GTP Cool Wall: 2008-Present Subaru Impreza WRX STI (3rd Generation)

  • Thread starter TheBook
  • 27 comments
  • 2,886 views

2008-Present Subaru Impreza WRX STI

  • Sub-Zero

    Votes: 7 9.1%

  • Cool

    Votes: 32 41.6%

  • Uncool

    Votes: 27 35.1%

  • Seriously Uncool

    Votes: 11 14.3%
  • Total voters
    77
  • Poll closed .
TheBook

TheBook

Literary Member
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Sturgis, MI
GTP_ty00123
2008-Present Subaru Impreza WRX STI (3rd Generation)
2009-Subaru-Impreza-WRX-STI-A-Line-car-walls.jpg

Specs:
Drive type: All-wheel drive
Transmission type: 6-speed manual
Engine type: Longitudinally mounted flat-4
Displacement (cc/cu-in): 2,457 cc (150 cu-in)
Block/head material: Aluminum /aluminum
Redline (rpm): 6,700
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 305 @ 6,000
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 290 @ 4,000
Fuel tank capacity (gal): 16.9
EPA fuel economy (mpg): 17 city/23 highway
0 - 60 (sec.): 4.8
1/4 mile (sec. @ mph): 13.3 @ 102.4​

(Sorry for the anonymous vote this time around, I forgot to check the box and realized it about a second too late. :ouch:)
 
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74%, cool. I find the 1st and 2nd gens better than the 3rd. Now the new Imprezas are looking like Infinities.
 
You forgot the "GTP Cool Wall:" part in the title, or was that intentional?
 
While I like them quite a bit, these cars have the same problem the EVO has, where they're awesomely fast, but the speed is the result of cutting edge technowizardry and engineering precision, which is just too nerdy to be cool in my mind. Say you have a hot girl in the passenger seat and she wants you to drive as fast as you can. In a cool, fast car, you simply pin the gas to the floor and rocket off on a wave of noise. In this, you choose whatever the ideal setting for the center differential may be at that moment, turn a knob to sharpen up the throttle response, and THEN you floor it.

If the thing or things that enable a car to go as quickly as it does would bore someone who isn't into cars if you tried to explain what the thing is and does to them, it just can't be cool.
 
I haven't got a chance to drive an STI but I have driven a WRX and I didn't think much of it. The car also looks very Korean, which isn't very cool. Neither is the loads of technology that is loaded into the car, I mean would you want to sit next to the guy at a party who's talking in alphabet soup explaining his car? Probably not.

It's not a bad car though, and can look good with the right modifications. It's not a cool car though, not seriously uncool because of a rally pedigree, but still uncool.
 
Seriously uncool. They ruined the WRX in the latter part of the previous generation, but this gen is 6ft under.
 
Uncool.

I respect the power, but the head lights and tail end haven't grown on me at all. I even prefer the bug eye'd version more than this one.
 
Cool, because it's a Subaru Impreza WRX STI. That is the only reason. I hate it otherwise, it's ugly and fat looking. The previous Imprezas looked good, and hid their little amount of bulk. The old Pretzels would get sub-zero on my mark.
 
I may be one of the only people here that actually thinks that this looks good in the metal. It doesn't compare obviously to the 90's models and the "Peanut Eye" 2004-2005 model but I still like it.

That, and the Subaru brand name immediately gets a cool from me. Plus there's 300hp and all-wheel-drive, just like an STi should have.
 
Old WRX STIs looked way better than this one, not to mention much lighter than this abomination. Seriously uncool.
 
It looks like a smashed camry but with less unintended acceleration. Subie lost their way designing this, bring back the bugeye!

Uncool
 
Loved the facelifted middle generation, but the bugeye was still the best. I gave this one a chance, and it just never did it for me... No rally menace, no ferocity. Boring across the board.

It does get slightly better with aftermarket red taillights.
 
