Which year was best for the subaru impreza wrx sti.?

Question

I want to buy one and trick it out and get the most hp out of it...

Answer 1

I like the 2004.

Answer 2

Okay, if you are talking about the US models then I have no idea what some people answering are saying.

The USDM STi always came with a 2.5 liter. The WRX, not the STi, that changed its block to the same one as the STi one in 2006. I believe it is the EJ257 block.

Now that we have our cars straight.

It depends on what your definition of "tricking out" is. If you are going to stick ricetastic bodykits and neon lights on it, then dont even bother with the STi. You would be better getting the RS or 2.5i as it is now called and save your money for parts.

If you are into performance, then the STi is great. The 2007 STi will be the best option due to the yaw controll and the VF43 turbo as opposed to the VF39 used before 2007. Also there are some slight variations in the transmission as far as gear widths are concerned.

Keep in mid that Power and Performance are different things. If you want to drag race then this is not your car. Although you can get power out of the STi it is not worth it. It is much earier and cheaper to get more power out of a Lancer Evolution.

There are plenty of fast Evos but STis are more limited.

Think about what you want this car for before you decide if you really want this car. It is difficult to get an STi into the 10s or less but it can be done with Evos.

Also due to the block change most poeple now pick up the WRX TR and use the difference in price to make it faster. With Engine management, turbo back exhaust, and a different turbo the TR and WRXs of the 06/07 years can compete very well agains the STi.

Also keep in mind that insurance will be murder in the US for these cars. It is cheaper for me to insure my Porsche than it was to insure my WRX.

For a great place for information I would recommend you check out the latgest Subaru community online at www.nasioc.com

Answer 3

Honestly it depends on your opinion of the styling. Wether it be the 2004s or 2005s, or the 06/07s. The internals are almost exactly the same. The first US-spec ones did NOT have a radio or factory floor mats. Keep that in mind if your an audiophile.

They've all had the 2.5L closed-deck engine. They've all had the DCCD (driver controllable center differential) unit that lets you adjust the torque application bias between the front and rear axles. Thats a handy little feature for spirited driving in all weather conditions.

The interiors are almost exactly the same in all the years, apart from the radio difference, and the suspension/drivetrains are the same in all years.

One small thing im unsure of is the adjustable headlights. I know the 06s had a feature that would level the headlights as the front end picked up under hard acceleration. That was also driver adjustable.

The comment above about them switching to the 2.5L in 2006 is misguided. That's in reference to the WRX, not the STi model.

Answer 4

04 and 05 are the best.

that being said: if you just want a high HP car, dont buy a subaru. Buy an LS1 powered F-body (trans am, firebird formula, or camaro SS), or an LS2 powered pontiac GTO for much cheaper than an STi. mods are also far cheaper because its a much more common engine.

the STi is a car bred for the track (not dragstrip). its not designed as a drag car, so why use it as one? The unrefined american cars do it for much cheaper.

If youre going to use the car on the track, then you dont need to mod it. They come more than fast enough for anyone under club-racer level, and more power would just make it almost undrivable on the track with all the turbo lag and power surges.

I own an 05 sti and love it, but i do also know that it is not a drag car. its not meant to be. Youll crap out so many trannies and blow so many headgaskets and waste so much money it wont even be funny trying to do what you want it to (which it isnt designed for).

Answer 5

anything but the '03 with the 'bug eyes' i like the '05 and on models when it comes to appearance. However when it comes to cracking open the engine.. it'll be a btch to take it out and get it to run right afterwards. you'll have to drop the engine out of the car to trick it out. however the Sti already has about 300 hp. you really don't need to do anything as that's more than enough on the street unless you're making it into a track car. the easiest thing is to give it a more efficient front mount intercooler and it'll bump the power up a bit. maybe a different turbo as well.

Answer 6

If I bought any STI Subaru from 2004 onward, I would have a good speedy car that can be modified if you want more out of it. For 2007, Subaru said they were just measuring the HP differently, but that it was still the same.

Answer 7

If you are talking U.S. models, the '06 and later have the 2.5 liter engine as opposed to the 2.0 liter motor from '04-'05. The HP rating is almost the same, but it has more torque down low and is a better *street* motor.

In '07 they removed the sodium-filled valves and went back to the regular ones, so I'd say the '06 probably has the most potential for a street car, assuming you're going to keep the stock short block and heads, as most of the 'tuner' cars you see on the street.

Frankly though, for a strictly street/tuner car, they all pretty much have awesome potential. I think it all depends on your budget. To get a decent used '04, you're looking at ~$23k and up (in my neck of the woods) and for a nice used '06, you're looking at right around $28-$29k (or more!)

Personally, I prefer the '06-'07 because the torquier motors make it better for typical everyday street driving. (And, I think they look better, too.)

Answer 8

ALL usdm STI's are 2.5 liters

02-05 WRX's are 2.0L
06-07 WRX are 2.5L

theres a diff between a WRX and a WRX STI.

Answer 9

well every model of the sti is awesome! but the 2006+ models have a 2.5 L. more torque, but basically the same hp.

Answer 10

05' they seem to be leading as far as power production before they changed the front end