https://x.com/SUBARU_CORP/status/2004145626116931843New WRX STI being announced next Friday (1/9). Full ICE, no hybrid or BEV variant expected. Anybody have any expectations for it? Also just interested in folks' experiences with the nu-WRX in general. Doesn't seem like that bad of a car, and seems like the initial hate of it was a bit overreactive.
probably the worst interior on the market
>>28793137Nah, the GR Corolla has a much worse interior. WRX is second, though.
I own a 24 VB. You can turn off most of the eyesight stuff that takes control away from you which is nice. I've never had my car brake for me or move my steering wheel. I bought the car a complete hater of the platform since I already have GDs, but it's actually fun and I enjoy wrenching on the car. It definitely is too soft from the factory, after you do all the bushings it's fine. There's an "open source" tuning platform (not really since you're emissions cucked and it's closed source but free) that lets you tune with a tactrix cable which owns. The FA24 is a great engine but it is still an Ascent motor at the end of the day and I doubt Subaru will change it much for the STI but who knows. I don't think I'm willing to return to stock and trade my 24 in for a probably 55k+ car when I can drop in an STI trans for 4k+clutch+tip
They're never putting the 3.6 H6 in it, I'm never buying one.
>>28793130Don't care unless they pull their head out of their ass and finally bring the WRX Sportswagon over here too
>>28793148Subaru did tease a WRX hatchback a couple months ago, but I don't think that'll be available in the 2026 model year. Maybe 2027, or after the next refresh.We'll see, though. It could happen.
>>28793130It'll be another STI with barely over 300hp
>>28793142This seems to gel with everything else I've read about the nu-WRX. Everybody hated it at first, it looks ugly, general Subaru jokes and what not, but then when people got into it and started driving it people turned around on it really quickly. I've also heard really good things about tuning the engine, yeah.Honestly am in the market for a car like this, hoping to buy one sometime next year. Looking at something that is functional as a daily driver, but can be taken to the track to have fun with. The WRX ticks a ton of the boxes, but its stock horsepower is a bit lackluster, but if I'm okay with tuning it and dropping in some aftermarket parts maybe that's not a problem. Or, maybe this new STI isn't overpriced to fuck and back and actually has a meaningful HP bump to it.
>>28793160Subaru has been having trouble selling VBs they constantly do 0% APR financing for them and that was the one of the only reasons I own a new car. The one thing that is not a meme is the eyesight glass, I got a crack in under 500 miles from a rock kicked up by a van. It's $1000 minimum to replace at a local shop that also does calibration.
>>28793152Given how hard the VB WRX can be tuned I really doubt that. Even with only a tune and no parts you can get these to 300 HP stock. With just an access port, air intake and a tune they hit 330 easy. With an upgraded turbo they push 450+ and apparently don't fall apart.The STI is certainly not going to be that aggressive because Subaru is going to prioritize durability, but it honestly wouldn't be a big surprise to see it in the high 300s if they upgrade the turbo.
>>28793171Don't even waste the $750 on an accessport. COBB is a jew scam. If you've had any experience with romraider this is where to be, but sadly you need pisscord. They're already surpassing COBB in many ways since they aren't fully EPA cucked like COBB. https://motorsportsresearch.org/
>>28793151not interested in a cucked hatchback with less cargo room and worse proportions
The main issue with pushing the FA platform right now is really fueling. Full E85 is already maxing out the stock fuel system. IAG bought out the rights to sell the Nostrom hpfp and injectors and hiked the price to insane levels. You can also run the process west manifold or brz manifold to add port injection, but the issue there is actually controlling port injectors at the moment without spending $6500 on a motec ecu.
Bound to happen as pic related was literally a rolling development car and everyone knew it.
>>28793130Are these "FUN" to drive?Like can you do donuts and drifting
>>28793195In the snow or in the dirt sure
Another Subaru that won’t make it to yurop due to emissions.
