When the current-generation (VB) Subaru WRX debuted a couple of years ago, a full-blown STI variant was missing. Subaru cited ever-changing emissions regulations for the absence of an STI, but our hopes kept fluctuating as they continue to showcase STI-dressed concepts over the past few years. Last year, at the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon, a Subaru WRX STI S210 (shown below) was revealed exclusively for the Japanese market, but it still wasn’t the true WRX STI we’ve been hoping for.
That’s because while it received a power bump to 300 horsepower, along with a beefed-up CVT with plenty of cooling to keep itself reliable, even for track use, it didn’t have two key WRX STI ingredients–a manual transmission and the famed Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) for its Symmetrical AWD system.
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Subaru, however, has once again been teasing another new WRX STI. The teaser reveals a WRX sedan with various STI badging, sportier wheels, and that signature boxer engine rumble. What’s still missing is a manual transmission or signs of the DCCD.
There’s also the off-chance that it’s going to be a Japan-only model. Last year’s Subaru WRX STI S210 is a Japanese domestic market-only (JDM) affair, so it won’t be surprising if this is the case for whatever STI model Subaru is cooking.
Additionally, Subaru used last year’s Japan Mobility Show to showcase the Performance-B STI concept. It’s a hot hatch based on the current VB-generation WRX sedan, but of course, in a hatchback body style. And without the cladding in sight, the blue hot hatch looked slick and handsome. The teasers, however, showcase a sedan, so don’t expect that this is the production version of the Performance-B STI concept, either.
Anyway, the wait for this mystery Subaru WRX STI model won’t be long, as the Japanese automaker will reveal it at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon on January 9.
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