How to upgrade and tune a Subaru WRX

Ever since Subaru introduced the Impreza in 1992, people have been going absolutely crazy for them. One particular version that started the whole thing was the WRX. An abbreviation for World Rally eXperimental, the 3 letters have since become a symbol of performance and practicality all in one. For as long as the WRX name has been around, people have been tuning them, upgrading them, and even doing insane builds around the WRX chassis. The spectrum of the state in which you can find one is as broad as the amount of parts for them. From gravel abused beaters, to mint condition, showroom spec'd 1000 horsepower builds ready to demolish any drag strip or race track, and anything in between. Seeing as not everyone has the funds, or indeed wants a ridiculously overpowered WRX, but still cherishes their pride and joy, we've got some tips on how, and indeed what to upgrade, to make your Scooby that little bit better.

Make or Break

If there's one thing that can single handedly ruin a car, it's a bad choice of wheels. Installing low-tier wheels to your WRX not only looks bad, but low quality wheels are known to crack and cause problems.

When looking for the right wheels, the most popular WRX wheels of choice seem to be the ENKEI RPF1. We have them in silver, gold, and even black.

They're not just for looks either. Enkei uses a special painting process called MAT that reduces the weight of the wheel by 10-15%. As this is unsprung weight, the reduction to overall weight can be as much as 20lbs.

If you prefer to be a bit different but still have a killer set of WRX wheels, you can opt for the ADVAN GTs. While still popular amongst WRX owners, they offer uniqueness and don't seem to be getting out of trend any time soon.

We're currently having a sale on Advan wheels, click here to check it out and get some great looking wheels for an even more affordable price.

Free up the engine

One of the cheapest and easiest way to see an increase in power is to opt for an air intake. Whether you go for a cold air intake or a short ram air intake, not only will you see a noticeable increase in power by 5-10 horsepower, but it will allow the engine to breathe better and will open it up for future mods, as well as make it more fuel efficient.

Our store is stock full of high end air intake manufacturers, with some of the products being on sale, making them a steal. You can check them out by clicking here.

Hear the beautiful boxer burble

An exhaust is a great upgrade to add to your Subaru Impreza. It improves the look of your car, as well as giving it a power increase and a much more pleasurable noise. Furious Customs carries the best Subaru WRX exhaust brands, so you can be sure that whatever you're searching for, you can find it in our Subaru exhaust section.

The suspension

If you're really thinking of turning your car into a beast, whether it be on track or street, replacing the suspension should be your next move. Coilovers, strut bars, sway bars, everything plays a major role in a car's handling. For individual parts as well as camber kits, air suspension and much more, our WRX suspension section might be perfect for you.

Stopping performance is crucial

For daily driving, stock rotors and pads will do just fine. For harder driving, even on the street, they will not however. Even a few simple tweaks and performance upgrades like air intakes and exhausts as suggested in this article will put out a noticeable amount of power more than stock. Chances are, your brakes will not be able to cope with the added oomph. Acceleration is nothing if you can't stop. That's why every respectable tuner will tell you to upgrade your wheels and tires, along with the brakes first, before beginning engine modifications. If you're looking just for that, Furious Customs offers high quality performance Subaru WRX brakes only from top manufacturers, as only the best will do.

Now we can add more speed

Only once you've made sure to improve your tires and brakes, should you begin with engine modifications. Engine upgrades can include a better ECU, pulleys and throttle bodies. For really cranking up the power, forced induction is the way to go. A bigger turbo for your Subaru Impreza means more boost. And more boost, equals more power.

You need to make sure your engine can handle the added power. It's no use strapping more power to the engine if its internals can't handle it. Furios Customs has all the parts needed to strengthen your internals. You can check out various engine components in our shop here. 

As well as second generation Subaru WRX parts, we're also full of third-gen WRX performance parts, and parts for all performance JDM rides. Make sure to check us, our site, and Facebook for more details.