Drove a Subaru WRX STI today

[Scott.t]

Owned my Subaru for nearly 16 years and taken it from 218bhp to 335bhp, with a vast number of OE style/later STi modifications, stand alone ECU and my own mapping (been running the map since 2006).

It’s had several trips to the ring, goodwood trackdays and in general a lot of meets and events over that time. It’s been a great experience and one that will continue as the car became a garage queen weekender since 2013.

Why did I not buy a more modern Subaru instead of the RS (despite being Admin/Moderator for a local Subaru club)…..because they haven’t changed it much in those 16 years. Underneath the skin it’s still pretty much the same. I was tempted though whilst the RS HG dust was settling, as the Subaru STi 2014> appears to be great value. But I wanted a bit more tech, drive modes and a SatNav/On-board MMI that was more this century than last.

Which is more fun….the Subaru or RS…..well the Subaru despite only being 335BHP will kick the RS’s aRSe all day long on a 3rd/4th gear pull and a quick launch out of a T-Junction is performed in a much more direct and controlled manner with a mechanical drivetrain as opposed to one controlled by combination of witchcraft and software.

But the handling/cornering of the RS is another league and certainly shows off it’s 20 years of suspension development well. Unfortunately even a Mountune FPM375 still won’t get the power-to-weight on par with the Scooby. But the RS is supposed to be my daily/family car, so I shouldn’t be chasing numbers…….should I ?

[RSDave]

I test drove 1 before getting my RS. It felt flat (the irony) so much turbo lag. As for veering steering I’ve never encountered it. I have made a joke out of a couple of sti’s though down a back road near me and also on the way to Whitby. To say they couldn’t keep up would be an understatement the RS is in a different league in speed and cornering and exit traction and the sti’s track times show it. There’s a reason its at the bottom of the pile

[Rs Rick]

I’ve a 67plate Rs which I’ve had since September last year and covered nearly  6000 miles and you do get that sensation of the car weaving left and right under hard acceleration especially in 3rd gear pull between 70-80mph adds to the fun of driving the RS

[zondas]

Lighten up guys ffs like how dare you mention the dreaded word Subaru on an RS Forum can’t wait to meet you all during the summer months if our HG hold out 😉

[rampant]

Blimey, that escalated quickly from some.

To be fair, I did post in the non-RS chat area.

 

Clearly, I do like the RS. A lot.  You don’t spank £35k on a new car if you don’t like it.  The RS has some verging-on-greatness lurking within it.

 

If I compare to my previous car, an Evo 9, it is very, very similar in design ethos, but slightly different in execution.

Good stuff about the RS:

Standard seats, cabin tech (Bluetooth, android integration, Nav, touch-screen, rear camera, etc).  Heated steering wheel as well as seats. Looks good, sounds pretty good and accelerates pretty well. Top notch brakes (even though they are a bit snatchy).  The best bit is the way it handles in the bends.  The rear differential torque vectoring works a real treat.

Things I don’t like so much:

Number #1 disadvantage = My local Ford service centre are incompetent, fact.  Heavy = Definitely needs a remap.  It’s a hatchback = rear screen always dirty.  The visibility = very poor visibility when reversing and really poor 3/4 vision.  That HG saga!  And somewhere very close to the top of the not so much liked list is the veering steering.  That rear torque vectoring is a real double edged sword and my opinion is that it’s the twinster mapping that creates the veerysteeryohmygodInearlyhitthatcarasIovertookit.

 

Now to the Subaru:

Sure, it’s based on an old design, but that design is tried and tested and works well.

Likes:

Saloon is good.  Points, goes and steers well.   Not quite as fast as the RS in a straight line, but very little real world difference. Goes exceptionally well in bends and is clearly very well balanced in the mechanical grip/chassis setup.  Just as good in the twisties as the RS, with the bonus that it doesn’t have any corrupted straight-line or over-camber deflections.  Sounds very good and no fake noise.

Not so likes:

Seat design and support is second best to RS.  Underpowered for the chassis and chokes a bit at the top end.  Remap would probably sort that just as it would sort the RS? Those wheels are rubbish looking.  Not as good looking all round as the RS.  Keyless entry is certainly inferior to RS.

 

Could I live with one?  Am I considering a change?

Yes I could be happy with a WRX.  Would probably want to modify, but decide not to on grounds of warranty (just like RS). I’m not seriously considering a change to the WRX, but was good to actually think about it and experience the car.  There are only 4 unregistered WRX left in the country.  All silver.  There were 5 just a few days ago, so they aren’t completely out of demand.

