2008 Subaru WRX STI: Is It Worth 10 Grand More Than a Standard WRX?

You might be right about sedan styles vs. hatcbacks - but not on the WRX - I don;t know how they managed to make the sedan look both awkward and bland. Did they decide to hire away Saturn/s LS designers?

I agree; I'm not the biggest fan of the 5-door Impreza, but the 4-door is dowdy, homely, and cheaper-looking.

"But let's face it, most of the time the sedan version is better looking."

Wrong.

The Impreza 5-door is—in "my" opinion—by far the better looking vehcile. Add in the practicality aspect of the 5-door, and there's no way I would pick the sedan.

In general sedans are just so predictable looking (aka "boring"), whereas a hatch adds some visual excitement (aka "fun").

And no, the STI is not worth the extra $$$; which is why I bought a '09 WRX (5-door).

I have never even seen one of these alleged 4-door Impreza's in person. It looks like a Hyundai, which, perhaps unfairly, I equate with garbage because they are all ugly to me.

I agree, I wish it would have been a little more 'edgey' like the new focus hatchback. But I don't think the sedan is really better looking, just different.

As for if the STi is worth the extra $10k over the base WRX, it's a matter of opinion. But how much will it cost to get a WRX to get to 60 0.4s and through the slalom 3.5mph faster? Figure even stage II probably isn't enough ($2k) but pretty close, and if it needs coilovers maybe $2-3k in suspension mods. And it still wouldn't have aluminum arms nor the capability to run really wide tires without major fender mods.

And you wouldn't get the STi badge. :)

I've seen both in person and sat in both, i'd take the 5 door but as the WRX not STI. Take the extra cash your saving and spend half of it on improving the WRX and now you have a STI killer and a fantasic Evo fighter.

I have to agree with you. I think the sedan looks much better than the hatchback, no matter the trim level. However, I'm not one of these pro-hatchback nut jobs that believe every car should have a hatchback version and would never even consider a car if it didn't. I would much rather have a shapely trunk than an awkward liftgate. And yes, I would buy a WRX over a STI as well. And it would be the sedan too.

I don't know if it's worth 10k more, but I'd pay that just to not look like a dork driving around town in that cheap-looking WRX. Saw one today on the road and I thought it was a new Kia or something.

I can understand people preferring a Sedan over hatchback.

But the WRX Sedan , especially the rear looks so generic (maybe a huyndai or a saturn).

I think the sedan look is worse.

I'd want the heated seats/mirrors/windshield washers and sunroof that you can only get on the WRX.

No. The sedan is not more attractive, not even close. What are you smoking?

In either case, the STi hatch looks much much better than the WRX hatch, though the 2009 improvements help. The 2008 WRX just looked totally lame, hatch or sedan.

I would have bought the 09 WRX. But there was this 6000 off MSRP and 0% 63 months on 08 STI.

The discount plus the savings in interest bring it down very close to price of 09 WRX Premium.

So it's a no brainer if you caught that special in time.

how much was the WRX dicounted?

I bought my STi for $28k and change. And 0% financing for 63months. That was only $2k more than an 09 WRX Premium (dealer pricing), and with better financing it actually came out less in the long run. :)

But at least with an STi I don't look like a spoiled high school student. I look like a spoiled college student. ;)

I test drove a lot of cars as expensive as a 911 S down to a miata. I think if GM stays in business I'll probably buy a Z06 and if not maybe a Boxster S. But I've been very happy with my STi. I didn't expect it to be a BMW, and it is fun to play around with in day to day driving. And it lets me drive to work when it snows.

Sure, I could have done the same with a WRX, but I could afford the difference so why not? (well, it was about the same) If you can't afford the difference, then the WRX is also a great car and worth every penny. But it's not an STi. Maybe the STi doesn't hit the 'value' mark like the WRX, but it is still a higher performing car.

Just no trunk. :)

I'll just copy from one of my other blog posts:

"The STi gets, in addition to the 6spd and engine, over the WRX, Brembo brakes, DCCD (center diff), front and read diffs, better/lighter suspension components, some extra structural bracing, 18" wheels, bigger tires, Leather/Alcantara seats, and HIDs. " (Oh yeah, wider fenders too)

"The STi is only $6305 more than the WRX Premium (granted, the WRX premium gets a sunroof, useless foglights, and seat heaters) I would say the extra stuff is worth the premium."

