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The Best Intake Upgrades for your 2022 WRX!

Written by: Bryon Turcotte

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Time to read 7 min

Maximizing and Optimizing Your Air Flow on the 2022 WRX

Comparing all the subjects which may circulate through a conversation between a group of automotive performance enthusiasts, we could assume that break out discussions regarding increased or optimized airflow would be less of a priority. Even though it might not be the most popular subject amongst those who have just entered the modification world, any veteran Subaru enthusiast, performance driver, or motorsports mechanic will confirm how critical airflow is to a vehicle's performance and why it is a primary and vital element within the internal combustion process. Enhancing a vehicle's air intake to maximize the process can bring the overall performance to a new level by amplifying power, increasing fuel efficiency, and contributing to a reduction of emissions.

Enthusiasts have been investing in ways of modifying and upgrading their stock intake systems to specifically designed components like a Cold Air Intake for years to give a boost to their daily drivers and also to the mechanized companion that gives them so much satisfaction on the track during a weekend event. Subimods wants to provide an informed outline to those who may be investigating this type of modification for the 2022 Subaru WRX platform to explain the options at hand, introduce you to some of the companies that manufacture popular solutions, profile some of the most wanted products within our catalog in this category, and break down the costs so accurate numbers can be added to a budget sheet as the modification moves forward.

An Option to Consider

Again, as we have mentioned in previous articles, it is important to familiarize yourself with any components or systems that will be the primary portion of your upgrade investment. Identifying the components, explaining their purpose, and also providing an outline of how they improve or enhance performance will certainly function as a helpful aid in delivering satisfaction once the process has completed. The Cold Air Intake is a uniquely designed air flow system engineered to both enhance power while providing efficiency to the vehicle's combustion process. No matter what the model or the brand, all manufacturers of Cold Air Intakes design their products with a very important goal supported by specific principles to ensure the maximum optimization of air flow and proper balance to ensure the accurate properties of combustion are constantly maintained.

A properly designed Cold Air Intake should pull a flow of dense, cool air from outside the engine compartment through a long intake pipe extending to the front, side, or bottom of the vehicle keeping the flow and the air filter isolated from any heat generated from the engine. This dense, isolated, cool air consists of more oxygen molecules which are very helpful to the combustion process. The improvement of combustion can provide a significant increase in horsepower, boost the vehicle's torque, and also amplify the vehicle's fuel efficiency. Modifying the WRX air intake system with a Cold Air Intake will also reduce some airflow restrictions which exist when using the factory intake system allowing the vehicle to experience natural, free air flow. Choosing a quality, high performance Cold Air Intake produced by one of the manufacturers featured in the most wanted category of our catalog can amplify your level of performance and provide needed fuel efficiency that can transform and improve the vehicle's personality while boosting its overall muscle and style.

This month's sampling of the Subimods online catalog provided us with the names of five manufacturers who provide the most wanted quality Cold Air Intake components for the 2022 Subaru WRX platform. Our team consults with customers daily working hard to align the best solution with their desired level of performance while keeping both quality and budget tightly woven in the conversation. This list of companies have proven how impactful they continue to be in the marketplace by keeping their innovative level of design, intelligent engineering, and unique style the center of their offerings. Each company brings the spirit of the true enthusiast into their idea stream and implements solutions with the needs of both the daily driver and the professional motorsports practitioner at the top of their priority list. In turn, because of their obvious attention to detail and placement of their ear on the driveway and track, we see their products continue to shine through the wants and needs of our customer base, which live at all four corners of the Subaru modification world. With the 2022 Subaru WRX as our focused vehicle, this month's upgrade overview features the products of Perrin Performance , Mishimoto , AMS (AutoMotorSport), HPS Performance Products, and AEM Performance , five companies who have built solid foundations on their engineering, manufacturing, purpose, and grasp of the enthusiast's spirit. Giving a short profile of each company will hopefully provide a broader stroke of insight to their products to help the customer make appropriate choices based on each organization's ongoing dedication and history behind contributions to the industry. 

