Opinions: RX-8 or STI
 

I'm in the market for a new car and I have deducted it to either the rx8 or sti impreza. Both are very different cars, but almost the same price. I was wondering if any rx8 owners were in this predicament or would have changed their decision.

rx8=pros:looks, fun cons:bad mileage, questionable power

sti=pros:power, 4wd cons:questionable looks, no radio

Both are really unknown in reliability. I'm sure the subaru has a fortified engine but it has cast pistons, and the renesis rotary is unknown as well, but the NA FC3S 13b has proven itself reliable.

Man, those cars are so different other than price. Drive them both, pick the one you like the most. :)

Sounds like you have a pretty good understanding of both of the cars.

I have not driven the STi but that was because looks are very important for me and the bulky look was a turn-off when car browsing.

Good luck in your decision,
Max

STi - fast as all hell for the fast and the furious crowd, pure performance at the sake of looks, crappy interior worse than a Civic's, won't get any chicks but will surely beat their boyfriend's car

RX-8 - refined driving for the enthusiast that knows how to drive a high-revving engine (unfortunately not many do), looks better than it performs and eats more gas than a Hummer, luxurious interior that unfortunately rattles at the first sign of cold weather, will get chicks but will be embarrassed by the girlfriendless guy in the STi

you choose

As for the radio, I think it's a good thing. Why pay for a subpar stock system when you can have a good aftermarket radio for far cheaper. FYI, you can get a radio as a dealer installed option if you really want.

Other than that, what Dave said.

I actually like the STi's interior over the rx8's cloth interior. I don't like the low-midrange torque of the rx8, and I wished the mazdaspeed rx8 was out now but even if it was it would be in limited supply w/high markup. I drive about 50 miles a day so I want the best driving experience for the mileage. I love the attention the 8 gets, but I've never felt you need a car to impress others. My thoughts are all over the place I can't decide!!!:o Help me..

its your choice but I think being ugly is a high price to pay for 300 HP/TQ.

the most important thing should be how the overall package feels.

The people that bash the STi interior have never sat in one. It's not an Audi by any means but it's well situated, the dials are very nice, and it has quality materials and great seats.

The looks of Imprezas grow on you the longer you own one, or lust after one in my case. Some people find the wing the most offensive part but you can usually find a WRX owner to swap trunks with you (and they'll pay you) and sometimes the dealer will swap free of charge...

I like it without wing MUCH better

i'd have to agree that the looks on the exterior DOES grow on you...i used to hate Imprezas but i've learned to respect them for the power they possess...i guess if you can get past the looks the performance would drive you nuts...in my case, i've always wanted exotick looking, esthetically pleasing things in general, so the Imprezas were never on my list...and i'm not a drag racer so performance could be toned down a bit

and i have sat in both, a WRX and an STi and there's nothing luxury about it...it's very simple and functional...there's no silver lining at all, it gives you exactly what you need and nothing more - no glitz, no glam...

maybe i'm just materialistic and i need those little things to remind me of how much i spent on a the car, i don't know... :D

Amen on the stereo comment, Ike. I have always customized my sound systems before the 8, and while the Bose system is adequate, it is nowhere up to par with aftermarket systems.

That is one sharp WRX btw, looks almost reserved w/o the wing. Like the tint and those wheels too. I find that the scoop looks even bigger in person.

As far as which is best for you, Deca Auto, only a drive will tell. You have already researched them, but driving is believing.

Edit: I thought you had the front plate off. Why didn't you take off the mount?

Those are the wheels that come stock on the STi, the white with gold wheels really looks great IMO. That's a Colorado STi, not mine, and I drive a modded WRX not an STi. Here's an old photo of mine, it looks a little different now (mainly the body kit was matched better), I'm still thinking about some tint, but mainly focusing on performance mods from here on out.

that wingless STi looks almost as good as a Legacy B4...

http://www.nasioc.com/gallery/SOA_04...eName=dash.jpg
http://www.nasioc.com/gallery/SOA_04...Name=Seats.jpg
http://www.nasioc.com/gallery/SOA_04...ff_control.jpg
http://www.nasioc.com/gallery/SOA_04...e=Alt_Dash.jpg
I think STi interior is better than civic+ adjustable shifting beeper..

though you can still tell that it's still a slight notch below RX-8's interior design...

Hey, they have a ponytail hole in the WRX too!

Yeah thats the disadvantage in the sedan. The real comparison should be the exteriors, where the rx8 just makes the impreza look decrepit.

rx8=pros:looks, fun cons:bad mileage, questionable power

sti=pros power, 4wd cons:questionable looks, no radio
=========================================quote

1. there's plenty of people getting good mileage, have you seen the Sti's mileage? In a shootout between it and the Mustang Cobra its mileage was worse. On power, $600 fo a Canzoomer fuel computer puts you over 3gen RX-7 power but naturally aspirated... Still no match for the Sti in that department though.

