Wednesday 15th January 2014

Subaru WRX STI returns to the UK

More than 300hp, less than £30K and not a hatchback in sight. Is the Impreza back?

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The good news continues from Detroit! Less than a year after the sad demise of the Impreza (oh alright, WRX STI) saloon from Britain, Subaru has just announced its return.

US Launch Edition brings back the gold rims

The photos show the styling recipe is fairly familiar probably because, despite the 'all-new' claims, its proportions are similar to the old model. It's a fairly modern if generic Japanese saloon with a sodding great rear wing and a gaping bonnet scoop. Excellent. There's even a racing version too, which will debut at the Nurburgring 24 Hours in June.

So it looks how a 2014 Impreza WRX STI should look, and the mechanicals are as expected too. A 2.5-litre flat-four turbo, 305hp and 290lb ft. The power reaches the road through a six-speed manual with Subaru's latest Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and torque vectoring. The STI also gains the Driver's Control Centre Differential over the WRX.

Subaru is promising 'meticulously re-tuned' springs and dampers to provide a more compliant ride while retaining good body control. Apparently mounting the electric power steering on a more rigid mount will improve feel and response. And yes, it has been tested at that aforementioned German track.

Interior quality said to be up. Let's see

You knew there was a 'but' coming, didn't you? The dynamics of various Imprezas have never been the main issue, it's that buyers have been wary of parting with £30K for a car with a cheap interior. The situation only became more challenging with the arrival of that BMW. Subaru says a lot of work has gone into improving the perceived quality of the WRX STI's cabin.

Soft touch materials along with new dials and trim aim to provide 'both a suitably sporty feel and more upmarket ambience'. It's an improvement on the previous car, and no doubt the contact points will be excellent, but it will hardly strike fear into the Europeans from a design point of view.

And the bottom line? £28,995, £4,000 less than the old car and slap bang in the middle of a very exciting market place. The hatch rivals will be represented by the slightly cheaper Leon Cupra and Megane 265 plus the costlier Golf R. But in fact its closest rival will probably be the S3 saloon, and a comparison with the CLA45 will surely prove illuminating despite the price difference. The new car reaches Britain in May. Welcome back old chum.

[Beefmeister]

Having worked for quite a few OEMs in my time as an engineer it baffles me why companies like Subaru still churn out cheap looking interiors. They have huge R&D resources and some seriously talented engineers, but they still put out an interior that wouldn't look out of place on the original Impreza 2000 Turbo.

Why do they not just style it to look more like a German interior? It wouldn't cost any more, just a more upmarket style. Yes, it still wouldn't have the materials of the Germans, but at least it'd get people's interest.

[HonestIago]

Beefmeister said:

Having worked for quite a few OEMs in my time as an engineer it baffles me why companies like Subaru still churn out cheap looking interiors. They have huge R&D resources and some seriously talented engineers, but they still put out an interior that wouldn't look out of place on the original Impreza 2000 Turbo.

Why do they not just style it to look more like a German interior? It wouldn't cost any more, just a more upmarket style. Yes, it still wouldn't have the materials of the Germans, but at least it'd get people's interest.

The interior pictured looks a world apart from my Turbo 2000!

I think this is a step in the right direction...no mention of weight though. Still, if Prodrive offer 330+bhp then it should be quick enough!

Edited by HonestIago on Tuesday 14th January 17:35

[Alex]

Personally, I don't care too much about interiors as long as they are hard-wearing and rattle-free. The interior of my Impreza P1 is perfectly adequate and the interior in my BRZ (which has been widely criticised) is positively luxurious.

[epom]

Still can't understand why they won't make something a little more aggressive looking, jeez we all want an Impreza that people will be afraid of again

[Stig]

Thank goodness they've improved the styling vs the concept! Looks like a good'un

[Cerberus90]

Is it just me or does that second picture make it look like an Evo 10?

[SonicHedgeHog]

Very promising indeed. Nothing wrong with that interior either. Let's hope they've had the common sense to keep the CO2 down - I am not paying £500/yr road tax.

[Vladimir]

Looks very interesting. I like it!

