Subaru Performance-B STI Concept Marks a Return to Form

Four years is a long time to hold a grudge. When Subaru announced in spring 2022 that the new-generation WRX would not spawn an STI variant, the outcry was immediate and sustained. By moving the VB-generation car to Subaru's Global Platform, the regular WRX gained more power and better dynamics, but sacrificed the one thing that mattered most to the faithful: the halo model with the WRC wing, the wide arches, and zero apologies.

As it always does, the aftermarket stepped in, yet as hard as they try and as capable as they are, a tuner special will never carry the cachet of a 22B or Spec C.

But while Subaru stayed quiet on the matter for most of the intervening years, something has shifted recently. The recently announced limited-run BRZ STI Sport Type RA proves the division still knows how to build proper driver's cars. And during October’s Japanese Mobility Show, Subaru laid two more cards on the table.

The Performance-B STI Concept is the one that matters. Finished in World Rally Blue – naturally – this five-door hot hatch sports flared arches, a rear wing big enough to hang a garden swing off, and a pair of central exhaust tips that make it abundantly clear what the propulsion method is. The front end borrows heavily from the current WRX saloon sold in the US and Asia-Pacific markets, displaying modern surfacing and a pronounced bonnet intake, but from the A-pillar backwards the proportions are all hatchback.

Under the bonnet sits a horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine. Subaru hasn't confirmed power figures, but given the current WRX develops around 270bhp from its 2.4-litre turbocharged flat-four, a tuned version pushing comfortably beyond 300bhp seems plausible. Power goes to all four wheels via Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel drive system and – this is the important bit – a three-pedal manual gearbox. There’s no ST210 CVT nonsense to be found here.

After the excitement of the exterior, the inside, save for the OTT Recaro buckets dominating the front, is a rather tame affair. But that has always been the case with roadgoing rally spin offs. It only serves to underline how production-ready the Performance-B appears. Concepts typically lean into drama and implausibility. This one appears able to drive off the motor show stand and straight into a comparison test with the GR Corolla.

Whether it actually reaches production is another question entirely. Subaru has form for showing enthusiasts exactly what they want, then pulling back at the last moment. Even if it does, the question remains if the car will be imported into the UK.

But the energy feels different this time. The BRZ Type RA has demonstrated a renewed commitment to the STI nameplate. Subaru President and CEO Atsushi Osaki spoke during the Mobility Show about the importance of both the STI and Wilderness model lines to the brand's future. No doubt Subaru has been paying close attention to Toyota’s success with the GR Yaris and Corolla – the latter in such demand additional units will be built in Derbyshire from 2026.

The other concept – the Performance-E STI – is strictly fantasy, representing a future vision of an all-electric saloon with cyberpunk surfacing, exaggerated proportions, and very little in the way of confirmed technical detail. Subaru describes it as utilising "various technologies" to deliver the driving experience the STI badge demands, which we can only speculate includes the likes of torque vectoring or individual motors for each wheel. If it does materialize, the target would presumably be the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N – a serious electric performance car with genuine driver appeal. For now though, it's harder to read the Performance-E as anything other than motor show bravado.

If Subaru is serious about reviving STI as more than a badge and a body kit, the Performance-B is where it needs to begin.