MotorMouths

The 2011 Subaru WRX STI is marginally better than the old one. The car’s real problem is the existence of it’s sibling WRX, which is still quicker and is still $8500 cheaper before options are added. On top of that, the WRX now looks like an STI, too.

The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STi exists in a world less centered on booster seats than rally racing heritage. I tried to make the two worlds coexist harmoniously during my one-week test drive, but the truth is the Impreza WRX STi isn’t exactly a car you’d go out and buy for a growing family.

The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX works as well for everyday driving as it does for weekend fun. Cabin tech covers essential features but is nothing special.

The WRX STI is a high-performance, technology-packed, AWD, fun-to-drive-as-a-$90k-sports-car compact for less than forty grand, although it feels raw despite all the technology onboard.

The 2011 Subaru STi is an improvement over the 2010. It’s more handsome, handles better and offers more comfort and convenience. If there were no other considerations, we’d endorse the STi heartily. But for urban drivers looking for the smart move––get a WRX instead.

It may not have the boy-racer performance of the Impreza WRX STI, or the more polished looks of the Outback, or the unisex blandness of the Forester, but somehow, the WRX finds the perfect balance. This is the car Goldilocks would drive off in because it’s just right.

The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX could be an easy, practical performance car to live with. In most people’s real lives – as opposed to their fantasies – 265 horsepower is plenty, making the WRX STI’s extra 40 hp seem superfluous.

We have to congratulate Subaru for rearming the STI. In a world of ever eroding performance in favor of poseur looks and not much else, the company has done an intelligent job of refocusing the car toward what made it a success to begin with.

Subaru starts with its sub-$20,000 compact Impreza. Similarities end there. The WRX STI version coaxes 305 horsepower out of the same basic power plant. On the road, the STI has taut handling, but without the punishing ride that sometimes accompanies stiffly sprung performance cars.

For 2011, the Subaru Impreza WRX gets new bodywork, wider wheels and tires, stiffer rear subframe bushings, and… not much else. We’re not complaining.

While we can praise the WRX all day long for its driving characteristics on a curvy strip of mountain pavement, it isn’t exactly designed for a buyer looking for a tomb-like luxury ride. The price of a low(ish) curb weight and sports car track prowess is a somewhat noisy cabin.

The Subaru Impreza offers excellent value. The engine and all-wheel-drive are proven, the handling is secure, the maneuvering is tight, and its safety tops the charts.