The Origins: A Practical Crosstrek With Untapped Potential

Subaru, historically, has produced some impressive performance wagons and hatchbacks, but in recent years, Subaru has been starving the North American market of anything combining both fun and storage capacity. One of our Renndvous Community members, Stephen Ketelsen, dared to build something Subaru wouldn’t, and has created the first VB-swapped Crosstrek in the world!

When Stephen Ketelsen purchased his brand-new 2020 Subaru Crosstrek in January 2020, it was chosen with purpose. Stephen needed a reliable, all-wheel drive hatchback capable of surviving Rochester winters while giving him the chance to learn manual driving and basic wrenching skills. The GT7 Crosstrek (2018-2023) checked every box, except one.

Even after modifications, its 150 horsepower FB20 engine held the car back. The Crosstrek felt capable in every area except performance, and Stephen found himself falling out of love with the driving experience, and, like many other enthusiasts, knew the platform needed more power.

Everything changed when Subaru introduced the FA24 and transitioned the lineup onto the Subaru Global Platform, as the similarities between the GT7 Crosstrek and the VB WRX were too significant to ignore. The geometry of the chassis, layout of the subframe, and positioning of the drivetrain made a frankenstein merger of the platforms too tempting to resist.

By late summer 2024, after purchasing a second vehicle (a 2021 Tacoma TRD Sport) and rarely driving the Crosstrek anymore, Stephen reached a turning point. Selling the Crosstrek felt wrong; it held too much sentimental value. But transforming it? That felt right. One test drive of a VB WRX sealed the decision: the Crosstrek would soon become everything Subaru never built.

Research, Risk Assessment, and Securing the Donor WRX

Before the build-out, Stephen conducted extensive research, studying the wiring diagrams, part numbers, subframe measurements, ECU layouts, and every technical comparison available to make sure it would function. Since this was the first swap of such kind ever completed, the project offered no blueprint and zero certainty.

In order to confirm the idea would work, Stephen met with Dan Hurwitz of Mach V Motorsports in Sterling, Virginia, where they placed the Crosstrek and a VB WRX on lifts for a direct comparison. The results were as expected: nearly identical subframes, extremely similar chassis geometry, and interior architecture that suggested significant cross-compatibility.

Still believing in the vision, Stephen searched salvage auctions and finally, in October 2024, secured the perfect donor: a 2022 Subaru WRX Premium with the FA24 turbo engine and 6-speed manual transmission.

The moment it arrived, Stephen began tearing it down inside his apartment garage, where the entire WRX interior was removed piece by piece, every connector labeled, every bolt cataloged. Once the WRX was torn apart, he began dismantling the Crosstrek: seats, dash, wiring, suspension, rear subframe, and front-end components all torn out of the car.

The Swap Execution: Powertrain Integration, Wiring, and the Full WRX Front End

In August 2025, both vehicles were delivered to Mach V Motorsports, marking the point where planning turned into execution. Over the next several weeks, Mach V removed both powertrains and integrated the VB WRX drivetrain into the Crosstrek. The core concept proved solid, the FA24 engine and six-speed manual transmission bolted directly into the GT7 chassis without requiring custom mounts or structural modifications, highlighting the flexibility of Subaru’s Global Platform.

That said, the swap wasn’t entirely straightforward. The Crosstrek’s radiator core support proved incompatible with the WRX cooling system, making a full WRX front-end conversion unavoidable. Both cars were sent to Independent Car Collision, where fabricator Marc Gomez handled the necessary structural and cosmetic work. Marc removed the Crosstrek core support, welded in the WRX unit, and test-fit all WRX body panels to evaluate alignment. When the WRX fenders failed to mount correctly, he modified and re-stitched them to match the Crosstrek’s mounting geometry while preserving the VB body lines. The entire front section was then refinished for a factory-quality appearance.

Meanwhile, Mach V focused on the electrical side of the build. Adapting a sedan wiring harness to a hatchback shell required extensive reworking of rear-body circuits, module communication, and interior routing. Once complete, the Crosstrek functioned electronically as a VB WRX in every meaningful way.

A few weeks later, the Crosstrek started for the first time with its FA24 drivetrain in place, marking the moment Stephen’s long-term vision transitioned from concept to reality.

The Build Details: Suspension, Components, and Final Configuration

With the VB WRX drivetrain in place, the build moved to suspension tuning and supporting upgrades. The full mod list is documented on the Renndvous vehicle profile , including Whiteline front and rear sway bars, adjustable end links, front lower control arms, rear toe arms, a roll center correction kit, ISC N1 coilovers, ISC adjustable rear lower control arms, and a custom catback exhaust.

Cosmetic changes stay OEM-plus with OEM rain guards, an STI spoiler, and gloss black powdercoated OEM 2022+ WRX wheels.

On the road, the FA24-swapped Subaru Crosstrek delivers a stock-like VB WRX driving experience with hatchback practicality and nearly double the original FB20 power. Next steps include bolt-on performance upgrades, further suspension refinement, and a future STI six-speed swap when the factory transmission reaches its limit. And for the record, this isn’t a Levorg clone, as the Levorg is a true wagon, was never offered with a manual, and the profile behind the rear doors is fundamentally different. This is a one-of-one WRX-swapped Crosstrek built on Stephen’s terms.

View the Full Build Here: https://renndvous.com/vb_hatch/vehicle/10777/