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

Yep and I think this forum needs a sub to focus on that... maybe call it Kilmer's Corner... You're Plain Stupid If You Don't Buy A Camry These Days!
Reminds me of the prevailing mindset of the forum back when I first joined.... "You're crazy if you don't buy a Crown Victoria".

I think the members here made a thread nominating the ideal car for various different tasks: large family-hauler, high-MPG commuter car, sporty corner-carver, powerful towing rig, nimble city runabout.... In all categories, they concluded the Crown Victoria was the right answer for each!
 
I believe the 22 WRX is the best value in the sport compact car category at its price point.
With awd it is a great deal starting at $30k. GTI is same price/power but fwd...GTI will be a nicer more high tech car though would be my take.
Reminds me of the prevailing mindset of the forum back when I first joined.... "You're crazy if you don't buy a Crown Victoria".

I think the members here made a thread nominating the ideal car for various different tasks: large family-hauler, high-MPG commuter car, sporty corner-carver, powerful towing rig, nimble city runabout.... In all categories, they concluded the Crown Victoria was the right answer for each!
Its like the saying I've heard in car circles...."The answer is always Miata." EDIT: Miata Is Always The Answer..hahahahah. I forgot about that.
 
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With awd it is a great deal starting at $30k. GTI is same price/power but fwd...GTI iswill be a nicer more high tech car though would be my take.

Its like the saying I've heard in car circles...."The answer is always Miata."
miata

is

always

the

answer
 
With awd it is a great deal starting at $30k. GTI is same price/power but fwd...GTI will be a nicer more high tech car though would be my take.

Close.

GTI has 241 HP vs the WRX’s 271.

Why is it that folks poo-poo roof racks and/or receiver tube trailer hitches on cars like Porsche's, Miata's??? I like adding fixtures to cars to extend their respective usages beyond their normal boundaries 🙂. Sorry, off-topic...
The utility the WRX offers is one of the biggest draws for me. I ride bicycles and dirt bikes, and really enjoyed the Torqlift trailer hitch receiver I had mounted.

The WRX is unique for its ability to have a hidden hitch mounted (even a standard 2” receiver, as I had). It’s completely invisible when not in use and the pop-out panel is installed. Very handy for a hitch-mount bike rack or cargo carrier, or towing a small trailer.

Heres my 2016:

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9538A140-073E-4883-B84D-38917F376D2F.jpeg
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And then you have the roof free for a cargo carrier.

Couple all that with the overall balance of the car, due to the symmetrical boxer powertrain and surefootedness of AWD in inclement weather, and you have a unique combination of features - A car that’s quick, handles very well, an available 6-speed manual gearbox, very fun to drive, AND the ability to carry loads of gear, bikes, cargo, etc.

And, at $30 grand before taxes (MSRP), it’s a good value. Not quite as good as the $25,500 plus taxes I paid for my 2016 back then, but, hey, the car is all-new, with a new engine, chassis, suspension, etc, and it’s 6 years later.
 
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The utility the WRX offers is one of the biggest draws for me. I ride bicycles and dirt bikes, and really enjoyed the Torqlift trailer hitch receiver I had mounted.

The WRX is unique for its ability to have a hidden hitch mounted (even a standard 2” receiver, as I had). It’s completely invisible when not in use and the pop-out panel is installed. Very handy for a hitch-mount bike rack or cargo carrier, or towing a small trailer.
+2

I probably bought the same hitch. Still in the box though; maybe this weekend I will install it if it doesn't rain.

I had been using one of those cheapie trunk-mounted racks on my Cobalt, but I noticed the soft padded "feet" on it would leave rub marks on the car's paint. Something I wanted to avoid on my months-old WRX as long as possible. So I popped for a hitch and a new, nicer rack.

Spring is here.... Time for me to take some pics with it mounted!
 
+2

I probably bought the same hitch. Still in the box though; maybe this weekend I will install it if it doesn't rain.

