 20F/17R

Other significant differences:

WRX has a rear LSD
WRX has bigger rims/tires
WRX has bigger exhaust
WRX has better interior
WRX has better seats

the 2.5TS is not what I would consider fun to drive. It's plows and rolls like crazy and the power although nice at low rpms runs out pretty quick. Mileage is practically identical to the WRX too... (I know. i'm getting exactly the same with same driving styles).

I wouldn't recommend the 2.5TS unless you're a grandma looking to be sporty...

 

What year TS are you looking at? For the 02/03 generation these
are not true. Rims, tires, interior, and seats minus a small difference in the fabric are the same.

 

I don't know what region you're in (i'm in canada), but I can say for a fact:

WRX has always had bigger rims and tires. WRX had 205/55R16 (02-05), and now has 215/45R17 (06+).
The TS has always had 195/60R15's(02-05), unless you're talking about the "special edition" which has 205/55R16. the new TS's have 205/55R16's stock. Still smaller than equivalent WRX

the WRX has the sporty one piece seats in the 04+, where as the TS always had the two piece. true, in 02/03, the seats are the same 2-piece but with different fabric (WRX still "feels" better)

WRX came with the momo steering wheel/shifter package. TS did not.

So i don't know why you're disputing me on this unless your area really did have TS's that were virtually the same as WRX's... I suspect you were driving a special edition TS cause those *were* almost the same, except for where it mattered ...

 

Canadian specs may be different. I'm in the Northwestern US. I only have experience with the 02-03 bugeye WRX's vs. RS/TS. True about the momo wheel, but for those two model years in the US, the WRX and the RS/TS both came with 16" rims wrapped in 205/55R16 RE92's.

 

i've seen TS's with factory hubcaps. I don't think the 16s came standard

 

I would just wait till the EVO wagon debuts and trade then.

You really dont want to settle for anything less than what you have now. beside the STI, Subaru's suspension components are all stamped steel and chez cheapy-cheapy whereas the Evo has nice cast aluminum links in the back as well as the control arms in front making for high quality setup out the box. Plus every joe and his mom has a WRX wagon now and most of them have rainbow stickers on the back. Even though you dont get the same track width and no blistered fenders, I still think having a wagon looks better than having an STI with a ski rack on top. But then again Im a fanatical purist when it comes to how I think a scooby should look and feel and Id hate to see the look on your face when you get into a TS and step on the gas.

Pronounced EH-Vo in every country other than UK... IT hurts my ears when people say EEEvo for some reason...who says EEEEvolution anyway beside some snooty brit aristocrat who speaks the King's English??? Damn brits sure know how to butcher a name dont they Theyre the only ones that pronunce impreza like impretza WTF it aint a pizza???

 

Eh-Vo +1 (Because in the JDM alphabet the E is pronounced Eh, and the I is pronounced as an E sound)

Love listening to the Evo owners that pronounce it EEEVo.....kinda cracks me up. It's like Nuculer versus Nuclear.....

 

I agree on the Eh-vo vs. EEvo comparison. Ever since i watched BMI for the first time that's how I pronounced it. But sadly, the Evo wagon is not coming to America, or at least that was the last news I heard. It was only offered in the Evo IX platform, and the Evo X is coming out in a year (or so) so it would be pointless to sell the wagon for such a short amount of time.

 

Get a WRX Wagon, put a sedan rear sway bar, aluminum drop links and new wheels on it and you have a practical, fun car to drive.