Another thing, since you're considering the Sti, how about the EVO? A few easy mods put you on par or better than the Sti in power.

i've drivien an sti with a catless invidia exhaust and greddy BOV...they are very fast cars...i like the kick it gives..but a lot of STI owners think they are the fastest on the road..i saw an STI at the races get spanked up by an FD..the FD was only making a litle over 300 to the wheels... but i guess most STI owners have the same ego as Mustang gt owners..just my opinion... but i do have respect for the STI... but dam that car is butt ugly...

I was in this same predicament, only you can also throw the golf r32 into the equation. The unbelievable power and the awd really made me consider the STI. I was going to trade in my 1995 VW GOLF for a brand new Golf r32. They pack 240hp and 245lbs of torque, and it's certainly faster then the rx8 (about as fast as a regular wrx). The R32 is awd as well, and the future modding of that thing make a deadly car, so I had thought abouit that as well. I looked at all angles including future mods, and if I couldn't decide between the rx8 and sti, i'd have probably traded in my golf for it. I ultimately ended up chosing the rx8, and kept my GOLF to share miles, since I drive 25k miles a year. The thing was, the look and feel of the rx8 just captured me, and it was the first dealer I went to, and I drove away in the rx8 before being able to check out the other two cars. Most likely I would have chosen the rx8 anyway. I actually wish I could own all three. When it came down to it, i chose my preference of looks, luxury and features over pure power and performance. I do like the looks of the STI (minus the wing), but in my eyes the only thing I saw better in the sti was the power. That's really the key. What's more important to you? Is speed really that important to you? If you like the looks and features of the rx8 better, then go with rx8. If you are willing to sacrifice what looks better to you for the sake of blowing everyone's doors off, and having a monster very few cars can beat, then chose the sti. The cars are not really comparable in anything but price, since they are built to attract a completely different market. It's really not that hard of a decision if you sit yourself down and think long term. I am 31 years old, and I can honestly say if I was even 5 years younger, I'd have chosen the STI, because back then it was all about power. My preferences have changed over the past 5+ years, so I chose a fun car with plenty of power, and tons of great features. This may be a tough choice now, but ultimately you'll chose your car, and be happy with your decision, or maybe you'll be like me and wish you could have both. :) GOOD LUCK!!

I had to make the same choice, STi or RX8.
The power of the STi failed to impress me at all, since I am coming from a highly boosted Subaru to begin with. Nor did I like the feel of the front differential in the STi. When you pushed the car it has a tendency to pull the wheel out of your hands. It's a jerky, mechanical clutch type action. Not at all smooth like the Quaife ATB that I am accustomed to.
However, I feel that the STi will be stone axe reliable. Its a Subaru.

Everything about the RX8 just clicked with me. The engine.. the handling.. It was love at first drive for me, and enough that I dont miss the extra 200hp that my old Subaru provided.

I had a tricked 96 trans am with nos, borlas, k&n etc but nothing impressed me more than the rx8 in all around performance and looks very awesome car. dont need all that horsepower i use to have or the tickets that came with it. good luck with your decision

Wow, the STI without the wing looks really much better.

What about swapping the WRX hood for the STI hood? Is that doable? I don't like that "up periscope" scoop on the STI.

Then you'd have an STI that looks very stealth, just like a regular WRX. :)

As for interior, the Imprezza interior is not bad. Actually, I'd put it on par or slightly better than the IS300 dash. That said, I do like the 8's interior a bit more, but the Imprezza's is nice.

So drive 'em both and spend your $$ wisely. :)

I was planning on swapping a 2.5RS hood (scoopless) and running front mount.

Thanks everyone for your input!! It is really helping me realize this is a hard decision. I am very impressed with the very honest and realistic opinions on this board.:D Keep it coming!

Also from my research it appears the the STI is making around 21mpg, and the rx8 is around 17mpg? Is this correct? Its hard for me to believe this mileage considering the weight, transmission loss, and design of the renesis (lower emissions, and gas consumption.).

there are just as many people who think the rx8 is ugly as there are that think the sti is ugly.


-if you want more of a sports car look with less power get the 8

-if you want more power and performance and dont mind having a "4 door sedan" get the sti

personally i would get a miata then add turbo, bodykit, and suspension mods.

Apples and Oranges.

You have to figure out what's important to you and then make a decision. Any opinions that one is better than the other almost don't make sense. It's almost like saying you have $20K to spend and can't decide between a Dodge SRT-4 and a Toyota Prius.

-Eric

No need to swap the hood, you can just swap the hood scoop if you want a slightly lower profile. However there are performance benefits to that scoop since the IC is directly under it and bigger means better cooling.

I get 19-20 MPG on my Rx-8. Mostly highway miles.

