Probably. EU rules gives us 1.25 liter hatches these days. I’d trade in my Focus ST for a new wrx sti on the day it’s released if it where a 2.5 litre 300bhp+
Meh, I think it can get away with being 350 and be in competition for the class it would be competing against. On top of that it has AWD, so really it would be competing with like the Golf R and GRC.
Then it would need to weigh no more than 2800lbs aka the First Gen STi.
Not hearing the usual excuses people give for weight, Mazda proves it can be done
And then Subu is gonna debut it at 53k, and then Reddit is gonna (correctly) say, "Why would anyone pay almost 55k for this when you can get an M240 for the same price," and then r/cars is gonna say "ENTHUSIASTS ALWAYS SAY THEY WANT AN ENTHUSIAST VEHICLE, THEN WHEN A BRAND BUILDS ONE, THEY SAY THEY HATE IT," as if 60k for a tarted up Impreza is a good choice, and then someone is gonna say "DURR THE STI WAS ALWAYS A BASE MODEL IMPREZA WITH A FAST ENGINE," etc etc.
The cycle continues.
This sub fell for the lie that the industry doesnt force certain styles of vehicles, they all believe its just"natural" and the way of things not some group of powerful people manipulating shit in the shadows
M240i is basically a 2-series with added boost. It’s not really on the same level. It’s just a go-fast car for cheap and is missing all the good M bits like subframes, suspension, brakes, and even basic things like bushings.
If you want to go fast, get an M240i. If you want a car that is basically the top trim for a model, get the STi. The cars don’t effectively compete in the same market.
Bunch of fanboys have no idea that an M240i is just marketing badging to sell them on a car. It has virtually nothing in common with an M2. Building an M2 out of an M240i will cost more than just buying an M2.
These people bought the marketing. Before the M240i badging, it would have been the 240iS.
It’s cause they’re the current fukboi car. Just tune up your m lite car so you can beat other broccoli heads in roll races while it drives terribly doing anything else.
M240/m340 makes no sense to me. It’s a straight line fun car. The model 3 performance is a no brainer over those cars. You’d have more fun, it’s much faster, it’s cheaper, it’s cheaper to run.
People are downvoting but the M3P also is one of the few cars on the market with symmetrical AWD in track mode. Obviously an EV is apples and oranges to a STI, but if symmetrical AWD was that much of a dealbreaker to you in the first place then you'd know pickings were slim even in the best of times during peak STI vs Evo (vs RS) days.
Performance Teslas have the option for constant 50:50 AWD if you enable it in Track Mode. Kinda like the 50:50 mode on the GRC. Is that not what Subaru means by symmetrical AWD?
No, it’s a marketing term that doesn’t mean anything.
Subarus don’t even have consistent AWD technology. The WRX is a differential enforced 50/50 split.
Every other Subaru sold today is a wet clutch with no centre differential and is 60/40 split.
The STI was 40/60 split and differential-based, but it could lock the driveline together basically making it 4WD.
All of these things are called “Symmetrical AWD”.
This is exactly what happens on reddit, I hate it. The problem here being what people think is a reasonable price. Everyone wants a Civic Type R or STI or whatever, but I wouldn't do any of them for $50k+
Yeah the '21 sti was \~$38k base, pretty much the same as where a '21 FK8 Type-R started. limited was 32k
Now a type-r is 45k & a wrx limited is 42k w/ the GT & TS above that, if this slots in even higher thats a stretch
I'm probably the only one who would buy one but I want the basic performance cars again. Let me buy into a sport/base model but with the better engine/drivetrain. Pw/l, A/C, and Android auto are all I want. Leather and all the pizazz they can keep.
Yeah I bought my scat pack that way too. For $33k otd its been amazing. I had a Challenger with all the bells and whistles prior and I didn't care for them.
I live somewhere with cold, dark, damp long winters so heated steering wheel and seats will be something I will be loathe to go back to not having.
Dual zone climate control is fantastic when your passenger is always cold whereas I'm generally boiling
Leather is meh, personally rather have alcantara or ultrasuede over leather honestly
Yeah like the other guy said, toyota has done a great job with the base GRC. I wouldn't get one, but it is as big-engine-small-car as you can get for a reasonable price in the current market
which is the real kicker, the base GR is 40k, its not completely apples to apples w/ the Subaru but I consider it a class of car above
> which is the real kicker, the base GR is 40k, its not completely apples to apples w/ the Subaru but I consider it a class of car above. the WRX feels so boring
I'm not sure I agree with that. Granted I'm a bit biased, but the WRX is much more usable from a backseat/family fun car perspective. The GR's interior certainly isn't any better, and while it delivers power in a more spirited manner, the FA24 can easily match and exceed the GR's power for ~$1K.
Both great cars, no doubt, it really boils down to use case.
Word. I was thinking like a basic sti at the wrx limited price without the features type of deal. Most performance cars seem to come with everything now days and priced to the moon. GR is one of the few that can be more basic.
