10 Reasons Subaru Should Reconsider Its Decision To Not Build A New WRX STI

The newest Subaru WRX has proven Subaru’s rally-bred sedan can be refined and capable, but there’s no getting away from the void left by the lack of an STI version. Subaru Tecnica International (STI) has always created the brand’s most capable performance vehicles, going all the way back to the Legacy RS RA from 1989, and today its initials certify that a Subaru model is not to be trifled with. The WRX STI became the most famous of these models, garnering rally cross victories worldwide, and becoming an affordable performance champion for the middle class.

Subaru

Subaru is the car making division of the Japanese transport company, Subaru Corporation, and it’s one of the largest in the world. It was founded in 1953, preceded by the Nakajima Aircraft Company, and today manufactures vehicles known for their boxer engines, symmetrical all-wheel drive systems, and pedigreed history. 

Founded

15 July 1953

Founder

Chikuhei Nakajima

Headquarters

Ebisu, Shibuya, Japan

Owned By

Subaru Corporation

Current CEO

Atsushi Osaki

So we were all dismayed when Subaru announced it had no plans to create a high-performance variant of the VB generation WRX. The company blamed emissions regulations and its poor fuel economy for the decision, ultimately saying it just didn’t make financial sense for the company to pursue. Enthusiasts who once celebrated the company now feel left out in the cold, and we believe Subaru’s decision was a misstep in the long run. Fortunately, this is a problem that can be rectified, so here are ten reasons why Subaru should seriously consider doing this, or risk losing its performance image forever.

1 A Loyal Fan Base Craves It

If you’ve ever met a WRX enthusiast, you know that they’re passionate, to say the least. Ignoring all the jokes about box vapes and blown head gaskets, there is a community united by a single, AWD performance sedan that’s accessible to the masses. Sure, prices aren’t as low as they probably should be for 15-year-old cars with 200,000 miles, but that’s just a testament to the loyalty this fan base has for a vehicle that’s useable in almost any climate.

The WRX is the entry into this realm, and while it’s a great place to start, it does lack the raw performance that an STI version brings. This is the model that every enthusiast craves because, with over 300 horsepower on tap, it competes toe-to-toe with rivals like the Honda Civic Type R and Volkswagen Golf R. The current WRX, despite its improvements, just can’t, and thus lets down the entire range because of it. The regular WRX just isn’t an all-out performance model as many want, and no amount of special editions will change our minds.

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2 Growing Interest in High-Performance Sedans

We’ve all heard the news by now: SUVs and crossovers are in, while sedans and hatchbacks are out. This is what automakers say when they cancel another long-standing nameplate, and they have the data to back up their decisions. When many can only afford one vehicle, they’re going to buy the most practical option, and this also holds true for performance vehicles.

Wanting a performance vehicle in the past meant buying a two-door coupe or roadster that compromised on space, comfort, and value, among many other things. While we were willing to accept this in 1960, we aren’t willing to accept it in 2024, when performance sedans have become commonplace. Today, buyers are opting for a 500-horsepower rocket that can easily carry your family and a weekend’s worth of luggage, before tearing up the local racetrack and setting a new lap time.

M3, CT4-V Blackwing, and Audi RS3; all of these cars offer serious capability that will rarely be used, and buyers are queueing for them. Why can’t the STI return to grab some of these sales with a tantalizing price tag, solid space, usable performance, and standard AWD?

3 Perfect Platform for New Technologies

For some strange reason, while Subaru’s competitors have been diving head-first into hybrid and electric vehicles with much success, the Japanese automaker has been mysteriously silent on both fronts. It has only offered one lackluster EV, the bZ4X, and no current hybrid options here in the US, which is a surprise since Toyota has a stake in the company and currently lends its hybrid setup to its competitor, Mazda.

The company does have some electric plans on the horizon that have us excited, revealing a unique powertrain called the Strong Hybrid that we should see in the Forester in the near future. A reasonable move, but the company says this setup will be capable of some pretty impressive performance, and what better place to showcase this than in the WRX STI? Subaru has already said it is considering something to this effect for a future STI model, which would be a great way for the company to show its commitment to future technology and performance in a model many can aspire to.

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4 A Halo Model Benefits Brand Image

Very often, we feel automakers underestimate the draw of a true halo model. Offering a vehicle in your lineup that is the culmination of all the performance and capability you can muster in one package pays dividends. Just look at Nissan. The company has been riding the coattails of the R35 GT-R for the past 17 years, and despite it finally being discontinued, it influenced the perception people have of every single model Nissan released in that time, giving even the lowliest of the brand’s models the air of excitement and credibility.

The STI was this model for Subaru until the brand kicked it to the curb. Sure, it didn’t have the gut-punching performance that a GT-R does, but that didn’t stop buyers from being intrigued by it when they walked into a showroom. Seeing the STI there, with the lights glinting off its hood scoop and massive rear wing, made buyers feel something, and when they sat in the more practical Crosstrek and saw the option for STI floormats and wheels, that impressive performance feeling carried over in a big way that translated to sales. Trust us, you don’t want to lose that image (just ask Mitsubishi).