An overlooked bonus of the Rx-8 is that it functions perfectly well with 87 Octane gas. Saving $0.20 per gallon helps make up for the subpar mileage.

Mileage shouldn't really be a major factor when choosing between the two cars.

Hmm.. the mazdaspeed miata is turbocharged 180hp, but my choice is either rx-8 or sti. Its hard for me to think I could get better gas mileage w/AWD 2.5L turbo, then a RWD 1.3L rotary (I know its 2.3L really)....

If you drive the STi even moderately hard, it's gonna drink gas. My dad and best friend have new STi's.. My friend usually gets 14-15 around town.

There is slim/no difference in mileage in the real world.

I studied the STI for many months before it came out and then a few months after. Everything from its performance, all the way to its exact specs in every facet of the car. Performance wise, it is the best car on the road in regards to performance/price comparison. As said before, it has a terrible interior when talking about comfort. One review even said that an hour in the STI is like a day in most other cars because of how harsh the ride is.

Myself, I bought an RX8. I love the complete package with 60-0 braking just as good as the STI and a 600 FT slalom that is nothing to sneeze at. The looks of the car as well as other aspects such as interior comfort, "nav", leather seats, etc. as well as performance that is still well above average compared to the other cars on the road, I believe the RX8 is the car to buy.

Also, the renesis engine is a great sounding engine and makes the RX8 extremely fun to drive. If you are worried about performance differences, I know for a fact there will be mods available for the RX8 in the next few years that will give it enough power to almost run with the STI. i.e. current 0-60 = 5.9 for RX8 current 0-60 = 4.8 for STI a turbo/supercharger for the RX8 along with canzoomers mod and maybe intake and exhaust will give it the extra power it needs to be elite in this category.

I would still get the RX8 though, the performance difference is not enough in my mind to warrant the purchase of the STI over the RX8.


Hope that helps

Doesn't the R32 weigh over 3409lbs compared to 3000lb for the 8? I don't know if it's certainly faster than the 8.

My wife's WRX isn't faster than my '8. Unless you were to drop the clutch at 5500.. in which case the WRX will either win or eat its tranny..
R32? No way ;)

Seriously? Its that bad?

I went and looked at the Sti this weekend along with the Evo though I didn't drive them. I like the look of the Evo and I am not sure which of the 2 are faster (they are both faster then my 8) but I have witnessed first hand what the Sti will do to an 8! My question is this. The sticker price or MSRP is 32k on the Sti then hagning from the rear view mirror is a sign that says 1k off and a price of 44k??? Can dealers mark their cars up 12-13k? I couldn't believe the price. Is this normal nationwide?

I have no proof of it, but I'd have to guess on highway even though the r32 is giving up almost 400lbs, in the end the hp and torque would edge out the rx8. The reason I guess this is because believe it or not, my friend's Eclipse Gt is 200hp and 205lbs of torwue, and it's can hold it's own against an rx8 on highway. Off line I take him, but that thing has some good power on highway for only being 200hp. I think the fact that my friend took his eclipse to track and ran a 15.46 (1.4 seconds faster then road tests make me lean that way. The times I have read on the rx8 aren't anywhere near the 14.5 it ran on testing. I guess there's no proof, and I could certainly be wrong. The numbers are very close on road tests between r32 and rx8, but I look at the torque and hp and I guess the r32 will edge it out. I have no proof of it, just an educated guess, even though it weighs more. My guess is the flywheel hp to whp % loss of the r32 is less then the rx8, so it makes up for the weight difference.

The R32 will have more drivetrain lose, but the HP on the sticker is ummmmm accurate... It's hard to say which would pull harder from a roll, but it's safe to say from a dig the R32 would win.

Bigcat, STis can be had for near invoice, if a dealer is charging over MSRP they're insane and probably were only allocated one or two STis. This may vary a bit depending on what part of the country, but if that's the case it's time for a cheap plane ticket and a roadtrip if you really want one.

The STI looks like a highschool Fast and the Furious wannabe. I have seen it and I will take my more elegant and refined interior and exterior any day. For a while they even made an, I believe it was called the Alpine, edition of the M3. It had a vent and heater and an AM/FM stereo. No cruise control, leather seats, AC, trip computer or nothing extra. WTF? Was that really a BMW? I don't think so. Needless to say it was a limited edition that didn't sell well. If you were thinking about racing the M3 it was the way to go but for a daily commuter? I don't think so. I feel even more so about the STI. It still looks like the interior of a highschool kids car. Is it fast? Yes it is. Is it fun? Sure it probably is. But you have to question who will be checkin' you out. All the 9th and 10th graders at You Name It High. Where's the respect. You are comparing apples and oranges.

I think you have it the other way around. Little kids look up to the RX8 for its looks. Real car guys respect the STi for its performance. They realize the owner chose performance and driving experience over impressing girls and kids.