Perrin Performance , located in Hillsboro, Oregon, came from humble beginnings over 20 years ago when they decided to slowly concentrate on supplying aftermarket parts for the Subaru brand while quickly building a solid, premiere name through their engineering, performance testing, and manufacturing over the next 15 years of operation. As of 2024, the Perrin brand has impacted drivers from highway to track proudly enjoying the status as one of the leading suppliers to the Subaru aftermarket and its customers. Founded in Japan, Mishimoto has been serving the needs of Subaru enthusiasts and lovers of performance for multiple brands since 2005. Their engineers have been moving quickly to successfully establish themselves as one of the superior suppliers of cooling system upgrades in the industry and in competitive motorsports. Illinois-based AMS has also built themselves into a quality brand which has been leaving its footprints all over the motorsports world for over two decades. Starting as AutoMotorSport in 2001, their team continued to pivot as changes came to the market, performance needs were more demanding, and the enthusiast communities kept growing. Within 10 years and moving steadily beyond into the present day, AMS has been fully immersed in the world of performance and track providing some of the best drivers with quality solutions and stunning victories all at once. California-based companies HPS Performance and AEM Performance have both been impactful by bringing their engineering and innovations to a wide range of industries in and outside the auto industry. Since 2007, HPS has been providing everything from high quality silicon hose, aluminum tubing, to performance air induction systems including air intakes, intercooler piping, and drop-in air filters. For close to 40 years, AEM has been an impressive supplier of performance air intakes, filter systems and performance parts since starting in 1987 as a small performance tuning shop in the city of Compton. 


Most Wanted Breakdown

No matter if they have been in business for 20, 30, or 40 years, each of the manufacturers featured above have a proven attention to quality, engineering, tooling, and fitment which has established their provenance and image as international suppliers who outfit the needs of the most demanding of drivers from around the world with an impressive arsenal of products. Looking closer into the Cold Air Intake category, we see several items within the $300 to $500 price range be possible upgrade contenders for those owners of the 2022 Subaru WRX who desire a nice boost of power, enhanced efficiency, and product quality to provide the initials of performance on their modification investment. The first brand to appear within the current listing of Subimods' most wanted are offerings from Perrin Performance.


They offer four options for the WRX platform which include, the Perrin Hi-Power Cold Air Intake in Black for less than $350 , plus the same model in Neon Yellow for around $350 , the Hyper Pink for around $360 , and the stunning Red for just under $400 . For a price point topping out right under $360, AMS Performance throws their hat into the ring with both smart engineering, innovation, and stylish design offering their Cold Air Intake Kit finished in the always popular Wrinkle Black at $359.95 , which is a great deal for any enthusiast ready to get their feet wet. The folks at Mishimoto Performance have also jumped into the list with their popular and stylish offering, their Cold Air Intake , also in the coveted Wrinkle Black, but also with Air Box , priced at under $408.00 , another quality component from this company that is obviously causing some customers to take a second look and choose accordingly.

As we approach the $400 to $450 price range , we see two more featured companies offering their brand of intake solutions which have also become popular with our customers through our online catalog. HPS Performance offers their Cold Air Intake Kit with Heat Shield for the 2022 WRX with a price point that slips under $440 . Lastly, AEM Performance steps into the spotlight with their solution, a Cold Air Intake Kit Wrinkle Gray w/ Airbox for right under $450 that will hopefully fit both the upgrade needs of the enthusiast and the budget that sometimes requires tightening. Any of these quality solutions should prove to be good choices, but always remember to consult with one of our experts to confirm what is the most appropriate part for your individual vehicle and your performance requirements.


For more information regarding aftermarket parts for your 2022 Subaru WRX , please visit our website and explore the section dedicated to your platform at: https://subimods.com/collections/2022-wrx


Bryon Turcotte

Bryon Turcotte - Marketing Writer/Analyst

Turcotte has worked as a writer, journalist, and digital content developer for 30 years. He began his career in music journalism in 1995 then worked for several years as both a staff writer, managing editor, and a freelancer for both regional and national music publications. Over the next three decades his contributions extended beyond the music industry as he served within the realms of higher education, science and technology, manufacturing, and finance. He has been serving as a content developer and writer on the Subimods Marketing team since August 2023.

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