Subaru did bring back an STI-badged WRX. But the January 9, 2026 reveal was not the full, globally marketed WRX STI successor many enthusiasts expected. At Tokyo Auto Salon 2026, Subaru and Subaru Tecnica International unveiled the WRX STI Sport♯—a limited Japanese-market complete car based on the current WRX S4.
It combines the 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer engine and symmetrical all-wheel drive with something enthusiasts have been asking for: a six-speed manual transmission. STI also adds electronically controlled dampers, Brembo brakes, high-performance tires, and other chassis upgrades. The planned Japanese allocation is 600 cars, priced at ¥6,105,000 including Japan’s 10% consumption tax.
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That is a meaningful return of the STI name, but it is not confirmation that a new WRX STI is coming to the United States.
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Subaru Japan released a series of short teaser videos in late December 2025 and early January 2026. They showed a blue WRX-shaped sedan driving through snow, an STI grille badge, a prominent hood scoop, and the sound of a turbocharged boxer engine.
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The teaser ended with a January 9, 2026 reveal date, matching the opening of Tokyo Auto Salon 2026. Those details made a WRX STI return look likely, but the teaser did not establish whether Subaru was preparing a completely new STI generation, a Japan-only derivative, or simply a concept or prototype.
The reveal answered the question more narrowly than the teaser-era headlines suggested.
What Subaru unveiled on January 9, 2026
The car is officially called the WRX STI Sport♯—pronounced “Sport Sharp” for readers who cannot easily search the symbol. Subaru describes it as an STI complete car. Its production-oriented specification is tied to the Japanese WRX S4 STI Sport R EX, rather than being presented as an entirely separate new WRX STI generation.
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Subaru’s English-language announcement identified the vehicle as a Japanese model and described the Tokyo Auto Salon vehicle as a prototype. That wording is important: the company unveiled a real, formal Japanese-market model program, but it did not announce a global replacement for the previous WRX STI.
Core WRX STI Sport♯ hardware
- Engine: 2.4-liter direct-injection turbocharged SUBARU BOXER four-cylinder.
- Drivetrain: symmetrical all-wheel drive.
- Transmission: six-speed manual—the first six-speed manual offered in the current Japanese-specification WRX.
- Suspension: ZF electronically controlled dampers tuned by STI.
- Brakes: gold-painted Brembo hardware with 18-inch front opposed six-piston calipers and rear opposed two-piston calipers.
- Wheels and tires: STI-oriented wheel and high-performance-tire equipment.
- Chassis: additional STI performance parts intended to improve steering response and driver feedback.
The formula is familiar to performance-car fans: turbocharged boxer power, full-time all-wheel drive, a manual gearbox, serious brakes, and suspension tuning aimed at making the car feel more direct. The significant change is not a new engine or a new platform. It is the addition of a manual transmission and STI hardware to the current Japanese WRX S4 package.
How many will Subaru build, and how much will it cost?
Subaru’s official presite specifies a Japanese list price of ¥6,105,000, including Japan’s 10% consumption tax. It also states that only 600 vehicles will be sold nationwide in Japan.
The original reveal information referred to sales around spring 2026. Subaru later specified a lottery-entry period running from April 9 through May 17, 2026, with purchase applications handled through Subaru dealers in Japan. The 600-car figure is a Japan-wide allocation—not a global production total.
Subaru’s owner-support and dealer-service pages subsequently listed the model in the WRX S4-related documentation system. The service listing identifies an owner-manual entry for the WRX model released in April 2026 as STI Sport♯. That supports the conclusion that the car moved beyond teaser speculation and into a formal Japanese-market model and documentation track.
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Is this the same as the old WRX STI?
No. The WRX STI Sport♯ revives the STI name and restores a manual-transmission option to the current Japanese WRX platform, but it should not be described as a direct mechanical equivalent of the former U.S.-market WRX STI.
The previous U.S. WRX STI was a distinct high-performance model with its own engine, drivetrain calibration, and broader STI identity. The Sport♯ is explicitly based on the WRX S4 and is marketed as an STI complete car or special specification model.
That distinction does not make the new car insignificant. In fact, the manual transmission may be the most important enthusiast detail. The current Japanese WRX S4 had been associated with an automatic-style performance transmission, while the Sport♯ combines its 2.4-liter turbo boxer and all-wheel-drive platform with a six-speed manual for the first time in this Japanese-specification WRX generation.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe more accurate description is therefore a limited STI-engineered WRX S4 derivative, not “an all-new WRX STI generation.”
Is the WRX STI Sport♯ coming to the United States?
There is no confirmed U.S. launch. As of August 12, 2026, Subaru of America’s official 2026 WRX lineup lists five trims: Base, Premium, Limited, GT, and tS. It does not list the WRX STI Sport♯ or announce a new U.S.-market WRX STI.
