That "clunky" feeling of the STI transmission is you feeling the linkage directly attached to the shifter. The GR Corolla has a cable actuated transmission. It is smoother, but give it a few years and it is going to feel spongy and less precise when the cable stretches. That is the downside of cable actuated transmissions.
The sti trans has its lil quirks, but with a short shifter, weighted knob and bushings I don’t notice the clunky feeling anymore. Just the difficult shift from 1 to 2 when the fluid is cold.
It honestly depends. I've driven old c60 toyota transmissions that are super floppy but I've also driven stock ones that were super tight and mechanical feeling. It just depends on how abused the car was and you can always put new cables in.
@@nateTrh I'd still rather not change cables every 80k miles or so. Just my personal preference. If it doesn't bother you that much it is a win for you. 👍
I agree I prefer the interior of the STI. But all things considered, the GR interior isn’t far off from the STI, compared to many other modern interiors.
The year in, year out perpetual criticism of Subaru "sea of plastic" is unprecedented and directed at no competitor since the Evo. Worst of all, reviewers/haters forever bitch about the car losing it's raw feel...yet bitching about missing wussy shit like heated steering wheels, insufficient sound deadening, and for nearly 15 years reviewers have very frequently compared to AUDI'S! No brand faces more unfair targeting, comparisons, inconsistent opinions, etc. than Subaru.
My first car a 2005 Chevy blazer, had it for 3 years, then after eyeing civics for a while I came across a deal on a 2020 wrx premium (non sti), as someone who only had a small bit of experience with manuals, I managed to learn to drive it in 2 weeks with minimal stall, and within a month I was no longer stalling, I will say the short first gear is a tough one to get the hang of, and the suspension took getting used to, but man when you can shift out of first with ease and you feel every precise bump in your body without too much shock, you feel linked with the car like an avatar, also when your surprised by the quick shift and feel of the car, please keep in mind it’s a rally bred car, the vast majority of its design is from rough backroads and tight turns. The car I got was off a friend who had already put in a Cobb access port with a stage 2+ tune, full invidia exhaust, map intake, an f1 brake light, and an sti wing lol it’s making about 300hp and close to 275tq, for a first manual I’m absolutely in love, and plan on building and keeping her for years, I’m honestly late to Subarus too, as a kid I always idolized vettes and Camaros haha thanks for having me Jdm 🤌🏼
I am a Toyota fan boy till I die, but I had to get a 2020 WRX STI after trying to get a GR86 and having ridiculous markups, and the 3 dealerships in California that do not mark up had a waitlist of up to a year. Some had such a long waitlist, they weren't adding anymore folks. I wanted a specific color and had to be manual transmission, seems I was asking for too much. I am much happier with my STI, as it is fully mechanical vs the 86, as I was told from owners (they said the STI was the better choice for a pure drivers car).
The only problem i see with the gr corolla is its tuned to hell. People trying to get more out of it and its causing problems. Where as the wrx is under tuned.
Definitely more tuning potential with the STI but I can firmly attest that most tuned or modded WRXs that were traded in at the dealership I used to work at, came with notable problems and we always had to send them to an auction. The GR with a supporting mod or two (usually valve springs) can make insane power, check out some GR Yaris builds.
Thats not a problem. The gr yaris makes 500whp and holds it fine. Considering how bad subarus blow up when modding, I think it's safe to say the win goes to toyota on that one
@RVG Go to google, type in "*any performance car model* engine failure/rod knock etc." and you will get results for every single one. The WRX is just more common in this because of idiots "tuning" it to hell and abusing it, Donut Media included. If anything the WRX is safer because if you blow, say, an RB engine it will cost you way more than an EJ/FA.
How many people were planning to buy the 2017 Lancer EVO but Mitsubishi cancelled it's production? How many people were planning to buy the 2023 STI but Subaru cancelled it's production. The extra high demand w/ADM for the GRC was created by more than one thing, especially these other cars being cancelled before people could get theirs. Quite a bit of FOMO going on here.
I never thought I'd buy a brand new Toyota especially a Corolla. Through highschool my dream car was a WRX hatch or Speed3 hatch. Ended up with a 2008 Mazda 3 2.3L NA 5 speed hatch back. Now I'm an adult with no kids trying to figure out what to buy. Then Subaru killed their manuals, Ford killed the Focus RS/ST. Used cars are nearly as expensive as new cars. My buddy texts me about the GR Corolla and I fall in love. Unlike the Civic Type R there's no fake vents. Everything on it is functional. It has a manual parking brake. It's a proper hatch back. It's only available in a manual. And I need to have it. Spent 11 months on a wait list. End up with a circuit edition and I absolutely love it. It's not perfect. But damn does it tick almost every box I have. The audio system sucks, there's no storage, the glove box doesn't lock, there's no center armrest. I basically spent $2,000 on a winter weather package on a car that ships with tires that fall apart below 40 degrees. The heated seats are kinda a joke. But when you're carving up a back road none of that matters. And all you can do is smile and either bang it into another gear or try and wait till the last second to brake. I still have my Mazda and I still love it. It's slow but that heavy handed hydraulic steering in a 2008 car can't be replicated with electronic power steering. In a weird way I feel like an F1 driver in my old Mazda I feel like I can perceive everything down to the millimeter in that car. I do have 100,000 miles and 10 years behind the wheel of it. But damn do I still love turning into corners and just winding that naturally aspirated engine out to 7,500 RPM. But it is slow it's only fwd. My GRC has never hiccupped going over a bump/dip turning in. It just puts all of it's power down relentlessly. It's a beast I can still load up with a tall case of napkins for the restaurant. I doubt anyone else has had 144 16oz beers, a case of napkins, shrimp, steak, 4 gallons of ranch and two cases of bread in their GRC.