Subaru is going in the opposite direction and it sucks. A new STI will come with all the bloated safety equipment, screens galore and a digital gauge cluster, heated and ultrasuede everything, and cost $60k.
heavy hitters incl fwd cars, just throw on snow tires, people are unnecessarily convinced they need awd for 3 days of snow a yr
Elantra n / CTR / ITS / GRC / Golf R, the WRX feels incredibly boring compared to any one of them, I'm not sure if thats part of the appeal or something
I mean, I get what you’re saying, but why is the assumption that AWD is only for snow? With regards to the WRX/STI, my assumption was that the AWD was to improve handling overall, and a lot of the people I’ve known that had WRXs specifically call out how well they handled in the rain?
It helps that I live somewhere where it doesn’t snow, like almost ever. It’s a non-concern for us, but the WRX is still pretty popular down here.
I can agree when compared to average or basic systems like the WRX. But more sophisticated systems, especially RWD biased systems certainly offer a unique and desirable driving experience. e.g. GTR, Evo, MK8 Golf/RS3, etc
While mine is 90% used for off-roading/soft-roading, it has helped in the rain plenty, but really only for getting going from a stoplight/sign/inclined driveway. Otherwise, yeah, it’s not gonna do much on mine. Then again, it’s just an old system, so it only does something if the front wheels make a quarter turn or more with no traction, or I engage the lock.
The tires are fine, it just rains so irregularly and lightly here that it’s always slick as hell when it happens. AWD and the ESC system help with the times that traction breaks.
ok maybe there is something weird going on with your roads if rain makes them so slick. where I live I had no problems getting moving with my 90's rwd shitbox with no tc and bad tyres
I mean its not like the AWD system makes it magically feel like an RWD car, it still torque steers, it still understeers, I don't think its a spectacular drivers car nor is it anywhere near as engaging as any of those cars
the best defense I've heard for the non-sit WRX is that it is a good aftermarket platform & a lot of the flaws can be corrected or at least cleaned up. the STI is a different beast
> I’ve known that had WRXs specifically call out how well they handled in the rain
idk what they're talking about traction in the rain isn't an issue w/ any of these cars on decent tires, stock tires are all fine, its not like it gets dynamically any better in the rain
and its like, people really hate when anyone points out the WRX is boring? and to me it just feels like a repeat of evo discource like no the Ralliart is not a baby evo it drives completely differently
the best I can say is that its fairly comfortable & fairly well optioned, makes for a better daily than some of these cars
but like sure throw out the itr/its for impracticality, cost, comfort, fair. 5k more than a grc? 10k more than an elantra n? where is the money going?
AWD helps put the power down, the wrx does not have much power to put down,
I think its cool that someone is offering a mechanical permanent system at that price point, I think its better than the GRC system fundamentally, it obviously has the manual advantage over the golf r
& no doubt, its a much better platform than the VA, the FA24 has fantastic potential, lots of space to have fun. but stock for stock I have no idea what people see in this car.
I an extremely interested & completely genuinely curious to the folks who downvoted, what in the world do you see in this car. even completely ignoring the infotainment, maybe thats subjective
The biggest issue w/ the GRC is the diff issues on track, completely valid issues, you're literally never going to run into it on the road, its a good system on the road.
I'm not sure if it's a 50/50 torque split or 45/55? I really can't tell which one it is? pricing on the lower trims isn't too bad I suppose?
> the wrx does not have much power to put down,
it sure does, the 2.4L responds to tuning very well. I can't imagine my lightly modded WRX being FWD only. I friggin hate torque steer and have experienced it in several cars i've owned or driven(older Si, Cobalt SS etc.) so being able to hammer on the throttle at any speed and any RPM and know you have grip for days is basically priceless for me lol.
I know you're talking stock form, but sooo many people buy WRX with the intent to mod/tune them.
Unfortunately I would spend 55k on a new STI with all the features and a warranty. Used ones are expensive enough and you have no clue what the past owner was doing with it
I’d buy a wrx in a heartbeat if it came with dct lol. Interested in stick but I barely know how to drive one and wouldn’t want my only car in stick, getting a CVT wrx sounds like a war crime though
Don't let the first one ever be a reason not to get one, driving stick barely and driving stick properly are a bunch of hours of practice away from each other. The second one is fair though, coming from someone who has two manual cars i sometimes wish my daily was AT, specifically when I'm in stop and go traffic.
DCT would work well, especially with 400+hp when such transmissions also start to become practical for the fun side of driving.
Give me a new STi wagon - manual or DCT in the classic mcrae era blue (or maybe something slightly brighter and sparklier)
And you then have my attention big style
I hate that I'm not excited to see what it is.
The WRX more than any car in its class IMO has erupted in price so significantly that I couldn't imagine buying one. The cheapest WRX you can get into off the lot today is *dangerously* close to $40,000, and the top trim tS is uncomfortably close to $50,000 - both prices are absurd for what the WRX is offering from the factory. Subaru offers some of the most favorable financing options in the business but even then I couldn't imagine stepping into a modern WRX over other options.