>$47,000 starting>looks barely different from the nu-WRX from last decade, which means it's still going to be ass-ugly>weighs 200 lbs more for no good reason without any performance increase
>>28793130If even digits, it'll be a pre-production version of the hatchback STI we saw a couple months backIf odd digits, it'll be a JDM-only ,,STI Sport'' Levorg, lmao
>>28793138GR Corolla has a boring and plain interior, WRX has an ugly interior
>>28793343The GR Corolla has a shitbox interior, it feels like a $20k car. If you've ever been inside one let me tell you it is awful, thinking about buying that car actually feels terrible because of how low quality the interior is. Sure it's all black so it doesn't have any design sins but everything is dirt cheap shitbox tier quality. That car's already expensive for what it is, but when you sit inside it and feel like you're in a bottom of the barrel shitbox from 2015 it really stings.The WRX has quality materials and feels like its price, but has terrible color choices especially on the higher trims. Unironically the lower trim WRXs have better interiors than the higher trims because the awful colors aren't as prominent. It feels like a properly designed interior, but then they let a 7 year old boy pick the colors.
>>28793885Okay so... you're agreeing that the GRC interior is boring and plain, and the WRX interior is ugly.I don't understand how this is any different than an Evo. They're ALL either plain, or ugly.
>>28793885>>28793906VA WRX minus blue accents
So tired of seeing these dogshit, ugly, pedestrian cars get "Sports" versions. They need to make actual dedicated sport car chasis. They already have the BRZ, just drop the STI engine in that. Make it AWD. Who the fuck is even buying these fat ugly grocery getters that are "zomg its sports it has a turbo!" nigger who gives a shit.
>>28793885>>28793906>>28793909Oh no the horror, I'm LITERALLY shaking right now
>>28793910You're just a retard picking the wrong fight. 99% of these rally-derived cars and/or hot hatchbacks are based off of regular commuter cars, yes, including Focus and Golf. The 2 seater sports cars are over there so go complain elsewhere, yes they are still in production with next generation coming.
>>28793912if you've test driven either of these cars you'd understand what I mean. The GR Corolla was enormously worse than you'd think given the pictures. It is one of the cheapest feeling cars I've ever been inside, it is actually atrocious.
>>28793921I own that one. And as you've read in my last few posts I'm not giving it any pat on the back either. Yes I agree it's a shitbox and a non-performance weak point of the car, but you make it sound like you were completely caught off guard. I knew what I was getting, and why all 3 of those cars mentioned have such afterthoughts for interior. All I'm saying is that I rather have a plain jane interior that is on par with a regular Corolla, rather than the eye assault that is Subaru and its vertical fisherprice ipad. The upper trim blue accents are nice I'll give it that.
>>28793921I agree with you in that it should be a 35k car compared to the 86 being a 30k car. But now these cars are 50 and 40k respectively.
>>28793935I was caught off guard. I'm cross-shopping this against a shitton of other cars and it was astounding how bad the Corolla interior was compared to the others I've managed to test drive so far.I haven't managed to test drive a VB WRX yet, but even on pictures it looks way better than the Corolla, at least for the base model. The higher trims look awful, the blue and red are ridiculously ugly, but apparently you have no taste and think that looks good? Maybe the problem is you.Also, you didn't post a VB WRX picture, you posted an older WRX. Pic related is a VB, and it is enormously better just from the pictures than a GR Corolla.
>>28793130they'll fuck it up
>>28793130Will probably have the same 310 horsepower it's had for 20 years kek
>>28793947>I was caught off guardOkay sure. You've probably bought your car by now but:Bang for your buck:>VB WRX (early MY before the price creep)>Elantra NDrivers car but you pay the JDM (G)R tax:>GR Corolla>Civic Type R"Best" interior and horsepower because you believe you paid top dollar:>Civic Type R>Golf R>it is enormously better just from the pictures than a GR CorollaThey're both the same. Shitbox interior, hard plastic panels, some soft touch panels, suede seats, colored stitching. But one of those is an enormous ipad.
