My 22 shifts fine through all gears when cold, which has been in the teens here and i don't garage it.

 

My 22 sometimes is reluctant to go into 1st in the cold (e.g. i'm coasting to a stop and know i want to take off quickly again) but double clutching solves that. Otherwise no issues.

 

I have a 2018 STI, and have owned a 2015 STI and 2013 WRX. A couple days ago, I drove a 2022 WRX. I couldn't find a lot of testimonial comparisons between the VA STI and the VB WRX. Also, to put this in completely relevant context, I'm 37 years old with a toddler, so my expectations probably differ significantly from some of the younger members. This will be thorough. Here are my thoughts:

Opinions on everything are subjective, but to me, the car is mostly ugly. Yet, I like 3/4ths of it. The WRX has never looked that great and my 13 WRX was especially no exception. It looked like an angry squinty mule, and I loved it. My current 18 STI is probably the most handsome WRX/STI I've owned, but it also looks awkward from several angles, even with the wing gone. The 2022 WRX is not Subaru's attempt at beauty like the 2022 BRZ. That was not the intention here. The front end looks aggressive, and the side cladding gives a mean rugged impression. Marketing: You won. Again. However, the rear end is just offensive. Every single time I look at it, I can't bring myself to accept it. Who signed off on this?

The WRX I drove was white, which is an unacceptable color (for me) given the aforementioned features. I was up front with the salesman about this. I didn't want to give him a false impression I was going to buy that particular car, but when he looked up my past purchases, including our most recent 22 Forester, he took me serious as a potential customer. We order all of our cars, and the only colors I would choose on the VB are gray, gray, gray, gray, or gray. But maybe, just maybe, black, if it wasn't for me not giving two shits and using an automatic car wash, with brushes.

As for driving, as many reviewers have commented, I went in expecting to dislike the car, but ended up really liking it:

I wasn't eager to start it up, since I'd heard from so many journalists how lacking the sound was. I can't understand what they are talking about, because it was just as loud as my STI on startup, if not louder. If anything, it was louder than I wanted it to be, with the four-cylinder loud warmup cabin drone/buzz.

To say this car has any iconic "boxer rumble" is a huge stretch of the imagination, after owning three EJ's. To me, it has a typical four cylinder "performance" sound, with a maybe just a little more grunt. Once warmed up and on the road, enjoyed the sounds overall from the cabin, and couldn't care less about how terrible it probably sounded from the exterior. (As with any lifeless high pitched FA. Sorry.)

The gear box was stiff and precise, but felt less connected and engaging than my STI. The shifter sat pretty high, even with the factory short-throw and STI knob. (An absolute must with any WRX) It did, however, need less finesse to upshift and downshift, making it easier to drive. I like it better than my 2013 WRX, but less than my 2015 and 2018 STI's. It wasn't as connected, but far from sloppy.

The clutch on the car felt much softer than my STI. The pedal was lighter, but it had a nice amount of tension and the engagement point was about mid-way though the pedal, and easy to feel. Between the clutch and the shifter, I had to pay far less attention to the car then I do my STI, which made it a lot easier to drive. After living with a VA STI since 2015, this was a big plus for me.

The car had plenty of power, but from the reviews, I expected it to come on quicker. It had less turbo lag, but you could never mistake it for anything but a turbocharged four cylinder. Once boost kicked in, the acceleration continued throughout the rev range. Unlike others, I didn't feel like the car needed a higher RPM. The WRX/STI has never been known for a high rev range.

At lower speeds, there didn't seem to be as many hiccups between the transmission and engine. Just to entertain myself, I gave the WRX the beans from a stand-still, and it bogged and jerked to life at its own sluggish awkward first gear pace. It just further proved these cars aren't meant to be launched without significant abuse.

Overall, there was more mid-range power to play with, leading me to have to think less about when to shift. I didn't feel like I had to micromanage the car as much as my STI.

