I just don't see the benefit of the $10k+ the STI costs over the WRX. Brembos are nice, sure. The selectable diff is cool. 6 speed? It's a little stronger than the 5 speed if you're going to mod it. Suspension slightly different. Wheels different. That's about it now. Motor/turbo are the same. Put them on the dyno or the track and it's the same. Body work is the same on the 11+ WRX as the STI. A lot of people like the next body style, but to me it looks like a weird Lexus IS...not in a good way.

 

Does it really have to be new?
I'm not a fan of Volvo either but the reviews and feedback on the S60 T5/T6 are pretty good

 

IS250 is small too.

You in mid-size sedan or SUV territory. TSX serves me pretty well :dunno:

 

IS has no back seat

 

And the feeble motor in the IS250 is gutless.
Playing devil's advocate: since all of the cars mentioned thus far have modern traction control and stability control, is all-wheel-drive really necessary?

 

I go up to Syracuse a lot and the winters up there can be brutal. I could get by without AWD...but I would prefer not to.

After more research I seem to be down to STI, WRX, BMW 5 series, or Audi A6. Everyone has been bashing Audi's reliability but all the reviews list the A6 as one of the most dependable cares on the road. Maintenance costs will be higher on the BMW and Audi so I think the Suby's are in the lead. A Subaru Legacy could be an option as well... I like the look of the new WRX concepts. I will have to wait to see what the final version looks like for 2014.

I tend to get bored of cars fast. The only cars I didn't get bored of were the STi and the Cayman. I am worried that if I get a WRX I will get bored of it. I know it doesn't make sense considering I drive slow almost all the time. Where are you guys seeing that the WRX and STi put the same power down on a dyno? Just logically this doesn't make sense plus I don't see mention of it with a quick google search. The consensus on the Subaru forums (NAOSIC, iwsti.com) seem to be that the STi is worth it just for the 6 speed transmission and the brembo breaks, suspension, center diff control, etc are all bonus.

 

Understood. Then I think you're on the right course with a Subaru of some sort, with a Legacy GT leading the pack.

 

No. OP is a wimpypants.

 

Go here.

http://www.cobbtuning.com/Dyno-Database-s/70119.htm

I don't personally think all that is worth 10K, let alone just a 6spd and brembos. The dyno numbers prove themselves. Look for stock baseline dynos. There will be some variation obviously, but if you average the dyno numbers of WRX vs STI they are just about identical. Sure the STI is rated higher from the factory to make it seem worth more $, but the dyno doesn't lie.

But, to each his own. I'd rather spend 10K less, and then I put a couple K into it. Got the wheels I want, big tires, suspension, and a ton of hp and torque over stock...much faster than a stock STI. I put about $1500 into power mods and it's a completely different car. I guarantee you it is far, far, far from being boring. I thought it was fun to drive even stock.

 

i dont really have anything to add to this thread as i'm kind of in the same boat. i might even get a truck. i'd like an MDX, but my boss drives one, so that's weird to me (should explain how much i "like" my boss)