Day-by-Day Review: 2008 Subaru WRX STi

By James Bergeron

Photo Gallery:
2008 Subaru WRX STi

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What do you say when someone hands you the keys to the new Subaru STi? You say: “Thanks.” Then, you say: “C-ya”, as you select first gear, stomp on the go pedal and rocket away from your gift-giver. It’s not too often I get an “extreme machine” to test — we’ll have to make the most of this one.

So this week, I get to zip — I’m not sure zip is the right word, but I’ll use it anyway — around the city in the 2008 Subaru STi. The newly-designed STi, as you may know, is only available in wagon / hatch form, while the previous generation was only available in sedan form. Perhaps Subaru wanted to give track enthusiasts some extra space to carry their gear around in.

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In pictures, the STi doesn’t really do anything for me; it looks awkward and plain. But in person it is striking: less boy-racer than the previous generation, perhaps less aggressive-looking too, but it is stylish with little touches that grab your eye.

There isn’t much to choose from in terms of options with the STi, either. Do you want a fully-loaded version or a fully-loaded version? That’s all you have to choose, thankfully, even though it is fully loaded — including: a GPS DVD-based navigation system, cruise control, automatic climate control and power windows — it comes in at a reasonable $44,995.

Just to be thorough and for all those who will mention it anyways, yes in the USA, you can get this same car for $38,795 + 6 per cent duty. That’s a savings of approximately $3,500 after all is said and done. Nobody is stopping you from doing so if you really want to, but a little birdie told me that Subaru is currently offering a $4,000 discount on cash purchases.

Despite having to sign my life away and ensuring Subaru there would be no damage done to its precious STi, I’m sure some fun will be had this week.

2008 Subaru WRX STi
MSRP as tested (including destination): $46,590

For more information on Subaru and the STi visit Subaru Canada

Day 2:

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Well, I find myself a little on the surprised side. Before even driving the STi I had some pre-conceptions; who wouldn’t? Most of them came from reading other people’s comments, and some of them from personal experience behind the wheel of a Subaru. For the most part, they were wrong.

The STi’s interior is a huge surprise. For one thing, it is huge, relatively speaking. There is a ton of cargo space behind the rear seats, yet leg room is still plentiful in the rear and headroom is excessive. In the front, headroom is also excessive, but mostly due to the extremely low seats.

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The manual driver’s seat is height adjustable, and I have it set a couple of pumps from the bottom. I believe everyone to have sat in the STi’s passenger seat has commented on how low it is; it really feels like you are sitting on the floor of the car.

If I were to ignore the cheap-feeling headliner and sun visors I would say the interior of the STi is of very high quality. It feels and looks excellent; perhaps not luxury-car quality due to its hard plastics, but the fit and finish is top notch and the layout and look are very appealing.

The DVD-based navigation and audio system, though, is a little finicky; there seems to be a software bug. When you change displays on the screen it does not remove the previous screen’s display, resulting in a very difficult-to-read mess. I have had the display freeze up on me as well. The navigation system is one of the more complex ones I have used and took a bit of time to get used to it.

The climate control, steering wheel controls and other switches are all very intuitive and easy to use, and the major controls are ergonomically correct. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes, which helps greatly when trying to adjust the driver’s seating position.

The sports bucket seats seem comfortable but are not extremely supportive. Good enough for your average back road, not nearly aggressive enough for the weekend track star.

Day 3:

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As I stare out my window, spying on my neighbours receiving some boxes for their upcoming move, my eye keeps getting drawn to the Subaru in my driveway. I have it parked on an angle, and from this vantage point, it really reminds me of the old BMW M Coupe, the car affectionately known as “the shoe” in automotive circles.

Sure, the STi isn’t completely “shoe” shaped as the M Coupe was, but the resemblance is there. The muscular lines of the rear hatch are what really attract me, and even though the front is stubby, the car is strikingly stylish. Perhaps I’m just staring at the car because I would rather be driving it than sitting here writing.

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I’ve already logged close to 300km in the STi; highway, city and back country roads have been conquered. The STi seems to work in all of these environments. The ride is firm but not overly so; coming from any other sports car you may even say the ride is soft. I’d compare it to the Mazdaspeed 3, but perhaps slightly softer.

Road noise? Sure, it has some. Mostly, it’s tire noise but that is drowned out by the soothing sounds of differential and transmission whine, the deep Subaru flat-four exhaust note and the thrill of speed. 305hp and 290lb-ft of torque get this car moving in a hurry, and the traction provided by the all-wheel drive system means even in a torrential downpour it is quite the feat to get the wheels to spin.

But what about corners? The new WRX has been called too soft by many a critic. So far, I have found the STi is a little softer in corners than I had originally expected as well. Initial body roll is obvious when simply entering an on-ramp aggressively, but after that the STi stays neutral.

Unfortunately though, entering a corner with just the slightest amount of vigor does induce understeer, although this is correctable with a little left foot braking. I am convinced this is all down to the tires.

These slight downfalls in performance, though, translates to a car that is extremely capable and more than exceeds 99 per cent of the population’s vehicles, yet the STi still remains extremely livable day in and day out.

Day 4:

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What’s more surprising than the STi’s day in and day out versatility and livability? Its fuel consumption: typically, Subarus, with their full time all-wheel drive systems, are not the most fuel-efficient vehicles. One would expect a 305hp Subaru to be downright thirsty.

I didn’t expect to even mention the STi’s fuel consumption, but I averaged a very respectable 10.6L/100km over the course of the week, and to say that I was not gentle on accelerator would be an understatement. Even driven extremely hard, average fuel consumption only rose to the mid 11’s (litres / 100km).

Like some other Subarus, the STi has three settings to adjust the throttle sensitivity: intelligent mode, sport mode and sport-sharp mode. I didn’t notice much fuel savings by changing these modes but I did notice that in intelligent or sports mode, gear changes during hard acceleration are very rough, while in sports sharp, gear changes are very smooth.

Any way you slice it, though, the STi is a fun, high-performance machine that is easy to live with day in and day out, and one that can also tear up the track for some fun on the weekends.

*Rating out of 5: