Subaru’s Mainstream WRX Will Be Axed in Japan, No News for U.S. Car
Emissions and noise regulations in the WRX’s home market are reportedly a problem, so production will soon end.
By Zac PalmerPublished: Mar 19, 2026
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The mainstream versions of the Subaru WRX that are sold in Japan will soon end production as orders close in May.
The WRX S4 and WRX S4 STI Sport are on the chopping block, reportedly due to noise and emissions regulations.
Does the end of these Japanese WRX models spell doom for their counterparts sold in the United States? Not exactly, but Subaru of America has nothing to say.
Subaru is shuffling things around with its WRX lineup in Japan. The automaker’s Japanese consumer website now notes that orders of the WRX S4—the sole version currently sold there—will shut down in May of this year. Also, the S4 STI Sport variant appears to be vanishing, as the site says it will be discontinued “with the current model.”
In case you needed some clarification: the S4 version of the WRX is best compared with the GT trim sold here. It exclusively comes with the CVT and a bevy of additional equipment. Outside of the recently announced WRX STI S# that is currently still listed as \”coming soon\” on the company’s website, this automatic version of the WRX is the only one sold in Japan. Our colleagues at Road & Track asked Subaru what the announcement means for our U.S.-market WRX, but a spokesperson said there’s no news to share.
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The second WRX variant on the chopping block in Japan is the S4 STI Sport. This one is simply a trim variant of the WRX S4, so don’t worry too much about its disappearance. Subaru’s statement on its Japanese market consumer website follows below:
\”Regarding the current model, we will cease accepting new orders as of May 18, 2026, due to the end of production,\” the statement, first brought to broader attention by CarScoops, reads about the WRX S4. \”Furthermore, the WRX S4 STI Sport grade will be discontinued with the current model.\”
Subaru doesn’t clarify what’s coming after it wraps up production of the WRX S4 for Japan, though an EV—the new Trailseeker—is already being produced at the same location. We’re most curious about what its discontinuation means for the versions of the WRX sold in the United States, including the regular manual models as well as the tS and GT. That said, Subaru isn’t sharing any news today.
Creative Trend, a Japanese market website, reported that Subaru models with the WRX’s turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four will have to be discontinued in Japan this year due to noise and emissions regulations, but there are no such restrictions in place for the U.S. market. The only forward-looking intel suggests that orders for new WRX trims will resume next year, possibly with a manual-transmission option, but it’s unclear what the full lineup will look like. And thankfully for Japan, this news doesn’t affect the WRX STI Sport# it revealed at the Tokyo Auto Salon last year, so those 600 cars will still find homes once they reach the street.