I liked the ride quality. The WRX felt firm, but not jarring like I'm used to. It was more springy, instead of slapping into every road imperfection. The suspension didn't feel as smooth and refined as other journalists made it seem, and you would never mistake this for a Camry. It paired well with the steering, which had enough tension at lower speeds, but allowed you to loosen your grip on the highway. The steering felt very direct. It was more loose than my STI, but the WRX would still snap in any direction you wanted it to.

By contrast, I have to always keep a firm grip on the wheel in my STI and make constant corrections on the highway. The WRX didn't completely let me fall asleep at higher speeds, but it also didn't want to constantly disagree with me at 70 mph. It was nice to be able to not have to brace myself for every bump and to relax my hands a little. It was again an aspect that provided plenty of fun, but demanded less attention.

There is a whole segment of people in the VB facebook community (I know...) who declare this car as just as capable of a performer as the STI. The car feels lighter on its feet, no doubt, but it doesn't have that dug in planted feel when you push it through a sweeping turn. It was definitely plenty of fun, tossable, and eager to take accelerating turns, but it didn't feel nearly as confident.

I don't know which is quicker in a straight line in 2nd or 3rd gear, which are the only two gears I use to push the car a bit hard. The two cars delivery power slightly different, so it's hard to tell. Both are mid range happy, but the WRX seems to have a wider range both up top and down low in the rev range.

But, there is absolutely no mistake when I mash the pedal on curves or an onramp, the STI feels drastically more glued to the road. It gets heavier, tighter, and has noticeably less body roll. I did NOT feel this in the WRX, no matter how much the fanboys say it's better. I have no idea why people feel on the internet are so self conscious about how others view their cars' performance. I tried to keep my analysis comes from a pretty neutral place as someone who is very interested in the VB for a potential near future purchase. That, and I just don't care about which car is better or faster. The WRX absolutely may feel more fun to some, maybe even me, but by no means did I think it was the same animal.

Faster or not, I really didn't want to take this car back to the lot. I took a lot of time with the WRX... probably too much... to see how it did under normal in-town driving, cruising on the highway (it was still noisy despite the reviews), and admittedly tossing it around/romping it through some corners. I took my time to make sure I did plenty of up shifts and down shifts. I even mashed the brakes a few times to see how it did, which was plenty adequate. If you're running out of brakes and you're not on the track, you need to quit driving like a reckless dirtbag.

The WRX I test drove already had 100 miles on it, so I didn't feel like a complete jerk, but I took a pretty bold amount of time with it. Sorry, but that's what you get if you want me as a (likely) potential 6th Subaru buyer in ten years. I never smelled clutch or brakes, so it could have been worse. This was an informed consumer drive, not a joy ride.

I parked the car and spent about ten minutes going over every little detail. I didn't get the "more premium" vibe everyone else talked about. Granted, my car has a Recaro package and this was a mid-level trim. We would be in the market for a limited trim, which has a few minor interior accents, better seats, and a Harmon Kardon stereo. (Of note, I have found seats and small differences to make a drastic difference on the look and feel of an interior, especially compared to my nearly identical base 2015 STI interior, to my Recaro 2018 STI.)

The controversial center tablet was fine. I don't get the complaints. Although, I do not recommend trying to figure out the climate control settings while on the middle of the highway. The heated seat menu wasn't as damning as journalists made it out to be. The vents seemed higher quality, although the one to the far left doesn't have that much adjustability to bring it in closer to your body or face. It just kind of blows down your left arm.

I strongly dislike the carbon fiber patterned door handle and steering wheel inserts. I was happy when that went away from my 2015 STI to my 2018 STI. I don't understand the complaints about piano black. Clean your car, stop spilling your drink on it, or maybe just don't be so anal. Either way, the carbon fiber "not even trying anymore" stamped look is even worse than the "this is a really bad impression of real carbon fiber" look. You don't need carbon fiber in your ***king cabin anyway...

