- Subaru unveiled the WRX S210 STI Complete Car prototype at the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon
- It previews a production model limited to 500 units, set to go on sale later this year
- Compared to the standard WRX, it features more power and comes equipped with a standard CVT
Subaru has no plans to release an STI version of the current WRX, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t variants of the compact sport sedan bearing the Subaru Tecnica International motorsports division’s iconic initials.
The latest is the WRX S210 STI Complete Car prototype, which Subaru unveiled over the weekend at the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon. It previews a new model set to go on sale next spring with a limited production run of 500 units, likely all earmarked for Japan.
Subaru already offers various WRX S4 STI Sport models in Japan. These are milder STI Sport versions featuring some performance upgrades, though they lack the additional power found in previous generations of the true WRX STI.
That changes with the WRX S210 STI, which boasts a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-4 engine tuned to deliver a targeted 296 hp. For comparison, the standard WRX’s turbocharged 2.4-liter engine produces 271 hp.
Subaru WRX S210 prototype
Power is still sent to all four wheels, but in this case, it’s managed via a CVT—making the WRX S210 the first S-series WRX to forgo a manual transmission. Additional upgrades include 19-inch STI wheels wrapped in 255/35 Michelin tires, a Brembo brake package with six-piston calipers up front, and track-honed aerodynamics. Inside, the car features Recaro bucket seats with carbon-fiber shells and eight-way adjustability.
While Subaru doesn’t plan to launch a new WRX STI anytime soon, Prodrive—the British motorsports and engineering company that built Subaru’s successful World Rally Championship cars—has developed a WRX with modifications worthy of being a WRX STI successor. Called the WRX by Prodrive, it raises hopes that the car or at least its upgrades might eventually be made available for purchase.
Other highlights of Subaru’s stand at the Tokyo Auto Salon include a Crosstrek Hybrid equipped with STI parts, a BRZ GT300 race car set to compete in the 2025 Super GT touring car series, and a WRX race car concept designed to run on sustainable fuel.
