First Impressions: 2008 Subaru WRX STI
Yes, the return of the car with a really long name. The perennial rally boy special is now decidedly upmarket. Now equipped with so many letters, your head will spin. WRX, STI, SI-Drive, DCCD, VDC, AWD, EBD, DAVCS, TPMS, DRL, ABS, HID, LED, BBS, and a partridge in a pear tree to boot. In reality these systems work very well together for a seamless driving experience…
My limited seat time reveals a few simple truths about this car; first off, the performance is amazing. The throttle pedal is very sensitive and the new mapping of the SI-Drive is a very nice feature. You can set it low for traffic or highway cruising and bump it up to Sport Sharp for some fun.
On the console is a very innocuous button labeled DCCD, crank this button to the far back and the drive suddenly changes. The driver controlled center differential lets you adjust the torque distribution to loosen up the rear end or optimize grip. With any setting of the differential the pull is very steady with the larger 2.5 liter engine over the JDM STI’s 2.0 liter. The larger engine yields an even wider torque spread without the high redline. It does not spool and surge like a WRX or Evo but is very linear and still pushes your head into the seat. Despite the reputation of the STI the handling is the weak link in the chain. It understeers like a Honda Fit and rolls more than the north Atlantic Ocean. The new rear suspension and hatch only styling are the main culprits. The suspension revisions have made the car more tolerable on the street, but sacrifice feel and feedback.
I initially hated the styling. As it sat outside, it looked like a Mazdaspeed 3 that had been vandalized by the boys at West Coast Customs. The chrome front fender flare vent garnishes and recessed gas cap cover look cheap and the exhaust looks like it belongs on Camaro. However, over the course of the day, it grew on me. I now rather like it, with a few choice alterations. Tint the taillights to obscure the hideous LED lights and equip the sports grill. The interior, thankfully, is a very different story. Gorgeous, with no trace of the electric blue swathes that covered previous STI generations. Now alcantara and leather cover most of the interior. Well lit and readable gauges occupy the center console along with a display for the SI-drive and DCCD.
Overall, the car gets a thumbs up. The interior, heritage, and performance potential save the car from its lackluster handling and pricetag of over $40K (for a fully loaded model with Sat-Nav and BBS wheels).