According to Subaru’s European manager, any future STI model will most likely be electric
Subaru discontinued the WRX STI in 2022, reportedly due to rapidly changing emissions regulations. Despite initially stating it wouldn’t build an STI version of the current-generation WRX, Subaru revived the badge this year—though only in Japan, and with a CVT transmission. While that version hasn’t made it globally, there’s still hope for an STI comeback worldwide. However, fans may not be thrilled with the direction Subaru is heading in when it comes to the powertrain.
“If you ask me to sum up what Subaru means to European customers right now, it’s three letters: SFT—safe, fun, and tough,” said David Dello Stritto, Subaru’s European manager, during the New York Auto Show. “Customers stay loyal because of Subaru’s safety, practicality, and long-term reliability.”
But Stritto acknowledged something’s been missing: performance.
“There’s a fourth pillar I’ve wanted for years: P—for power and performance,” he explained. “Ask someone what Subaru means, and you’ll hear Impreza or STI. That connection is too strong to ignore. We have to bring sportiness back.”
That return to sportiness, however, won’t involve the brand’s trademark boxer-four engine. Stritto noted that Europe’s required gas particulate filters “can literally choke your engine,” making it an impractical choice.
Instead, Subaru’s performance future is electric. Any flagship performance model will be fully electric going forward. Subaru has already previewed this direction with vehicles like the Solterra STI concept and the STI E-RA electric racer shown at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon.
Whether these upcoming EVs will wear the STI badge remains undecided. Subaru filed a trademark for “STe” in Germany in 2023, hinting that the STI name could evolve to embrace an electric identity.
Still, Stritto is confident in the legacy:
“The STI spirit lives on. So if you change the last letter, I don’t think that would make a huge difference.”
Before jumping into performance EVs, though, Subaru must shore up its core business: crossovers. U.S. tariffs introduced on April 2 by the Trump administration threaten Subaru’s operations, as over half of its U.S. sales are built overseas.
“I need volume first,” Stritto said. “I need to sell my SUVs. They need to make money.”
“It’s a tough time,” he added. “But once things stabilize, we can afford to develop that new halo model and reward our performance-focused fans.”