>>28793947VB is a huge car inside too. Way bigger cabin than the GRC with lots of pockets/cubbies. GRC is the size inside/outside of a 2000s compact while WRX is the size of a 2000s midsized (Legacy/Accord). Elantra N is worth considering, actually have not seen too many issues and dealers are more cooperative than the Japanese marques. CTR surprisingly can have more issues (synchros + fuel pumps)
>>28793959>VB is a huge car inside too. Way bigger cabin than the GRC with lots of pockets/cubbies.I've heard this as well. Also, very good sight lines on the VB compared to its competition.Elantra N is on the shortlist as well, yeah. Just need weekends where it isn't snowing and freezing, no point in test driving these kinds of cars under those conditions. Not like I'm in any hurry to buy this car, anyways. Only one that is going away this year is the CTR, no 2026 model year for that one, but dealerships are currently overflowing with them so they're still going for under MSRP if I do decide to go with that one.
>>28793130honestly, i don't really caretraditionally, the appeal of the wrx sti was >cheap family car, big 4wd perf, jap reliability(ish)kinda like a better value audi rs the problem is that in $CURRENT_YEAR, you can just go out and buy a used model 3/y perf with 450hp for 25k (or a new one for 50k), and its going to be much faster than a wrx sti, and much more reliableso, yea, unless its much cheaper or faster than anyone expects, im not interested>inb4 muh manualok, yes, that's a good reason, but no enough imo>inb4 muh soulits 2026, cars have no soul anymore>inb4 muh lightnessagain, its 2026
My issue with FWD performance cars is the moment your (must have) top tier tires get a bit too hot or there’s a single drop of rain on the road you’re fighting for traction. and unlike RWD or AWD, losing traction in an FWD car feels horrible
Will the auto be a retarded CVT or will they actually have some balls and put a DCT in it
>>28793986I doubt they're going to offer the STI in auto. The top trims of the VB are already manual only. Only the GT trim has the CVTravesty available now.
>>28793130Gonna be $50k+
>>28793965Yeah, the WRX basically took the place of the Legacy GT in 2008 when the third gen came out, having grown vs the GC/GD (and the first model year was also softer like the Legacy which it was poorly received for). My brother has a VA and it's bigger inside and out than the 2006 Outback XT I used to have, not counting the cargo areas. I wish Subaru would reintroduce something GD sized.
>>28793992kekaroo
>>28793992>Gonna be $50k+
>>28793171>apparently don't fall apartno one who has owned and modded a 2004-2020 wrx believes this.
>>28794025>yfw STI is $1124 more expensive than a Ts
>>28793130I've been itching to pick up a VB. But since Oct I've been waiting to see what will be announced. I'd rather have a hatch than sedan.I'm still disappointed in current pricing and direction modern cars are going. I'm just glad I can turn off all the eyesight shit. I will likely pick up this hatch and will definitely disable telematics as well as opt out of all the data collection shit.
>>28793183Fine for you. I just want a performance hatch. I don't need tons of space. Go get a pick-up instead.
not buying unless they put the best tranny in the world in it.the ZF8HP.
>>28794119>pickuphow is that even remotely similar, disgusting
>>28794115Same here. I'm on the fence with picking up a lightly used VB or waiting to see if that STI hatchback they showed off a few months ago pans out.
https://x.com/SUBARU_CORP/status/2005565332996628791Was checking the Subaru twitter, they keep posting new teasers for the STI, saw this one and noticed something -- if you look on the left of the driver (it's a JDM car so it's RHD) you can see they shrank the vertical screen and added two new rows of physical buttons underneath it. Compare what you see here to the screen in >>28793947 it doesn't go all the way down.Hope this applies to all 2026 WRX's and not just the STI, but I don't see why it would be STI only.