The doors and door handles felt solid. The buttons throughout the car had a very impressive silent non-plasticky quality feel. The cubby in front of the shifter has plenty of room for your phone, and is much larger than my STI or the ridiculously tiny area in our Forester. The cup holders seemed fine, although I like the pull-shut cover on my STI. (Surprise though... I never use it.) The most depressing part about the interior was the coin tray insert behind the shifter where you can tell the drive mode and diff settings would have been on my inevitable 2023 STI. (and I do mean inevitable)

The visibility was great, which is what my wife and I really love about modern Subarus, and one of the things that brings us back. That, and the same familiar minimalist cabin setup we enjoy. The formula just works for us. I sit up high, and the hood slopes in such a way where I could really see down in front of the car a lot more. Yet, the dash doesn't have the nice digital center cluster, so up top is just looks kind of flat and lifeless. Luckily, you can see both sharp hood contour lines centering the large bulge from the hood scoop. It looks pretty mean from the driver's seat.

The steering wheel is leather wrapped and feels decent. The buttons have a quality feel. This model did not have a sunroof or have power seats that the Limited trim comes with. There was plenty of headroom and the seats still had adequate adjustability to easily get into a comfortable driving position. The arm rest on the door is nicely angled at an incline toward the steering wheel, which provided a comfortable resting position. People complain about the center armrests that have always been for looks only on the WRX/STI models I've owned. Maybe I'm used to it, but I didn't even think about it until I parked the car and looked everything over.

I didn't bother even turning on the stereo. The stereos in our WRX, (2) STI's, and former Crosstrek were mid 90's terrible, so I expected nothing different. The Limited trim comes with the HK system, which we're really pleased with equipped in our Touring trim Forster. The gauges are nice... but the only problem is they're identical to my STI. It would be nice to have something different to look at for the next five years, so I'm hopelessly crossing my fingers there will be a change for 2023. Apparently they didn't expect 2018-2021 VA STI owners to buy the 22 WRX... or did they?

For whatever reason, the car felt smaller than my STI, when sitting in the driver's seat. Even while driving. I know this isn't actually the case. This made the car feel a little more like a compact, and possibly cheaper as a result. I still feel like a lot of that will change with the top trim level, and a slight legal tint on the windows. By contrast, the back seats and rear passenger's compartment felt huge. It was like being in two different vehicles. There were 2 USB chargers back there, but the plastic trim pieces on the doors felt noticeable cheaper. This would be a problem I'd never have to live with.

Overall, I really really really liked the car. I was expecting at best to view it as tolerable for my next car. When I equip all of the options, it will fit the bill to be a really fun car I can transfer my car seat to, get better gas mileage, and be more comfortable for my 30 minute commute to work. The 2022 WRX is by far an easier car to operate, but it still feels like a very capable performing vehicle. I honestly think I would possibly enjoy it more than my STI's, since the car demands less focus to drive perfectly, and although you still feel every bump in the road, it doesn't punch you in the kidneys.

As I said before, the warranty in our STI is up next Spring, and we plan on ordering whatever we want in January or February. The cash is there, but I like my cars to come in when it isn't constantly frigid outside, and the timeline should put delivery in for March or April. The WRX is the only car that completely checks all of the boxes for us, so we're not considering much else. I've really enjoyed every Subaru and WRX/STI I've had so far, so why change? (Aside from one long story suspension issue Subaru made right...)

I was pleasantly surprised with how impressed I was with this car. If we do purchase a WRX, every single box checked for the options and trim we want, will put a dark gray metallic at $40,000. That includes completely unnecessary items like factory mud flaps, and a beloved front lip. That's a bit pricey for a WRX, but I'll be in my 40's when we get rid of the car. Amenities and warrantied factory add-ons become increasingly pleasing to me as I get older. In the dark gray, I think it will be just mature enough to be an acceptable "cool dad" car. It's definitely a strong possibility.

On the other side of the coin... I have an acquaintance who says he can get me a 23 Type-R when they come in for only (lol but reality) $5,000 in markup. He's going to call me if they do have one en route. (In any color but than bright blue) If his unlikely promise turns out to be true, it would be hard to pass up, would it not? That wing in my 40's though... eh. I'm not counting on it. No heated seats? I think I would probably keep that $5,000 in our savings and drive something in which I wouldn't be embarrassed to drive to a future parent-teacher meeting.

