Likes - Blindingly quick
- Tunable traction and engine control
- Looks better than the WRX
- The hatchback is very utilitarian
Dislikes - Hard to justify the cost over a WRX
- A bit tippy on hard corners
- No 4-door sedan option
- Every cop will know you
Tech Specs - 2.5 liter turbocharged 305 HP
- MPG: 18 city/25 highway
- 6-speed manual transmission
- Race ready AWD
What's Changed - A quicker Limited Edition model is available with performance enhancements.
The Vehix View - For people who like to customize their performance driving style electronically, few cars can compete with the brains of the 2010 Subaru WRX STI. It is a hoot to drive daily and has the internal fortitude to be a real rally racer.
First Impressions
The 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI (view photos) can be scary car. Not in a bad way (although some observers find the car's design almost too horrific for words). It's simply a shockingly fast, almost scary-fast car to drive. You simply don't expect this much power or speed from such a a relatively small car. With the SRX STI, Subaru gives the driver the means to control how the power is put to the ground. In our case, it’s like giving TNT to a pyromaniac.
The wide body (which, will be on all WRX models in 2011) look is macho and purposeful at nearly every angle. Large, quad exhaust pipes look the business and the thick bodywork hides the mild-mannered Impreza below. It’s attractive and it definitely commands some respect on the street.
Some Subaru fans take issue with the hatchback-only design (another item that will be addressed in 2011). Others want more power and a stiffer structure to take on the STI’s nemesis – the Mitsubishi Evolution. What’s clear is that the 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI is rarely put to the proper test by drivers.
This is not simply a car to be driven on a track, sure – it can do it – but it has grander aspirations. The STI can be ridiculously fast on dirt, snow, gravel and just about any other surface you could imagine. It looks like a rally car because it IS a rally car.
Pricing, Trims and Options
The base price for the 2010 Subaru WRX STI is $34,995. You can add a number of packages and accessories to your WRX to flavor to taste. By adding the Gold BBS wheels and Navigation and many of the popular options that make driving pleasurable (things like satellite radio, a subwoofer, iPod connectivity), our price ballooned to $43,000. So accessorize with care.
Packages include:
- Gold BBS wheels and Navigation (blue mica and satin white) ($3,800)
- Silver BBS wheels and Navigation ($3,800)
- Gold BBS wheels package ($2,000)
- Silver BBS wheels package ($2,000)
Popular options and accessories include:
- Sirius radio ($398)
- XM radio ($398)
- Sport grill ($317)
- Subwoofer/amplifier ($269.95)
- Roof carrier base ($229.95)
- Fork bike carrier ($159.95)
- iPod interface ($159.95)
- Shock sensor ($99.95)
Interior Features
Like the regular Impreza and WRX, the STI has the new(ish) dash design that flows from the door panels and sweeps down into the center stack. Switches and knobs are good quality without being constructed in a way that might worry the Germans.
The front performance-oriented seats are very comfortable, however, they have fixed head rests. This means, when wearing a helmet, the driver has to crane his/her neck in a rather uncomfortable way – or lean the seatback into a less ergonomically friendly manner.
Still, the black Alcantara/Carbon Black leather upholstery is very comfy for regular commutes and blasting through a canyon.
For a such a real sports car (and it is indeed a real sports car), we were delighted by the utility of the hatch and 60/40 split-rear seat. With the rear seats up, you'll find a very useable 19-cubic feet of storage room. When the rear seats are down, 44.4 cubic feet of cargo room opens up. That’s mid-size SUV territory.
Safety, Quality and Reliability
Subaru’s bumper-to-bumper warranty is 3 years or 36,000 miles with a 5-year or 60,000 mile powertrain warranty. Corrosion is covered for 5 years and unlimited miles.
The 2010 Subaru WRX achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's highest score of "Good" in front- and side-impact testing. However, the vehicle only received an “acceptable” score for rear impact protection.
Consumer Reports gave the 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI (view photos) a “recommended” stamp with an overall score rating of 89 out of a possible 100 points. J.D. Power gave the 2010 Subaru Impreza an overall predicted reliability rating of “about average.”