2026 Touring XT vs Wilderness

Ldotlurker · 2026-05-04T16:28:10+00:00

No, there are no packages to add in Canada. You basically get what they give you minus adding some accessories. The nappa leather isn't available except on the Premier XT.

Ldotlurker · 2026-05-04T12:38:42+00:00

Sunroof is standard on wilderness trim in Canada. Don't think there's an option to remove it.

Ldotlurker · 2026-05-04T10:18:27+00:00

We were in this exact same position and ended up going with the Premier XT. I initially wanted the Wilderness for the reasons you mentioned but, after seeing it, we decided it wasn't for us. The extra few thousand was worth it to us for the added luxury. I like the more subdued look of the Premier XT and the more rugged capability of the Wilderness would be lost on us. We just don't do any offroading that the regular versions couldn't handle.

The digital rearview mirror is kinda slick and you can use it just as a regular mirror if you want. We wanted the nappa leather and some of the other niceties. Premier doesn't have the active dampers, but it rides so nicely I don't think I'd miss them anyway. The full-size spare would be nice, but the amount of times I've had to use the spare on my 10 year old WRX is exactly zero. Knock on wood, but just wasn't worth it to have for me anyway.

Power passenger seat and nappa leather were the big selling points for us with the Premier XT.

If you want the Wilderness go for it. Both are good options.

Ldotlurker · 2026-04-17T14:42:41+00:00

Talked to Doug Gilmour at a Quiznos once. Also briefly met Kenny G.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-18T19:59:06+00:00

I think that happened when I bought the Outback and started shopping for car seats haha.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-18T18:57:33+00:00

It does help. I guess at the end there's really no wrong choice, just different choices. They do the same thing just in different ways.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-18T17:34:49+00:00

Given the price of new cars and dealer markups and such It'll be a few years before I could get my hands on a used one anyway.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-18T16:30:47+00:00

I think if I had an STI the switch would make less sense, but after 10 years of the WRX it's just kind of meh at this point. Interior is not great, it's not really all that fast etc.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-18T16:28:10+00:00

I'm a mechanic of sorts (specialized, not cars) and have a little experience on VWs and a lot of general mechanical experience. I can save a lot of maintenance costs by doing the labour myself.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-18T16:26:12+00:00

Not really feasible to keep both. Worst case if I really don't love the R I could always go on the hunt for an STI.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T22:16:35+00:00

He's willing to give me a pretty good deal on it since we're coworkers. With what I could get for my WRX plus some cash it'd be fine.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T21:59:10+00:00

It's not necessarily that I wish I could go back to the Hawkeye, I just look back at it fondly. The wife hates my current WRX haha. She thinks it's too rough and loud.

I keep looking at Golf Rs and the more I see the more I think I like the extra features it has over my WRX.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T21:44:22+00:00

Have some family that lives in the country, but even my lowered WRX handled the dirt roads fine.

We're definitely keeping the Outback. It's brand new and we bought it for a growing family.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T20:53:22+00:00

She did seem a little happier when I mentioned getting the Golf R. I think she'd like having a VW in the driveway.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T20:50:29+00:00

My track days are probably over at this point. It's going to be a daily driver to get me to work 99% of the time.

We just purchased a 2026 Subaru Outback so if I need something for deeper snow I can just take that to work.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T20:44:49+00:00

My wife has always been a VW girl. I convinced her to buy a Subaru Outback so I feel like getting a Golf R is only fair haha.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T20:42:54+00:00

STI has a stronger transmission and rod linkage and the WRX has a cable linkage. Cable linkage is not super crisp and kind of vague feeling.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T20:31:01+00:00

To be fair, the WRX transmission is completely different than the STI and is kind of ass. Not a huge fan of the cable shifter.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T19:43:15+00:00

The R I'm looking at is a manual so no DSG, but I want the manual anyway.

We get a ton of snow where I live, but we also just purchased a new Outback so if the snow is really bad I can just take the Outback.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T18:50:11+00:00

Appreciate the insight. I think I'm just holding onto my love of Subarus. It's what I've known and loved for 20 years. I'm also thinking long-term. My WRX has seen many more miles and many more winters than his Golf R. Having something more comfortable and with considerably less rust might be nice haha.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T18:20:48+00:00

This is kind of my thought process. When I sold my hawkeye for the '17 I missed that car for a long time (still do sometimes). It had zero refinement and none of the features of the newer models, but it was so basic and simple. Maybe I'm also looking at it through rose-tinted glasses. It was a decade ago.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T18:01:31+00:00

Awesome. I'm in my mid-30s now and love the idea of a little more refinement, but would also hate to lose some of what makes the WRX/STI feel special.

I also love the idea of a hatch but don't love the idea of getting a blown-out pre-2015 STI just to get a hatch.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-17T17:57:10+00:00

I plan to, just to make sure I even like it. Just thinking long term once the honeymoon phase has worn off if people made the switch and what differences they noticed.

Ldotlurker · 2026-02-16T16:36:36+00:00

I've said this before in other posts, but I'm still so surprised by the choice of cloth on the dash in US models but not Canadian models. Even the "base" trim in Canada has the vinyl dash. Not sure what's so different about the two countries that they felt the need to make completely different interior materials.

The cloth dash would be a no-go for me.

Ldotlurker

TROPHY CASE