Uh, you got that mixed up. Re-read...

See I just don't get that. To me it looks like the closest thing to a rally car that I'll ever be able to afford. I love the car first and foremeost for it's performance, everything else is an afterthought for me. A car being all about performance is about as opposite of a Fast and Furious wannabe as you can get. I think you would also be surprised the amount of people that have respect for the STi.

I think rally cars look kind of silly too, though I love the sport.
Love it to death.
However, rally cars are as attractive to me as dirt oval track trucks.

I also like rally racing as a sport. Doesn't mean that I will impress the mortgage banking friends of mine by showing up in an STI. Sure they might want to look at it for a moment but as soon as they see inside they will feel the same way I did. Where are all the comfort features I like in a car? I like performance too. That is why my 8 is going to see F/I in the next year. What can I say... I like the best of both worlds and that is why originally I wanted to get the '04 M3. I decided to go with the less expensive RX-8 with the intent of giving it some boost :) .

If you go by the claimed 238hp of the rx8 and claimed 241hp of the r32, and (the r32 is 3256lbs), then I'd say the rx8 has more drivetrain loss. :) I love my rx8, but I'd never count on it being faster then any hp rated car, and after reading the reviews on the r32, it does indeed really pull hard on highway form 4k and on. My money would be on the r32, especially on highway with all that torque and 7k redline. Then again, if I wanted speed, I'd have never gotten rx8. I think the r32 will take out an rx8in a perfect world with two perfect drivers, but in real world, it would certainly come down to driver.

According to Edmunds the 2004 HUMMER H1:
- 0-60, 17.8 seconds
- EPA City, 13 MPG
- EPA Highway, 17 MPG

I couldn't find EPA data on the H2.

The RX-8 has an EPA of 18/24 MPG.

Although some people report RX-8 MPG in the range of the Hummer, I think the vast majority of the posts do much better.

My last two tanks were city+highway and were 19.2 and 19.7. My current tank is looking better than that. Of course if I operate in the high revs the MPG goes down.

Correct, if you believe the 238hp then the RX-8 does indeed have more drivetrain loss. But the possibility of that actually being the case is slim to none. It's almost unheard of for an AWD to have less than 20% (usually closer to 25%) drivetrain loss, and at the same time unheard of for a RWD car to more than 20% (usually around 17%) drivetrain lose. Those numbers are assuming it's an MT and a modern day car with no mechanical defects. I don't want to turn this into another hp debate, so you can make your own conclusions from what I've said.

Well, I tend to agree with Ike after driving the 8 for the first time... didn't feel like 238... more like 220-225 or so.

But whatever, the car is still great.

And I would not want the R32... too much nose weight.

Choosing between the R32 and STI would be simple... I'd choose the Evo. :D

Seriously, between the R32 and STI... STI all the way. No, the R32 isn't out yet, but I just like the STI (apart from looks... I'm just too old for boy-racer, even if it is a WRC look)

The R32 is a nice ride, but it's going to sell to a very different buyer than someone looking at an STi or EVO. It's for VW fans, and people that care about German engineering (or over engineering in some cases) and a snazzy interior.

For me, the choice between an EVO or an STi would be very difficult. It's almost a coin toss. In a year or two I will most likely be making that decision and it will probably come down to how I feel about my WRX at the time.

Yes. There are no facts here, so it's an endless speculation from every angle. I think you finally understand why I said what I said. I am comparing the numbers given here, with the way the rx8 feels to me powerwise, which is all you can really compare, since there is nothing otherwise to discuss or prove. You can't lay any facts out about what it may feel like hp wise, all you can do is judge it by the way the car feels to you personally, none of which are proven facts. I don't know or care if the rx8 is 238hp like they claim. It certainly doesn't feel like it, then again car is so smooth in power delivery it can be deceiving. It is however what they claim, so you go by it, Rather then make up your own number. The 80lbs more torque is what I look at, even with the 250lbs the r32 is giving up. Of course this is all speculation, and I don't bring it up for any other reason, then the enjoyment of talking about cars. No one can prove right or wrong, no matter how many facts you spew out, so it's all opinionated. My personal opinion is that the R32 would edge out the rx8. Just an opinionated guess is all it is.
The R32 is out BTW. There is one sitting at the local VW dealer for sale. It's probably sold already. I am a big fan of german engineering, so it made me consider it. Of course I have read plenty of articles on VW, and the power potential is quite impressive. Definitely a different market there though on this car, but being a fan of all types of cars, it was on my list when looking to buy a new car. The rx8 was already decided though, I just had to look up other cars and get info to be 100% sure of what I wanted.

I think this anecdote by RX8Bliss sums up what the RX-8 is good for best:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...threadid=22357

Seriously, I think at this price range, you can't have everything (performance, looks, luxury), so decide what your priorities are and get the damn car.