Subaru WRX VB 2022+ exhaust: bringing back the boxer rumble, the complete guide
The new-generation WRX remains the rally saloon par excellence, and the boxer rumble is as much a part of its heritage as gold and blue. The factory exhaust smoothed it over: our exhaust system restores it in full. Here you will find everything that matters before configuring the exhaust for your Subaru WRX VB Turbo: catalytic converter, material, valves, tips and vehicle inspection.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the Subaru WRX VB Turbo
From €2,490 in stainless steel, €2,990 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- Subaru WRX VB 2.4 Turbo (2022-2024)
- Engine
- 275 hp · 350 Nm
- Exhaust
- Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
- Material
- 304 stainless steel or titanium
- Front section
- Optional: catted manifolds with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
- Valves
- ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
- Lead time
- 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship
Closely related versions have their own guide: Subaru Impreza WRX STI GD saloon 2.5 EJ257, Subaru WRX VA 2.0 Turbo 6-speed manual.
The Subaru flat-4: the boxer rumble, signature of a rally legend
The turbocharged flat-four in your WRX VB 2022+ has one of the most iconic sound signatures in the world: the boxer rumble, that syncopated beat born of unequal-length headers, the soundtrack of the WRC stages of the Colin McRae years. Recent factory exhausts have smoothed out that character: many owners want to get it back, in full.
The ROG exhaust brings it back: the deep, syncopated rumble at idle, the raspy pull under load, the crackles on the overrun. It is the sound of rallying, with valves for Monday mornings.
How the exhaust on your Subaru WRX VB Turbo is put together
An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.
The cat-back is the complete exhaust system
It is everything you can see under your Subaru WRX VB Turbo, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencers, valves. This is the part where most of our research and development goes: it is what shapes the sound, and it is enough on its own to transform the car.
The front section, where the catalytic converter sits
On your Subaru WRX VB Turbo, it is the manifolds, which collect the gases as they leave the cylinders. The factory catalytic converter is built into it: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Replacing it is optional: it frees up the flow, and it is the ECU remap that turns that into horsepower.
The figures for your Subaru WRX VB Turbo
An exhaust system is judged first by ear and on the scales. The extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap.
Power
Torque
Published manufacturer and Stage 2 figures, converted from US units.
The ROG exhaust works with or without an ECU remap. To get the full potential out of your Subaru WRX VB Turbo, we recommend taking it to an approved tuning centre afterwards.
Let's be frank: the exhaust alone brings a moderate gain. The turbo boxer, on the other hand, is a tuning legend: with an ECU remap at an approved tuning centre, the figures above are documented by twenty years of the WRX and STI community.
Configuring your exhaust, step by step
4 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.
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Step 1 of 4: Material: stainless steel or titanium
For your Subaru WRX VB Turbo, the exhaust costs €2,490 in stainless steel and €2,990 in titanium.
304 stainless steel
€2,490
- Weight
- Baseline
- Sound
- Full and rounded
The safe bet: strong, corrosion-proof, with a full, rounded sound. The best value for money.
Titanium
€2,990
- Weight
- Around 40% lighter
- Sound
- Metallic, crystal-clear
It makes the exhaust around 40% lighter for the same design. Its note is more metallic and clearer higher up the rev range, and its finish ranges from brushed to blued.
No worries on durability: 304 stainless steel shrugs off winter road salt and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.
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Step 2 of 4: Front section: manifolds and catalytic converter
Optional: the manifolds on your Subaru WRX VB Turbo, with their catalytic converter. Each option is placed on our sound scale of 0 to 10, valves open, with the factory exhaust at 3.
Cat-back only
Included
7/10Factory emissions control
The factory front section stays in place. It is already a complete transformation, and the choice of many of our customers.
200-cell sports catalytic converter
+€1,170
8/10Road use and inspection
More flow, emissions control retained: the right option for road use.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+€1,170
9/10Inspection: depends on local rules
More open than the 200-cell: the sound hardens at high revs and emissions control is reduced.
Decat
+€820
10/10Track use
Flow with no filter at all: the rawest sound and the sharpest response.
Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10
- 10/10Decat manifolds + ROG cat-back
- 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
- 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison
Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.
