2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Refined Rally Car

The Subaru WRX STI is a high-performance all-wheel-drive compact car with a utilitarian hatchback shape.

The high-performance Subaru WRX models were recently recast as slightly longer vehicles with sleeker styling and added sophistication. The STI version, which we focus on here, is available only as a hatchback. The WRX STI is styled after the automaker’s World Rally Competition car, bedecked with a large hood scoop and sweeping ground effects, and is aimed at a youth market that craves so-called “tuner” cars.

If you want to feel what it’s like to be an international rally racer, and can afford the steep price, the STI can be a blast to drive, especially if you have the proper venues to explore its explosive power and rail-hugging cornering abilities, and can put up with a rougher ride (though it’s a bit softer in that respect than with the previous generation).

• Get a Subaru Impreza WRX STI price quote

Base Subaru WRX models come powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder turbocharged engine (this is the so-called “boxer” configuration, also used by Porsche, in which the cylinders are positioned opposite one another, rather than in-line or in a V-shaped design). It generates around 225 horsepower and can be mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. Meanwhile, the STI blows the doors off the competition with its more-muscular 2.5-liter turbocharged horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine that generates just over 300 hp. The STI only comes with a manual gearbox.

• See Subaru Impreza WRX STI specs

A sport-tuned four-wheel-independent lightweight aluminum suspension enables the Subaru WRX to handle like a sports car, while four-wheel  antilock disc brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution are on hand to ensure stable stopping. The STI ups the ante with specially modified suspension components as well as a heavy-duty Brembo braking system. 17-inch wheels and tires are standard, with the STI offering 18-inch rims and rubber.

• Subaru Impreza WRX STI Vehicle Summary

All-wheel-drive comes standard across the Subaru WRX line in one of two separate treatments. The base system incorporates Vehicle Dynamics Control to afford added stability over a wide range of road conditions and handling situations. The STI further includes a Driver Controlled Center Differential that includes three user-selectable torque-management modes in addition to six manual differential-locking settings, for those who like to tweak handling to the ultimate degree.

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The car comes reasonably well equipped with side-impact airbags and a CD audio system included as standard features. Noteworthy options include heated seats and side mirrors, a premium surround-sound audio system, an iPod adapter, and a GPS navigation system.