Subaru in Forza Horizon 6

Country: Japan | Founded: 1953

So tbh, Boxer engines, you get the idea, or something. Trust me on this. Symmetrical AWD. Rally pedigree that runs so deep it might as well be in the oil. Subaru in FH6 gives you three cars and every single one of them sits in B class. No S1 hero car. No S2 hypercar. Just three B class machines that each approach the same problem from a completely different angle. And honestly? That's more interesting than having a flashy top-tier car that you drive twice and forget about.

And the WRX STI at 730 PI is the rally icon, the one with the big wing and the boxer rumble and the AWD system that's been winning championships since before most FH6 players were born. The BRZ at 620 PI is the odd one out, RWD in a brand defined by AWD, naturally aspirated in a world of turbos, the car that Subaru built with Toyota to prove they could make something light and rear-driven and fun. The Impreza 22B STI at 680 PI is the legend, the homologation special, the wide-body coupe that only existed because Subaru needed 424 road cars to go rallying and accidentally built one of the most desirable Japanese performance cars of all time. Three cars, all B class, and the gap between them is way wider than the PI numbers suggest. I've driven all three extensively and what strikes me is how each one teaches you something different about driving. The WRX STI teaches momentum management. The BRZ teaches weight transfer. And the 22B teaches commitment. All three reward skill. None of them reward brute force.

So three B class cars. Two AWD rally legends. One RWD exception. And enough character between them to keep you building and tuning for months.

Available Vehicles

Big difference.

So three cars, all B class, spanning 620 to 730 PI in a tight, focused lineup. The WRX STI and 22B share the turbo AWD heritage while the BRZ goes its own way with RWD and natural aspiration. Playground Games could easily expand this roster with a Legacy, a Forester STI, or an SVX, but as a three-car sampler of what makes Subaru special, this lineup gets it right.

Driving Characteristics

But the WRX STI at 730 PI is the highest-rated Subaru in FH6 and it's the benchmark for what a turbo AWD sports sedan should feel like. The EJ25 flat-four sits so low in the chassis that the center of gravity is genuinely different from an inline-four car. You feel it in transitions. Where an Evo rolls onto its outside tires and then takes a set, the STI just changes direction with less body movement and less delay. It's subtle but it's real and it adds up across a lap. The symmetrical AWD system splits torque evenly front to rear under normal driving, which gives the car a planted, four-square feel that's completely different from the rear-biased Nissan ATTESA or the front-biased systems in most European AWD cars. Corner entry is neutral. The STI doesn't rotate eagerly like the Evo X and it doesn't understeer stubbornly like a front-biased Audi. It just goes where you point it with no drama and no correction needed. Boring on paper. Effective on track.

But the STI's real talent shows up when you push past eight tenths. Where the Evo's S-AWC actively manages torque distribution to rotate the car, the STI's simpler system requires the driver to create rotation with inputs. Trail brake deeper. Lift off more abruptly. Pick up the throttle earlier. The car responds to every input proportionally and predictably. Nothing is automated. Nothing is computer-managed. It's an honest AWD system in an era when everything is getting smarter and less involving. The EJ25 engine delivers power in a way that's become part of Subaru's identity. 310 horsepower, turbocharged, and there's this lumpy, off-beat thrum from the unequal-length headers that sounds like nothing else on the road. Below 3,500 RPM nothing much happens. Then the turbo spools and there's this wave of torque that pushes you into the seat and keeps building all the way to redline. Not the fastest power delivery in B class. The most characterful one.

