First, the honest truth about cat-back power
Every brand here advertises horsepower gains, and they're all telling a version of the truth — but on a stock-turbo 2022+ WRX, a cat-back is a sound, weight, and looks upgrade with a small power bonus, not a power mod. AWE, for example, honestly quotes about 7 hp and 4 lb-ft at the wheels; the others land in a similar modest range. The big FA24 power lives in the downpipe, intake, and tune. So pick your exhaust on tone, drone tolerance, and the look you want — not on a dyno number, because they're all close.
Quick guide: which one fits you
If you want the deepest, most aggressive single-exit character with switchable volume, look at HKS. If you want to choose your exact volume level from a clear ladder, Invidia. If you want aggression with genuinely no highway drone, AWE Touring. If you want a JDM-flavored range with a featherweight titanium option, Remark. If you want the most sound-per-dollar from a proven brand, MBRP.
HKS Hi-Power — the character pick
HKS's Hi-Power is a single-exit, straight-through cat-back with 85mm piping and a removable inner silencer, so you can run it around 88 dB on the street or pull the silencer for roughly 100 dB at the track. It's also the lightweight champ here — about 19 lb under stock. The single-exit look is divisive (it replaces the factory quad-tip), and like any straight-through single-exit it can drone on the highway with the silencer out. Best for the driver who wants the most distinctive boxer tone and a switchable street/track setup. Full HKS Hi-Power review here. Shop HKS for the WRX VB.
Invidia — the pick-your-volume range
Invidia's strength is a clear ladder: the Q300 is the quiet, near-stock-comfort option (virtually drone-free), the R400 sits in the aggressive middle, and the N1 is the loud, single/twin-exit track voice. They run 60mm piping and 304 stainless, with quad or single-exit tips. The honest caveat: the popular R400 is widely reported to drone in the 2,000-rpm highway range. Best for the buyer who knows exactly how loud they want to be and wants to pick that level precisely. Shop Invidia for the WRX VB.
AWE — the no-drone engineering pick
AWE splits into two editions built on the same 3", US-made T304L stainless system. The Touring Edition uses AWE's 180 Technology — an active drone-cancelling resonator design — to deliver an aggressive boxer tone with genuinely minimal highway drone. The Track Edition drops the drone cancellation for a rowdier, louder result (AWE literally won't accept returns on it for being too loud). Both are 50-state emissions legal, quote about 7 hp / 4 lb-ft, and AWE sells a conversion kit to switch between them later. Best for the daily driver who wants aggression without commuting in a drone box. Shop AWE for the WRX VB.
Remark — the JDM-flavored range (with a titanium option)
Remark offers a Sports Touring line tuned for a comfortable daily tone (quad-exit, resonated option available) and the louder, track-minded R1-Spec in single or dual exit. The standout is the R1-Spec's titanium muffler option, which drops the rear canister to about 5 lb versus 10 lb for stainless — a real weight saving with the signature dry titanium rasp. T304/Ti construction, 3" piping, hand-TIG-welded. Best for the enthusiast who wants JDM-brand cachet and the option to go featherweight titanium. Shop Remark for the WRX VB.
MBRP — the value pick
MBRP was one of the first to market for the VB and competes hard on price, typically around $1,000 or under while undercutting most of this group. The Street Profile is a 3" system in single or quad-exit, offered across material tiers (Armor Lite, Armor Pro, full T304) so you can choose your finish/durability. It won't have the boutique finish details or the engineered drone-cancellation of the pricier options, but the sound-per-dollar is hard to beat. Best for the buyer who wants a real brand and a great tone without the premium price. Shop MBRP for the WRX VB.
Single-exit vs quad-exit: the look decision
The VB ships with a quad-tip rear. HKS and the single-exit versions of Invidia/Remark convert that to one bullet-style tip — an old-school, time-attack look some love and some find unbalanced on this bumper. AWE, MBRP, and the quad versions of Invidia/Remark keep the factory four-tip appearance. Decide whether you want to keep the quad look before anything else, because it narrows the field fast and the sound differences between brands are smaller than the look difference between single and quad.
Frequently asked questions
Which cat-back is the quietest for the 2022+ WRX?
The quietest options are the ones designed for it: Invidia's Q300, Remark's Sports Touring with the resonator, and AWE's Touring Edition (which actively cancels drone). If a near-stock noise level with just a deeper tone is the goal, those three are the safest picks. The HKS with its silencer installed and MBRP's Street Profile sit a step louder.
Which WRX cat-back has the least drone?
AWE's Touring Edition is the standout for drone specifically, because its 180 Technology is engineered to cancel the highway-cruising frequencies that cause it. Resonated versions (Invidia Q300, resonated Remark Sports Touring) also drone less. Straight-through single-exit systems — including the louder HKS and Invidia N1 configurations — are the most likely to drone at cruising RPM.
How much horsepower does a cat-back add to the WRX?
Modest amounts. AWE quotes about 7 hp and 4 lb-ft at the wheels, and the others are in a similar range on an otherwise stock car. A cat-back is mainly a sound, weight, and looks upgrade; for real power gains you'd add a downpipe, intake, and tune.
Will an aftermarket cat-back keep my factory quad-exit look?
Only the quad-exit systems will — AWE, MBRP, and the quad versions of Invidia and Remark. HKS and the single-exit versions convert the rear to one bullet-style tip. Choose based on whether keeping the four-tip factory appearance matters to you.
Are these cat-backs street legal?
Cat-back systems leave your catalytic converters in place, so they're generally street legal in most states (AWE's are explicitly 50-state emissions legal). Local sound and visual-modification rules still vary, so check your state's rules, especially in California.
Which cat-back is the lightest?
The HKS Hi-Power is roughly 19 lb lighter than stock, and Remark's R1-Spec with the titanium muffler is the featherweight option at around 5 lb for the rear canister versus 10 lb for stainless. If weight is a priority, those two lead the group.
Bottom line
There's no single best cat-back for the VB WRX — there's a best one for what you want. Aggressive single-exit character with switchable volume: HKS. A precise volume ladder: Invidia. Aggression with no drone: AWE Touring. JDM range with a titanium weight option: Remark. Best sound-per-dollar: MBRP. Since the power is a wash across all of them, buy on sound, drone, looks, weight, and budget — and you'll be happy.
Not sure which fits your build? Browse everything for the 2022+ WRX (VB) or reach out — we run these cars ourselves.