2022+ WRX Catback Exhaust Upgrades: Sound and Flow
Exhaust upgrades on the 2022+ WRX change the sound and the weight at the back of the car, and they give the FA24 an easier path out. They do not turn a stock tune into a big power number. A catback is the section behind the catalytic converter. The converter stays. Any real power change still needs a tune written for the exhaust you drive.
What a Catback Changes
The factory exhaust on the VB WRX is quiet on purpose. It has to meet noise rules and emissions rules, and it has to work for someone who did not buy the car to hear a boxer. The note that comes with that is muffled. A catback replaces the piping, resonators, and mufflers after the converter. It does not replace the downpipe, and it does not remove the catalyst.
That swap does four jobs. Less restrictive pipe lets exhaust leave faster, which is why a freer catback can help the turbo. The boxer growl is no longer buried. Titanium, or a thinner stainless wall, takes weight off the rear. And if a Stage 1 or Stage 2 tune is the plan later, the catback is already the rear half of that exhaust.
The listings that follow cover the 2022 through 2026 WRX. AWE calls out the FA24. Remark’s Sports Touring is written for the 2.4L FA24F. Borla’s ATAK is written for the WRX with the 2.4L.
Note
AWE is the brand that publishes a wheel number for these catbacks: a stated maximum of 7 hp and 4 lb-ft. That figure is AWE’s claim for the Touring and Track systems. It is not a number for every pipe on this page, and it is not what a tune adds later.
Side by Side
Pick the row for how the car is used. The brand sections under the table are where the pipe size, tips, and hardware live.
| Goal | Start here | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lightest build | Tomei Type-R or Type-D | Full titanium |
| Daily, less drone | AWE Touring | 180 Technology in the rear |
| Subtle Remark | Sports Touring resonated | 19 in midpipe resonator |
| Louder Remark | Sports Touring non-resonated | Same line, no that resonator |
| Single-exit Remark | R1-Spec | 3 in pipe, 4.5 in tip |
| Street, long warranty | Borla S-Type | Million-Mile Warranty on the listing |
| Aggressive single exit | Borla ATAK | 3 in, passenger-side tip |
| Loud on purpose | AWE Track | No rear 180 resonators |
Tomei Expreme Ti
Tomei is the full-titanium pair. Both the Type-R single exit and the Type-D dual exit are listed for the 2022–2026 WRX. The pipe is shaped to cut bends, and the joints are a spring and clamp instead of a conventional flange. That is the weight savings. The listings do not publish a pound figure, so the comparison stops at “titanium versus stainless,” not at a number of pounds.
| Measure | Type-R | Type-D |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Titanium | Titanium |
| Exit | Single | Dual |
| Tone on the listing | Powerful, refined | Deep, aggressive |
| Joints | Spring and clamp | Spring and clamp |
Type-R is the single-exit look. Type-D keeps two tips. Both listings say an OEM downpipe to a 3-inch catback adapter may be required. Skip that check and the pipe may not meet the stock downpipe.
Pro Tip
Read the adapter line on the Tomei listing before you order. The same note is on the Remark R1-Spec. AWE’s catbacks are listed as a direct bolt-on, so that adapter is not a universal WRX part.
Remark Catbacks
Remark is the line with the most forks: a quieter stainless catback, a louder one, and a single-exit system with a titanium muffler. The 2022+ WRX Remark listings are the set. Three of them cover the choice.
Sports Touring, resonated or not
The Sports Touring resonated catback is Remark’s flagship for the 2022+ WRX. It is built for the FA24F, and Remark says the piping diameter is more than 25% larger, with fewer bends and a path tucked up for ground clearance. A 19-inch resonator on the midpipe is what quiets it. That listing points to the non-resonated kit when you want the same system a bit louder.
The non-resonated Sports Touring is full T304 stainless, 16-gauge mandrel bends, a 3-inch pipe into a 2.5-inch Y, and 4-inch polished quad tips. Its own listing still calls the note mature, and it ties drone reduction to other aftermarket parts on the car. It is the louder Remark, not a silent one.
R1-Spec single exit
The R1-Spec is the track-style single exit. The muffler section is titanium. The midpipe is T304 stainless. Piping is 16-gauge, full 3-inch, with a 4.5-inch slant-cut tip. A burnt titanium tip is one of the options. The same adapter note as Tomei is on this listing: an OEM downpipe to a 3-inch catback adapter may be required.
| Remark | Material | What you hear |
|---|---|---|
| Sports Touring resonated | Stainless | Subtle, deep |
| Sports Touring non-resonated | T304, 16-gauge | Louder than resonated |
| R1-Spec | Ti muffler, SS midpipe | Single-exit, freer flow |
AWE Touring and Track
AWE splits the same 3-inch stainless catback into a daily and a loud version. Both are on the 2022+ WRX AWE listings. Both are listed as a direct bolt-on, both use U.S.-made 0.065-inch-wall T304L, and both carry 102 mm quad tips. AWE states the same maximum for each: 7 hp and 4 lb-ft at the wheels. The warranty line on both listings is lifetime, with one year on the tip finish, plus a no-check-engine-light guarantee.
| Measure | Touring | Track |
|---|---|---|
| Rear sound control | 180 Technology | Those resonators removed |
| Midpipe | Resonated | Bullet resonator |
| Cabin | Quiet at cruise | Loud at all speeds |
| Tips | Chrome silver | Diamond black |
| Stated wheel gain | 7 hp, 4 lb-ft | 7 hp, 4 lb-ft |
The Touring Edition is the one built around 180 Technology. AWE describes it as a deep boxer note with crackle, and without interior drone at cruising speed. The resonators are the part AWE says will not break down and change the tone later. This is the commuter version.
