New Subaru Forester STI Sport Is All Show And No Go

斯巴鲁diehards were given terrible news earlier this year when the company announcedit would not build an STI variantof thecurrent-generation WRX. This means are are no STI-branded models left in Subaru's US lineup, but it won't let the name completely die off in its home market of Japan. The2022 Subaru Foresterjust received a new STI Sport trim level. As with performance trim levels from other manufacturers, the presence of the word "sport" insinuates this is not a fully-fledged, hardcore STI model.

In Subaru's defense, the Forester STI Sport gets unique suspension, including Hitachi Astemo SFRD front dampers, with STI tuning. The company says this suspension helps the Forester handle "like a sports sedan" despite its higher center of gravity.

As with theoff-road focused Forester Wildernessthat's sold stateside, the STI Sport doesn't receive any power upgrades under the hood. But unlike the US-market Wilderness, which uses a 2.5-liter normally aspirated flat-four making 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, the JDM version comes with a 1.8-liter turbocharged Boxer engine producing 175 hp and 221 lb-ft. Both versions send power out through a continuously variable transmission to the brand's Symmetrical all-wheel-drive system.

In terms of exterior upgrades, the Forester STI Sport wears the traditional pinkish red STI badges on the front and rear, 18-inch aluminum wheels, black accents, and a rear spoiler.