2018 Subaru WRX STI vs. the 2018 Subaru BRZ Under Review

2018 was a wonderful year for many, COVID wasn’t even a thought, a united Korea (even if just for a brief amount of time), a super blue blood moon was seen for the last time until 2033, and even an American addition to the Royal family. To be able to go back to that time would be amazing, but like everything else, we have to advance – as unfortunate as it is sometimes.

2018 Subaru WRX STI

The old saying of “don’t fix what’s not broken” stands true even to cars – and that’s what Subaru chose to do. The first edition of the WRX STI was released in 1994 and the boxer engine that it originally was designed with, has not changed over the years. The 2018 version packs a 2.5-litre turbocharged flat-four that still generates 305 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque, and exclusively comes with a six speed manual transmission. This car now includes a redesigned front end, brand new 19 inch wheels, a revised all-wheel-drive system, a new electronic center differential, a new set of Brembo brakes, and a retuned suspension. 

The new brakes, with its calipers painted an eye-catching greenish yellow, performed well in testing, although acceleration was a different story. The STI in general has always demonstrated itself to be quite difficult to launch, and this car proved to be no different. Even after getting used to the different settings, feeding the necessary high revs, successfully engaging the clutch, AND hurrying through three gears (the second gear only gets to 57 mph), the best that could be recorded for this car was a 5.7-second 0-60 and a 14.1-second quarter mile at 98.5 mph. 

The WRX STI is a compact car (essentially meaning the car sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars and a very popular choice in North America), and so it stands to reason that the main benefit of a boxer engine, is the car would have a lower center of gravity – making for an easier time when drifting. 

The base price of this car starts at $36,095 which isn’t too bad for Subaru ($24,795 for a basic Subaru – a base model Forester) as it is within the price range of their base models. The base model for the standard WRX is also within range of this price, and starts at $30,155. 

Although the car itself is a beautiful one as it sits currently, here’s to hoping that Subaru can come up with more ways to define the car’s exterior and interior and redesign the whole outlook while still sticking to the basics. 

2018 Subaru BRZ

The 2018 Subaru BRZ is a rear-drive sports coupe (car) and interestingly enough it is the only car in Subaru’s United States line up that doesn’t come with all-wheel drive. Powered by a 2.0-litre flat four (a common attribute for Subaru’s) with 205 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque, it comes equipped with a standard six speed manual transmission. This car comes with the option of an automatic transmission as well, with the engine reaching 200 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. The EPA fuel economy ratings for the manual version are 21/29 mpg city/highway and 24/33 mpg with the automatic. 

The trunk space for this car is quite small (6.9 cubic feet) although it can be expanded with the single-piece folding rear seats. The 2018 version’s standard features include: a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 17-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity, Subaru’s Starlink multimedia interface with a 6.2-inch touchscreen, a rearview camera, LED headlights, keyless entry, cloth upholstery, and a USB port. The car starts at $29,545 for the base model. 

The tS variant of the Subaru BRZ comes with Brembo brakes, an adjustable rear wing, Bilstein shocks, 18-inch alloy wheels (in black), and a more aggressive suspension setup for sharper handling. 

In terms of safety, the Subaru BRZ received a four star rating on the front crash test and an impressive five stars (out of five stars) on the rollover test from NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Association). The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) has yet to test the 2018 BRZ but based on the good score the 2017 BRZ received on all crashworthiness tests except for the front small overlap test (where it got an Acceptable rating, Good is the highest possible score). They have yet to test the headlights and active safety features aren’t available on the 2018 BRZ. 

Final Thoughts

Between the two cars, I would personally choose the WRX STI, not only because of the exterior looks but also the AWD aspect which is a big safety factor, not to mention RWD cars are not really ideal for the Winter season. It is a little more pricey than the BRZ however, it does carry a 105 lead in terms of horsepower and it can get to high speeds in a matter of seconds. Overall, this car has my vote although in terms of design it is quite hard for me to choose between the two.