[WokkaWokka]

It looks a lot nicer but its still crap inside.

[Ved]

Magnificent news I hope to Burnsie they've done something about the pistons if they really are sticking with the 2.5. I'd have thought they could have enticed a bit more out of the Forester 2.0.

Edited by Ved on Tuesday 14th January 17:29

[VeeDub Geezer]

Great news. Now, what about the wagon?

[Craikeybaby]

Beefmeister said:

Having worked for quite a few OEMs in my time as an engineer it baffles me why companies like Subaru still churn out cheap looking interiors. They have huge R&D resources and some seriously talented engineers, but they still put out an interior that wouldn't look out of place on the original Impreza 2000 Turbo.

Why do they not just style it to look more like a German interior? It wouldn't cost any more, just a more upmarket style. Yes, it still wouldn't have the materials of the Germans, but at least it'd get people's interest.

That isn't how Japanese companies think.

I'm excited about this, even though I mainly like lightweight RWD cars with NA engines the Impreza has a special place in my heart - one day I will own one!

[LukeR94]

Cerberus90 said:

Is it just me or does that second picture make it look like an Evo 10?

Can we get this man a parrot.

[MiniMan64]

So the Impreza-going-mainstream experiment went well then?

[mr2j]

Beefmeister said:

Having worked for quite a few OEMs in my time as an engineer it baffles me why companies like Subaru still churn out cheap looking interiors. They have huge R&D resources and some seriously talented engineers, but they still put out an interior that wouldn't look out of place on the original Impreza 2000 Turbo.

Why do they not just style it to look more like a German interior? It wouldn't cost any more, just a more upmarket style. Yes, it still wouldn't have the materials of the Germans, but at least it'd get people's interest.

I was in a 4th gen A6 recently and the interior was as drab and plasticky as anything else I can think of. Some 90s Jap cars seem to have very good interiors - if you like black. I don't think you can generalise that cleanly - there are some drab and brittle-feeling surfaces in BMWs and Audis these days, too.

[Ved]

The interior isn't an issue for me but I don't believe a word of the soft touch rework. It's an XV dash and it's pretty nasty. Functional, ergonomic hard wearing but not German.

But this isn't competing against the Germans, it's competing against its own past.

[Frimley111R]

Beefmeister said:

Having worked for quite a few OEMs in my time as an engineer it baffles me why companies like Subaru still churn out cheap looking interiors. They have huge R&D resources and some seriously talented engineers, but they still put out an interior that wouldn't look out of place on the original Impreza 2000 Turbo.

Why do they not just style it to look more like a German interior? It wouldn't cost any more, just a more upmarket style. Yes, it still wouldn't have the materials of the Germans, but at least it'd get people's interest.

I bet it would. If it didn't all interiors would cost the same and be of the same quality. Also, in the UK quality is a big issue for us but in many countries it isn't and so why increase cost for one or two small countries?

[Ali_T]

Wait, THIS May? Holy cow, all bets are off. My Evo X replacement may just have rolled in from left field. The full fat STI for £29k?

[Bezza1969]

Is this Pistonheads or grand designs? Exciting post about a new Scooby and the first response moans about the interior! More importantly does it drive well and will the co2 emissions be reasonable enough to make it a viable purchase. The old car was a £400 a year for VED and I am sure it put people off. It needs basically, to be able to live with a M135i in a straightline and not cost more than about £260 to tax each year...

[Ali_T]

Ved said:

But this isn't competing against the Germans, it's competing against its own past.

Agreed. Most people considering an STI aren't going to be contemplating an M135i and vice versa. Very different groups of drivers. Most STI drivers will be previous Impreza or Evo owners looking for something to buy that isn't the obligatory competent but dull German cars. My one concern....is this a new 2.5 engine based on the BRZ/GT86 unit, or are they dumping the EJ25 back in, yet again, and do we then have to put bets on when piston 3 will self destruct? Or have they learned their lesson and actually put forged pistons in?

And please, for goodness sake Subaru, don't harness it to a dual clutch Playstation gearbox or, worse still, that godawful CVT box you have.

Edited by Ali_T on Tuesday 14th January 17:51