It's been a long time coming, but we all
knew this day would eventually arrive - Subaru's iconic rally-bred sports sedan
has shorn off its rough edges and donned a sharp suit. With the arrival of the WRX
earlier this year, we realised just how serious Subaru was about catering to a
more sophisticated audience.
This audience includes, for example,
petrolheads who originally bought into the WRX's motorsport heritage but have
since grown up, married, had offspring and now carry all kinds of
responsibilities ... but don't back down when a traffic light grand prix is
"unavoidable". The new WRX, while toned down, still offered a glint
of that old familiar hooligan it once was. But, with the STI on the horizon, we
knew the Subaru's most explosive performance would be reserved for that
three-lettered cherry-blossom decal.
The
Subaru WRX STI is fast, grippy and offers immense value
Surprisingly, Fuji Heavy Industries decided
to retain the previous model's powertrain and not utilise the new
direct-injection 2.0-litre horizontally opposed engine that does service in the
WRX. So, yes, the STI is powered once again by a 2.5-litre fiat- four that
produces 221 kW at 6,000r/min and 407 Nm of torque at 4,000r/min. Drive is sent
to all four corners via the brand's famed symmetrical all-wheel drive and the
same six-speed manual 'box as before.
Some aficionados might be a bit
disappointed by the fact that the engine's outputs remains the same, but even
though the new STI weighs approximately the same as its predecessor, it is
slightly quicker.
Cabin
detailing is racy, but taller owners will find the driver's seat doesn't drop
low enough
In performance testing, initially the STI
was unable to match the 0-100 km/h time we achieved with its predecessor.
However, after an inspection at our offices by Subaru, which reset the test
unit's engine-management system, we headed back out to the test strip and
immediately the STI managed 5.52 seconds - against a slight breeze. We could not,
however, repeat the time during the second run (in the opposite direction) and
all subsequent attempts...
But straight-line punt is not the flagship
WRX's reason for existance - it is after all just one aspect of the driving
experience. So, with the same engine and gearbox with which to work, just what
have the Japanese engineers done to improve the appeal?
There's
plenty of space in the WRX STI, and comfortable seating, both front and rear
For a start, the STI arrived at our offices
fitted with a styling kit (a $2,090 option) that significantly bumps up the
STI's street cred and aggression. There's an STI-badged lip just underneath the
front bumper that juts out a few centimetres, side sills that make the STI
appear really low, BBS alloys that manage not to look too aftermarket, a sill
just underneath the rear diffuser and alloy-look tailpipe housings at either
end of the rear bumper.
On the inside, the STI's front seats, while
comfortable, just didn't drop low enough for some of passengers and aren't
quite as well bolstered as the old car's. The steering wheel is a flat-bottomed
multi-function unit that features a grippy rim, while the gearlever boasts a
satisfyingly short action. The only real letdown is the infotainment system,
which feels a bit outdated compared with those of the STI's rivals. Its
touch-function and Bluetooth functionality are clunky.
Boot
space is intruded upon by the backs of the audio speakers, limiting the loading
height a bit
Fortunately, the driving experience makes
up for most of the STI's shortcomings. The off-beat thrum at idle and at
slightly higher engine speeds was missed by most of the team on the WRX but,
peculiarly, the roar of the quad exhausts is less intrusive than before. On the
other hand, road noise feels more apparent.
There have been definite improvements made
to the ride quality. The STI is particularly well damped for a vehicle of its
kind. The added torsional integrity comes by way of a 40% stiffer frame, while
tweaks to the suspension have resulted in roll stiffness increasing by 14% and
10% front and rear. The difference from the WRX is immediately apparent through
the steering, as the STI continues to make use of hydraulic assistance (the WRX
uses an electric system), but benefits from a quicker steering ratio among
other small tweaks.
Picnic-table
spoiler is even bigger. It has had its upper surface raised so you can see
underneath it in the rear-view mirror
On-road, the directness of the STI's
steering makes a welcome return, as does the mechanical feel of the beefy
clutch and six-speed gearbox. What's more, the STI instills driver confidence
like few other performance cars. The surefootedness of the all-wheel-drive
system, paired with a torque-vectoring setup that debuted on the WRX and pricey
Dunlop rubber, all combine to grant the STI handling prowess that very few cars
can match on a cross-country jaunt.
Test Summary
Subaru's range-topper hasn't exactly raised
the bar, but has altered it slightly. The added refinement and improvements in
areas other than just increased boost have gone a long way, but not enough.
Unfortunately, at a smidgen under $56,990, the STI has serious competition on
the wrong side of half a bar, even considering its jaw-dropping cross-country
ability. It's not as premium as Subaru wants it to be, and its rivals offer
driving experiences that are far more polished. Brand enthusiasts will love the
STI, but at $14,245 less, perhaps the WRX is the better buy after all...