What about the engine warning light? With a sports catalytic converter it can come on, because the rear oxygen sensor reads less cleaning. Nothing mechanical is wrong: an ECU remap or a session with a diagnostic tool sorts it out. Without a catalytic converter, you will need an ECU remap. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing vehicle inspection with a sports exhaust.
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Step 3 of 4: Valves: ROG remote or factory control
Two ways to control the valves on your Subaru WRX VB Turbo.
ROG remote
A discreet control unit in the boot and a two-button remote: you open and close whenever you like, independently of the drive modes. For fitting, we support you by phone or by email.
Factory control
- Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
- Controlled by the drive modes
For vehicles fitted with factory valves: the exhaust connects to their control and the drive modes stay in charge, with no extra control unit.
At 130 km/h, many sports exhausts drone. Here, with the valves closed, the exhaust flows through the silencer and stays composed when cruising; open, it makes itself heard when you choose. More about exhaust drone.
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Step 4 of 4: Tips: the visual signature
Match the tips to the style of your Subaru WRX VB Turbo, understated or bold. A particular finish in mind? Send us a photo and we will look at it together.
- Stainless steel
- Black
- Carbon
- Blued titanium
The ROG sound signature on the boxer
Our exhaust restores the full boxer rumble: the syncopated beat at idle, the raspy pull under load, and crackles on the overrun with the valves open. Close your eyes: you are on a WRC special stage. Open the valves and it gets even better. With the valves closed, back to calm for the office run.
From order to fitting
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Configuration
You configure the exhaust and enter the VIN from box E of your registration document or from the base of the windscreen.
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Check
Your VIN is checked before any manufacturing begins.
-
Manufacturing
The exhaust is produced to order, for your vehicle.
-
Delivery
Free in Europe, insured parcel, tracking number from dispatch.
-
Fitting
Around two hours in the workshop, with no welding or cutting.
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
- Payment
- In instalments with Klarna
- Installation
- At the garage of your choice
Is your Subaru WRX VB Turbo still under the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, the manufacturer cannot refuse cover simply because a part from another brand has been fitted: it is up to the manufacturer to prove that the fault came from that part. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your Subaru WRX VB Turbo
-
Daily driving
€2,490
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your Subaru WRX VB Turbo stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves whenever you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
€4,160
- Titanium
- 200-cell manifolds
- ECU remap
The best of both worlds: character and breathing, with emissions control retained.
View this configuration -
Track
€3,810
- Titanium
- Decat manifolds
- Stage 2
The most extreme configuration, for track use only.
View this configuration
Every Subaru WRX VB Turbo has its own story and its own use: if none of these profiles sounds like you, let's talk.
Subaru WRX VB Turbo: your questions
How much power does an exhaust system add to the Subaru WRX VB Turbo?
As standard, the Subaru WRX VB Turbo produces 275 hp and 350 Nm. The exhaust alone acts first on sound, breathing and weight; the extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures reach 319 hp and 469 Nm.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the Subaru WRX VB Turbo?
For the Subaru WRX VB Turbo, the ROG exhaust costs €2,490 in stainless steel and €2,990 in titanium. Stainless steel is the safe bet, with a full sound; titanium makes the exhaust around 40% lighter and gives a more metallic note higher up the rev range.
Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the Subaru WRX VB Turbo?
It is not compulsory. The cat-back alone is enough to change the character of the Subaru WRX VB Turbo. Replacing the manifolds is how you go further, together with an ECU remap: 200 cells for the road, 100 cells or decat for more radical use.
Will a ROG exhaust pass vehicle inspection on the Subaru WRX VB Turbo?
The cat-back only and the 200-cell converter both retain emissions control: present the Subaru WRX VB Turbo with the valves closed. With the 100-cell, acceptance at the emissions test depends on the car and local rules; the decat is intended for track use.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted to the Subaru WRX VB Turbo?
With clamps and gaskets, no welding or cutting: around two hours in the workshop for a well-equipped mechanic. The exhaust is built to the VIN of your Subaru WRX VB Turbo.
What does a ROG exhaust cost for the Subaru WRX VB Turbo, and how long does it take?
From €2,490 to €4,160 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Delivery is free and the exhaust comes with a 3-year warranty.
Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.
Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you drive and on your Subaru WRX VB Turbo. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.
ROG is a French brand, and the way we work comes down to one idea: an exhaust system should be sold with advice, not just a product page. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Further reading
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