I had been using one of those cheapie trunk-mounted racks on my Cobalt, but I noticed the soft padded "feet" on it would leave rub marks on the car's paint. Something I wanted to avoid on my months-old WRX as long as possible. So I popped for a hitch and a new, nicer rack.

Spring is here.... Time for me to take some pics with it mounted!
Mine is the Torklift EcoHitch. Still have it, and it should fit a 2022 as well.
 
Close.

GTI has 241 HP vs the WRX’s 271.


The utility the WRX offers is one of the biggest draws for me. I ride bicycles and dirt bikes, and really enjoyed the Torqlift trailer hitch receiver I had mounted.

The WRX is unique for its ability to have a hidden hitch mounted (even a standard 2” receiver, as I had). It’s completely invisible when not in use and the pop-out panel is installed. Very handy for a hitch-mount bike rack or cargo carrier, or towing a small trailer.

Heres my 2016:

View attachment 92895View attachment 92896View attachment 92897View attachment 92898

And then you have the roof free for a cargo carrier.

Couple all that with the overall balance of the car, due to the symmetrical boxer powertrain and surefootedness of AWD in inclement weather, and you have a unique combination of features - A car that’s quick, handles very well, an available 6-speed manual gearbox, very fun to drive, AND the ability to carry loads of gear, bikes, cargo, etc.

And, at $30 grand before taxes (MSRP), it’s a good value. Not quite as good as the $25,500 plus taxes I paid for my 2016 back then, but, hey, the car is all-new, with a new engine, chassis, suspension, etc, and it’s 6 years later.
Real-world dyno numbers on the MK8 GTI are coming back closer to the 270 number as VW often under-states things plus the upgrade path/reliability with the GTI is undeniable - they hold power much better than the Subi stuff plus have the DSG as an auto option which is a superb auto. Main ding is not having awd. Again, I'd consider the WRX for sure.
 
YES!!! the roads will be so much quieter without that obnoxious engine sound. And hopefully safer sti drivers are dangerous with their weaving in and out of traffic.
The 2022 doesn't have the traditional Subaru burble as the headers are now equal length.
 
The 2022 doesn't have the traditional Subaru burble as the headers are now equal length.
Yes, and the standard WRX (with FA20 engine as opposed to the old EJ25) has had the equal-length headers since 2015 model year.

You can still hear the burbly character of the boxer engine under certmain circumstances, but, by and large, it sounds like any other 4-banger.
 
Yep and I think this forum needs a sub to focus on that... maybe call it Kilmer's Corner... You're Plain Stupid If You Don't Buy A Camry These Days!
I brought up the Camry before, so I’ll bring it up again… wouldn’t be caught dead in one… but it has similar power and weight.

The issue I have with the wrx is thst it reminds me of a souped up Corolla. The old original blue Impreza wrx… loved the form, the lines, the value proposition. Not so sure anymore.
 
The issue I have with the wrx is thst it reminds me of a souped up Corolla.
Drive them both, though, back-to-back. The WRX has none of the cramped low roofline and squinty windows that the Corolla has. Visibility from inside the car is fantastic. This despite the WRX having a 2-inch shorter wheelbase and 2-inches shorter overall length. The WRX is 1.5 inches taller so maybe that makes the difference. Admittedly, I'm referring to the 2015-2021 model, not the 2022 WRX which almost none of us have seen yet in person.
 
Yes, and the standard WRX (with FA20 engine as opposed to the old EJ25) has had the equal-length headers since 2015 model year.

You can still hear the burbly character of the boxer engine under certmain circumstances, but, by and large, it sounds like any other 4-banger.
Alleluia! Didn't realize this. I can't say JUST how much I hate that burble, being an air-cooled VW guy. My bus has a 4 into 1 exhaust; no burble. Burble sounds to me like it's hitting on 3 🙁.
 
My favorite was always the 22B STi (1998)
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The one i owned. A 2002 WRX "bug-eyes"
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Sad days when a WRX is released and the sister STi won't be.
 
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