Thanks for reading.

Thanks for your Great honest review. Definitely like how you put things in perspective. Between my son (who is a subaru loyalist and has owned several to include the 2019 STI) and your review, you both have just put me over my decision line to purchase the 2022 WRX Limited. I have been reviewing and searching other vehicles in this class, but I am about to pull the trigger on my "build" and placing an order today with my local dealer. Again, appreciate you taking the time to write this very thorough and detailed review. Subaru marketing should send you an endorsement check as you just made them a 41k sale!

 

What options did you get?

I saw the limited trim for the first time Saturday, at the Saint Louis Auto Show. The interior was really nice and the seats were really comfortable. It definitely felt a step above the two premiums I'd been in. I was really impressed. The car looked great in orange, but I could never do that color. I really like the 22/23.

 

I did some soul searching. I kept going back and forth on whether to keep my STI or get a 23 WRX. For peace of mind, another warranty, and something easier to live/commute with, I pulled the trigger and ordered one today.

2023 Magnetic Gray Limited Trim 6mt, with the following options:

STI short shifter
STI shift knob (looks great)
Body side molding
Auto dimming exterior mirrors/approach light
Auto dimming rear view mirror with compass and homelink
Center armrest extension (leather)
All-weather floor liners
All-weather cargo tray
LED interior light upgrade
STI front under spoiler
Front strake kit
Mud Flaps

I got a pretty mediocre deal at $40,609, with taxes included. It should be here in a few months. When we cut the check for this, our focus can be solely on a new house.

I felt comfortable with my choice. The only other car I was truly interested in was a Type R. But, they come with a high cost if you can find one, and I couldn't see myself at 42 years old in that car, when I would be ready to get rid of it.

The more I looked at the WRX, the more I really liked it. I spent some time sitting in four of them over the past year, being very analytical when I did. Between today's test drive and a prior test drive, I spent almost an hour behind the wheel.

Today, I drove to the dealership in my STI for a direct comparison. Shamefully, I thrashed the shit out of the WRX on the test drive this time around. I wanted to know what I was buying.

Since I drove my STI to the dealership, I had a chance for a better one to one comparison. I immediately noticed how easy it was to cruise through the parking lot, between the clutch, the tuning, and the light steering. I was instinctively waiting for the first gear bucking that didn't happen. It's much easier to drive at low speeds.

I feel like the car rotates better. To me, it feels more neutral. It was more predictable when I tossed it into corner. The brakes felt fine for what I would use them for. But, I would consider getting new pads, lines, and fluid.

The car felt much more consistent throughout the rev range. When I punched it from lower RPM'S, the car didn't fuss and pulled right up to 6k. I never once hit the limiter. It makes a nice growl, but it sounds worlds move honda-ish than it does anywhere near the EJ. I will absolutely miss that.

Oddly, the car felt like it was just as fun, if not more. I think that has a lot to do with it being easier to drive, which makes it more care free. In certain circumstances it felt just as fast. I always waited for it to cut power when it lost traction, or buck, jerk, stumble, etc, but it never did. Everything that I did to it that would upset my STI never upset the WRX.

I'm looking forward to it.

 

Congrats man! I'm still loving mine. Just a DD for me, but makes the commute, shopping trips, whatever, very enjoyable. I sometimes "take the long way home" just for fun. Good to hear that is compares favorable to your STI. Thanks for sharing your views.

 

BTW, the armrest extension is something that I wouldn't have ever even thought of, but it came with the package my dealer ordered and I ended up with, and it is an essential upgrade without a doubt!

 

I'm coming up on 10,000 miles on my 22 WRX and I've had maybe one instance of it not wanting to go in gear. Did super well in the mountains and as a daily driver. It did struggle to start after being in the cold yesterday (20F / -7C). It's been a champ aside from the absolutely horrendous infotainment software.

