Fasten Your Seatbelt - Crazy Turbulence Is Ahead For The Next-Gen Subaru STI

Buckle up because Subaru has big plans for the next-generation 2022 WRX STI performance car. Celebrating 10,000 Subaru WRX STIs sold in Australia, Subaru Australia says, “Get ready for another two decades of adrenaline with the ultimate performance icon!”

Motoring reports a source close to Subaru, who says, “While the fifth-generation WRX STI is yet to be revealed by Subaru Corporation, it is certain to push the performance and technological boundaries still further.” Carsales.com revealed Subaru sources told them the “gloves are off” when it comes to power output and performance levels of the next-generation Subaru WRX STI.

That’s good news for STI fans because Subaru Corporation is prioritizing its performance car lineup. The Japanese automaker already revealed the second-generation BRZ sports coupe with a new 2.4-liter engine, and the WRX and WRX STI are the next models to get a complete redesign.

Subaru will drop the EJ25 2.5-liter turbocharged Boxer powerplant forever. The next-generation STI will likely get a version of the FA24 2.4-liter turbocharged direct-injection Boxer. Sources say it could pump out close to 400 horsepower. The WRX will also get the FA24 with milder power output.

Innovations will also come in the new Global Platform and technology upgrades. We get a good idea of what Subaru has planned by checking out the new-generation Levorg sports wagon. The new STI will have a similar exterior design in the front, but a new aerodynamic body kit could resemble the VIZIV Performance STI Concept.

Technology upgrades inside will include a large tablet-style 11.6-inch center display touch-screen borrowed from the newly-remodeled Subaru Outback. The old hard buttons are going away, making way for the new multi-media interface offering Apple Car Play and Android Auto integration. Knobs still control the radio volume and tuning.

Subaru says the Levorg gets a new X platform with a full inner frame structure “that enhances the skeletal continuity of the entire body and a structural adhesive that suppresses minute deformation, achieving further rigidity and weight reduction.” Look for the WRX and STI to have similar upgrades.

The sport-tuned WRX and performance-tuned STI will also have a lower center of gravity, improving driving dynamics in the corners producing a more dynamic ride.

When will the STI get hybrid or electric power?

Photo credit: KDesign AG (Kleber Silva)

Even though a new electric Subaru SUV is coming in 2022, the automaker will be slow with electrification for its current models. The next-generation STI won’t likely see any new hybrid technology for another decade. An all-electric STI will be even further down the road.

Look for the next-generation 2022 Subaru WRX to arrive next fall, and the 2022 WRX STI will make its global reveal in late 2021 with a launch in late 2022.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Subaru, Used with permission from KDesign AG (Kleber Silva)