2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STi

Winged Wonder Offers Performance, But Does It Deliver Value? 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI – Click above for high-res image gallery During our weeklong stint with the 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, many friends asked an all-too-obvious question: "How does it compare to the Mitsubishi Evolution?" A fair query, as the STI vs. Evo debate is something that we've pondered ever since Subaru launched its street-legal rally car in the United States back in 2004. But then a most astute car enthusiast friend asked something that continues to trigger moments of contemplation: "Wouldn't you just rather buy a standard WRX?" See, ever since the WRX's major overhaul in 2009 (yes, we know the redesign happened in 2008, but the big boost in power and added suspension tuning didn't come until one year later), the STI has been sort of a hard sell. To make matters worse, Subaru fitted the WRX with its big brother's widebody pieces for the 2011 model year, giving the mid-grade Impreza model the appearance of a full-on Evo competitor. So after a week with the top-rung (and top-dollar) STI, does this Subaru still have enough panache and punch to make it worth the premium? Would we really just rather have a WRX? When you first lay eyes on the STI sedan, you quickly fixate on one feature: its massive wing. In bringing back the proper four-door body style, Subaru fitted it with the iconic rear spoiler that adorned every generation of the STI up until the hatchback-only 2008 model. It's an audacious yet purposeful piece of fast-and-furious flare, and we simply love it. We may be hatchback lovers, but there's something about seeing that giant spoiler that makes us totally giddy. Besides, if that wing didn't evoke some sort of emotion, we wouldn't have spent an entire paragraph discussing it. Let's move on. The STI's appearance has not changed for the 2011 model year. A brand-new Impreza is on the horizon – just as we were finally warming up to the looks of the current one – and we're curious to see how the brash, bulgy STI bits fit on the new car's body. In current form, the car has all of the styling cues to make any wannabe street racer swoon. The standard STI-spec 18-inch wheels still look fantastic and the front fascia looks as menacing as ever. Little pink STI logos accent the grille, side vents and rear fascia, and we wouldn't want them in any other color. It takes confidence to pull off pink, after all. But while the STI's exterior speaks of aggression and power and ferociousness, the interior speaks of... the bargain bin. When you consider that the STI starts at $33,995, you'd be right to expect a more high-end cabin. We appreciate automakers that keep things simple when designing interiors – especially in cars that are solely made to be driven and driven hard – but we still wish the gray-plastic-smattered STI interior were a bit more inviting. Our test …
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