There's Finally A New Subaru WRX STI, But It's Already Ruined

In March 2022, there was a startling announcement: Subaru would not produce a next-generation gas-powered WRX STI. Nearly three years later, the company appears to have had a change of heart. The automaker just announced a new STI-branded Subaru WRX it calls the S210. Based on the WRX S4 STI Sport R EX — which the company released as a Japan-only model in 2024 — the new 2025 Subaru WRX STI (S210) isn't exactly the STI-branded WRX enthusiasts wanted, but it's here anyway.

While the transition to the S210 badge should have ideally resulted in an uptick in performance when compared to the previous-generation S209 WRX STI, that's not what the S210 iteration gets. In fact, with 296 horsepower and 276 pound-feet of torque, the new 2025 car is only marginally more powerful than the standard Subaru WRX models currently on sale in the U.S. For context, the standard versions of the U.S.-spec WRXs offer 271 hp and make 258 lb-ft of torque.

Another facet of the new Subaru WRX STI that hasn't gone over well with the enthusiast crowd is the decision to offer the car with a continuously variable transmission. This is quite the departure from the S209, which featured a 6-speed manual gearbox. For enthusiasts still interested in getting the S210, Subaru has, for all practical purposes, indicated that this would remain a Japan-only model, at least for the time being, and that it would only have a limited production run of 500 cars.

Subaru asserts that the S210 has been derived from the same race car that competes in the Nürburgring 24-Hour Race. The S210 gets the 2.4L horizontally opposed four-cylinder double overhead cam direct-injection turbo engine, which — as outlined earlier — makes 296 hp and 276 lb-ft of torque. While nice figures when viewed in isolation, these numbers pale in comparison to the S209 iteration of the WRX STI, which made 341 hp at 6400 rpm and a peak torque of 330 lb-ft at 3600 rpm.

The transmission used on the Subaru WRX S210 is marketed as the Subaru Performance Transmission, and the company says this is the first S-series vehicle to feature it. While the company markets it as a transmission capable of "matching engine output characteristics" and offering "heightened pleasure of driving," this decision will not go down well with the WRX STI's target audience, which is the enthusiast crowd.

The car has Michelin 255/35R19 high-grip tires that wrap around STI Flexible Performance Wheels. Subaru has also tuned the suspension using electronic control dampers and coil springs, and newly developed rear stabilizer bushes. The braking is handled by Brembo with 18-inch ventilated discs at the front and 17-inch discs at the rear. On the inside, the car gets Recaro eight-way power seats with carbon backrest. The interior is themed around black tones. Subaru will share availability and pricing by spring 2025.