It’s the final in our series of podcasts we shot with designers and product experts at the LA Auto Show, and this time we’ve got Bill Stokes, who is the product line manager for Subaru of America who covers the Forester, BRZ, and WRX. That’s a super interesting mix of vehicles.
This podcast, presented by our friends at Marble, was shot a few weeks ago and features our own Beau Boeckmann, Stephen Walter Gossin, and David Tracy. There’s no Jason in this episode but that’s merely because he was off checking out the show when we recorded it (and, I guess, stretching out his aorta?)
We opened up this podcast with a Jason update, mostly because we wanted everyone to know how he was doing. In the interim, he released his own information about what happened. So there’s a lot of that. If you’re not into it you can skip ahead to the end to hear from Bill.
There’s a lot of good stuff here and it’s interesting to hear from Bill about how he manages to represent both the new 2025 Subaru Forester crossover as well as the BRZ sports car and WRX rally-inspired sedan. While the customer bases aren’t entirely the same (his mom drives a WRX and his dad drives a Forester, for instance), maybe they aren’t as different as you’d think.
“We find that often you’ll have a WRX owner that has a Forester or an Outback or a Crosstrek as a family car,” says Stokes. “The core technology is the same, from one to the other. The WRX has basically the same AWD system as the Forester does.”
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Too bad there’s no more Forester XT, especially when turbos have gotten so popular now.
The WRX needs to be an Impreza again. The hatchback is more useful.
I got a kick out of this one and the discussion of the one-time Subaru owners: my wife purchased a new 2014 Impreza, and we kept have to replace wheel bearings, and other similar items. After all Hondas and Toyotas, I thought it was just us and some dumb luck. After all that, and then some crazy electrical gremlins, we dumped it and moved on. On the positive, between the stick shift and studded snow tires, it was amazing in the snow…
That’s a good idea!
Jokes are a good way to cope with awful stuff! I can’t blame y’all for making some jokes about the heartsplosion. This is a hella stressful situation and we’re all glad Jason’s on the mend.
Also, those PITA owner complaints about Subarus are why I’m glad I ended up with a Mitsu, haha. I don’t have to have Stockholm Syndrome about it! It’s plasticky, but it’s honest and it works.
Ok, but not all Subaru people can have a wrx AND a Forester.
In 2005, when I got a wrx wagon, you could also get a legacy wagon with a turbo and a manual, and a Forester with a turbo and a manual. It allowed for more people to have more fun in more ways. I miss those days.
The lack of a WRX wagon or a Forester w manual&turbo are the reason I don’t drive a Subaru. Hatches are useful, and manuals are engaging.
But I continue to hold out hope that the WRX will return with a hatch. One day.
Must be easy to manage the new BRZ business in America as they are essentially nonexistent.