Bad News for Sport Compact Car Fans - Subaru Kills the STi

[RooflessVW]

This just in: Car maker kills an unprofitable and outdated model. In other news, water still wet.

 

[TiGeo]

This just in: Car maker kills an unprofitable and outdated model. In other news, water still wet.

Meanwhile, VW sells $45K awd hot hatch for >MSRP...hahahaha. Subaru could have sold a new STI - hell I may have bought one.

 

[eljefino]

There are TONS of times a new platform comes out but it starts as just a 4-door with base engine. The hot engine, 2-door coupe, convertible etc come along later.

STi might be on a year or two break.

 

[RooflessVW]

I think I've seen a handful of STI in my life - I can't think of a reason they ever made it.

It started and continued as a homologation special for race cars, same as the Evo.

 

[gregk24]

I'm not into WRX / STI's but Subarus don't bother me, I would consider owning one....IF VW wasn't an option. Sad to hear they are discontinuing it.

 

[RooflessVW]

Meanwhile, VW sells $45K awd hot hatch for >MSRP...hahahaha. Subaru could have sold a new STI - hell I may have bought one.

The last STI was an outdated also-ran and you'd either have to be on your 20th Subaru or a fool (or both) to even consider one.

It was time to be properly updated or die, and they chose die. The WRX has gotten really close lately anyway.

 

[JHZR2]

The new WRX looks like a Corolla with lackluster performance. And it’s not the one that folks want to take in the snow.

Subaru should have kept MT wagons and brought the diesel that was claimed years ago.

I can see the interest in electrification. If the STi is supposed to be a max performance car, there’s no doubt that EV tech far surpasses most pedestrian IC tech. So a fast STI would be a pig, and subaru doesn’t sell enough efficient vehicles to offset.

Just because one wants someone to do something doesn’t make it the right choice. This makes total sense when the company sells heavy, poor efficiency vehicles.

 

[JHZR2]

The last STI was an outdated also-ran and you'd either have to be on your 20th Subaru or a fool (or both) to even consider one.

It was time to be properly updated or die, and they chose die. The WRX has gotten really close lately anyway.

Yeah. 20 years ago the performance of the wrx and especially the STi were superior to other vehicles. Especially in that form factor.

Look at how quick modern vehicles are. How much more power some of them make. And for economy cars, it’s interesting to see how easy it is to get 40-50 mpg from them (based upon recent rental car experiences) without them being hybrids even…

 

[Astro14]

Don't want to get into P, but let's just say that I believe you're going to see a change in the status quo pretty soon. Like, in less than 8 months.

I don't care about mega-expensive V10 and V12 Audis, BMWs, and Mercedes.

And electric vehicles most certainly have a place. Heck, I wouldn't mind owning one someday. Especially when the battery tech matures and efficiency improves. And the charging infrastructure expands.

But I think there will always be a market for AFFORDABLE, fun-to-drive cars that offer good horsepower and handling for the money. The WRX is such a car. And I think that manufacturers that miss that point, will be missing out on a lot of money that's out there to be made.

I’ll disagree about the fun to drive factor on V-12s. They are unique. Nothing sounds like a V-12. Nothing pulls like one with twin turbos.

Anything with a V-12 is an enthusiast car.

Affordable is another matter with German V-12s. Cheap to buy. A challenge to own.

But for affordable fun, with a manual, I think you’ll have to start looking mostly in the used market.

The market direction for many years has been soulless appliances, be they equipped with heavily muffled and quieted ICE, or electric motors.

 

[magma]

I love everything about my '19 STI; never had a car so fun to drive. With a few bolt-on mods such as opening the exhaust up, injectors, E85 and a tune, it's more than enough power. The 6MT in these cars are one of the best ever made, solid linkage, hydraulic steering, the AWD system is great--it's a beast. Definitely a driver's car and the last of its kind--which is why I bought one. The only thing I had to do was order one without the wing. I wouldn't buy a regular WRX with a 2.0L FA motor.

That being said, I'm not surprised.

 

[TiGeo]

The last STI was an outdated also-ran and you'd either have to be on your 20th Subaru or a fool (or both) to even consider one.

It was time to be properly updated or die, and they chose die. The WRX has gotten really close lately anyway.

I think the real reason was the engineers couldn't get the dash-mounted vape to work correctly

 

[RooflessVW]

I think the real reason was the engineers couldn't get the dash-mounted vape to work correctly

Bruuuuuuuhhhhhhhhh #vapelife

 

[TiGeo]

Bruuuuuuuhhhhhhhhh #vapelife

It never gets old.....and the stereotype plays out more times than not when I roll up on one.

 

[2EHA]

the last bellendmobile has finally retired

the STI has been around for a quarter century, think about that

 

[2EHA]

on the left is what 256 horses looked like in the year 1994

on the right is what 271 horses look like in the year 2023

 

[TiGeo]

this is what 256 horses and 271 horses look like

The thing is, the new one looks fine to me other than the goofy cladding...

 

[1uz_4me]

No loss

 

[john_pifer]

You're not wrong: 4.1% of WRX drivers have a DUI on file, the fifth highest rate of accidents of any vehicle, and the highest rate of speeding tickets.

The Car Models with the Most DUIs in 2021

These 10 car models have the drivers with the most DUIs in the nation over the past year.

insurify.com

That’s an easy one to explain - they’re mostly bought by males <30yo.

 

[john_pifer]

There were many that would argue the the STi with the EJ engine was only marginally higher performance than the WRX. And all those spun bearings in that EJ.......................
I had a coworker with a WRX with the FA engine and the CVT. Pretty fun to drive and worth a look if that's your type of car, even though the thought of a CVT in a car like that would make a lot of people hurl.

True, the WRX is only about 35 HP down on the STi. But where the real advantage of the STi lies is in the AWD system. It’s far more capable and sophisticated than what’s in the standard WRX - or any other Subaru.

It also has more responsive hydraulic steering rack (WRX is electric - good, but not as good as STi), better suspension, better gearbox, better brakes.

So, only being 35 HP down on the STi doesn’t communicate the full story.

 

[john_pifer]

I think I've seen a handful of STI in my life - I can't think of a reason they ever made it. Let's just say the profile of most of their customers isn't one where they value rally car driving and I've never seen it as a "halo" car for that reason. Every Subaru owner I know is a middle-aged mom/dad who beyond AWD for snow and some added room without wanting an SUV doesn't care at all about cars/trucks.

Now they need to take the money and resources they used to waste on the STI get rid of those stupid CVTs.

Are you a sport driving enthusiast?

If not, I can see why you wouldn’t get excited about a WRX/STi.