 

When temperatures are 20'ish or below, my 2nd gear is really sticky in my STI until the car has warmed up a couple minutes. Has been since day one. For four years I've had to be gentle, let the clutch out, blip the throttle, push the clutch back in, and gently wiggle it into gear. Or, just skip 2nd and nearly bog the motor in 3rd. I was in a shit mood the other day and it wanted to lock me out. I shrugged my shoulders and yanked that mother into gear resulting in a loud clunk. After all these years... it felt good...

I'm done with all of the finicky shit with my car. I'm ready to be done with constant unresolved alignment issues that I just dealt with in two VA STI's. Pulling the car to the left on my highway commute is awesome, when I'm not in the left lane taking advantage of the roadway crown. I made sure to drive the WRX on the highway for a good ten minutes and it was much easier. I also won't miss the insane rear dash rattle I have right now. It low pitch buzzes loudly at me during every low RMP shift or deceleration.

The one thing I will never miss, is a good sounding motor. Aside from that, I'm ready for spring.

 

Exhaust / Turbo / Supercharger... whatever. It's the sound. I know a V8 with a good exhaust sounds great. I also know an I4 liter bike sounds great with a good exhaust, also V4 MCs (Honda Magna, Valk), and boxer 4s. I had a Jeep Wrangler V6 with a Borla exhaust that sounded damn good. Every engine and exhaust system has it sound and character. I've heard plenty of V8s, I4s, V2s V6s, Boxer 4s that sounded like shit (even though the drivers were loud and proud). I hate the high or mid pitch loudness that I like to describe as fart-cans on 4 bangers, Different engines need different equipment to sound "good" (and loud does not equal good). I have the STI exhaust on my VB and love the deep bass tones. The more I drive it, more I like it.

 

Balanced exhaust notes, pfft.

It's all about that group b Audi quattro, that i5 wails a note to make the gods jealous.

 

Lol, the i5 and ferrari v12s might wail, the LFA and S85 have them all beat.

 

Yes turbos and anything else will reduce the sound but it's in no way muted, it's still way too much for road use. There's a reason even non road-legal turbo track days specials have mufflers.
[/QUOTE]

Neon SRT-4 Turbo had no mufflers from the factory.

 

If you got the stage 3 upgrade from the dealership.

 

Are you sure? I’ve only read all SRT4s had no mufflers, I even saw this when they were new.

 

I feel like I got hosed on my price. I keep seeing posts about dealerships having a ton of them on their lots and struggling to get rid of the 22's. People are taking them home with thousands off of invoice, even the limited models.

Of course it's all because "pEoPle WoN't bUy tEh NeW wRx cUz iT sUx N tEh CoMpEtITiOn iS bEtTeR." Except the economy is taking a huge shit right now and buying a new "sports car" isn't top priority.

 

Zach, I have never seen the car market in such a state of flux. No cars. No financing. Financing at higher interest rates with some, lots, too much inventory. From the change cars like I change socks seats, I am on the sidelines for another year or two. I think that interest rates will settle but much higher than before COVID. I think supply chain issues will settle out to a new norm whatever that means. 18-24 months is my guess.

 

My 23 has been pushed back twice. It was originally due in the "end of March." Then, April 7th. For the last couple weeks, it has been April 21st. The bitch of it is the chip in my windshield is growing and my change oil light just came on. Fuck.

 

Did you order it with a lot of accessories? I know some fords get delayed waiting for one option but wasn't sure if the same happened with Subaru. I ordered my Crosstrek Sport and WRX with absolutely nothing added to prevent hold ups and both were only 1 week late.

 

In Canada there is no consistency…some dealers have pre sold all their allocations for years on some vehicles…while others have them sitting on the lot waiting for a buyer to walk in.

And as to the VAG I5…hell yeah. Owned an RS3 and loved the car. Had a Golf R as well that should have came with an I5…that would have been perfect. Debated doing a swap…but that kind of $$$ doesn’t seem to be worth it.