>>28795079That's the glossy plastic, it's the same center console
>already bought a GR Corollatoo slow, Subie
I can rebuild a blown up VB for less than a blown up 'rolla
PLEASE BE A MANUAL LEVORG IVE BEEN WAITING SO FUCKING LONG WHY DO WE ONLY HAVE CVT SUBARU IN JAPANIM TIRED OF MODDING MY JIMNY
>>28793148If these were available in leafland I'd already be driving one sheeeeiiit
>>28795890That was on purpose, Toyota didn't want the STi stealing sales from it and leveraged their 20% stake in Subaru against it
>>28793130A big, fat, ugly car like the WRX, but barely any faster, and a lot more expensive. It'll be slower than a new Z and more expensive.>>28793885Is right. I've driven my friend's GR Corolla a few times when we did autocrosses and stuff together and I can't believe how little they did to differentiate it from a regular corolla inside. I hate my wife's Corolla interior, ugly cheap looking thing.>>28793912You've never been in one.>piano black>cheap looking screen dash>econo car dash and door card materialsIt honestly does have the interior of a $25k car.
>>28793906A small car with thin door cards and console to allow for room >>28793909Bloated pigfat car with a bloated pigfat interior. Everything inside is twice the size as an old Impreza.
>>28793910Stop describing me. I'm going to buy this only to drive 2 km to my train and groceries. The odd road trip and some track. Going to be amazing.
>>28796588It'd be great if you read my posts before replying. I literally own this car and I had agreed that the GRC interior is (1) a shitbox (2) largely the same as a regular Corolla or any economy commuter (3) a weak point of the car (4) a complete afterthought.I still think it's ,,better'' than the WRX because being plain, boring, and undercooked is still better than being ugly at the end of the day. If I had to nail Toyota to the cross over something it would be for the garbage JBL speakers and the tiny hatch volume due to the slanting body line and raised floor.
>>28796810>the tiny hatch volume due to the slanting body line and raised floor.The corolla hatch and GR are shorter than the sedan for some reason. Toyota is a stupid company
>>28796814Why wouldn't a hatchback body be shorter than the sedan body? That's what a wagon/estate is for.
>>28793130>Anybody have any expectations for it?At least 350 hpTransmission from the old STINo black plastic wheel arches, like the LevorgAvailable as a hatch
>>28796824>No black plastic wheel arches, like the LevorgUnfortunately that ship has already sailed, much as I would like it to be the case. The teasers they've shown already have the ugly ass misshapen slightly rounded slightly octagonal wheel arches that look like they're a factory misprint that the worker didn't notice and just slapped on the car.
>>28793986You really think a tiny company like Subaru is going to develop an entire new transmission for a low volume car? The only way I could see it having a DCT is if they called Audi and asked to buy the tooling for the DCT from the older A4s and S4s. That's pretty much the only AWD longitudinal transaxle DCT in existence.
>>28796826I doubt they'd even sell the STI in AT. I fully expect this car to have the prior STI's MT as the only transmission option.
>>28796828>MT onlybased based basedI don't expect this thing to be much higher than 310 hp. Subaru is always a massive disappointment.
>>28796834I think we're gonna see higher just because they pulled so many punches with this engine. They easily could've released the base VB with more power but undertuned it so that it didn't break market segmentation and outperform the outgoing STI from the previous generation. This engine's so held back that literally just an air intake and a stock tune pushes it from 250 at the wheels to 330. I think we'll easily see 350 crank on the new STI and that's without them even breaking a sweat really.
>>28796848>but undertuned it so that it didn't break market segmentation and outperform the outgoing STI from the previous generationThat's stupid, it should outperform, or at least match the old STI, that's how progress works. Like for example, top of the line non-M BMWs are as fast, or sometimes even faster than actual Ms from 1 or 2 generations before.
