Subaru WRX STI's 'Return' Falls Flat with Fans
Teaser videos from Subaru led enthusiasts to believe the iconic WRX STI performance car was making a grand comeback. However, the reality was a special edition of the WRX sports sedan, lacking power and rear wing, which has left fans disappointed.
The recent Tokyo Auto Salon unveiled a new WRX variant with STI 'cherry red' accents, STI badges, and a manual transmission. Despite the anticipation, Subaru never confirmed the car's identity or its availability outside Japan. Many fans interpreted it as a revival of the WRX STI, a variant confirmed in 2022 to be discontinued with the latest WRX generation.
However, the revealed vehicle, named WRX STI Sport#, is a Japanese-market version of the WRX tS Spec B, with added STI badges and no rear wing. It features the same 202kW power output and less torque than the regular WRX, and lacks signature features of the WRX STI, such as a driver-controlled centre differential and a tall rear wing.
The STI Sport# is significant in Japan as it reintroduces the six-speed manual to the WRX range, last offered on the WRX STI in 2019. However, Subaru fans outside Japan were unimpressed, with many expressing disappointment on social media.
One user commented, 'That was the surprise?? Let's hope it's a joke,' while another fan called it 'a WRX tS but for the JDM market, how cool.' The special edition's exhaust was also mocked, with one commenter saying it 'sounds like my Xbox.'
Subaru fans' reactions were mixed, with some expressing disappointment and others questioning the rumors surrounding the car's release. One Instagram user stated, 'The Subaru community needs to read a bit more and react a lot less. I was completely unsure why everyone was making rumor videos when it was announced and stated Japanese only.'
Despite the backlash, Subaru confirmed the WRX STI Sport# will enter production in limited quantities for the Japanese market in the northern spring of 2026. Australian customers can purchase the tS Spec B, which offers similar performance, for $61,490 plus on-road costs.