 

I've had my car for a week and have put 500 miles on it. I plan on posting a really in-depth review later on. It's a really comfortable car, especially for my highway commute, but I've found the performance to underwhelm me much more than I thought it would. I'm still on break-in, so I'll wait a couple hundred miles of being able to wring it out and see if that satisfied me more. I feel very indifferent at this point.

 

it will be interesting to hear your final verdict.

 

Nice write up. I almost traded in my 2022 for a 2020 sti but I couldn't pull the trigger.

 

Both. The car most definitely feels closer to my 9th generation Civic Si in terms of performance/excitement than it did my two VA STI's, and maybe even my 13 WRX. However, I do like the way it looks, and it's very pleasurable and easy to drive from a day to day standpoint. The sound though... God I miss the EJ sound...

On the test drives the VB's I drove were very fun when I had a chance to really wring them out. I'm not there, yet. I have 800 miles on the car, so for another couple hundred miles I'm keeping the max 50% throttle roughly below 4,500 RPM's. Although more than that, I'm more looking forward to using cruise control again. haha

I've been making mental notes on an in-depth comparison after some time with the car post break-in.

 

There are several videos that show a stock VB vs an STI and other older WRX models. The VB is as fast or faster than previous WRXs. But the magic happens with just a simple reflash. A good OTS tune with no other modifications wakes these cars up. It's one of the most fun cars I've ever driven.

 

Yes. The motor can wake up. It seems like a great motor. But, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm a driving feel guy, not a speed guy. Granted, I still like my cars to be reasonably quick.

You can make this car a bullet in a straight line, but that will never make up for the solid planted feel from the steering wheel, transmission, differentials, brakes, suspension, etc. I don't launch, and toe to toe with the STI from a roll they are about even. But, that's not what does it for me.

The rack is numb, the gear box is sloppy (even with STS), the motor sounds lifeless, the ride is cushy. From a daily driving standpoint, those are ideal for me. From a 'something special' standpoint, it's quite a compromise.

I started my VB last night in a parking lot. After that, a GR started a few rows over. My pee pee shrank.

The VB is a "good" car. But, that's mostly what it is to me. A "good" car. It's less unique. It's less special. It's not wound tight and doesn't feel like it's wanting to be pushed, even around a 25mph neighborhood turn. Like my German Shorthaired Pointer, it just wanted to run all the time, and always felt eager.

My VB is just fun and 'ok.' It's exactly what I needed in this point in my life, but it doesn't particularly excite me. Even my GR WRX felt a lot more wild.

 

Yes. The motor can wake up. It seems like a great motor. But, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm a driving feel guy, not a speed guy. You can make this car a bullet in a straight line, but that will never make up for the solid planted feel from the steering wheel, transmission, differentials, brakes, suspension, etc. I don't launch, and toe to toe with the STI from a roll they are about even. But, that's not what does it for me.

The rack is numb, the gear box is sloppy (even with STS), the motor sounds lifeless, the ride is cushy. From a daily driving standpoint, those are ideal for me. From a 'something special' standpoint, it's quite a compromise.

I started my VB last night in a parking lot. After that, a GR started a few rows over. My pee pee shrank.

The VB is a "good" car. But, that's mostly what it is to me. A "good" car. It's less unique. It's less special. It's just fun and 'ok.' It's exactly what I needed in this point in my life, but it doesn't particularly excite me.

Surprising. I'm not a straight line speed guy either. My particular WRX...even on stock suspension...handles so well that I can't break it loose on the street....and I've hauled some serious ass in this car and not even got so much as a tire squeal. Of course, the tradeoff is that it rides like a hay wagon. I've got a set of Cygnus Performance "Comfort" coilovers ready to put on. I expect they will fix the ride quality issue while still maintaining the handling. I have years of track experience on motorcycles, so I know that a properly set up suspension can be both compliant and handle well. The two things aren't mutually exclusive. The steering is very sharp and it's quick lock to lock. It's a blast in the twisties. The only thing I think I'd like to change on the steering is better on center feel. It's so sharp that the least little input and you're changing lanes. When I get the coilovers installed, they have more positive caster that should fix that issue.