The Track Edition keeps the midpipe resonator and drops the rear 180 Technology resonators. AWE’s description is rumble with little filtering, inside the cabin and outside it, at every speed. The listing says this one can be too much, and that it cannot be returned because of the sound.
Warning
Do not order the AWE Track if the goal is a quiet highway. The listing removes the drone-canceling rear resonators and says the system cannot be returned over sound. Touring is the version that keeps 180 Technology.
Borla S-Type and ATAK
Borla is the stainless pair with two different volumes. Both listings cover the 2022–2026 WRX. The S-Type is the street system. ATAK is the aggressive single exit.
S-Type
The S-Type is aircraft-grade T-304, with a 3-inch mandrel-bent midpipe into a 2.25-inch Y and polished 3.5-inch double-wall quad tips. Borla’s straight-through, multi-core mufflers are the flow path. The listing includes drone-canceling technology and Borla’s Million-Mile Warranty. This is the one to open if the car is a daily and the warranty line matters.
ATAK
The ATAK is a 3-inch single exit for the 2.4L WRX, out the passenger side, ending in a 4.5-inch brushed T-304 tip. Polyphonic Harmonizer is Borla’s name for the tuned pipes inside the muffler. The listing describes a deep tone with the aggressive ATAK profile, and it says that profile is without cabin drone. Construction is T-304 with mandrel bends. Treat ATAK as the loud single-exit Borla, and the S-Type as the quad-tip street Borla.
| Measure | S-Type | ATAK |
|---|---|---|
| Material | T-304 | T-304 |
| Pipe | 3 in to 2.25 in Y | 3 in single |
| Tip | 3.5 in quad | 4.5 in single |
| Character | Street, drone control | Aggressive ATAK |
How to Choose
Sound is the decision. Weight and warranty break a tie. Power does not, until there is a tune.
- Decide if the highway has to stay civil. AWE Touring, Remark’s resonated Sports Touring, and the Borla S-Type are the listings aimed at that. AWE Track is the one that fails this test on purpose.
- Decide single exit or the stock dual openings. Tomei Type-R, Remark R1-Spec, and Borla ATAK are single exit. Tomei Type-D, Remark Sports Touring, AWE, and Borla S-Type keep a quad or dual-tip layout.
- Pick the metal for the reason you care about. Full titanium is Tomei. Remark R1-Spec is titanium only in the muffler. The rest of this page is stainless.
- Read the adapter line for that exact listing. Tomei and the R1-Spec say a 3-inch adapter off the OEM downpipe may be required. AWE lists a direct bolt-on. Ordering the wrong joint means the catback does not meet the downpipe.
- Leave the catalytic converter on the car. A catback does not replace it. A street WRX keeps the catalyst. The flow gain in these listings is from the pipe and mufflers after it.
- Plan the tune if the goal is power. The only wheel figure on these pages is AWE’s stated 7 hp and 4 lb-ft. A Stage 1 or Stage 2 map is what makes a freer exhaust part of a larger setup. The pipe by itself stays a sound and weight change.
Warranty is a tie-break, not a sound. The Borla S-Type listing includes the Million-Mile Warranty. Both AWE listings say lifetime coverage, with one year on the tip finish.
FAQ
What do exhaust upgrades change on a 2022+ WRX?
A catback changes the tone, cuts restriction after the converter, and can cut weight if the system is titanium or a lighter stainless wall. It does not remove the catalytic converter.
Will a catback add a lot of power by itself?
No. AWE publishes a small wheel gain for its Touring and Track catbacks. The other systems on this page are chosen for sound, fit, and material. A tune is what maps the engine to the pipe.
Which catback is the quiet daily?
AWE Touring, with 180 Technology. Remark’s resonated Sports Touring and the Borla S-Type are the other listings written for a calmer cabin. AWE Track is the loud one.
Do I need an adapter?
Only if that listing says so. Tomei and the Remark R1-Spec say an OEM downpipe to a 3-inch catback adapter may be required. AWE lists its catbacks as a direct bolt-on.
Does a catback delete the catalytic converter?
No. The converter stays in place. These systems replace the exhaust behind it.
Which listings cover my year?
The Tomei, Remark, AWE, and Borla catbacks in this guide are listed for the 2022 through 2026 WRX. Match the product page to the car before you order.
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