2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI sedan

Experts say the STI's less-powerful sibling, the redesigned 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX sedan (Base MSRP $25,495 to $28,995), is a more reasonable choice for most drivers. It now looks nearly identical to the STI, with the same wide body, but the WRX's version of the turbo four produces 265 horsepower and its body and suspension aren't as stiff. The STI "really only pays dividends on a rally stage or racetrack," Car and Driver says. "Those who stick to the highways and byways should probably go with the 2011 WRX."

STI vs. Evo

How does the new STI measure up to its arch-rival, the 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (Base MSRP: $33,995 to $37,195)? It's too early to tell -- the redesigned STI was so new as of this writing that none of our sources had conducted a head-to-head test between these two rally cars. About.com's Aaron Gold, a longtime Evo fan, draws some comparisons between the two in his STI review. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

"The STI is very fast and very grippy, but it still doesn't deliver the physics-defying thrills of the Lancer Evolution," Gold says. "Push the STI hard enough to break its prodigious grip and it understeers like a front-wheel-drive car … It's a stark contrast to the Evo, which has a computerized all-wheel-drive system that makes the most inept driver feel like a cross between God and The Stig.

"That said, in virtually every other respect, the STI blows the Evo out of the water. Compared to the Subaru, the Mitsubishi's interior is cheap and crappy, the ride borders on abuse, and the small gas tank means you can only enjoy the Evo in twenty-minute increments. No question, the STI is the more pleasant car to live with -- but that said, were I shopping in the 300-hp-all-wheel-drive-screaming-terror class, I'm not sure that "pleasant" would be at the top of my priority list."

The STI seats five. Standard cabin features on the base 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI sedan (Base MSRP $33,995) include heated seats, automatic air conditioning, Bluetooth and a CD/MP3 stereo. The Limited trim (Base MSRP $37,345) adds leather upholstery, a sunroof, fog lights and BBS wheels.

The 2011 STI had not been crash tested by either the federal government or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety when we checked. (IIHS does test the regular Impreza but says the results don't apply to WRX models.) Standard safety equipment includes antilock brakes with brake assist, traction and stability control, and front, front-side and curtain airbags.

This new model has no reliability history. The 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI carries a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Research sources

Autoblog.com provides the lengthiest review of the 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, testing and evaluating all major aspects of the car and illustrating with lots of photos. Reviews at Car and Driver, Popular Mechanics and About.com are shorter but still complete and based on testing, and they compare the STI with the regular WRX. Cars.com reviews the STI as a family car. FuelEconomy.gov provides official fuel-economy estimates.