Despite my pessimism, I still think the VB WRX can be an absolute bargain on the used market; last year my friend scored a Limited Trim with <20,000 on the odometer for like $28k which I think is good value. I would hope a new STI would come with a much hotter tune from the factory, keep the better brakes from the upper performance trims currently on-tap, and come with a beefed STI proper transmission.
But after all that, *that's* when the car should be cresting the $40k mark. I don't know what this new STI's MSRP would possibly be, but I'm almost certain there's much more desirable and much hotter performing competition at the price point.
That 3-cyl has proven more reliable than an EJ. It’ll also do big power more easily since you can run a stock bottom end over 600HP and it comes from the factory with dual fuel.
Based on the specs we have on the 4 cylinder, that’s unlikely to be true. The 4 cylinder is looking like an ecoturbo setup. Longer stroke, smaller bore, significantly worse scavenging, smaller encoded angle, smaller valves, much less turbocharger efficiency, fewer revs. That sounds a lot less fun. We shall see.
I don’t agree with that at all. Making a ton of power definitely does not make an engine fun. The world does not need more EA888s, it is an immensely boring engine I would never want to own.
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Judging by the that video and playing it in slow motion it's still a sedan with no wing and using tS wheels. Most likely another limited run trim that does nothing with power. It's just another wannabe/fake STi. So be prepared for the disappointment.
On and for crisis sakes, that god awful plastic cladding around the wheel arches is still there.
The VA's were good looking cars. The VB's is a different story.
We got a 3HP bump for the WRX this generation for a roughly 1% bump in power.
By this logic the new STI will debut with 313HP. Or 344HP if we use the S209
On a dyno, the new WRX actually makes about 25 more HP than the previous WRX and the same as a GR Corolla or STI.
For some reason, they massively underrated it.
it also drives so. much. better.
oh and it's way easier to work on. So many serviceability improvements.
the FA20-DIT is low on my list of favorite engines... but the FA24-DIT is cool by me.
That's so cool to hear from someone who works on them all the time!
I'm just a shadetree mechanic, but my VB WRX is so much easier to work on than any other car I've had. I was a Mitsubishi 4G63 guy. Amazing engine, but hard to get a good transmission for. The Subie engines were delicate, but the STI transmission was great. Subaru finally after decades makes an engine that's strong.... and kills the STI.
The '22 and '23 VB WRXs have predrilled STI mounting holes and use a STI transmission mounting bracket stock. Sadly, the holes dissappeared on the '24 and '25s.
The engine takes tunes **way better** without immediately going into sketchy territories as well. With a straightforward adjustment people are putting an extra 25-30 WHP while doing literally nothing else.
I suspect the 410+hp rumor was accurate. The new WRX with a slightly bigger turbo and a increased redline (2 things they always did for the STI) easily does that on pump gas, even more easily if it's rated like a GRC, VA WRX or STI were.
Full disclosure, I've got a pump gas tuned VB. It's a completely different beast. I honestly think it was detuned and the STI killed because they would have made some of Toyotas cars look bad. That's my personal conspiracy theory until I see internal documents otherwise.
People are so ready to be outraged about the price, transmission, and about it getting posted more than once in 72 hours (basically too concerned with getting their circle jerk karma) to consider this.
I guess we have moved on from posting about how bad the Prelude is every day to posting this same rumour every day about how Subaru is going to disappoint everybody again.
https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/1pwndrk/subaru_to_reveal_the_2026_subaru_levorg_sti_sport/
I’m happy for them. They finally bought the WRX they’ve always wanted.
https://www.reddit.com/r/WRX/comments/1pz1f2i/finally_pulled_the_trigger_2025_wrx_first_manual/
OMG. Seriously, they left the atrocious black body cladding on and didn’t paint it body color?!? Why Subaru? Why?
The current VB platform has so much potential, all you to do was keep the price low and not make it exceptionally ugly … you failed at both.
This is not the concept they showed off a month or so ago. This is a sedan and sounds like it's got a CVT. Probably just a special edtion WRX for the Japanese market.
One thing people aren’t considering when they make fun of the FA24 engine is that it is a lot more reliable than the FA20 and previous engines were. Subaru spent a lot of money on making it rock solid. It’s why you can get a lot of power out of it via tune
The STI HP probably won’t shock you for how little it is for the same reason. Most likely it’ll be hybrid
They’ve already shown a pic of a yellow WRX with STI badging and wheels that belong on the Forester for that show.
I don’t believe this will be anything the than an appearance package on the top trim Japanese WRX S4. The S210 was lame, too.
I want to be wrong, I want this to be the long-rumored actual VB STI that was supposedly pulled for whatever reason, but I don’t believe this will be anything other than Subaru’s M340 vs an actual M3.
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