2011 Subaru WRX STI: A Review

Since the 2011 Subaru WRX STI hit the market, I've been interested in doing a review of it. The appearance changed quite a bit from previous years, and is without a doubt a point of contention in discussions among enthusiasts in various forums.

The new look is described as aggressive by some. The BBS 18" silver alloy wheels do give the vehicle added distinction. But even if you are indifferent about the appearance, the performance should be pleasing to anyone.

When looking at a new Subaru STI for sale, the first thing that stands out is the engine. It boasts a 305HP 2.5L 4 cylinder turbocharged engine. The boost is limited to 14.7 psig, which is not uncommon for this type of vehicle. The engine utilizes a semi closed deck design on the block and cylinder head, which can help increase the longevity of the head gaskets under performance oriented driving conditions.

Ok, so engine performance is great if you just like going fast in a straight line. But what about some handling capability? This vehicle has it. It has vehicle dynamics control with electronic stability control, which is very helpful if you get into a tight spot say in a tight turn on a wet freeway on ramp. Also this vehicle has a driver controlled center differential (DCCD), which simply increases the flexibility of the all wheel drive system.

The DCCD is normally left in the auto setting, but for off road, snow, or other traction limited situations, the driver can adjust it to any of 9 different settings manually to tailor the driving experience to the road conditions. The DCCD allows the driver to manually alter the power bias between the front and rear wheels.

And the STI doesn't stop there. It also utilizes limited slip differentials on both the front and rear axles. It is not uncommon to find a limited slip rear differential on many vehicles, but the front differential is usually simply an open differential. The STI utilizes a front helical limited slip differential, with the rear being a Torsen style.

So all in all, I give the 2011 Subaru WRX STI a thumbs up. The only downside can be cost. It retails around $30,000 on up. So another alternative could be to search for a Subaru WRX for sale by owner, which will be quite a bit less expensive, but still retain some of the added performance and power. The WRX model is turbocharged, with around 220 BHP, and is also all wheel drive. It doesn't have the DCCD or some of the other features of the STI, however.