5 Rally Heritage Runs Deep

If the car being a halo model isn’t a good enough reason, then how about the fact that without an STI, the brand runs the risk of losing its iconic rally heritage? When you think of Subaru, two things come to mind: symmetrical AWD and rallycross (okay, and maybe dogs too). The brand has been supremely proud of these things for decades, and it should be, because what’s cooler than images of Colin McRae piloting his 22B STI wickedly fast down some precarious dirt roads?

The WRX, despite its improvements, is just too soft to truly carry this identity. This image is what has constantly helped the brand set itself apart in the market, and distancing itself from this legacy will only hurt it in the long run. For Subaru, a new STI could be the bridge between its storied past and its future, continuing to reinforce the brand’s rally image while adapting it for modern tastes.

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6 Strengthening The Brand’s Identity Beyond Mainstream Crossovers

Remember how we said the WRX was too soft? We think part of the issue is that the model is now attempting to be something it’s not: a crossover. Just look at it. With its slightly raised ride height, overt plastic body cladding, and AWD system, the car is only a few generations of bloat away from turning into just another crossover grocery-getter. One would think this is great for a brand’s bottom line, but many automakers are now realizing that not offering any sedans or hatchbacks in their lineup is a misstep.

Ford famously killed off its last sedan, the Fusion, back in 2020, along with small sedans such as the Fiesta a year earlier, as it refocused its efforts on more profitable crossovers and trucks. It turns out this wasn’t a great move, and now the company’s CEO, Jim Farley, has already stated he believes the company needs to fall back in love with small vehicles. Does Subaru want to make the same mistake? By killing the Legacy, it’s coming dangerously close, but a new STI could help keep it out of the weeds.

7 Opportunity To Build A More Luxurious, Refined STI

Read any review of the VA generation STI, and they’ll tell you that the model was a bit rough around the edges. Given its serious performance nature, the ride was harsh, almost punishing at times, the exhaust was always loud, and the only way to get the real highlight numbers out of the vehicle required aggressive inputs that would have any owner wincing in pain. It was a great car, but the company was certainly capable of better.

The new WRX is a great starting point because it’s solved many of these problems. The vehicle rides much better, especially when equipped with the adjustable dampers on the 2025 tS and GT trims. The exhaust isn’t as obnoxious thanks to better sound deadening on the inside, and the vehicle puts down its performance much easier than before. Mold these pros into an STI model, offer a variant without the rear wing, and Subaru could find itself attracting a wider customer base than ever before.

8 Appealing To A Niche In The Sports Car Market

We’re not going to act like a new STI would be unique in the market. As we’ve already mentioned, it would have to go up against hot hatches like the Golf R and Civic Type R, not to mention the newest entry in the Toyota GR Corolla. All of these provide stiff competition, but none of them offer the combination of AWD, a six-speed manual, a sedan body style, and serious performance like a new STI could.

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This would easily fill a niche in the market, one that’s been left open since the previous version died, and one that could find a steady stream of customers searching for an alternative. Any such model wouldn’t be cheap, we know this, but if the company can find a way to keep costs down and offer a model with more power than the rest, it could carve out a place for itself in the crowded automotive landscape.

9 A Chance to Correct the WRX’s Reception

One of the most important reasons the company should build a new STI is to fix the damage the current WRX has done to the brand’s performance image. As we’ve said, the new WRX is good, even great in certain respects, but we don’t think anyone thought this when they first laid eyes on it. The looks just aren’t there, as we believe it was a serious misstep strictly offering the vehicle with all that black body cladding, and despite offering an all-new engine, performance and fuel economy haven’t increased as they were expected to.

An STI could rectify this. It could fix the looks, while imbuing the model with greater performance, giving all those who feel let down by the company a reason to reconsider. This new STI could be an opportunity for Subaru to make a statement about its dedication to performance. By delivering the high-performance features fans originally hoped for, Subaru could address criticisms of the new WRX and restore its reputation as a brand that listens to its fans.

10 Building for Future Generations of Enthusiasts

Even more than this, the most important benefit of creating a new STI model would be preserving the brand’s performance image for future generations. As brands become stale, they lose their way. It’s easy to get caught up in the business of making vehicles and forget about the passion that you started with in the first place. Subaru is a passionate brand with passionate fans, more so than many other brands. Creating a new STI model is a commitment to passion, to understanding that a vehicle can be more than just a tool, but an extension of yourself.

The world has enough boring cars, with Subaru as guilty of creating them as we are of buying them. But the buyer isn’t always right, and sometimes a company needs to create for the sake of creating. To innovate and push boundaries that reorganize the system. An STI is an investment in Subaru’s future, ensuring the brand remains part of the conversation for decades to come, so that 100 years from now, we’ll still be greeted with rows of the brand’s cars at car meets worldwide.