Subaru Impreza WRX STi - pocket rocket par excellence

With most manufacturers, the vehicle that’s considered the flagship and image leader of the lineup is the largest and most luxurious. Subaru, however, does things a little bit differently. The brand has made its mark with all-wheel drive and more recently with high-performance vehicles, and so the top-dog of the Subaru family is one of its smallest members. The Subaru WRX STi is the performance champion as well as the media darling of the brand.

Although it shares its basic structure with the Subaru Impreza, the WRX STi is more than just a hot-rodded economy car. This car takes Subaru’s rallying experience and applies it to a production car. Nearly every mechanical part of the WRX STi is unique to the model. For 2011, the WRX STi raises its performance ante with a new suspension and lightened equipment.

It's clear from the first glance that the WRX STi is spoiling for a fight. In rally-car style, the STi is available as a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback, just like the roadgoing version, but freakishly blistered fenders and a massive spoiler make it clear that there's some serious driving business to be taken care of. The deep chin spoiler has a low air intake, fog lights and brake cooling ducts at the outer edges, while the grille and headlamps are contained in an efficient, dark-trimmed slash. A gaping hood vent feeds the engine and offers additional brake cooling. The STi's side aspect is dominated by the rear fender flares which give the car muscular, athletic haunches, like a sprinter ready to explode off of the blocks. The front and rear spoilers aren't just for show; they are a system designed to reduce lift at high speeds, and the eighteen-inch wheels are lightweight racing-style units. Deep underneath all of that go-fast gear, the Impreza's crisp character lines are just barely visible.

On the interior, the overwhelmingly black and silver STi features Alcantara seats that are bolstered for spirited driving and a unique dashboard and console. All of the trim is done in shades of dark and light metal. For 2010 Subaru offered an STi "Special Edition," with some of the interior appointments that the sporty kids don't need taken out and a few go-faster goodies added, and for 2011 the Special Edition tweaks are standard on all STi models. The industrial-felt headliner, made of the material that lines the trunks of cheap economy cars, isn't all that bad, really, and Subaru left the soft-touch surfaces and Alcantara steering wheel intact so it doesn't feel like they've cheapened it at all. Bluetooth, satellite radio and a navigation system are available.
Under the hood, a 2.5 liter turbocharged and intercooled “boxer” four-cylinder produces 305 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers go a very long way, even in a 3400-pound car. Subaru’s Dual Active Valve Control System (DAVCS) variable valve timing is used to boost response. The electronic engine control can be tweaked while driving with Subaru’s unique SI-DRIVE system. "SI" stands for "Subaru Intelligent;" with this system, a rotary knob on the console allows the driver to select between three levels of powertrain responsiveness: Intelligent, Sport and Sport Sharp. The STi does torque-y, point-and-squeeze joy very well, on account of its rally-car heritage, and the burble of the massively turbocharged flat-four is intoxicating. All-wheel drive and limited-slip differentials front and rear are standard equipment, and a six-speed manual transmission is the only gearbox offered. The STi features a multi-mode center differential that enables the selection of up to nine different levels of torque balance, so that the WRX STi driver can fine-tune the car’s handling to his or her preference.

A faster steering rack and new double-wishbone rear suspension set the WRX STi’s suspension apart from the Impreza. Subaru has further improved handling for 2011 with a lower ride height and stiffer suspension bushings. Stiff inverted struts and a double wishbone suspension are used in the front, and double wishbones at the rear. The WRX STi features Brembo brakes and a race-bred Super Sport anti-lock brake system that is sensitive enough to control braking at each individual wheel. This system reduces understeer in high-speed turns. Vehicle Dynamic Control stability control is standard equipment, and on the STi the driver can select the level of intervention, or turn it off completely.

The WRX STi proves that a car doesn’t have to be the biggest vehicle in the showroom to be the most impressive. High horsepower, light weight and tenacious handling make it one of the premier sports cars available today. Getting the best of the best carries a price premium, of course. WRX STi pricing starts at $34,720 for the four-door sedan and $36,720 for the five-door. That represents a seven or eight-thousand dollar price walk over the WRX…and if you're looking for performance, it's worth it.

All specifications are for the 2011 Subaru WRX STi 5-door
Length: 173.8 in.
Width: 70.7 in.
Height: 57.9 in.
Wheelbase: 103.3 in.
Curb weight: 3373 lb.
Cargo space: 19.0 cu.ft. (seats up); 44.4 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Base price: $36,720
Engine: 2.5 liter turbocharged horizontally-opposed four-cylinder
Drivetrain: six-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 305 @ 6000
Torque: 290 @ 4000
Fuel capacity: 16.9 gal.
Est. mileage: 17/23

By Chris Jackson - MyCarData