>>28793342>The gods are merciful
>>28796860Well, okay, I'm being slightly unfair here. There is one component that is holding back the VB from being more powerful, it's just not the engine, it's the transmission. If you do tune the VB as is you can get a ton more power, but the transmission isn't able to handle that much more -- that 330 is probably fine for an individual, but corporations are understandably very conservative when sizing these things.Given that it's already expected that they drop the old STI MT in this car, which is what anybody who tunes this car does anyways, and that that transmission can handle a lot more power they should have a pretty free hand in unlocking the FA24 and pulling quite a bit more power into the car.My hopes are, in order:>Limited slip differentials, all the old STIs had them and their lack is the biggest thing hurting the VB on the track, plus there are no good aftermarket options for those for the VB>Old STI MT>Edgier suspension, even moreso than the tS trim they released for 2025, to compete directly with the GR Corolla, Elantra N and Civic Type R>More HP, but I honestly don't even care that much as long as they don't somehow ruin it, given the expensive thing about tuning the VB is replacing the trans and that should already be done then the sky is the limit>Hatchback would actually be super cool but I don't think it'll happen
>>28796848if they actually build the FA24 (headstuds, fueling, slightly bigger turbo) for the STI instead of just throwing a spicy tune on it could easily make 375hp stockcombine that with the old STI trans/DCCD, aggressive suspension and wheel package and you will have a car that deserves the $55k price tag and has basically no competition on the market
I wish I had a Subaru :^(
>>28795079They're both the same, bro.
>>28794123basedased
>>28797349You can have one of mine
its just a manual vb wrx for japan market since they currently only have cvt. they already have sti appearance packages which explains the badges.i hope im wrong
I'm so glad I don't have a subaru
>>28796824>>28796825The wheel arches on nu-wrxs are total ass
>>28798207Literally who asked for those? People who want cars with black plastic cladding are buying crossovers, not sporty compact sedans.
>>28798212They're fine as long as they're like 1-2 inches and actually the same shape as the wheel wells.
Subaru press conference live streams:https://youtu.be/hpCiS4zRp9E (ETA 1 hour from now)https://youtu.be/xHCdMcoS_KY (3 hours from now)https://youtu.be/UUG0uiw84qo (4.5 hours from now)
Not a real STI. 'STI Sport' is just a VB trim for the JP market, with the tS suspension and manual transmission. At least the JP nikki don't get cucked with the CVT any more, happy for them I suppose.
>>28799373Why are they saying!!!? My Japanese didn't pay off. Ugh I need an STI hatch to come to leafland so bad I'm going to CUuuuuuuuuMmmmmmMmMmmM
>>28799477They did announce a performance Impreza hatchback concept, but it sounded like it was still in the works.
aaaand it’s a nothingburger as per usual
Or maybe I'm full of shit and there was something cool in there. I don't speak moonrunes. A flat 6 Subaru would be fucking incredible.
https://www.subaru.jp/advertising/wrx/stisportsharp/?banner_id=sbr_100200&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=news&utm_content=fr_wrx_sti_100200&utm_term=sbr_pcsp_x-postMachine translated, the STI Sport # has the same 2.4L boxer as the VB. No performance numbers anywhere.I don't know why there needs to be a 'prototype' if it's just the tS trim coming to Japan though. I get that they got cucked out with the worst version of the VB, AT only and none of the fancy suspension stuff the west got, but that car already exists why play it up like this?
>manual into the trash it goes. I’m not going back t. zf8GOD
>>28799525Kek saw this ordering a new rack and pinion and killer b holy header for my va sti now that I know we aren't getting anything cool ever again from nubaru
dead model dead brand. the golf R rules the awd funbox category. Ow
https://youtu.be/UUG0uiw84qo?t=13832So I am rewatching the relevant announcements with auto-translated subtitles and just after this timestamp they confirmed the new car has the DCCD in it, or at least a modern version of the DCCD. So it's not just a JP version of the tS trim, this is actually legit a new car. They're just doing a fuckawful way of showing it because they've said literally nothing about it other than it having a manual transmission over and over again.
>>28800337So it's a Ts VB like everyone said with perhaps the real sti 6 speed, which is cool for japanese tuners to make real power on the fa24 but completely irrelevant because no one else is getting this car and they lied about making a real STI
>>28800347The tS VB does not have the DCCD. No production car in the VB generation has the DCCD. So no, it's not a tS.
