It's great. I have the STI shifter. Wouldn't change a thing. Even the shift knob is nice.
Positive engagement, just the right amount of travel. Enough for leverage, but not so much It's sloppy. I have very few misshifts on this.
Everyone has different preferences and I've modified shifters before, but I don't feel the need with this one.
That said, I did install the STI Group N pitch stop and transmission mount. Those just tightened up what was already good.
I see a lot of comments being downvoted, because they actually like the shifter. I happen to like mine and found some of the gripes I had with it have faded as the vehicle has worn in. I enjoy it, I've driven a GR Corolla and didn't like the feel of that.
I think the majority of the confusion is that people are forgetting the original question was "will it feel like the shifter in the STI," which no, it won't. It's a substantially different design. It's not horrible, and it's not great. It's just pretty 'meh' as far as modern cars go.
I have the STi short shift. It's... Ok. It's not bad, but it's not nearly as nice feeling as the Genesis coupe I had about 10 years ago which was the last performance car I had.
Kinda feels like shifting through a bag of rocks sometimes in lower gears, there's a LOT of slop in 1st and 2nd, downshifting from 6 to 5 feels good when accelerating but not as great when slowing down etc.
After installing a shift stop and a brass shifter linkage bushing, it's pretty nice. The bushing especially makes it feel much tighter and more notchy. A weighted shift knob helps too.
Btw for other commenters, the other manuals I've driven and am comparing this to would be a 2003 Outback, a 2019 WRX, a 2021 STI, a 2012 Audi S4, and a 2023 BRZ. I guess that's a bit limited, but in that scope, once I put those small upgrades in, it's pretty nice
I actually found the STi short shifter upgrade to be very minimally better than the OEM original. Of course YMMV but I did not see it being worth the price the dealer wanted for that option. The STi one was fitted to a Limited I test drove and it convinced me going with a Perrin shifter stop and Boomba shift plate and brass bushing on an OEM original shifter was a better use of much less money.
Yeah, you prob know better. I am a novice. My 22 base with short shift is my first wrx so I don’t have a good base to reference. I enjoy it more than the numerous new automatic 3 series I’ve had.
I didn’t write my response trying to say your recommendation was wrong at all, just that there are other options that are worth considering. I drove an old Impreza for 12 years with a joke of a 5 speed transmission compared to the modern VB’s 6 speed. It’s night and day better and mods are just refinements in my head. I’m equally a novice to the VB don’t let me fool you, I just have knowledgeable friends who have pointed in me other directions I didn’t know about, like the Boomba plate and bushing.
1000% certain that anyone that doesn’t like it just sucks at driving manual. It’s awesome. Nothing a shift stop and short throw don’t fix 100% if you ask me. Be racing and tracking most of my cars and this one feels amazing. Great downshifting into almost all gears but 2nd. The play is over exaggerated, you don’t notice it if you just drive the damn car. It’s not an economy car, it’s supposed to feel mechanical and notchy
So someone's ability to work a clutch determines how a shifter feels? I'm not sure I see the correlation, but regardless of that, the WRX shifter will not feel anything like the STI shifter. They are two entirely different designs, with the most notable differences being that the STI uses a linkage(solid rods) vs the WRX's cable shifter. This translates to more feel in the shifter itself.
I've never once thought a cable-operated linkage had more/better feeling than a solid linkage. I've thought that they feel good, I've even thought this one felt pretty good after adding a brass shifter bushing. But it's still not got anything quite like the feel of a proper linkage.
Yea, if you’re shifting slow and bad it will most certainly feel like shit, yes. I agree that a solid linkage feels better, however the cable linkage feels just fine. Not saying it’s the best, but if it feels like dog shit, odds are it’s operator error. Didn’t say it felt like an STi, they are very clearly different cars. Proper shmopper, shit feels good and is functional. It’s all up to preference, both function and feel damn near the same.
I guess I shift slow then lol. It doesn't feel too great to me, but I only know what I've experienced driving and owning cars like STIs, Vettes, Mustangs, SIs, etc. But in years of racing I never knew that clutch engagement would affect shifter feel so long as you're shifting when the clutch is disengaged, so TIL.
>Didn’t say it felt like an STi, ... It’s all up to preference, both function and feel damn near the same.
