Japan gets a Subaru WRX with the essence of STI. SA won’t.
The WRX STI bowed out in 2021, and the world hasn’t stopped waiting for its replacement since. Subaru, for its part, hasn’t exactly rushed the process, and while the next proper STI is still some way off, albeit in EV form, the Japanese market has been handed the WRX STI Sport to carry it over.
It’s still the standard WRX underneath with an unchanged powertrain to the tune of a 2.4-litre turbocharged horizontally-opposed 4-cylinder with 202kW and 350Nm sent to all four wheels. It’s now paired with a 6-speed manual for the first time in the current-generation Japanese-spec car.
Subaru has fitted the STI Sport with specially tuned electronically controlled dampers, supported by a flexible strut tower brace and lateral stiffeners. There are also Brembo brake callipers, and looking at the WRX STI Sport, this is the aggressive stance that’s been noticeably absent from this WRX generation.
Inside, the brief was weight reduction. Subaru has omitted the EyeSight X system, folding mirrors, seat memory, rear air vents, and the illuminated cupholder. To compensate for that, it gets Recaro seats trimmed in Ultrasuede and synthetic leather with yellow stitching, STI badging on the headrests, and a leather-wrapped gearshift and handbrake. STI floor mats and a different shift knob can be ordered as options.
The catch? All 600 units are Japan-only, allocated by lottery. It’s a move that makes sense given the depth of enthusiast culture around the STI nameplate in Japan, but it does sting a little for enthusiasts outside of Japan.
For local buyers, the standard WRX remains the only WRX on offer, with local pricing and availability unchanged. Whether Subaru SA sees anything resembling the STI Sport arriving locally will depend entirely on what the brand’s Japanese parent decides to do next with the STI nameplate, and for now, that answer is still pending.
The WRX STI Sport isn’t a real STI, and it doesn’t seem to pretend to be. It’s simply a clear indication that the brand is aware of what’s missing from the current car. Getting the suspension properly sorted and putting a manual back in for Japan is telling. At least someone’s getting to enjoy it.
