Test Driving the Subaru WRX STI (VAB)

Thanks to writing this blog, I’ve had the opportunity to drive many cars over time. Especially my husband—lately, more acquaintances have been saying to him, “please try driving it and tell us your impressions,” so every time we go to the Royu Driveway, he gets to drive a new car. (Lucky him, right? lol)

Among those opportunities, thanks to the kindness of a blog reader, I was able to drive a WRX STI (manual transmission). It’s a brand-new car ordered just before the end of December 2019 and delivered in April. They came all the way from the Kanto region, combining it with a driving trip, just to visit the Royu Driveway.

The weather held up somehow that day, and we headed there in our 911 Cabriolet (992) and Cayenne E-Hybrid.

By the way, here are the specs of the Subaru WRX STI I got to test drive:

Grade: Type S
Engine: 2.0L DOHC Twin-scroll Turbo
Drive system: AWD (All-Wheel Drive)
Transmission: 6-speed MT
Max output: 227kW (308PS) / 6400rpm
Max torque: 422N·m (43.0kgf·m)
Features: 19-inch tires, RECARO seats, Bilstein dampers, Brembo 4-wheel ventilated disc brakes, etc.

Compared to a few years ago, I’ve gotten better at driving manual Porsches like the Boxster and GT3, but I still had some anxiety about Subaru’s manual cars, thinking they might be difficult.

That’s partly because my brother is a Subaru enthusiast who’s been driving manual Legacy models for years, and when I tried driving his car once, I couldn’t even get it started properly. (That was back when I couldn’t drive manuals at all.)

So how did it actually go…? (lol) I’m not very knowledgeable about car mechanics, so unlike my husband, I can only share my intuitive impressions. Please read this as “a slightly car-loving woman’s perspective, a bit more than the average person.”

For Advanced Drivers: The WRX STI

To get straight to the point, I felt the MT WRX STI (VAB) is a car for advanced drivers. For those confident in their handling and throttle control skills, it’s an incredibly fun car.

Our 911 (992 model) feels so high-performance that it almost leaves no room for human error, and even someone like me can drive it reasonably well on twisty roads like the Royu Driveway. I don’t feel scared even at speed, and it even makes me feel like I’m getting better at driving because it corners smoothly without me having to think much about “RR layout” or “weight transfer.”
 

On the other hand, the WRX STI directly reflects your driving skill. If you try to take a corner without thinking, the tires might slip, and driving fast can feel scary. It doesn’t have an auto-blip function, so you have to manually operate the clutch to downshift.

Also, the shift lever felt like it was designed for advanced users… sometimes I wondered, “Did I just shift into 3rd? Or maybe 5th? But judging by the engine sound, it’s probably 3rd…” It made me realize, “I thought I had mastered manual driving, but with a different car, I’m still far from it.”

It’s not about the car’s performance, but more about how much I usually rely on the car to drive smoothly.

Among the manual cars I’ve driven before—BMW 320i, Porsche 911 GT3, 981 Boxster GTS (981/718), Mazda Roadster, Honda S660, and Subaru Legacy—the WRX STI’s clutch felt honestly the most challenging.

The clutch’s engagement point is very narrow; if you just try to connect it casually, you get shift shock or risk stalling (I actually stalled while backing into a parking spot). This really shows it’s a true sports car.

However, my husband said, “Really? Was it that hard? I didn’t think so.” And the WRX STI owner also said,

“My husband handled it perfectly from the start! He was really skilled!!”

So I guess the problem is mostly my driving skill (lol). Next, I’ll write about the full test drive experience.

WRX STI: Interior, Driving Impressions, and More

Once inside, it had that unmistakable “sports car vibe.”

The clutch wasn’t too heavy or too light—just the right weight.

When I started the engine, it sounded milder and quieter than I expected. My brother’s felt louder (maybe he had quite a few modifications lol). When I slowly started moving, I accidentally revved it up with a loud “Vrooom!!” and startled myself, then eased off the throttle, which caused a sudden shift shock.

The owner said,

“When my husband drove earlier, he mentioned the clutch engagement point is quite far forward.”

Indeed, I had been thinking “maybe it engages around here” based on my experience with the Boxster and GT3, and pressed the accelerator at that timing, but the WRX STI’s clutch engagement point is actually much earlier.

Once I kept that in mind, I managed to shift more smoothly.

Once moving, the boxer engine sounded fantastic, as expected. Somehow, the engine note reminded me of the 718’s sound quality. Although I knew it sounds great when revved, since it was my first time driving this car and it wasn’t mine, I couldn’t press the accelerator as boldly as I wanted.

My husband often says,

“If you don’t push it harder, you won’t really understand what the car can do. Don’t be so timid—just drive it like you normally drive our cars.”

And the owner also said that day,

Feel free to push it harder (lol). It’s not a regular passenger car—it’s a sports car, after all (lol).

So I thought, “Right, of course…!” and pressed the accelerator on a straightaway. Suddenly, once I hit a certain point, the acceleration was explosive, and I instinctively eased off the speed.

It used to be called a “kick-in turbo,” and I think this acceleration is similar.

Wow, this is what a kick-in turbo feels like…!

With the Boxster or GT3, when you accelerate, the car body sinks and you feel grounded, like you’re glued to the road. But with the WRX STI, it felt like I was being pushed from behind with incredible force, gliding smoothly forward on rails. (I can’t find a better way to describe it…)

I bet it’s insanely fast on the highway.

The ride was smoother than I expected. The owner drove long distances that day and said he didn’t feel tired at all.

During the roughly 20 minutes I drove—sometimes riding shotgun with the owner driving, sometimes driving again—I felt strongly that the MT WRX STI is for advanced drivers and an incredibly fun sports car for those confident behind the wheel.

Afterwards, the owner also drove our 992, and he seemed very happy, which was great!

Still, I really need to work harder to improve my driving skills!

Owner, thank you so much for this precious experience! (My husband will also write a test drive report soon, so please look forward to that too lol.)