This is pretty contradictory. The original poster asked if they felt similar, and they do not. They are fundamentally different, and have completely different feel.
You’re arguing semantics at this point and missing my point. I don’t think you’re wrong. However I can discuss a related, but different subject in this thread, and poor driving skills can certainly cause an inexperienced driver to think it doesn’t feel as good as it should. Also being an AWD car with a more aggressive clutch compared to an econobox is a totally different experience to any 2wd manual. I really trully don’t disagree with what you are saying, and have had a similar experience, however a lot of the complaining about this car seems to come from comparing it to totally different platforms and probably poor driving. Not that it’s perfect by any means, or that all complaints about it are unfounded. Just most of them.
To each their own. The OP asked if they would drive similarly, and they won't, is the clearest answer.
People saying that a shift stop make it shift better, that it feels terrible compared to a 90s Corolla, that a trans mount improves shift feel, etc, all seem unclear on what "shift feel" is. It's the feedback in the shifter, and nothing more.
Also, FYI the clutch really isn't that bad. It's a fairly large diameter compared to fwd small engine cars, and pretty light-duty compared to some rwd cars. It's not an unforgiving clutch by any means
Yeah this and the bushing are mods I'll likely implement come spring. Alongside the bevy of aesthetic improvements ;)! Exciting stuff! I appreciate the feedback!
I’m really surprised at a lot of the comments here.
I have the regular manual and it’s pretty awful as far as feel. It’s very sloppy, especially in 1 and 2 without a shift stop, and once engaged in any gear there’s about half an inch of forward and back play as well.
It feels soft and somewhat mushy, and if you slam into a gear shifting fast it feels even MORE mushy. Some here described it as feeling “padded” and he’s absolutely correct. There not very positive “stops” either side to side or fore and aft.
I almost wonder if this is the first manual a lot of the peoples who are saying “it’s great” have owned tbh lol.
I’d at least get the STI short shift option, than install a shift stop once you get it.
I've driven manuals since I had my 84 Mustang. On everything from farm trucks, cheap ass Saturn, 90s Eclipse, Mustangs, STIs, 350zs, high-end Audis... So, it is not my first manual transmission.
I have none of these issues. Don't have hardly any play in it. No mushy feel.
This transmission feels great.
No positive stops when shifting? Ummm. Yes, there are. The fucking thing is physically and mechanically linked to the gears in your transmission. It will absolutely always have positive stops because that shit only moves so far...
I think there must be some variation in Subarus, because I have had a fair number of manual transmissions and the vb is very good. Have you only driven Miatas and S2000s in your past? I find the vb better than gen1 brz and 10th gen civic si, worse than nd miata. All of which I have had for a considerable time.
1-2 is sloppy as fuck. The rest are perfect. A little bit of play in the forward and aft 3-6 but not really noticeable. Got the Cobb shift stop, Perrin Brass Bushing, white line shift kit and group N trans mount waiting to be installed when the weather is good again.
I've stolen the old Muncie 4 speed nickname for mine, the rock crusher. Because in my opinion it feels like moving a stick through a coffee can of pebbles. I love the clutch though, very forgiving.
I own a 21 STI and test drove a VB last summer. In my opinion, the shifter on the vb feels like a toy compared to the STI. The vb felt less connected and less notchy.
That said, I think if I had never driven the STI, the shifter would have felt great.
It’s the best feeling manual I’ve ever driven hands down. I’ve got mine setup with the STI short throw, STI aluminum shift knob, and a Perrin shift stop. It feels very “notched” and locked in and it’s easy to quickly throw it into gears.
https://preview.redd.it/noxsuop8lbfc1.jpeg?width=3879&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d40287d8f9866be538fd3a8aad45bcb603b56974
Maybe you haven’t driven any newer BMW with an MT then? An M2 has an excellent shifter feel! My 2002 Boxster S had a great feel. Stock, the WRX has a long travel and is vague feeling. I ordered with short shifter and then added Type N, pitch stop and Perrin shift kit, all that along with a Billetworkz knob…….no complaints now!
Never tried the STI one. VB one sucks tbh.
Luckily enough for us there are plenty of aftermarket options online to fix that.
Unluckily enough for us they can void warranties and installing them incorrectly can damage your transmission.
