Considering getting in line for the STi but have never owned a Subaru. After taking a WRX for a short test drive I must say the interior felt pretty cheap. I realize your paying for engine and drivetrain but......

Anyways how have your interiors (switches, dials, armrest, stalks) held up? Other than coloring and steering wheel the
STi will have same interior, no?

How about the overall car? Do you feel it's holding up well? Do you have lots of squeeks and rattles? Does paint look as good as new? How do you compare to past cars? Overall grade?

I didn't go on a long test drive but it did feel quick once I got the revs up. The STi should feel damn fast with a 30% increase in hp and torque. The styling looks better in person than in the mags but it's still kind of plain/odd. The performance/price equation is whats drawing me. Any comments.

 

I may not be the best to answer this since ive really babied my car and it only has 2300 miles on it and it is a n automatic. Yes the interior is cheaper when comparing it to audis, bmw, and other sports sedans. Having said that for the money you will be hard pressed to find a car with the power and handling. Lets face it i paid $24000 for My 02 4eat sedan last fall. The interior has held up with my two children but its not driven much. I bought the winter mats to save the carpets and it is garaged. I havent experienced any squeeks or rattles. I clean it regularly and detail the interior. The exterior is still is in great shape. I just love my car. When i get on it on the highway and scream past some one, you know you are going fast but it doesnt really feel it and the awd handling is just awesome. The power to weight ratio is great in the wrx, I cant wait to see that sti in action here. I dont believe the interior detracts from the car and if the made it more plush the car would cost more. The front seats have gotten pretty good remarks from magazines and like the comercial says car and driver top ten automobile 2 yrs straight. The speakers suck but other than that i luv it so if you get that sti i dont think you will be dissappointed.

 

This post should be moved to the regular WRX section.

Owned my car for 14 months and 21k miles.

Color is as good as the day i bought it. I do take good care of the car, regular washing and twice a year polish/wax. I do have a couple of small chips on the hood from highway use. Nothing unusual considering the 21k miles.

Interior fittings are also perfect, no discoloration, etc.

There are a couple of small squeaks from the rear-view mirror and dashboard area that shows up ocassionally, but they are sporadic and not loud enough to do anything about.

My spring in the driver-side mirror became loose one day. The whole mirror was replaced under warranty in about 15 minutes.

Overall quality is about average for a japanese car. Not as good as a BMW 318 i owned before, but then BMW dosent sell new cars for 25k anyway.

For about 25k, The Golf GTI has an excellent interior. But then, the Golf is not even in the same league as the WRX when it comes to the "fun to drive" factor.

 

I've had my 2002 WRX for about a year and a half now, with about 12k miles. Previous cars have been a 2000 Integra GSR, a 97 Integra RS, a 94 Civic SI, and a 70s Fiat (don't ask).

As others have said, fit and finish is comparable with other Japanese cars. Which is to say quite good. Only problems I've encountered thus far have been reluctant power windows. But I had the same problem with my Integras. Note to self: stop trying to open frozen windows. I also get mysterious squeeks now and again, but who doesn't?

Interior quality 1.5 years later is precisely what it was when I bought it: mediocre. But given the inevitable tradeoff between interior and performance goodstuffs, I wouldn't want it any other way.

Hope this helps. If not, try a search. There are loads of posts on these boards with rants and raves about Subaru longevity. Or if you REALLY want to know, check out consumer reports.

 

Have had my WRX for about 13 months. Have a few complaints:
+Squeek/rattle from back deck and somewhere in the dash.
+And in cold weather the engine revs jump around and engine makes odd noises during start up, but after a little idle it smooths out.

So besides the rattles everything else seems to be holding up, except the drivers floor mat, starting to come apart.

Of course I drive on terrible north carolina roads everyday so rattles eventually are expected.

 

I've always loved the interior. Cheap is not the WRX interior compared to other cars in it's price range. My only complaint is the driver's florr mat. It moves more than a Jack Russel Terrior. What you need to worry about is the paint. you can scratch it with a silk shirt. The paint is horrible.

 

Metoo: I hear you about the paint. Stupid question, but have you attached the floormat to the little *** near the remote trunk / gaslid dealie?

 

I stopped doing that over a year ago. It continued to come off.