 

The reason I posted is because it *was* a revelation that it steered cleanly in a straight line and didn’t try to do its own thing while overtaking, unlike the RS, and it was genuinely a very rewarding car to drive.

 

Meanwhile, I’ve been out for another test of the Giulia Quadrifoglio.  Spectacular.  Watch this space.

Yours Aye

Mark H

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// ’17 Nitrous Blue // Forged Alloys // Michelin Super Sports // Painted Calipers // Sync 3 // Lux Pack // Winter Pack // Black Gel Spoiler Badges // Blue Gel Wheel Inserts // GTechniq Liquid Crystal // GTechniq Alloy Armour // sold Jun ’18

[71-bda]

Alfa romeo….    residual value.. going down, down, down, oh, its broken down, value going down down down, oh its on the trailer again, ooh, the values just dropped a monkey in the last ten minutes!! Owning any Italian car is like being in a cold shower tearing up £50 notes, its nice when you get out and buy something else.

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No nothing.

No Mods. No rockers. Just a chunky knob, thats now been replaced by an RS knob innit.

No tackiness.

Std as Ford intended, but with a space saver wheel and jack and nuts and wheel brace. oh.. and flaps, a man has got to have flaps.

Innit?

 

[Mdc]

I also drove the wrx sti  I agree it’s a great car but a little dated.All so drove the Honda Civic type r gt and all though that was only front wheel drive it really did drive well.Comfy seats handeld great lots of power and grip.It surprised me.The only thing was road noise and the rear end looks.Tested both these cars as alternative to the RS.Having driven the RS both cars are good but not RS good (just my opinion)Its just so much fun to drive sort of complete package if you like,for me anyway.Just can’t get me around HG issue….so as yet undecided what to do.

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Mountune 375 FMP mountune v3 M Flaps Forged wheels painted calipers Gel inserts Door protectors clim air Sony upgrade shells ? immobiliser 5yr Ford warranty BIG FAT FORGED IN THE BOOT.HG recall sorted no drama.

[Martin71RS]

Ive had two impreza’s one being the p1 which was regarded as one of the best impreza’s yes it made me smile but my smile is wider in the RS

Martin

[coastliner]

I considered one but, £500 for the road tax made my mind up.

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Coastliner

[yorkirs]

Agree had a scoobies for year, road tax rediculous in latter years. World has moved on with the RS  significantly in my opinion, must admit loved having tow bar  on scoobies though for the toy box.

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May the Ford be with you

 

 

[A]

We have both in the house so here are my thoughts

1. Seating in Subaru flat, and in RS raised under knees

2. Power curve very different and needs to be driven differently

3. Sound system in Ford (s3) much better

4. Subaru bigger inside and seats five with ease, ford really 4. Important if you have a family

5. Both in stock similar performance

6. Last few revisions of Sti increasingly difficult to tune, smaller turbo and injection

7. Very few dealerships for servicing Subaru now versus Ford

8. Falling sales were not the issue for stopping imports it was smaller margins due to FX rate of Yen to GBP making it uneconomic

9. Suspension innSrinnot variable and crashy with RS streets ahead

 

[howsey2-0]

https://uk.subaruownersclub.com/forums/

[howsey2-0]

I wouldve bought an impreza twenty years ago, and I’d  still rather have a twenty year old car than a new one. Everyone overtook them, even Hyundai.

[Kenny]

Would still like a 22B in the garage mind 🙂

[rampant]

I still don’t think you can say everyone overtook them Howsey.

Even if you think that, (and its your opinion, so I won’t argue) – it has taken 20 years for that to happen. Why so bloody long, dammit???

My former Evo IX was a better all round performer when I bought it new in 2005 than this brand new RS. That’s why I kept it for 12 years.

Even now, we have confirmation from a current owner of both that performance is similar between RS and WRX.

I’m not here to deliberately cause argument. Simply offering my observations.

Yours Aye

Mark H

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// ’17 Nitrous Blue // Forged Alloys // Michelin Super Sports // Painted Calipers // Sync 3 // Lux Pack // Winter Pack // Black Gel Spoiler Badges // Blue Gel Wheel Inserts // GTechniq Liquid Crystal // GTechniq Alloy Armour // sold Jun ’18

[Author]

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