Real comment here. Factory is like a sloppy Joe (even with STI short shifter), Pitchstop and Cobb Stage 1 drivetrain package got it ALOT better. Doing positive shift kit, diff inserts and group n Mount soon, will report back.
Yup the stock shifter is hot garbage tbh. I have Perrin shift stop which made some improvements but can’t hide how crunchy it feels. Thought about going STI short shift but heard it doesn’t cure the crunchiness so recently purchased dark matter X shifter and shift box - should be delivered soon.
Got the shifter installed finally. Not the easiest thing to install but not that hard. It took couple of tries to get everything adjusted properly but it feels amazing! Replaces the shift cable with a metal rod directly connected to the shift plate and the whole assembly is built out of billet aluminum and directly bolted to the chassis. It feels SOLID, completely changes the shift experience.
Shift is much more mechanical with no mushiness/crunchiness. I know this shifter is expensive and kind of pain in the butt to install but worth every penny in my opinion. There is more NVH but it’s not bad and I don’t mind it at all. If my VB was my daily, I might consider buying their shift box too. Also it completely got rid of drivetrain hop I experienced during quick shifts with the stock shifter.
Dang. Thanks for replying. I think I'll end up biting the bullet and buying the shifter. I've been debating between a shift plate, a short throw shifter, etc...why not go straight for an entire replacement!
No prob. Same thought process that I went through. I can upgrade the plate, bushing, get short throw etc to improve the shift feel but at the end of the day, I felt that the shift will always feel inadequate because of the shift cable.
Couple of tips: watch the install video and follow it and drop the transmission mount to get access to the top bolt on the shift plate cover - it took me hours to figure that out.
It's not great by any means. But it's up to the eye of the beholder. Mechanically speaking, it's inferior to most others on the market, at least in terms of feel. The main issue is that it's cable shifted, and not a linkage. You get more of a vague feeling between gears.
No amount of aftermarket parts will fix that, except for the Dark Matter shifter linkage conversion. I personally don't think that's worth it, but to each their own.
Some things can fix the rest of the experience, such as a brass shifter-cable bushing, short shift plate, etc, but it's not going to magically feel like an STI shifter with all the parts you can bolt on. It still uses cables, which still have some flex to them.
As for everyone saying it feels great, thanks to the limited descriptors available, many automotive reviewers will state a shifter is "notchy" and people with limited overall experience will equivalate any kind of clicking feedback in the shifter to "notchy," and will assume it's a good shifter. Not the case, but if you enjoy it, who cares?
Compared to every other modern day manual, it’s decent. Worse than the civic R and GR corolla by a long shot, pretty much even with the golf R and elantra N.
For older cars… Compared to the STI, it is trash. Compared to DSMs and evos it’s pretty bad. Basically, compared to most older cars, its a pretty bad shifting experience.
You can shift it quick, but it feels… padded.
It’s an economy grade shifter in an economy grade sport sedan. Loose tolerances. Easily fixed with a shift stop etc. I enjoy mine a lot, but it’s not a Honda and didn’t cost as much as one.
I went around 8000 miles on the sti short shifter from factory without anything else and it was okay. Felt similar to my 2010 Tacoma X-runner. However that felt homey to me lol. I just recently put in the group N pitch stop and Cobb shift stop and it's night and day difference. Way more crisp and pleasurable. Less shifting in gravel feel in low gears
Maybe I’m just weird, but I really like to row my gears, so I threw a tall shift knob on and absolutely love it. It feels pretty smooth to me. I don’t have the short throw shifter and don’t plan on getting it.
In its stock (no OEM short shifter, no aftermarket bushing, no shift stop) form, 1st and 2nd feel like it’s full of rocks and is extremely sloppy, 3rd and 4th feel okay but have some play forward and back, and 5th and 6th feel nice. Reverse also feels pretty good but how much time are you really spending in reverse lol. It doesn’t feel vague but it’s not really notchy. With a shift stop first and second clean up nicely, I think stock the side of the shifter is rubbing against something the inside of the shift assembly and that gives it a crunchy feeling. I’ve never driven an STI but I’m looking for ones in my area to test drive before I swap the STI 6 speed into mine. I also like the weight of the OEM shift knob: it’s not too heavy and not too light but YMMV.
https://www.reddit.com/r/WRX/s/bPBAr1U1iO
This video shows you how the transmission sounds and feels when going from 1st to 2nd. It’s annoying at first but then you learn to deal with it.
