Subaru WRX VA

With the VA (2015-2021) Subaru broke from the EJ: for the first time the FA20DIT (2.0T with direct injection) drove the WRX — more torque sooner, more modern combustion tech, but new concerns too. The FA20DIT is durable in stock trim; on heavily tuned cars, though, ringland failures and rod knock show up — if it runs big boost, you want to see logs, otherwise the same caution applies as with the EJ predecessors. The biggest buying decision on the VA is the gearbox: there was the clean 6-speed manual and a CVT (marketed by Subaru as Sport Lineartronic). The CVT suffers from shudder on some examples (judder, felt vibration on load changes) — anyone wanting the WRX's character takes the manual anyway; the CVT polarizes the community and is less sought after at resale. Beyond the gearbox, an electrical theme runs through the range: a class-action over battery drain covers 2015-2020 WRX, because the CAN system fails to enter sleep mode after shutdown and drains the battery. There's a software update and a settlement — confirm the update was applied, or recurring no-start trouble is baked in. Then there's the EyeSight matter: a separate class-action over phantom braking (unprompted emergency braking) covers 2016-2021 cars — watch the system's behavior on the test drive and check the software level. Other typical VA points: worn strut top mounts, a rear differential leak (the breather on the diff cover, documented in a TSB), a Denso fuel-pump recall, and occasional windshield issues. On price, the VA is the affordable all-rounder WRX: older 2015s trade in the US market roughly $11,000-17,000 depending on condition, later and better-equipped cars sit above that; in Europe the VA is rare but present as a grey import. Insider pick: a 6-speed manual (not the CVT), stock or mildly modified, with the battery software update applied, the pump recall done, and a clean diff seal. At the viewing, deliberately test the CVT (if fitted) for shudder, watch EyeSight behavior, check battery/start behavior, and look under the rear end. The VA isn't a classic like the GD, but it's an honest, fast everyday all-wheel-drive car — as long as you pick the right gearbox and the electrical recalls are ticked off.