2008 SUBARU Impreza WRX STi 2.5 Turbo 6MT AWD (300 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Subaru took the world by surprise when it introduced the Impreza WRX STI at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, but not exactly in a good way.

Since the beginning of the Impreza saga, it was available as a sedan or station wagon, but the 2007 model was the first revealed as a hatchback.

Before this generation, the carmaker didn’t pay too much attention to the design of its car, but for the 2008 model, it was a different story. Subaru pushed its design department to create something special, and special they did. Its rounded shapes and sharp angles on the headlights, plus the narrow grille above the bumper, made the car looks aggressive. The scoop on the hood was functional and, also, traditional for the WRX STI. On the lower part, in the apron, the carmaker installed fog lights. Usually, the former STI versions didn’t have that. Unlike the rest of the Impreza range, it featured widened front and rear fenders in a tuning-like style. At the back, on top of the tailgate, the carmaker added a wide wing.

Inside, the materials’ quality was better than before. Its Alcantara-wrapped sport bucket seats at the front and the flat, split-folding bench at the rear gave the customers the sensation that they didn’t buy an empty shell with a motor. The instrument panel received the same layout as its predecessors, with a wide speedometer in the middle flanked by the tachometer on the right and the fuel and coolant temperature gauges on the left.

Under the hood, Subaru installed a turbocharged flat-four engine. The only transmission available was a six-speed manual, which sent the power in all corners via an adjustable center differential.