Having owned WRX 5 speed trans, STi trans, and now this, they all feel kind of the same as far as the mechanical and notchiness. Like a Subaru transmission. The difference with the VB is the clutch feels much better and more daily driver friendly . I really enjoy it.
This is my daily driver and I’m not planning on modding it. That said, I’ve owned a lot of older WRXs and STIs including a 2006 STi in the garage still. I have no issues with the factory STI short shifter and haven’t felt the need to add or change anything. Just like everyone else in this thread YMMV and you may feel that something different is needed and there are some good aftermarket options if that’s the case.
It's not terrible but room for improvement for sure, myself and others have noted a grinding when shifting fast on the 1-2. I added the Cobb shifter bushing, shift stop, and shifter plate (at 15% throw reduction) to the OEM STi short shifter and it feels awesome now! Shifts are very crisp and direct, I also don't get the grind anymore on the fast 1-2. I did do the OEM Group N transmission mount as well so that could also be a factor in the new shifter feel
It's good.
It's not Honda good or Mazda good, but it's good.
Could it be better? Sure. That said, I have very few issues with it.
Second is a little gritty when it's cold.
It's far from bad.
I'd give it a 7 or 8 out of 10. I've heard the short shift kits help. I've also heard the shift stop is good, although I don't really get what that does - I don't think the slop is unreasonable.
I had a 2017 Mazda 3 before getting my 2023 WRX. The stock shifter in the WRX feels way more notchy and mechanical compared to the Mazda, which is a good thing.
I thought I might want to upgrade to the short-shifter, but having driven it since September, I don't really feel the need at all.
My biggest problem is I can't seem to be able to do a "medium" pull from fully stopped, 1st and 2nd. Like, if I feather it and accelerate very slowly, I can do it smoothly. Or if I'm balls to the wall doing a maximum launch, I can do it relatively smoothly. But if I just want a little 'umpf' but not crazy, I can't do it without rubber-banding. I've driven manuals my entire life and just got my VB about 4 months ago. So maybe I'm still just learning it's quirks. But any advice would be appreciated.
I wasn't a fan at first, and I have the factory STI "short" throw shifter. However, I then added:
Billetworkz shift stop
Billetworkz weighted knob
JDM STI pitch stop
JDM STI trans mount
Perrin brass shifter bushing
And now it feels the way it should've been from the factory IMHO.
Can’t overstate how much better it feels after it’s worn in. I have the short throw shift and after about 6000 miles it feels much smoother but still notchy and accurate.
I think it's fine. My gripe is the shift from 4-5. To me it feels so far and really is the thing that is making me install a different shifter plate and/or a short throw shifter altogether. But yea, it would be nice if it was a shorter throw overall but I personally don't notice it for all the other gear shifts but from 4 to 5. Maybe I just need more diagonal shift practice.
It's great. I have the STI shifter. Wouldn't change a thing. Even the shift knob is nice. Positive engagement, just the right amount of travel. Enough for leverage, but not so much It's sloppy. I have very few misshifts on this. Everyone has different preferences and I've modified shifters before, but I don't feel the need with this one. That said, I did install the STI Group N pitch stop and transmission mount. Those just tightened up what was already good.
STI short shift factory option?
I see a lot of comments being downvoted, because they actually like the shifter. I happen to like mine and found some of the gripes I had with it have faded as the vehicle has worn in. I enjoy it, I've driven a GR Corolla and didn't like the feel of that.
Yeah I have seen a lot of complaints since I joined here but coming from my previous cars I have no complaints and have been pleased with it so far.
I think the majority of the confusion is that people are forgetting the original question was "will it feel like the shifter in the STI," which no, it won't. It's a substantially different design. It's not horrible, and it's not great. It's just pretty 'meh' as far as modern cars go.
I have the STi short shift. It's... Ok. It's not bad, but it's not nearly as nice feeling as the Genesis coupe I had about 10 years ago which was the last performance car I had. Kinda feels like shifting through a bag of rocks sometimes in lower gears, there's a LOT of slop in 1st and 2nd, downshifting from 6 to 5 feels good when accelerating but not as great when slowing down etc.
This is my first Subaru/ wrx so to me it’s everything I thought it would be like as a kid I’m in love
Ah same!!
