Long-Term Test: 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Why We Got It
Durability
Performance and Fuel Economy
Retained Value
Summing Up

WWPSD: What Would Petter Solberg Drive. We began our full test of the all-new, all-grown-up 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI with this modified mantra. Subaru told us it was seeking a rally-caliber platform with a stiffer chassis and increased aerodynamic downforce (not to mention increased utility) and so drastically changed the beloved STI from an angry, winged sedan to a slightly bloated five-door hatchback.

The skeptics were skeptical. The Subaru loyalists were, too. The only way to settle this was with a long-term road test. So Inside Line arranged a 12-month loan to see if the new 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI could cash the check its rich rally-bred heritage had written.

And since we already knew we were getting a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X as a long-term test car, there was no sense letting the opportunity to have them side by side for 12 months slip away.

Why We Got It
Not only did the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI change shapes, it also got more horsepower.

It packs a 2.5-liter engine producing 305 hp and 290 pound-feet of torque. Clearly Subaru is trying to grow the brand with this new STI. Surely the PlayStation crowd is nice to have, but how well can they really support your performance division?

Of course, Mitsubishi seems to think that the PlayStation crowd is doing pretty darn well for them, so it did not change the car for a perceived American preference. The Evo has received a warm welcome here from Day One and Mitsu has seen no reason to screw with a winning formula. So we had to see if Subaru's gamble paid off.

Durability
After the initial break-in period, we were free to drive our STI like it was on loan to us from Subaru with no strings attached. Instead, though, Scott Oldham used it like an ordinary car. This was, sadly, the trend for the STI: highly capable, but used more for carting kids around than dusting up fire roads. The 2008 STI never inspired that sort of behavior. Well, except for that time Dan Edmunds ran it around a dry lake bed in Nevada. Oh, and that time we put it in a comparison test against the GT-R, Evo X, Porsche 911, Lotus Elise and Audi R8.

One of the central reasons for the high cost of our tester was the optional navigation system. We've never had a long-term Subaru with a nav system, and this was the perfect vehicle with which to test it. Well, it would have been if everyone didn't hate using it so much. Every so often it would see if you wanted to change languages. Or, as Erin Riches said, "It's not that the touchscreen-style nav is hard to understand or use. It's the fact that it simply doesn't work properly." And then there's the issue that the stereo and the associated controls are abysmal. At least Dan Edmunds found a clever way to keep the nav from locking out as soon as the vehicle was in motion.

As far as reliability goes, our 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI saw the dealer five times. Three for routine services, once for a recall and once to replace a broken tire-pressure monitoring sensor. We also did some DIY projects on our STI such as changing the front brake pads and replacing the in-cabin air filter ourselves. The Subie proved quite reliable in terms of major mechanical issues but was fairly needy compared to some contemporary cars.

Total Body Repair Costs: $0
Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over [12] months): $651.31
Additional Maintenance Costs: $0
Warranty Repairs: 3, Broken fuel filler door fixed twice, ECM reflash recall
Non-Warranty Repairs: 1 Replaced broken TPMS sensor
Scheduled Dealer Visits: 3
Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 2
Days Out of Service: 4
Breakdowns Stranding Driver: 0

Performance and Fuel Economy
During its first test, our STI posted some impressive numbers on our test track. The results of our testing at the finish of its test term were nearly identical. The car hit 60 in only 5.2 seconds (5.0 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and passed the 1,320-foot mark in 13.5 seconds at 101.8 mph. Braking increased by less than a foot to 110 feet from 60 mph.

Handling numbers also lined up closely with the car's first test: 69.1 mph in the slalom and a mild decrease to 0.84g in the slalom. A year of wear on the 245/40R18 Dunlop SP Sport 600 tires is the most likely culprit for the fractional decline in performance.

While these numbers are certainly impressive (you try weaving side-to-side at nearly 70 mph for 600 feet), daily driving didn't tell the tale of what this wicked wagon was capable of. Sure, the STI's attitude has been toned down to near mute, but it's still got the chops to handle any mountain road you throw at it. Of course, this Subie never tugs at you to really drive hard the way our Evo does. As our long-term blog recorded: "Having just driven our new Evo recently, I find it hard to believe that these two are considered competitors. Really?" And then there was the engine, which "seems to run out of revs far too quickly. There's no doubt it's pulling very hard at the 6,500-rpm redline."

Even considering that relatively modest redline, we still managed to push a lot of fuel through the Subaru's cylinders. Average fuel economy for the year was 18.9 mpg, with a best of 24.4 mpg and a worst tank of 12.3 mpg (maybe Takahashi was trying to coax a higher redline out of it by refusing to shift that day). This effectively ties the new EPA fuel-economy ratings, which put the STI at 17 mpg city/23 mpg highway for a combined rating of 19 mpg.

Best Fuel Economy: 24.4 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 12.3 mpg
Average Fuel Economy: 18.9 mpg

Retained Value
Our 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI showed up wearing silver BBS rims, a navigation system we were eager to try out and a sky-high sticker price of $39,678. At least one editor complained that for nearly $40 grand, more is expected in the way of modern concessions to comfort such as Bluetooth, iPod integration or satellite radio. Perhaps the lack of modern functions is to blame for its $8,927 decline in value, 22 percent depreciation after 12 months. Our similarly priced Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR offers more features, and assuming similar mileage, is on course for a depreciation of $5,816 or a respectable 14 percent.

True Market Value at service end: $30,751
Depreciation: $8,927 or 22% of original paid price
Final Odometer Reading: 20,634

Summing Up
So as we said earlier, WWPSD (What Would Petter Solberg Drive)? While making for a far less clever acronym, perhaps a better question — one that would more realistically cover the benefits and missteps of the 2008 WRX STI — would be, "What would Petter Solberg drive every day if he lived in Southern California and had to live with it every day in situations where it wouldn't, save for catastrophic accidents, be careering sideways through the woods?"

(WWPSDEDIHLISCAHTLWIEDISWIWSFCABCSTTW doesn't make for a very compelling title, does it?)

Subaru has always been a niche brand with niche vehicles. The STI has been one of the few vehicles with mainstream acceptance, and yet now the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI manages to compartmentalize the car's appeal. Our opinions were divided about this car (albeit not equally; more like 1:10). Some praised the STI's soft ride and slightly numb response, noting that it is almost as fast as an Evo, and handles more deliberately and predictably than the Mitsubishi. It's also useful. But then there's everyone else. In the end, the new STI just hasn't been able to step out of the shadow cast by the Lancer Evo X.

So if you're looking for a five-door turbocharged rally wagon that will conquer dirt roads as well as it does grocery duty, Subaru has your car.

The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.