So the BRZ at 620 PI is the lowest-rated Subaru and it's the only RWD car in a brand built on AWD. That contradiction is what makes it fascinating. The FA24 boxer makes 228 horsepower without a turbo, which means the power delivery is completely linear. No surge. No lag. Just a straight diagonal line from idle to redline that rewards keeping the engine above 5,000 RPM where the boxer actually wakes up. The steering is the best in the Subaru lineup by a significant margin. Electric rack, yes, but tuned so well that you can read the road surface through the wheel. The chassis balance is the star. 2,800 pounds, front-engine rear-drive, 53/47 weight distribution, and the whole car rotates around your hips like it's pivoting on a center bearing. Get the weight transfer right and the BRZ rotates into corners with zero steering input, just a lift of the throttle and the rear starts coming around. Get it wrong and you understeer past the apex. The feedback is immediate and honest. This car doesn't lie to you. It doesn't hide mistakes. It rewards precision and punishes slop with lap time that disappears in tenths. Some people find it frustrating. I find it educational. Every lap in the BRZ makes you a better driver in every other car.

But the Impreza 22B STI at 680 PI. This is the one. The homologation special that Subaru built in 1998 because rally regulations required 424 road-going versions of the competition car. They widened the body by 80 millimeters. Gave it a 2.2-liter version of the EJ20 capable of 276 horsepower, which was the gentleman's agreement limit in Japan at the time though everyone knew it made more. Painted every single one in World Rally Blue. And created what might be the most desirable Subaru ever built. In FH6 the 22B feels completely different from the modern STI despite sharing the boxer turbo AWD formula. It's lighter. More raw. The turbo lag is more pronounced, the power delivery is more explosive when it hits, and the chassis communicates with a level of detail that modern cars filter out. The steering is heavier. And the suspension has less travel. But the whole car feels more mechanical, more connected, more alive. At 680 PI it's the middle child of the Subaru lineup in terms of performance but it's the one I find myself driving when I'm not chasing lap times, just chasing the feeling of driving. The 22B isn't the fastest Subaru in FH6. It's the one you'll remember driving ten years from now.

And the key difference between all three Subarus is how they use their tires. The WRX STI loads all four corners evenly and the car maintains this perfectly balanced posture through every phase of a corner. The BRZ works the rear tires hardest on exit and the front tires hardest on entry, with a clear weight transfer rhythm you can feel and anticipate. And the 22B is somewhere in between but with more mechanical grip from the wider track and less electronic intervention to smooth things out. Understanding these tire-loading patterns is the difference between fighting each car and flowing with it. Took me about a week of dedicated seat time in each one before the patterns clicked. Worth it.

Best Events

All three Subarus are primarily road racing cars but they excel on different types of circuits. The WRX STI owns technical tracks with lots of corner exits where AWD traction compounds across multiple acceleration zones. Guanajuato is the standout, tight corners, short straights, exactly the layout where the STI's ability to put power down early and often wins races. Mountain Pass circuits work well too, the STI carries speed through medium-speed sweepers with the kind of planted confidence that lets you focus on lines instead of survival. The BRZ is a momentum specialist that punches above its PI on tracks where weight matters more than power. The tight mountain downhill sections, the airport's technical loop, any circuit where carrying speed through corners is more important than outright acceleration. At 620 PI the BRZ will gap higher-rated cars on the right layout because it loses so little speed through corners.

So the 22B is the versatile one. It works on road circuits, it works on dirt, it even works as a drift car with the right setup. On tarmac the 22B loves flowing circuits with elevation changes where the chassis communication helps you find time that other cars leave on the table. On dirt the 22B is genuinely competitive in B class rally events. The shorter wheelbase compared to the modern STI makes it more agile through tight dirt switchbacks, and the mechanical AWD system hooks up on loose surfaces with a rawness that the computer-managed systems can't match.

The BRZ is surprisingly capable in drift zones for a naturally aspirated car. Low power means you can't just floor it and hold angle with horsepower. You have to use weight transfer and throttle control and momentum, which is harder but more satisfying. The 22B can drift too with the center diff set rearward, though it's more of a powerslide machine. The STI will drift if you force it but the long wheelbase and symmetrical AWD make it reluctant. Not impossible. Just not what it was built for.

And cross-country events with the STI and 22B work better than you'd expect. The stock suspension travel is decent, the AWD system transfers well to loose surfaces, and the Subaru rally heritage means these cars were engineered for mixed conditions. Not as fast as dedicated off-roaders like the Land Cruiser or a proper trophy truck, but fast enough to be competitive in B class dirt racing. The BRZ on dirt is a disaster. RWD with no ground clearance and street tires on loose gravel. Just don't.