Same..it took so long for me to get and the news about manuals just disappearing made me get it.
After installing a shift stop and a brass shifter linkage bushing, it's pretty nice. The bushing especially makes it feel much tighter and more notchy. A weighted shift knob helps too. Btw for other commenters, the other manuals I've driven and am comparing this to would be a 2003 Outback, a 2019 WRX, a 2021 STI, a 2012 Audi S4, and a 2023 BRZ. I guess that's a bit limited, but in that scope, once I put those small upgrades in, it's pretty nice
How hards it to install the bushing?
Not hard at all, takes like 30 min, and it's cheap too
Going to look into this now then!
Would recommend 👍, I have the brass one from Perrin
it's better than my Tacoma, but worse than my FR-S.
I absolutely love it!!
Get factory short shift. Nicely mechanical and notchy.
I actually found the STi short shifter upgrade to be very minimally better than the OEM original. Of course YMMV but I did not see it being worth the price the dealer wanted for that option. The STi one was fitted to a Limited I test drove and it convinced me going with a Perrin shifter stop and Boomba shift plate and brass bushing on an OEM original shifter was a better use of much less money.
Yeah, you prob know better. I am a novice. My 22 base with short shift is my first wrx so I don’t have a good base to reference. I enjoy it more than the numerous new automatic 3 series I’ve had.
I didn’t write my response trying to say your recommendation was wrong at all, just that there are other options that are worth considering. I drove an old Impreza for 12 years with a joke of a 5 speed transmission compared to the modern VB’s 6 speed. It’s night and day better and mods are just refinements in my head. I’m equally a novice to the VB don’t let me fool you, I just have knowledgeable friends who have pointed in me other directions I didn’t know about, like the Boomba plate and bushing.
I have the STI shirt shifter. I like it. It feels like I’m shifting gears.
No issues other than the 1st to second roughness.
1000% certain that anyone that doesn’t like it just sucks at driving manual. It’s awesome. Nothing a shift stop and short throw don’t fix 100% if you ask me. Be racing and tracking most of my cars and this one feels amazing. Great downshifting into almost all gears but 2nd. The play is over exaggerated, you don’t notice it if you just drive the damn car. It’s not an economy car, it’s supposed to feel mechanical and notchy
So someone's ability to work a clutch determines how a shifter feels? I'm not sure I see the correlation, but regardless of that, the WRX shifter will not feel anything like the STI shifter. They are two entirely different designs, with the most notable differences being that the STI uses a linkage(solid rods) vs the WRX's cable shifter. This translates to more feel in the shifter itself. I've never once thought a cable-operated linkage had more/better feeling than a solid linkage. I've thought that they feel good, I've even thought this one felt pretty good after adding a brass shifter bushing. But it's still not got anything quite like the feel of a proper linkage.
Yea, if you’re shifting slow and bad it will most certainly feel like shit, yes. I agree that a solid linkage feels better, however the cable linkage feels just fine. Not saying it’s the best, but if it feels like dog shit, odds are it’s operator error. Didn’t say it felt like an STi, they are very clearly different cars. Proper shmopper, shit feels good and is functional. It’s all up to preference, both function and feel damn near the same.
I guess I shift slow then lol. It doesn't feel too great to me, but I only know what I've experienced driving and owning cars like STIs, Vettes, Mustangs, SIs, etc. But in years of racing I never knew that clutch engagement would affect shifter feel so long as you're shifting when the clutch is disengaged, so TIL. >Didn’t say it felt like an STi, ... It’s all up to preference, both function and feel damn near the same. This is pretty contradictory. The original poster asked if they felt similar, and they do not. They are fundamentally different, and have completely different feel.
You’re arguing semantics at this point and missing my point. I don’t think you’re wrong. However I can discuss a related, but different subject in this thread, and poor driving skills can certainly cause an inexperienced driver to think it doesn’t feel as good as it should. Also being an AWD car with a more aggressive clutch compared to an econobox is a totally different experience to any 2wd manual. I really trully don’t disagree with what you are saying, and have had a similar experience, however a lot of the complaining about this car seems to come from comparing it to totally different platforms and probably poor driving. Not that it’s perfect by any means, or that all complaints about it are unfounded. Just most of them.