>>28800349Holy fucking skill issue learn to read dumbass it's north americas TS WITH the old STI 6 speed that's the only change which I said. or are you subarus esl marketing intern trying to convince us to spend money on a brand that makes a piss poor japan only "STI" with nothing special when compared with the VA STI and a bunch of boring mom cars. Either way I'm going to stick with my REAL WRX STI too bad because I was considering buying my first new car ever if they came with something good.
>>28800356The only one ESL here is you. It's not a tS. You were wrong. Deal with it.
>>28800362Is this supposed to be bait or something gonna laugh when the "DCCD" is shown to just be xmode software from the cvt suvs lmao
>>28800370We know it doesn't have a CVT. Nice try. Keep seething. You were wrong.
>>28800371Not seething going to go enjoy one of japans finest engine and transmission combinations, I never said it had a CVT not sure if you're just terminally online no car or what but you seem revved little guy.
>>28800379I accept your concession.
>Subaru STIOkay>Subari STI........SportWait........awww you fucking faggots.This better not mean what I think it means.AMG Sport, ///M Sport, and Audi S-line have already cornered the "actually downmarket but please pretend I'm not" faggotry.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSxvmQEfrM4
The STI Sport # also gets some additional chassis stiffening in both front and rear not available in any WRX trim at the moment.They also talk a lot about reducing weight of the car in the interview, but they never state any figures so it's impossible to say if they actually realized any weight loss or if they're just taking credit for the fact that the MT is lighter than the CVT all the JP trims of the car has.So what we know is:>VB chassis>FA24 engine>Manual transmission, not known if the same as the NA versions or if it is the older STI MT>Looks like the same tires, wheels, brakes, suspension setup as the tS trim>Some sort of center differential that can vary how much torque is sent to the front or back, possibly the same DCCD the old STIs had possibly a new system>Additional structural rigidity through braces in front and in rear>Some of the promotional material shows the car with a rear spoiler not available to any current trims (the front splitter and side skirts are already available as options to current VBs)>Possibly some lightweighting, if it wasn't just marketing speechWhat we don't know:>No idea on power, engine bay looks the same as stock but there may be changes that aren't visible, or it could just be stock power>No talk about front or rear differentials>No idea which MT it has>No idea if there is actual weight loss in the carAll told this is clearly the best version of the VB they'd made yet, it's just a question of how much better. It's Subaru, they have always had a habit of just playing legos with their cars swapping different parts in and out to make it better. Hopefully at least some of this makes its way to the states, even if it's just paid options on the tS trim we have.
>>28800576>chassis bracing with moving joints in itcompletely non-functional bling at best, dead weight at worst
There's no way any man should be driving a WRX above the age of 25 lmao If you dont have a muscle car + le practical suv combination then youve failed
>>28800603>muscle carToo many niggers have them.
>>28796816There isn't a wagon, retard.
im never buying a flat 6 with nigwheel drive
>>28800603>suvEww
>>28800738What did he mean by this?
>>28800603Fucking kill yourselfI can finally afford to drop money on stupid shit. Age ain't going to stop my choices.
>>28800603>+ le practical suv combination then youve failedfuckoff homo
>>28800603Shant own a car that uses orange coolant
>>28793171>Even with only a tune and no parts you can get these to 300 HP stock. With just an access port, air intake and a tune they hit 330 easy. With an upgraded turbo they push 450+ and apparently don't fall apart.The same regurgitated shit subiefags have been saying since the dawn of time
>>28793130I can't wait for a slow, underpowered, ugly, garbage interior, plastic fender shit box for $50,000!!!
>>28800684So you’ll quit breathing because <race> also enjoys atmospheric air?Quit being insecure - it’s pathetic.
>>28800603>SUVKek you have no place saying what a man should do you sissy bitch
>>28800347>and they lied about making a real STIThey didn't lie about anything. They're making a STI which is going to be a hatchback. They showed it back in November. This sedan sport # is not that car. Why would Subaru reveal a car that they already revealed 2 months ago.
>>28800738Wagon E210 Corollas have existed for quite a while
