As with the more potent Subaru WRX S4, Japan also gets a different WRX STI model, which surprises because it has a 304hp 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer engine under the hood.
As you already know, US- and EU-spec WRX STI models are powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four engine producing 305 horsepower and 290 lb-ft (393 Nm) of torque.
In the Japanese-spec Subaru WRX STI, however, the tuned 2.0-liter engine produces 304 hp (308PS) at 6,400 rpm and 422 Nm at 4,400 rpm. Unlike the WRX S4 which only gets a CVT, the WRX STI is offered with a six-speed manual gearbox with short-throw shifting.
Given the small power difference between the S4 and the STI (just 8 horsepower), Japanese customers have a simple choice: the high performance but more comfortable S4 or the hardcore STI.
The Subaru WRX STI also features the multi-mode Driver’s Control Center Differential (DCCD) system, which allows the driver to freely select center differential control characteristics according to road conditions and preferences. Design-wise, the JDM-spec WRX STI looks very similar with the European and US model.
While performance figures have not been released, it would be interesting to learn what US and European WRX STI buyers think about the fact that Japan’s STI gets a lighter, more modern engine that produces roughly the same power but more torque.
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