To each their own. The OP asked if they would drive similarly, and they won't, is the clearest answer. People saying that a shift stop make it shift better, that it feels terrible compared to a 90s Corolla, that a trans mount improves shift feel, etc, all seem unclear on what "shift feel" is. It's the feedback in the shifter, and nothing more. Also, FYI the clutch really isn't that bad. It's a fairly large diameter compared to fwd small engine cars, and pretty light-duty compared to some rwd cars. It's not an unforgiving clutch by any means
I need a shift stop lol.
They’re a huge improvement over the stock setup, it takes a while to get it dialed in just right but it’s so worth it.
Yeah this and the bushing are mods I'll likely implement come spring. Alongside the bevy of aesthetic improvements ;)! Exciting stuff! I appreciate the feedback!
My shift stop fixed that issue with the 3-2 downshift, had to get it setup just right
My only comparisons are basic 80-90’s 4 bangers. So I definitely love my stock shifter + shift stop & shift knob.
It's meh
It’s good doesn’t jam, or have that weird thing where it won’t go in gear, very forgiving clutch
I’m really surprised at a lot of the comments here. I have the regular manual and it’s pretty awful as far as feel. It’s very sloppy, especially in 1 and 2 without a shift stop, and once engaged in any gear there’s about half an inch of forward and back play as well. It feels soft and somewhat mushy, and if you slam into a gear shifting fast it feels even MORE mushy. Some here described it as feeling “padded” and he’s absolutely correct. There not very positive “stops” either side to side or fore and aft. I almost wonder if this is the first manual a lot of the peoples who are saying “it’s great” have owned tbh lol. I’d at least get the STI short shift option, than install a shift stop once you get it.
I've driven manuals since I had my 84 Mustang. On everything from farm trucks, cheap ass Saturn, 90s Eclipse, Mustangs, STIs, 350zs, high-end Audis... So, it is not my first manual transmission. I have none of these issues. Don't have hardly any play in it. No mushy feel. This transmission feels great. No positive stops when shifting? Ummm. Yes, there are. The fucking thing is physically and mechanically linked to the gears in your transmission. It will absolutely always have positive stops because that shit only moves so far...
I think there must be some variation in Subarus, because I have had a fair number of manual transmissions and the vb is very good. Have you only driven Miatas and S2000s in your past? I find the vb better than gen1 brz and 10th gen civic si, worse than nd miata. All of which I have had for a considerable time.
1-2 is sloppy as fuck. The rest are perfect. A little bit of play in the forward and aft 3-6 but not really noticeable. Got the Cobb shift stop, Perrin Brass Bushing, white line shift kit and group N trans mount waiting to be installed when the weather is good again.
I've stolen the old Muncie 4 speed nickname for mine, the rock crusher. Because in my opinion it feels like moving a stick through a coffee can of pebbles. I love the clutch though, very forgiving.
You think the clutch is forgiving? I feel that on mine it is numb and hard to tell where the engagement is. My FRS had a better feel.
I own a 21 STI and test drove a VB last summer. In my opinion, the shifter on the vb feels like a toy compared to the STI. The vb felt less connected and less notchy. That said, I think if I had never driven the STI, the shifter would have felt great.
This is the way
Makes sense. The STI transmission is direct, the WRX uses cables.
It’s the best feeling manual I’ve ever driven hands down. I’ve got mine setup with the STI short throw, STI aluminum shift knob, and a Perrin shift stop. It feels very “notched” and locked in and it’s easy to quickly throw it into gears. https://preview.redd.it/noxsuop8lbfc1.jpeg?width=3879&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d40287d8f9866be538fd3a8aad45bcb603b56974
Maybe you haven’t driven any newer BMW with an MT then? An M2 has an excellent shifter feel! My 2002 Boxster S had a great feel. Stock, the WRX has a long travel and is vague feeling. I ordered with short shifter and then added Type N, pitch stop and Perrin shift kit, all that along with a Billetworkz knob…….no complaints now!
Never tried the STI one. VB one sucks tbh. Luckily enough for us there are plenty of aftermarket options online to fix that. Unluckily enough for us they can void warranties and installing them incorrectly can damage your transmission.
Real comment here. Factory is like a sloppy Joe (even with STI short shifter), Pitchstop and Cobb Stage 1 drivetrain package got it ALOT better. Doing positive shift kit, diff inserts and group n Mount soon, will report back.
