New Subaru WRX Won’t Get a Higher-Performance STI Version

In what may come as a shock to many of us, Subaru has announced that the new WRX it just launched will not be getting a higher-performance WRX STI model, at least not one based on the 2022 Subaru WRX. Instead, Subaru is looking into electrification for its future performance applications, and we may not see another STI until the next generation of the WRX, which might be awhile.

In its announcement, Subaru cited “the regulations and requirements for greenhouse gasses (GHG), zero emissions vehicles (ZEV), and Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ)” as the impotence for holding off on a developing a new STI right away. It appears an internal-combustion-powered STI would struggle to pass increasingly stringent regulations for sale, without first going hybrid or fully-electric. “A next generation internal combustion engine WRX STI will not be produced based upon the new WRX platform,” the statement declares.

The move is surprising, considering the company gave no hint that it was potentially facing delays with a next-gen STI at the reveal of the new WRX sedan last year. The STI is a popular model among enthusiasts, and sales for the outgoing WRX and STI models remained consistent for almost the last decade. It’s possible this announcement is intentionally vague, and Subaru may intend to co-develop separate WRX and STI models on separate platforms to still get a new model out within a few years—technically releasing a WRX STI in the same life cycle as today’s WRX, albeit with a different underlying platform and powertrain altogether.

It’s not clear how far along, if at all, Subaru’s team has been looking into “opportunities for the next generation Subaru WRX STI, including electrification,” as the announcement says. Subaru also promised to incorporate “the essence of STI” into the next-gen vehicles it actually is going to produce.

If we’re not getting a new STI soon, if at all, then what can we expect? The automaker just announced its new E-RA, a carbon-neutral, all-electric, all-wheel drive race car intended for production and customer racing in the upcoming FIA E-GT racing league. The company could potentially use this as a starting point for its next-gen STI, if Subaru really is starting from scratch and is free to use other platforms than the WRX’s.

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