I prefer any old Impreza over a newer one and I just think they've ruined the Impreza. I heard somewhere they redesigned this version so much to compete more effectively in WRC (Correct me if I'm wrong). Then they pull out, great. I would have much prefered them to carry on the Impreza designs and called this a Subaru ... instead. That's my opinion anyway. Seriously uncool.
 
This was an improvement over the MY06-MY07 model which had the "cow catcher" front on it. In hatchback form it's a bit weird, but thankfully they brought out a sedan to compliment this car.

Overall it gets a cool, but it's not sub-zero like the 1st gen (MY94-MY00) or the MY03-MY05 version.
 
I hated this model of the sti until I had the chance to drive the poo out of one about a year ago. After that I have a lot more respect for it. So my rating is cool, and I would totally get one. (drove an 06 and would rather that but still this one is nice).
 
An WRX STi is supposed to look like a mean rally machine not an aggressive grocery getter.

-Seriously Uncool
 
I drove one of these and didn't enjoy it.

The steering isn't as precise as it should be
Feels heavy
Many of the settings don't do anything
One of the ugliest cars out there

The only thing saving this from seriously uncool is the fact that the engine and interior impressed me
 
Uncool... Imprezas cool rating is inversely proportional to their perormance.
 
I like this car, I'll admit, I hated it at first. Then it grew on me. A car that does that gets a Cool from me.
 
I've been looking at it for the past three years, and the burgeoning, bulging bulbosity still doesn't strike me as particularly sexy... or desirable. Finally acceptable, maybe, but not desirable.

The older STis were all hood scoops and fender flares and foglights... googly eyes and pig-snouts... not always pretty... but with a definite, purposeful air about them. No previous Impreza actually looked silly with day-glo blue paint and gold wheels.

This new one? Its best color is gray. When you look your best in gray, you've lost it.* You're a suit, a square, a Corolla in drag.

Not to mention the fact that it still doesn't have the best steering... it's gone all soft, and it's about as desirable as dog hair. I've seen it up close and personal... been amazed by its handling prowess... choked on its tire smoke... and have been impressed by its speed.

That said, it still doesn't stir my loins. Not one bit. Sorry.

Stotty
Uncool... Imprezas cool rating is inversely proportional to their perormance.
Click to expand...

Funny thing is... I actually like the base naturally aspirated 2.0. The boxer rasp is more evident without the turbos. The balance without the extra weight of the 2.5 liter engine is sweeter. And the standard dual-range gearbox with the five speed manual is just oddball enough to lift it from "uncool" to "cool".

An Impreza with a dual-range gearbox is like a diesel SUV with Brembos. Utterly useless feature, but fascinating, nonetheless.

*grayness does not apply to the Mercedes Gullwing SLR. It's silver. Duh.
 
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I voted Seriously Uncool awhile back, and frankly it's because it's not available as a tall-spoilered Sedan, like it always has been. If they had both versions as STIs, I'd think differently. Perhaps something like the STI Limited of the last generation, with that subtle lip spoiler. That way children in Civics, Mustangs, and Camaros won't be begging me for a race.

Add to that the fact that the Evo resembles the GT-R (or vice-versa,) and I can't be a Subaru guy, not this time.
 
It's cool. I've seen one in person with all the body kit bits and it's pretty neat. Makes a nice sound too.
 
I voted Cool. If it was any other STI maybe even the previous version with the Tribeca
Nose/'hawk eyes' it would have been Sub-Zero. There are two reasons its not Sub Zero:
1. I don’t really like the look of the new Impreza
2.The fact that you can only get the STI in a hatch. I don’t like the front end on the Tribeca
Nose/'hawk eyes' STI but what was cool about the STI/EVO was that they were only available for the most part as sedans. That’s why I have to applaud Mitsu because they kept the EVO a sedan only. Now had Subaru did what they did with the WRX and offered both the sedan and the hatch. That would have been fine but they didn’t and that’s why for the most part is why its just cool.
 

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