2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Pros

Fast, quick, speedy, fun and practical

Cons

Ugly as sin, minor mechanical issues (yes - minor!)

Purchased As New

What inspired me to write this review is a recent trip I took out to North Dakota and Wyoming to shoot some ghost towns. I'd never driven this car at (or near) sea level before, living in Colorado for the last 6 years. Oh man, what an eye-opener.

Like I said...fast, quick, speedy, agile, responsive, fun and practical. I can take my kids to school one minute, then hit the track in another.

This one sits on a Legacy frame. Having owned a previous WRX, I can tell you - those inches are welcome. I won't have an issue with infant seats (the variety that goes in backwards).

The car is not comfortable...at all. It rides rough and leans more than it should.

I've got a brake issue where the ducts clog with dust every 3k miles. Then the rotors start whining.

Not perfect, but I enjoy it anyway. Between this and my 2002 Z06, I'd have a hard time choosing....read morehide

Pros

looks, handling, don't see many on the road.

Cons

stereo is weak, motor needs fine tuned, paint quality is just OK

I am a new Subaru owner having had mainly family type vehicles (sedans, SUV, pickup) in the past. However in my youth I owned a 944 Porsche that I loved ! Sold it and used the money for down payment on house many years ago. I now have a sports car to replace the Porsche that is a much better vehicle. The ride,power, handling,and looks of this vehicle are fantastic and with the AWD, seats that fold down and four doors I can still haul family and other cargo no problem. So this car gets driven every day. I would recommend the Cobb Stg 1 ECU to help smooth out the power band and help overall with performance and mileage ($625 ) Then visit your local stereo clinic to get a little body in the sound system...read morehide

Pros

Great Handling, good leg room for tall folk, engine can roar when needed

Cons

Turbo seems to lag, car doesnt really take off until 3,000 RPM

I used to have an 07 Legacy GT, I loved that car and told myself I would drive it into the ground. That was until I saw the 08 STi. Now when I first saw the car, I honestly thought it was ugly and couldnt believe that Subaru would do such a thing, but the more I saw it, the more I started to appreciate the new look. I think the new look has a more mature look, the hood scoop, wide fenders and quad exhaust let people know that this car means buisness on the road. The one this I am most impressed with is the handling. I am used to Subaru AWD and their top of the line handling but this car sticks to the road. My mouth starts to water every time I get near an on-ramp. Give the car some gas and it takes off, very little body roll and the suspension is hands down better than the aftermarket suspension I had on the 07 LGT. One thing I will say...this car has a high price tag, with the BBS package (Rims and fog lights) it brough the price tag up to 36K. You can get a 3 series or a G35 for that price. It was easy for me though...once your in the Subaru family, its hard to leave. I love this car....read morehide

Pros

In the Intelligent mode, got 26 MPG(Keep your foot out of the Turbo), Great Performance, good looks!

Cons

Needs more bells/whistles for the price i.e. electric seats, seat warmers, better sound system.

Did alot of research on this car before purchasing. It is a very nice, powerful, little car. Hopefully the car will stay as solid as it is right now. Love the engine sound, acceleration, etc. but, needs to have turbo guage/light built in from factory. Subaru used to do this, but, for some reason does not anymore. Sport/Sport plus modes are really nice!! Alot of fun to drive....read morehide

Pros

good mpg. it rides nice. more room.handling is very good better than my old 03 wrx.

Cons

the raido/cd/dvd/nav. is junk.needs more of a updated trans.

i bought the car off the show room floor in may. i have 4200 miles on it sofar. when i 1st. seen the car on line it looked kins granyish in looks. mostly from the frunt. like it 1st. looks it looks like a van..lol then after 2mos. i just had to go and look at it inperson and take it for a ride too. then i drove 120 miles back home to think about it. by the time i got home my mind was made up...lol
i did check out the other cars in the same $ and type,but i had the best luck with subaru and up here the awd is a must at winter. i have drove many cars,trucks, and at one time just about every thing the millitary had with tracks or wheels..lol
thia ia a very good G.T. type car!!! very niice on the open road but i have to keep an eye on it in parking lots..lol and i let some of my family and good freinds drive it too... but i had a hard time getting it back...lol...read morehide

Pros

sporty, fast, subtle looks, doesn't scream race car

Cons

all the other cars on the road are going to slow

I bought my STI in June of this year. So far it has redefined my driving experience. I live in the snowy, icy, canyon country of Colorado and have owned 6 Subaru's. All of which I have driven to 200,000 miles. This time I stepped up and bought a station wagon with the horse power the hills of Colorado demand. Plus, it holds all my family, fishing gear, ski gear, etc. and hauls a-- to boot. I'm constantly driving up the mountain roads and this car has the pick up to pass everyone on the road whenever a yellow dotted line appears. I have had to rethink my passing because when I step on the gas I don't have to plan on passing one car and then pull back in the line of traffic. I pass all five cars and the RV holding everyone up (Then I get to shift to 5th or 6th gear and let it fly!). The interior is suprisingly spacious. I had my daughter and her three friends in the back seat today and they all said they had plenty of space/leg room. I've also had four guys (200 lbs.) in the car and they agreed as we hit 90 mph under a 1/2 mile run. See you on the roads of the Colorado as I pass you!...read morehide

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....read morehide

Pros

lots of buttons and knobs

Cons

too many buttons and knobs if you dont know what they do

I have an 06 and an 08. The 08 STI is better in every way. Handling, braking, road noise, wind noise, safer, are all improved. Finally a decent sterio and NAV. Oh yes and I can haul my bike in the car or on the roof rack.

Pros

Fun car with amazing performance

Cons

Nothing yet except maybe fuel economy but what do you expect with 305 hp

I traded in my 2005 WRX for the new 2008 WRX STI. When I first saw the car at a car show I hated the new look of it. But like other Suby fans the look grew on me. I love the fact that the car has three difference engine performances. Inteligent for better gas mileage, Sport for a little higher engine performance and Sport Sharp to really unleash what the car can do. This car handles like a dream and will hold its own against $60K + sports cars.
Insurance on the new STI is also much less expensive since its consicered a wagon and they cant charge sports car premiums. My insurance went down $350 a year from the WRX Sedan....read morehide