Video: 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

This year, it puts out 305 horsepower, up from 293, but the torque stays the same at 290. The new STI comes in only a hatchback body style, and a lot of people complained about that, wanting a sedan. Of course, when the old one was sedan only, people complained there wasn't a hatchback. What sets the STI apart from a regular WRX or Impreza hatchback in the looks department is an aggressive spoiler on the back of the hatch, some interesting taillights, and of course, quad tailpipes. Of course, with the hatchback body style, you get some utility with your performance and the rear seats fold down flat very easily. And that's great for any hatchback, not just a high performance STI. Now the STI comes with standard 18 inch wheels, which are fine, but these are some special BVS editions. And of course, this is 25 degrees, middle of winter, frozen ice ground. We have summer, high-performance tires. Obviously, Subaru redesigned the entire Impreza line, and that doesn't stop with the STI. Inside is very nice, great upgrade over the old one. Most importantly, the seats are terrific. They're leather with Alcantara inserts. For those that don't know, Alcantara is kind of like suede. Subaru's outfitted this performance machine with completely controllable center differentials, so you can put it in a manual or automatic mode. In automatic mode, you just bump it up or down, whichever way you want, and the computer figures it out, or you leave it in manual mode, and you can adjust it yourself. It also comes equipped with what Subaru calls the SI-Drive, which is available in other Subaru models like the Outback, and it does the same thing here. It's just a performance machine, but it has a sports setting, an even better sports setting, and an intelligent mode for fuel economy. And all of it manages your engine so you get the most out of it. Obviously, it's a fast car. With over 300 horsepower, zero to 60 is in the five second range, but it's also a much more livable car. So, if you can't get the most out of the performance, at least you're enjoying the ride, and not breaking your back. (intense music) So there's one negative about the STI. So, it's probably not a bad idea to get a dark, unassuming color like this one. And that means you might have to leave the stop line a little slower than you'd like. (engine revs) <v Man>For additional info on this car or any other, go to cars.com and our blog, Kicking Tires.