But it's your money. You choose. :)

The sedan almost looks like a bizzarro bimmer from the side, but with messed up front and tail.

What I do like about sedans, though, is the better sound stage for a good stereo and for quiet driving.

I typically prefer hatchbacks to sedans/coupes, but it really depends on the car. For instance:

Mazda 3: Sedan
VW GTI/GLI: Hatch
Subie WRX: Hatch
BMW 1-er: Coupe

To each his own.

I'm really getting tired of all the whining over the STI. Go buy a WRX. Great. Good for you. Than that's less of a chance I'll see someone else on the road with one when I'm out and about. Ha ha yeah keep convincing yourselves that a WRX is better deal. In the end it's not an STI and never will be no matter how much after market crap you tack on.

threader,

I was hardly wining here. One point of my post was to let Suby enthusiasts who can't afford a $35k STI know that they're not giving up too much by "settling" for the WRX.

For $25k they can still get an all-wheel-drive Suby that offers a ton of performance for the money. Think about it: a 13.7 quarter, sub-110' stopping from 60 and nearly 70 mph through the cones is pretty darn good for such short coin.

The other point was to show that unlike with the STI, they can choose between a hatchback and sedan body styles.

I've seen 0-60 times for the regular WRX as low as 4.7. The STI can't possibly handle that much better, and who really uses all those differential gizmos?

I don't think the STI is as great as it used to be. To justify that big price gap, Subaru needs to make it have at least 350 hp or more.

09 WRX is a fantastic value. Very little in the way of ECU tuning and suspension work will get a 25k WRX on par with an STI's performance numbers.

Yes.

Glad this "Hate STI Week" is coming to a close. :(

Bob

^^^^^YES!!!

Considering the inflation rate over the past five years, a base 2009 WRX STI costs roughly the same as a base 2004 WRX STi in 2004.

http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

So all the hemming and hawing over the price of the STI is unfounded, the price is generally unchanged. Using the same inflation calculator, a WRX is roughly the same price, if not slightly less expensive. The point is that yes, the WRX is a better value per dollar, but the WRX STI hasn't necessarily drastically increased in price either when you don't account for options. Remember, the 2004 WRX STI had very few available options, anyway. I guess you could argue that up until now, BBS wheels were stock instead of an option, but there could be other value-added things in the manufacturing that improves performance.

So stop all the STI hating. It's not more expensive, we are just poorer. Be satisfied with the WRX.

Other changes in this market during the past 5 years is the performance and general feature level that can be had for the same money now, versus in 2004 (e.g., BMW 1 series). So the real issue is that the STI has not kept its advantage over its modern competition, but this was inevitable anyway. IMO, The STI hasn't gone up market per dollar, other manufacturers like BMW have come down market in this range.

I agree about the STI bashing, ugh...Perhaps it isn't as good as the evo x...but who cares, it is great, I love driving mine.

I was out in my 2008 STI today and had a great drive. I have been learning how to ease into a corner and go hard mid corner and on the way out. Learning how the suspension and car is supposed to handle makes it a much better driving experience.

Sure, some of the nit-picking complaints are true, the foot rest isn't the greatest, ooh that is a great blog entry...but the power, handling and experience it awesome.

My kids sit in the back seat and are fine. My daughter is prone to car sickness and she has no problem riding around in the back...yes if I floor it all the time and get the g-forces going it is occasionally tough, but I don't do track racing with the kids in back.

Love my STI.

"I've seen 0-60 times for the regular WRX as low as 4.7. The STI can't possibly handle that much better, and who really uses all those differential gizmos?"

Anyone who goes to the track, so that makes it a number of STi owners.

WRX all the way. In the STI's price range, I'd rather have a 135i.

Subaru really screwed up the 08 redesign but the STI is still way better than the 09 WRX. Better shifter, better brakes, better seats, the adjustable diffs, more exciting power delivery, the list goes on...It aint just about acceleration numbers. You get what you pay for.

you can't take into account inflation because the Z still manages to start at under $30k and the BMW 135i is $35,840. STI is expensive at $35,690! The EVO GSR is $31,685 right now!

if you love your STI, go drive it and stop making excuses... to everyone else you're an idiot for overpaying, but you shouldn't really care what people think cuz you love it so much, right??