WRX STI history: Subaru Tecnica International from 1988 to the WRX tS

Subaru STI and the WRX STI history

Subaru Tecnica International was founded on April 2, 1988, as Subaru’s motorsports and performance-development subsidiary, guided by founder and president Ryuichiro Kuze. It built its first car, the Legacy RS RA with a 220-hp turbocharged BOXER engine, in 1989. In January 1989 an STI-prepared Legacy Turbo set the FIA world speed endurance record for 100,000 km.

STI took Subaru into the World Rally Championship, first with the Legacy and then, from 1994, the Impreza. Subaru won the manufacturers’ title in 1995, 1996 and 1997, and by 2018 counted 47 WRC wins. Road cars followed: a Legacy STI in Japan in 1992 and the first WRX STI in 1994.

The WRX STI reached the US for 2004 with a 300-hp turbocharged engine, a short-throw 6-speed manual, the Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) and Brembo brakes. Subaru priced the last one, the 2021 WRX STI with 310 hp, from $37,245, and in March 2022 said a next-generation gasoline WRX STI would not be built on the new WRX platform.[1],[3],[4]

Years and production numbers

Generations and key variants

Engine and drivetrain facts

• The 2004 WRX STI used a 300-hp turbocharged engine; the 2015 WRX STI had a 305-hp 2.5-liter turbocharged BOXER; the 2021 WRX STI had 310 hp.
• The STI S209 used a reworked EJ25 2.5-liter turbo with an STI turbocharger made by HKS, 18.9 psi of boost (16.2 psi in the WRX STI), 341 hp and 330 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm, and only a close-ratio 6-speed manual.
• The S209 received final assembly in Kiryu, Japan, which Subaru says makes it the first “STI-built” Subaru sold in the US.
• The 2026 WRX lineup, including the tS, uses a 271-hp 2.4-liter turbocharged BOXER engine.

Sources:[1],[2],[3],[5],[6],[9]

What changed over the years

1. April 2, 1988STI is founded.
2. 1989First STI car, the Legacy RS RA; an STI-prepared Legacy Turbo sets the 100,000 km world speed endurance record.
3. 1992Limited-production Legacy STI offered in Japan.
4. 1994First WRX STI (Japan); STI switches its rally program to the Impreza.
5. 1995–1997Three straight WRC manufacturers’ titles.
6. 1998Impreza 22B STI built for Japan, fewer than 400 units.
7. 2004WRX STI goes on sale in the US with 300 hp.
8. 2015New WRX STI sedan with 305 hp and a 1,000-unit Launch Edition.
9. 2018WRX STI Type RA (500 US units) and BRZ tS.
10. 2019STI S209, the first S-line model sold in the US: 341 hp, 209 units.
11. 2021Last WRX STI priced, with 310 hp, from $37,245.
12. March 2022Subaru says a next-generation gasoline WRX STI will not be built on the new WRX platform.
13. 2024–2025BRZ tS returns for 2024; WRX tS debuts for 2025.

Sources:[1],[2],[3],[4],[5],[7],[10]

What to check before you buy one

• Confirm a genuine WRX STI with a VIN decode rather than badges or body kits; the STI had its own engine and DCCD all-wheel drive.
• For limited editions such as the 2015 Launch Edition, 2018 Type RA or 2019 S209, check the paperwork; the S209 carries a serial number plate on the engine.
• “tS” means tuned by STI: the 2024 BRZ tS and 2025–later WRX tS are trims with STI-tuned suspension, not WRX STI models.
• Test the DCCD center-differential controls on any WRX STI.
• Ask for full service records and check for aftermarket modifications.

Model-specific problems by generation are tracked on our Subaru WRX known issues page. Engine guides: 2.5L EJ25 BOXER (non-turbo and turbo), 2.4L FA24 BOXER (turbo and BRZ naturally aspirated).

Subaru STI and the WRX STI prices and values

Medians of asking prices, not transaction prices; every trim is blended, so performance variants usually sit well above these medians. "Below new median" compares each model year's median used listing with the median listing price of a new 2026 WRX today. More in our Subaru WRX depreciation study.

Mileage: across 4,520 used Subaru WRX listings in our November 2026 study (all model years), the median odometer reading was 56,561 miles and 0.1% showed 200,000 miles or more. See how long a Subaru WRX lasts.

How to verify a Subaru STI and the WRX STI's factory options

A Subaru’s engine, transmission and drive type are fixed at the factory. CarWhere decodes the 17-character VIN and, where licensed factory build data exists, lists the equipment the car was built with. It does not promise a complete option list for every VIN.