The U.S. 2026 WRX remains a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer-powered, all-wheel-drive sports sedan. The Base trim uses a six-speed manual, while higher trims can be equipped with Subaru’s performance transmission. The U.S. WRX tS is the factory’s STI-tuned derivative, receiving electronically adjustable STI-tuned dampers, Brembo brakes, and Recaro performance seats.
For reference, Subaru of America’s listed starting prices are $32,495 for the 2026 WRX and $44,995 for the 2026 WRX tS. Those prices and trims should not be confused with the Japanese Sport♯’s ¥6,105,000 price and 600-car lottery allocation.
Subaru of America has not announced Sport♯ importation, U.S. certification, pricing, or a North American release date. Until that changes, the responsible wording is “Japan-market limited model” or “Japan-only unless Subaru announces otherwise.”
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Why the teaser was so easy to overread
The teaser used almost every visual and emotional cue associated with the WRX STI: snowy roads, rally-style driving imagery, a hood scoop, an STI badge, and the sound of a turbocharged boxer engine. Those cues naturally suggested that Subaru was resurrecting the iconic nameplate in its former global form.
The reveal delivered several expected ingredients—STI branding, a manual transmission, turbocharged boxer power, all-wheel drive, Brembo brakes, and sharper chassis tuning. The surprise was the packaging: Subaru applied those elements to a limited WRX S4-based complete car for Japan rather than announcing a globally sold successor.
In other words, the teaser was not fake. It pointed to a genuine STI-badged WRX. It was simply broader in implication than the production announcement that followed.
What enthusiasts should take away
- The STI name has returned to a production-intended WRX-based model. This is more substantial than a badge-only appearance or an auto-show concept.
- The manual transmission is real and central to the car’s appeal. It is paired with the current 2.4-liter turbo boxer and symmetrical AWD.
- STI’s chassis work is extensive. The Sport♯ gets tuned ZF dampers, Brembo brakes, high-performance tires, and additional STI performance parts.
- Rarity is built into the model. Subaru plans 600 cars nationwide in Japan, sold through a lottery-entry process rather than as a normal unrestricted global trim.
- There is still no confirmed U.S. WRX STI revival. The WRX tS remains the official STI-tuned WRX offering in America’s 2026 lineup.
What this announcement does—and does not—confirm
| Claim | Accurate? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| “Subaru brought back an STI-badged WRX.” | Yes, with qualification | The WRX STI Sport♯ is a limited Japanese-market STI complete car. |
| “Subaru unveiled an all-new WRX STI generation.” | No | The car is based on the WRX S4 and is presented as a special model, not a new global generation. |
| “The car is coming to America.” | Not confirmed | Subaru of America lists the WRX tS but no Sport♯ launch. |
| “Subaru will build 600 worldwide.” | No | The stated allocation is 600 vehicles nationwide in Japan. |
| “The Sport♯ is the same as the former U.S. WRX STI.” | No | It is based on the current Japanese WRX S4 and has a different model role and specification. |
| “The teaser confirmed a 2027 WRX STI.” | No | No official source in the available research confirms that claim. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Subaru WRX STI Sport♯?
It is a limited Japanese-market STI complete car based on the WRX S4. It uses a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer engine, symmetrical AWD, a six-speed manual transmission, STI-tuned ZF dampers, Brembo brakes, and additional STI performance parts.
How many WRX STI Sport♯ cars will Subaru build?
Subaru’s official presite specifies 600 vehicles nationwide in Japan. That is not a confirmed global production total.
Can I buy the WRX STI Sport♯ in the United States?
No U.S. sale has been confirmed. As of August 12, 2026, Subaru of America’s official 2026 WRX lineup includes the WRX tS but not the Japanese WRX STI Sport♯.
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The Japanese list price is ¥6,105,000, including Japan’s 10% consumption tax. U.S. pricing does not exist because Subaru has not announced a U.S. launch.
Is the WRX STI Sport♯ a direct successor to the old WRX STI?
Not in the conventional global-model sense. It brings back the STI badge and manual-transmission performance formula on the current Japanese WRX S4, but it is a limited special model rather than a confirmed new-generation replacement for the former U.S.-market WRX STI.
The Bottom Line
The teaser paid off, but not in the way many headlines implied. Subaru unveiled the WRX STI Sport♯ on January 9, 2026: a 600-unit Japanese WRX S4-based special with a 2.4-liter turbo boxer, symmetrical AWD, six-speed manual, STI-tuned dampers, Brembo brakes, and performance upgrades. It is a genuine STI return, but Subaru has not confirmed the model—or a new WRX STI—for the United States.
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