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Old 09-26-2019, 05:36 PM   #1
ricochet
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Default Best. STI. Ever: Driving the 2019 S209


The 2019 Subaru S209 is more than just a new car from Subaru, it's something much larger. This is the first fully homologated high-performance WRX STI from Subaru Technica International, the performance division of Subaru. In this video we take a look at all the features of the S209 and explain exactly why this car is so important to the brand.
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Old 09-26-2019, 06:29 PM   #2
wi1dcat
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Thank you for the awesome review!
It's the very first in-depth and real life experience S209 review I found so far.
I hope dealers won't kill it with markups.
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Old 09-26-2019, 06:33 PM   #3
ricochet
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wi1dcat View Post
Thank you for the awesome review!
It's the very first in-depth and real life experience S209 review I found so far.
I hope dealers won't kill it with markups.
Glad you enjoyed it! It's likely the only one in existence. 11 journalists were invited to the launch and we were the only video outlet.
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Old 09-26-2019, 07:54 PM   #4
ricochet
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Also, we have a "car sounds only" cut of a couple laps around Palmer Motorsport Park available to watch on YouTube if you prefer more car and less talking:

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Old 11-13-2019, 09:55 PM   #5
DsKs17
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Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the STI/S209 is a great car but I have a hard time with the 60k plus price tag. Not to mention what dealer mark up will be. For that price, I’d be looking at a C7, GT 350r, Alfa Quadrifoglio to name a few.
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Old 11-23-2019, 03:21 PM   #6
NighthawkSTI
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All dealer pricing complaints aside(its called capitalism); people are loosing sight of the fact, that the S209 does in fact have a ton of chassis and suspension parts that have not been offered on an STI from the factory in the U.S up until now, and would be rather expensive to duplicate part for part if you have an older or one that's a couple of years old. We're talking several thousand at least assuming you can do the work yourself, before you even touch the engine or do any aero body work. I would put it at 8-10,000 put into a base STI to install, (again part for part) all the upgrades done to the suspension and chassis that the S209 has assuming that you can even get the same handeling and ride characteristics the STI engineers got with the parts they selected for the S209 standard. That 8-10,000 doesnt include the improved block and pistons you would need if you have a pre 2019 base STI. So add another several thousand there. Then you need to add an equivalent aftermarket larger turbo, injectors and fuel pump per what the S209 comes with standard. So at least another 2500-3000. Your looking at 15-18,000 in aftermarket parts (not including installation, in the event you cant install all the suspension engine and aero yourself) to get a 2018 or earlier STI to the S209's STANDARD equipment. So now you are right at where the S209's MSRP starts..but with the S209 you get the factory warranty. A modded base to get to that level will bring warranty implications into the picture.

Further.... The 341 horsepower rating is interesting, since that is in the ballpark of what you can get with a custom stage 1 tune on previous year models...but the S209 has a larger turbo, larger air intake, larger injectors and fuel pump....so with a 341 horsepower rating the S209 engine is seriously corked up with a stock downpipe, and those STI factory installed engine upgrades are way beyond traditional stage 2 parts....and strong stage 2 STI's can make more crank horsepower than what this corked up S209 engine is advertised at.

The point here is that with a 3" downpipe and upgrading the ECU tune to take advantage of that and the bigger turbo and injectors the S209 is probably going to be able to deliver close to 400 horsepower or more at the crank for the cost of what stage 2 would traditionall only net 350 ish. People are sorta not getting this...the S209 with stage 2 downpipe and tune is most likely going to make 50 horsepower MORE than any previous year model base STI's EJ257's from the factory that got a stage 2 tune after purchase. That's quite noteable.

So its going to be a 380-400+ horsepower STI on pump gas with just stage 2 downpipe and tune, cant get that on pump gas from any other U.S offered STI with just stage 2 parts and pump gas. ***8230;.. and all the other improvements that they have incorporated into this car over previous U.S models....I really cant say I'd blame people for wanting one of these so badly. The Next Gen STI...(IF it gets a new engine, because they havent said it for a fact yet which engine the 2021 is going to actually have), probably wont make 341 horsepower out the door or be able to match the S209.

Last edited by NighthawkSTI; 11-24-2019 at 02:28 PM.
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Old 11-25-2019, 03:42 AM   #7
samb
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ricochet View Post
Also, we have a "car sounds only" cut of a couple laps around Palmer Motorsport Park available to watch on YouTube if you prefer more car and less talking:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw87aYl98CY
There's what I was looking for. It's quieter than I was expecting, in the exterior shots the tire noise overpowered the exhaust.
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Old 11-25-2019, 02:01 PM   #8
NighthawkSTI
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Quote:
Originally Posted by samb View Post
There's what I was looking for. It's quieter than I was expecting, in the exterior shots the tire noise overpowered the exhaust.
the S209 still has the standard restrictive STI downpipe with 2 catalytic converters, so even though they installed a larger turbo, that turbo and upgraded fueling system and air intake system have to push through a bottle neck that restricted even the standard stock turbo on the base STI's. Put a 3" downpipe on there with a single high flow cat (as they should have done when they built it,and retune it and it will sound much better and put out a LOT more horsepower).

Last edited by NighthawkSTI; 01-30-2020 at 06:58 PM.
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Old 12-24-2019, 06:49 PM   #9
thenoodler
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I’m having a difficult time choosing between the Audi S8, Mercedes CLS63 AMG, and the S209. Help me out fellas.
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Old 12-26-2019, 01:44 AM   #10
12wrx1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thenoodler View Post
I’m having a difficult time choosing between the Audi S8, Mercedes CLS63 AMG, and the S209. Help me out fellas.
No, you should just buy 3 new STI's
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Old 12-26-2019, 06:35 PM   #11
WRXnick16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thenoodler View Post
I’m having a difficult time choosing between the Audi S8, Mercedes CLS63 AMG, and the S209. Help me out fellas.
Only $116k for an already overpriced $65k Subaru? I'd say jump on that deal

FWIW, many have gotten their S209s for MSRP.. just something to keep in mind.
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Old 01-26-2020, 08:33 PM   #12
D BLOCK714
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Sweet
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Old 01-30-2020, 06:56 PM   #13
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no way anyone is going to pay that. Chances are they purposely marked it up so it stays there as the flagship Subaru to draw attention to the model line up when people come in for service and such.
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Old 05-12-2020, 01:39 PM   #14
robertmccall
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s208 did it better.
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