2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Pros

The intersection of performance, good looks, versatility and value

Cons

Gas mileage, but what can you expect for 305 hp!

Ok. After reading extensive reviews and test driving both the new 2008 STI and the new Evo, I purchased the STI. I bought the charcoal gray STI and, to me, the STI just looks more sophisticated, inside and out, than the Evo. The STI’s styling is very bold and, at a glance, it looks unlike anything on the road, which is something I appreciate. I seem to get a lot of stares and “thumbs-up” signs while driving the STI. The Evo’s styling, on the other hand, looks nice, but it’s a bit commonplace and is easily confused with other 4-door sedans at a glance, namely, Mitsu’s base Lancer. Inside, the materials of the STI have a better fit, finish and overall substance, in my opinion, than the Evo too. Driving-wise, the STI is less of a rough ride than the Evo, but is still plenty responsive and has a “planted”/solid feel at high speeds. The STI is a pleasure to drive because the seats are more comfortable for longer distance driving. The Evo’s seats are a bit hard, and are essentially racer-boy Recaros, which are fine if you want to be a poser/wanna-be racer, but not much practicality for every day driving. The STI also has 3 different driving modes depending on what type of driving you want to do - Intelligent/everyday vs. Sport vs. Sport Sharp, a cutting edge racing type driving mode that’ll gobble up a tank of 93 octane like nobody’s business! The Sport Sharp mode is like flipping a nitrous switch and boosts the already awesome acceleration over 3500 rpm. Due to its hatchback design, there’s a ton more cargo space in the STI than the Evo too, especially when you drop the back seats forward (which I don’t think you can even do in the Evo). I mean, I couldn’t even fit a single set of golf clubs in the trunk of the new Evo, whereas I could easily fit a single set of clubs in the back of the STI, and probably an additional set with one of the back seats down. The STI is just a better, all-around small sports car (I’d even say it’s a poor man’s Porsche 911 Carrera 4 due to its AWD and boxer engine) than the Evo. I mean, I actually had the little woman thinking that our new STI is a great family car, that is, until she saw how I drive that bad boy! If you’re really on the fence about which one to go with, just employ a little common sense and ask yourself if you will primarily be driving your car on the track or on the street. If on the track, go with the Evo, if on the street, definitely go with STI. You will not be disappointed. As for the new baby BMW, I don’t honestly believe it’s in the same class as the STI and Evo. I haven’t seen a BMW in any rallies lately, and given their maintenance costs over the long term, I think anyone would be foolish to buy one.