Used 2018 Subaru WRX STI Limited Consumer Reviews
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No regrets!
Teiwaz, 02/20/2018
2018 Subaru WRX STI Limited 4dr Sedan AWD w/Low Profile Trunk Spoiler (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
15 of 17 people found this review helpful
I am very happy with this purchase. Just to give you background my previous vehicle was a BMW 335i. The 335i was a power plant for a small sedan, had quality interior, and was a quiet ride (luxury feel). The BMW had most of the features that this new vehicle is just now offering (except the backup camera and blind spot monitoring) so I was on the fence on whether to upgrade or not. The problem for me was the long term maintenance cost. For the amount of money I was putting into the maintenance I could have well make monthly payments on a new car. (Maybe it was my bad luck that I received a bad one off the production line? I did keep up w/the scheduled maintenance fyi) I spent time researching the subcompact category since this will serve as my everyday commuter and I didn’t want to feel like I was driving a boat. I wanted something small enough to slide into tight spots when driving in traffic as well as when parking in tight spaces in the city yet have enough acceleration punch when required and would have lower maintenance cost in the long run. Being able to drive in rough weather would also be a plus. I visited different dealerships looking @many vehicles including the Focus RS, Civic Type R, and Golf R. I was concerned with Ford’s reputation for reliability (the recent head gasket issue) and VW’s maintenance cost (Being a German vehicle). The Type R is only a 4 seater (this alone is not an option for me). I then visited Subaru and my initial thoughts were negative in that I felt I was getting something less than the BMW. It wasn’t until I test drove the WRX STI that I understood the attraction (they are fun to drive). You really do feel more involved and although it wasn’t as quiet & luxurious as my BMW it definitely wasn’t boring. The 335i felt like it had much more torque than the STI during startup. I did experience being a passenger in a 2015 WRX and it was a much harsher ride than the 2018 STI. In my opinion my STI is more bouncy but not as hard a ride as my 335i. I’m not sure if the run flats on the 335i is the reason for this. Summary: Cons- horsepower is mediocre by today’s standards, no passenger side power seat, no climate control/vents for rear seat passengers, seat heaters toggle on/off instead of staying on constantly, only 19mpg. Pro’s- fun to drive, manual 6 speed (keeps me awake during traffic 🙂), great handling, very good visibility (@least w/out the large rear wing for my situation), folding rear seats, cargo capacity, spacious seating (compared to my 335i), recaro seats (love the red accents & seatbelts), spare tire (yes! No more run flats!), highlighter colored brakes (I actually like how these look different from the typical Bembo red), 19 inch wheels (could be a con if you are traveling in snow as it comes w/summer tires). Bottom line is that I have no regrets In buying this car. This is worth consideration if you are searching for a compact car that’s fun to drive (by this I mean visceral and more involved) yet practical. I hope that the maintenance cost will be lower than the BMW as I have only put 3k on this vehicle so far.
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Almost 3 years of owning since brand new
Tommy Janow, 02/28/2018
updated 03/10/2020
2018 Subaru WRX STI Limited 4dr Sedan AWD w/Wing (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
2020 Update : 22,xxx miles on the car now and it's given me absolutely no issues at all where the drivetrain is concerned. Still drives and handles amazingly. I bought some Titan 7 T-S5's forged wheels and some Michelin Pilot Sport 4's to replace the OEM wheels and tires and what a difference it makes. Car handles much sharper and a good amount of understeer is eliminated. We drove this car from Santa Cruz, CA to Eugene, OR and back over the course of a week and it was amazing. I love driving this car every time I get into it and it's exactly what I wanted from a car - to be able to look forward and be excited about driving. The only minor flaws: -Area of the dash between glove box and windshield can rattle sometimes - doesn't bug me and given the aggressive suspension on this car I can't say im suprised - the roads in CA are terrible. -If you take your seat belt off and move the car the buzzer will sound, this buzzer will stay activated even when you've come to a stop and the car is in neutral. It will only turn off if you plug your seatbelt in or turn the car off. -Seats are still a bit big for me, I'm 5'9" at 155 lbs so I'm not a big guy, the seats could be a little more bolstered for my liking. The CG lock I have on my seatbelt helps this issue but doesn't fully alleviate it. This is a real car! I ordered my 2018 from the dealer as soon as ordering opened up in early 2017 and I took delivery in late June. I did my research and test drove a lot of different cars. My top 3 choices were the 2018 WRX STI, a 2017 Chevrolet SS, or a 2013-2015 used Camaro ZL1. I decided on the STI because it was still a blast to drive but retained some functionality the other two choices lacked. This car has been fantastic and I couldn't be happier with my choice. Daily driving the STI is fun, it makes you look forward to your commute (although I must say sitting in gridlock traffic is kind of lame with a manual), and it connects you to the road in a raw pure form. The steering is heavy, the gearbox is firm, the pedals are spaced perfectly for heel-toe downshifts, what more could you want? I have almost 9,000 miles on my car now and I've enjoyed them all. I'm not saying this car is perfect because no car is. This car is a great all-around vehicle. I've packed 5 people in my car with no complaints. I have fit all of my firefighting gear in the trunk with no issues. So far the car has been extremely reliable and never failed to do anything I've asked it to. Front, side, and rear visibility is great... very easy to look ahead in corners. After driving the car for quite some time the only beef I have with the STI is this: the Recaro seats don't grip me as much as I would like (I'm 5'9 150lbs) but a CG seatbelt lock fixed this. The chassis could easily support 350 hp, the EJ motor is great in my eyes and it is NOT slow, but it could easily use more power. If entertainment/head units/gas mileage is an issue for you, you might be saddened because the STI doesn't have the best of any of these... but that's not what this car was built for. This is a great car and I encourage anyone looking to buy one to get out there and test drive one!
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2018 Subaru WRX for sale near you
3 of 35 listings
- Premium SedanMSRP: $18,99586 mi away
- Premium SedanMSRP: $17,975120 mi away
- STI SedanMSRP: $22,488188 mi away
See all 35 listings
Great DD. (Not boobs)
Luke Skywalker 101, 01/11/2025
2018 Subaru WRX STI Limited 4dr Sedan AWD w/Wing (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I have had my red Subaru WRX STI for around 4 years. Went from stock, to built motor, full bolt-ons, E85 dyno tuned. Still my DAILY DRIVER through all four of Iowa's seasons. Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. So fun in winter with snow tires. Just aim, and press gas peddle firmly. Lots of room inside. The stock headunit was junk. Same with the stock speakers. Get some Memphis Auido speakers in all 4 doors, and upgrade tweeters to whatever, dynomat the whole thing inside. All the doors, floorboards. All 4 wheel wells sprayed/coated with a truck bed coating that has acoustic properties. It will sound hella inside. These cars are a solid platform with a very easy to follow line of progressive modifications to turn it really into something special if you really experience the journey from stage 1, stage 2, ect. Love Subaru. Woot! It is seriously really good I think.
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2018 WRX STI
RuDdOgG, 06/06/2018
2018 Subaru WRX STI Limited 4dr Sedan AWD w/Wing (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
0 of 5 people found this review helpful
Great performance car, but aging in technology.
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