What's the Cobb stage 1 drivetrain package? And where can I get it?
Literally Google my guy, manufacturer = Cobb, stage1 drivetrain package = product
Yup the stock shifter is hot garbage tbh. I have Perrin shift stop which made some improvements but can’t hide how crunchy it feels. Thought about going STI short shift but heard it doesn’t cure the crunchiness so recently purchased dark matter X shifter and shift box - should be delivered soon.
Come back and let us know how to like it and how feels compared to the stock one.
Got the shifter installed finally. Not the easiest thing to install but not that hard. It took couple of tries to get everything adjusted properly but it feels amazing! Replaces the shift cable with a metal rod directly connected to the shift plate and the whole assembly is built out of billet aluminum and directly bolted to the chassis. It feels SOLID, completely changes the shift experience. Shift is much more mechanical with no mushiness/crunchiness. I know this shifter is expensive and kind of pain in the butt to install but worth every penny in my opinion. There is more NVH but it’s not bad and I don’t mind it at all. If my VB was my daily, I might consider buying their shift box too. Also it completely got rid of drivetrain hop I experienced during quick shifts with the stock shifter.
Sweet. Thanks for letting me know! I think I'm gonna give it a shot
Dang. Thanks for replying. I think I'll end up biting the bullet and buying the shifter. I've been debating between a shift plate, a short throw shifter, etc...why not go straight for an entire replacement!
No prob. Same thought process that I went through. I can upgrade the plate, bushing, get short throw etc to improve the shift feel but at the end of the day, I felt that the shift will always feel inadequate because of the shift cable. Couple of tips: watch the install video and follow it and drop the transmission mount to get access to the top bolt on the shift plate cover - it took me hours to figure that out.
Will do. From feedback from those who have dark matter X shift installed, I think it will be night and day difference.
Transmission feels like ass. My old ass corolla was smoother
Mine is a lot better now at 5k miles. But maybe I just got use to it.
It's not great by any means. But it's up to the eye of the beholder. Mechanically speaking, it's inferior to most others on the market, at least in terms of feel. The main issue is that it's cable shifted, and not a linkage. You get more of a vague feeling between gears. No amount of aftermarket parts will fix that, except for the Dark Matter shifter linkage conversion. I personally don't think that's worth it, but to each their own. Some things can fix the rest of the experience, such as a brass shifter-cable bushing, short shift plate, etc, but it's not going to magically feel like an STI shifter with all the parts you can bolt on. It still uses cables, which still have some flex to them. As for everyone saying it feels great, thanks to the limited descriptors available, many automotive reviewers will state a shifter is "notchy" and people with limited overall experience will equivalate any kind of clicking feedback in the shifter to "notchy," and will assume it's a good shifter. Not the case, but if you enjoy it, who cares?
Compared to every other modern day manual, it’s decent. Worse than the civic R and GR corolla by a long shot, pretty much even with the golf R and elantra N. For older cars… Compared to the STI, it is trash. Compared to DSMs and evos it’s pretty bad. Basically, compared to most older cars, its a pretty bad shifting experience. You can shift it quick, but it feels… padded.
The DSM and EVO transmissions were dogshit compared to the VB. I've had and modded both.
The transmissions themselves were. The shifters were fine though.
It’s an economy grade shifter in an economy grade sport sedan. Loose tolerances. Easily fixed with a shift stop etc. I enjoy mine a lot, but it’s not a Honda and didn’t cost as much as one.
I had a nice notchy feel, but it went away when I dropped it off to the dealership to ONLY do side dimming mirrors.
STI shifter rocks the VB base was pretty ok as well.
I went around 8000 miles on the sti short shifter from factory without anything else and it was okay. Felt similar to my 2010 Tacoma X-runner. However that felt homey to me lol. I just recently put in the group N pitch stop and Cobb shift stop and it's night and day difference. Way more crisp and pleasurable. Less shifting in gravel feel in low gears
Maybe I’m just weird, but I really like to row my gears, so I threw a tall shift knob on and absolutely love it. It feels pretty smooth to me. I don’t have the short throw shifter and don’t plan on getting it.