It's almost as if we are driving two different cars. My ride is not cushy AT ALL. It's bone jarring and "bouncy". Hence, the coilover purchase. The shifter is adequate. It's not as good as a Honda or Porsche shifter....or a Mazda for that matter...but it's not notchy like most VW's. As far as the exhaust note is concerned...my wife hates riding in the car when I start it cold. She said the sound "is too loud and hurts her ears". That's on the stock exhaust. Cold starts are sort of loud. Hard to slip out of the garage when I have to leave early in the morning. I am pleased with the stock exhaust and I like the sound the engine makes. Sounds better than most 4 bangers but obviously not as good as a V8.

The chassis is outstanding. Surprisingly stiff. The engine has GOBS of potential. It's super easy to work on. I can't think of another $30k car that can touch it (I have the base model). I test drove the Civic Si and it was absolutely gutless compared to even the stock WRX. It was much nicer on the inside than my base model WRX. But the dealer had a $5000 "market adjustment" on the Civic and I told him to pound sand.

 

The EJ (and older turbocharged engines in general) have a character that some of us have grown to love -- that brutal torque shelf as the turbocharger comes onto boost. You know the characteristic... the engine will literally gain about 50% torque in only a few hundred RPMs.

The STI has the "shove" feeling as a result. It's not necessarily faster, but it often feels faster to the driver.

 

The EJ (and older turbocharged engines in general) have a character that some of us have grown to love -- that brutal torque shelf as the turbocharger comes onto boost.

As someone who started driving in the 80's, I have a lot of fond memories of those old turbo cars that hit like a ton of bricks. When I was 16yo my Conquest TSi sent me over a 15ft embankment after the turbo kicked in while I was powering out of a curve. Back end said "bye bye" and I went end first over the embankment. I was 16 and through I was Mario Andretti...I was wrong.

Nothing like that nothing...nothing...nothing.....EVERYTHING feeling. LOL!

 

I'm not in the market because my car is only 9 years young.

However I did recently learn a dangerous fact... that I can configure the Corolla GR Core WITH LSDs for less than $40k.

Dealer markups are another thing entirely.

 

Dealer markups are another thing entirely.

Yes! And right now they are crazy.

When Honda dealers want $5000 over MSRP for a Civic Si that's ignorant....but when they want $10k over MSRP for a Civic Type R....that's insane.

If I'm spending that much money I'm just going to go for nice used Corvette or Porsche some old man bought and parked in the garage. $50k for a Civic or Corolla...big nope. Don't care how fast it is.

 

Fun thread to read through! It reminds me a lot of how I felt when I bought my 2020 WRX; my first Subaru, coming from 20 years of tuning Hondas, but always appreciating the WRX (STi) from a distance.

In my heart, I really wanted an STi, but I couldn't see past it being a somewhat poor financial decision -- costing at least $5000 more than the WRX spec I had in mind, and the fuel economy would've been a constant sore spot for years to come. I had similar reservations about the wing, also being in my mid-30s at the time of purchase. After a few months of hunting around for what I wanted, the local dealership just happened to have one delivered; a white performance package WRX. I decided it was fate and went for it. I went in and took it that night, before it spent a single day in the sun on their lot.

Do I regret it? Yes and no... but mostly, yes. In retrospect, my timing was golden, as September 2020 was right about the last opportunity to buy a car before the market went to total shit, and I was able to get a solid deal. However, I've since spent that saved $5000+ in supporting mods to get the car to feel/handle more like the STi I test drove, but with a lot less character (outside of the somewhat aggressive styling, which I still love.) The gearbox feels unsatisfactory in comparison, and is a far cry from Honda's excellence. The FA engine sounds like farm equipment. And with the STi as we know it being killed off, it made me even more regretful.

 

The good news is that Toyota makes a new STI!