The wing is optional.
Of all the little details that make up the mid-cycle refresh of Subaru’s wild n’ woolly STI, it’s perhaps this little tidbit that gives some kind of a clue as to what the company is trying to do here. Yes, you can get this car with a massive rear spoiler, just as has been the case since its 2004 North American debut, but you can also go subtle.
“Subtle” is not normally something you’d associate with the STI, but at least on the West Coast, Subaru’s hottest model hasn’t only been for the kids. Older owners, especially those whose kids have flown the nest of a Subaru Forester, have found much to like about the combination of sedan practicality and turbocharged performance.
The appeal is especially evident for North Shore residents, what with Subaru Canada’s rally cars being built just up the road at Rocket Rally in Squamish. The STI is more a tuner special than a refined sport sedan, but it fits well with the rough and tumble outdoors life you find around here.
So, with the new Impreza platform out, Subaru’s seen fit to provide their halo car with a few extra goodies to stretch things out to a potential full new model in 2020. A no-cost wing delete option is one tweak. Taken collectively, the rest of the changes might make this the best STI yet.
Design
If you go look up the WRX/STI on Subaru’s website, you’ll note that Subaru separates its two performance models out from the rest of the Impreza range. Yes, the bodywork’s different, and there’s a bit more chassis stiffness, but there are also philosophical differences too. The Impreza is supposed to be reserved, classy, and broadly appealing. The STI? Not so much.
Start things off with the de rigeur hood scoop, and fenders flared out to swallow up 19-inch wheels. Previous years have made do with 18-inch alloys (which will still fit, if you’re looking for a winter set), but higher spec STIs now get a new look and a bit more rigidity for track duty.
Hiding behind those wheels is a dash of wasabi in the form of new six-piston front brakes. These represent probably the biggest performance improvement for the STI, and should make it an even better lapping companion at the track.
Round things out with LED headlights, noting that the STI now gets dynamic headlights to deal with dark country roads. Feel free to mount a couple of big, round auxiliary lamps up front too – it’s practically traditional.
Environment
The first STIs to hit our shore were a bit juvenile, with bright blue seats and a rubbery interior. The new car is much better, but perhaps lacks the quality you’d see in a VW GTI.
On the other hand, a few little changes in here have classed up the STI to the point that it no longer feels like the R&D team blew their entire budget on the powertrain. New gauges are crisper and easier to read, and upgrades to the infotainment and upper display give the STI’s interior some visual punch.
The front seats are grippy, but not overly bolstered; unlike the rival Focus RS, this is an easy car to jump in and out of. The introduction of red seatbelts is a bit boy racer-ish, but considering how much Porsche charges for them, maybe we shouldn’t complain that these are now standard. Trunk space remains a useful 340 litres, and the rear seats swallow up a couple of car seats without issue.
Performance
On its debut, the STI was a revelation, with a 2.5-litre flat-four engine that produced more than 300 horsepower. At the time, it took the fight directly to upper-class rivals like the Audi S4.
More than a decade later, the STI’s heartbeat is still a 2.5-litre flat-four that makes just a little more than 300 h.p. (305 h.p. at 6,000 r.p.m.). On the plus side, the EJ-series engine is well understood by the aftermarket, and if you don’t mind messing with your warranty, the aforementioned rally geniuses up at Rocket will happily unlock enough power to put the Focus RS or Golf R firmly in your rearview at the track.
Even if you don’t, Subaru has at least reworked their engine management software for a smoother application of power. However, compared to the way the WRX has been transformed in this generation with its new direct-injection 2.0-litre engine, the STI feels like an older machine.
But again, there’s a give-and-take here too. The STI’s quicker, hydraulic-assist rack provides excellent feedback, and its shifter is more mechanically notchy than the WRX’s. Add in the always-on all-wheel drive, and you have a mechanical experience that’s missing from many cars.
Grip levels are excellent, but where the STI really shines is in transitions and just general booting around. It’s surge-y and boosted and honest. Refinement is improved with lower cabin noise levels – thanks to improvements in the door seals – but this is no Forester. It’s still old school Subaru grumbly.
In short, the STI still has the character we’ve come to expect and love, albeit with a bit more poise and polish. It’s not a new machine, but it is an improved one. You can order one without that wing, but it’s still going to come with the same STI spirit.
Features
The basic STI starts off where the WRX ends, a little less than $40,000, and comes with all the performance good stuff you want, including the adaptive cornering headlights. Stepping up to the $46,595 Sport Tech package gives you 19-inch alloys, a seven-inch touchscreen with navigation, and a nine-speaker audio system.
Official fuel economy figures are 14.1 litres/100 kilometres in the city and 10.5 on the highway, with premium fuel required. Consider these figures pretty optimistic: the STI has been a thirsty beast since its inception, and still swills down the premium.
Green light
Great steering; solid chassis; old school mechanical grip.
Stop sign
Engine showing its age; thirst for premium fuel; where’s the hatchback version?
The checkered flag
All that old school STI charm in a slightly more polished package.
Competition
Honda Civic Type R: Without the Mitsubishi EVO around to help keep it on its game, Subaru might be tempted to let the STI get soft. Cars like the Civic Type-R ($40,890) are here to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Lacking all-wheel drive, but matching the STI for horsepower, this fierce little Civic hatch is a track terror. Whatever it gives up in absolute traction, it claws back with excellent cornering and very strong brakes. Sadly it’s pretty crazy looking, and a more subtle aerodynamic package isn’t an option.