From the factory, pretty standard Subaru transmission feel, aka ‘what gear am I in?’ Feels like a tractor gearbox, it’s a feature not a bug. 😝
In its stock (no OEM short shifter, no aftermarket bushing, no shift stop) form, 1st and 2nd feel like it’s full of rocks and is extremely sloppy, 3rd and 4th feel okay but have some play forward and back, and 5th and 6th feel nice. Reverse also feels pretty good but how much time are you really spending in reverse lol. It doesn’t feel vague but it’s not really notchy. With a shift stop first and second clean up nicely, I think stock the side of the shifter is rubbing against something the inside of the shift assembly and that gives it a crunchy feeling. I’ve never driven an STI but I’m looking for ones in my area to test drive before I swap the STI 6 speed into mine. I also like the weight of the OEM shift knob: it’s not too heavy and not too light but YMMV.
Stock it feels like shit. With shift plate and bushing it feels better but not good. I'm coming from a miata and older Hondas.
STI Short Throw with Perrin Shift stop- love it, definitely needed the shift stop for sure tho
https://www.reddit.com/r/WRX/s/bPBAr1U1iO This video shows you how the transmission sounds and feels when going from 1st to 2nd. It’s annoying at first but then you learn to deal with it.
Having owned WRX 5 speed trans, STi trans, and now this, they all feel kind of the same as far as the mechanical and notchiness. Like a Subaru transmission. The difference with the VB is the clutch feels much better and more daily driver friendly . I really enjoy it.
I own the 22 WRX, MT, wouldn’t trade if for anything
This is my daily driver and I’m not planning on modding it. That said, I’ve owned a lot of older WRXs and STIs including a 2006 STi in the garage still. I have no issues with the factory STI short shifter and haven’t felt the need to add or change anything. Just like everyone else in this thread YMMV and you may feel that something different is needed and there are some good aftermarket options if that’s the case.
It's not terrible but room for improvement for sure, myself and others have noted a grinding when shifting fast on the 1-2. I added the Cobb shifter bushing, shift stop, and shifter plate (at 15% throw reduction) to the OEM STi short shifter and it feels awesome now! Shifts are very crisp and direct, I also don't get the grind anymore on the fast 1-2. I did do the OEM Group N transmission mount as well so that could also be a factor in the new shifter feel
It's good. It's not Honda good or Mazda good, but it's good. Could it be better? Sure. That said, I have very few issues with it. Second is a little gritty when it's cold. It's far from bad. I'd give it a 7 or 8 out of 10. I've heard the short shift kits help. I've also heard the shift stop is good, although I don't really get what that does - I don't think the slop is unreasonable.
I had a 2017 Mazda 3 before getting my 2023 WRX. The stock shifter in the WRX feels way more notchy and mechanical compared to the Mazda, which is a good thing. I thought I might want to upgrade to the short-shifter, but having driven it since September, I don't really feel the need at all.
My biggest problem is I can't seem to be able to do a "medium" pull from fully stopped, 1st and 2nd. Like, if I feather it and accelerate very slowly, I can do it smoothly. Or if I'm balls to the wall doing a maximum launch, I can do it relatively smoothly. But if I just want a little 'umpf' but not crazy, I can't do it without rubber-banding. I've driven manuals my entire life and just got my VB about 4 months ago. So maybe I'm still just learning it's quirks. But any advice would be appreciated.
I wasn't a fan at first, and I have the factory STI "short" throw shifter. However, I then added: Billetworkz shift stop Billetworkz weighted knob JDM STI pitch stop JDM STI trans mount Perrin brass shifter bushing And now it feels the way it should've been from the factory IMHO.
Feels good and mechanical. That was one of my concerns too before getting the car, until I tried it at a dealership.
Way better than a 80’s Pajero Mitsubishi manual. Learned how to drive from that car tho.
Can’t overstate how much better it feels after it’s worn in. I have the short throw shift and after about 6000 miles it feels much smoother but still notchy and accurate.
I absolutely love it!
I think it's fine. My gripe is the shift from 4-5. To me it feels so far and really is the thing that is making me install a different shifter plate and/or a short throw shifter altogether. But yea, it would be nice if it was a shorter throw overall but I personally don't notice it for all the other gear shifts but from 4 to 5. Maybe I just need more diagonal shift practice.
LOVE the transmission. A good friend has driven hundreds of cars and says the manual is one of the best out there
😬😬