← Back to All Cars

Tuning Guide

So subaru tuning is about understanding which car you're working with and not applying WRX logic to the BRZ or 22B logic to the STI. Each car has its own baseline, its own weaknesses, and its own path to being fast. Here's what works, tested across hundreds of laps.

Tire Pressure

So wRX STI: drop 2 PSI front, 2.5 PSI rear. The symmetrical AWD system loads all four tires evenly in steady-state cornering but the rear gets loaded harder on exit. The extra rear pressure drop helps the rear squat and grip under power. 22B: drop 2 PSI all around for tarmac, 3 PSI all around for dirt. The older chassis benefits from more compliance across all four corners. BRZ: drop 1.5 PSI front, 3 PSI rear. Maximum rear grip on exit where the RWD layout struggles most, minimal front drop to preserve steering response.

Suspension

So wRX STI: soften springs 10 percent from stock. The factory spring rates are stiff for FH6's bumpy roads and the car skips across mid-corner bumps instead of absorbing them. Stiffen rear anti-roll bar one click, leave front stock. This dials out the mild entry understeer without making the rear twitchy on exit. 22B: soften springs 8 percent all around, stiffen rear anti-roll bar one click. The shorter wheelbase is naturally more responsive and needs less suspension adjustment than the STI. BRZ: soften springs 12 percent all around, stiffen rear anti-roll bar two clicks. The BRZ understeers from the factory for safety and the rear bar adjustment transforms turn-in completely. Two clicks on the BRZ rear bar is the difference between "car won't turn" and "car rotates perfectly." Not exaggerating.

Differential

So wRX STI (AWD): center diff at 65 percent rear bias, front accel lock at 30 percent, rear accel lock at 70 percent, front decel at 10 percent, rear decel at 20 percent. This gives the STI more rotation on throttle than stock while maintaining the planted stability that defines the car. 22B (AWD): center diff at 70 percent rear bias, front accel lock at 25 percent, rear accel lock at 75 percent, front decel at 10 percent, rear decel at 20 percent. The 22B's shorter wheelbase can handle more rear bias without becoming unstable. BRZ (RWD): accel lock at 80 percent, decel at 30 percent. The higher decel lock stabilizes the rear under heavy braking where the BRZ can get loose and requires constant correction.

Gearing

So wRX STI: shorten final drive by 12 percent. The EJ25 has a narrow power band above 3,500 RPM and shorter gearing keeps you in boost through every gear change. 22B: shorten final drive by 10 percent. The 2.2-liter engine revs slightly higher than the EJ25 and needs slightly less aggressive gearing. BRZ: shorten final drive by 15 percent. The FA24 makes power above 5,000 RPM and the stock gearing is absurdly tall for a naturally aspirated engine with a high redline. Shorter gearing keeps you in the power band and transforms the car's acceleration feel. This is the single most important tuning change on the BRZ. Do it first.

Brakes

So race brakes are mandatory on all three Subarus. The WRX STI is heavy at nearly 3,500 pounds and the stock Brembos are good for street driving but fade noticeably after two hard laps. The 22B has 90s brake technology and needs modern pads and rotors to be competitive in B class. And the BRZ is the lightest of the three but the stock brakes are economy-car parts and race brakes dramatically improve consistency across a full race distance. But the braking improvement on the BRZ specifically is worth half a second per lap on technical circuits. I've timed it. Half a second from a brake upgrade. That's more than most power mods deliver for the same PI cost.

Rival Comparison

So the WRX STI's most natural rival is the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X at 720 PI in B class, and this comparison has been running for three decades of real-world rally competition. The STI has 10 more PI and it shows in straight-line speed and overall pace. But the Evo counters with S-AWC torque vectoring that rotates the car more aggressively on throttle and a chassis that feels more eager to turn in. On tarmac the STI is faster on open circuits with long straights. The Evo is faster on tight, technical layouts with lots of corner exits. On dirt the Evo's advantage widens, the S-AWC calibration for loose surfaces is genuinely better than the STI's simpler AWD system. But the STI's lower center of gravity from the boxer engine and its more planted mid-corner feel give it an edge on mixed-surface circuits where transitions matter more than outright dirt pace. Two different philosophies, same class, both competitive.

But the BRZ at 620 PI competes against the Toyota GR86 at 680 PI and the Mazda MX-5 in B class. The BRZ has a lower PI than the GR86 which means more headroom for upgrades, and a well-tuned BRZ with 60 PI in upgrades can outperform a stock GR86 by a meaningful margin. The MX-5 is lighter and more agile but the BRZ has more power and a stiffer chassis. Choosing between them is about preference, not performance. The BRZ is the analytical choice. Precise. Honest. Clinical. The MX-5 is the emotional choice. Playful. Lively. Less grip but more fun. The 22B doesn't have a direct rival at its PI and vehicle type because it's a homologation special from an era when manufacturers built road cars specifically to go racing. The closest comparison is older Japanese performance icons like the Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II at 720 PI and the Mazda RX-7 Spirit R. Against these the 22B gives up some top-end power but gains mid-corner grip and exit traction from the AWD system. Different formula, equally rewarding.

Collection Guide

But all three Subarus are generally available through the Autoshow for credits, making this one of the more accessible brand lineups in FH6. The WRX STI and BRZ are regularly stocked and you should have no trouble acquiring both. The 22B STI is the one to watch, it rotates through availability periods and isn't always in the Autoshow. When it appears, buy it immediately. The 22B is the most desirable Subaru in the game and auction house prices spike every time it cycles out of the standard store.

And auction house strategy for Subarus is straightforward because none of the three are wheelspin-exclusive. Check late evenings and weekends when player activity peaks. Look for listings from players who don't understand the 22B's value and list it at low buyout prices. Set a maximum bid before you start and don't exceed it, there's always another listing. The 22B is popular enough that new listings appear daily, patience beats overpaying. Seasonal reward Subarus with special liveries or pre-built tunes occasionally appear in the festival playlist. These are cosmetic variants, not performance upgrades, but collectors will want them. Watch the festival playlist refresh every Thursday and prioritize any Subaru content the week it appears.

Common Tuning Mistakes

And treating the BRZ like a WRX STI with RWD. The BRZ is a completely different engineering philosophy. The STI is about grip, traction, and exit speed. And the BRZ is about weight transfer, momentum, and carrying speed through corners. Applying STI tuning logic to the BRZ, stiff springs, balanced anti-roll bars, conservative diff settings, results in a car that understeers everywhere and can't put power down. The BRZ needs a soft rear end, a stiff rear sway bar, and aggressive diff locking to rotate properly. Treat it like what it is: a lightweight RWD momentum car with a boxer engine. Not a smaller STI.

So chasing horsepower on the 22B. The EJ22 engine in the 22B can make serious power with upgrades but pushing it too far destroys what makes the car special. Above 350 horsepower the chassis starts to feel overwhelmed, the mechanical AWD system can't keep up with the torque, and the raw, connected feel that defines the 22B gets replaced by constant traction management. Keep the 22B in B class with mild power upgrades and focus on handling. The car's strength is its chassis communication and every horsepower you add dilutes that strength. Fast 22B tunes feel slow. Slow 22B tunes that carry speed through corners feel fast. Counterintuitive but true.

But forgetting the unequal-length header sound. This isn't a performance mistake but it's a soul mistake and it matters. Upgrading the exhaust manifold to equal-length headers on any turbo Subaru eliminates the signature boxer rumble and replaces it with a generic four-cylinder sound. The performance gain is real, slightly better exhaust scavenging at high RPM. But you're driving a Subaru. The rumble is half the experience. Keep the unequal-length headers unless you're chasing leaderboard times where every fraction of a percent matters. For everything else, the soundtrack is worth the tiny performance trade. I made this mistake exactly once on the 22B and immediately reloaded a previous tune. Never again.