I love that toyota did this. Its absolutely a ray of hope from the company that harkens back to 80's and 90's with the awd turbo Celica GT-Four vs regular Celicas - shitbox interior and all.
I got one of these about 2 months ago for MSRP. Love it dearly. I always liked the Evo and remember the first time my friend took me for a ride in his. I really think this is going to be the Evo of this generation.
I was between these two and decided on a 2019 STI. I still would pick the same choice. BUT- a very big thing many don’t consider is if you’re going to daily drive your car. I daily drive mine. I came from a 2016 base WRX (not an STI) and it was the easiest manual I have ever driven or owned. I would imagine the GR Corolla and the WRX drive similar in terms of manual transmission feel and shifting. VERY easy to drive, gearing was perfect for cruising speeds, (making it easy to drive around town at lower speeds and RPM or cruising at 30 MPH for example) and the clutch was paper light. The STI, is on steroids. Because steroids have side effects, driving it you deal with those side effects sometimes. The clutch takes more patience and grabs more suddenly rather than gradually, the gearing in the STI I LOOOVE but it is geared for acceleration on a track. Not driving through town to get to work! So I find myself shifting more frequently, and utilizing rev matching to engine break. Also, gotta mention it, it is pretty bad in terms of fuel economy. But still it is in my opinion the best car ever. I love these cars so much. Between the look, the sound, the suspension (which I LOVE not sure why people dislike it), EJ257, STI 6 speed, Helical front LSD, Torsen rear LSD, Center differential, Si drive, Subaru’s AWD tuning, 6 piston Brembos. I am never selling my car man. BUT, if you find yourself not appreciating the usage of steroids but want the similar capabilities you could do it ALL NATURAL and get a Corolla GR. Nah, get an STI!!!!
Wrx clutch is crap I know I owned it for couple yrs. I have both 24 GR Corolla and 21 STI now, GRC clutch feels more like CTR, I had 22 CTR but sold it because I couldn’t stand FF. STI was my fav until I got GRC. If STI was prototype GRC feels like a final product.
for me the wrx gearbox felt atrocious. i was amazed that a car could go into production with such crappy shifting feel. the upgrade to sti was worth it for me for the gearbox alone
Great video. With the loss of the STi, I was searching for either a GR Corolla or a VW Golf R to replace a Subaru XV Crosstrek, but neither looked like it was going to be possible due to local supply limitations and MSRP markups. One day, I was getting one of my cars serviced, and saw a 2020 WRX STi in Rally Blue for sale with relatively reasonable miles. I took it for a test drive, and was able to get it for what I felt like was a reasonable price. An STi, in that color, was my goal since I was 16. One thing I will remark on is that the WRX STi has hydraulic power steering with a very quick steering rack, instead of electric power steering which is more common now. The steering effort in my STi definitely has a distinct change through the rev range which takes some getting used to again after driving cars with electric power steering for so long. This is particularly pronounced if turning from a stop and needing to accelerate quickly, say for a turn onto an undivided state high way from a side street in traffic.
Great channel! Throttle House can be a little too, well, Throttle House to get the practical info I like. Same w/Savagegeese. Love your style & presentation, plus you're 6'3'' so I can get a good idea of headroom!
The Circuit Edition addresses a lot of the interior gripes. I agree that the Core feels cheap, that's why I held out for a CE. I came from a Focus ST, which was fully loaded and had a fairly good interior (ST3), but the ride was pretty stiff. Didn't like long trips in it. The GRC rides better, a much better daily driver, although there is a very noticeable lack of interior storage/cubby holes.
I actually just drove the Elantra on short track and a Road America! Really enjoyed it, the interior of the elantra and the exhaust sound were certainly better, plus the size and price makes it a much better value too. Though I had much more fun in the toyota, I prefer the manual on the GRC and its willingness to rotate was better too, not to mention it could put the power down much better on the short course.
My man!! Picked up my 2020 wrx premium of a friend about 7 months ago, if you can get behind the awesome rally dna in this car and become one, I promise you’ll love it, mines currently on a stage 2+ tune and is an absolute beast, just keep in mind these guys can be finicky if you flood them with power, if you do reliability mods first and power last you will thank me, also I’m not what you consider a “pro” I highly recommend smeedia if you don’t know him he’s got a great channel
@@metubewrx no mate, i didn’t do any of that. I babied the car and was very vicious of my driving and maintenance. Anyone that’s ever owned an STI knows it’s stupid common for these engines blow up.
I hopefully will be getting the ce soon. I currently have a loaded core and I agree this car has a very unique powerband. I always regret not pulling the trigger on a evo9. I have driven a few and love them. I had two mazda speed 6s and I almost bought an evo instead of replacing the first speed 6 after it was totaled. My only real gripe with the corolla is the fact that it has no armrest or storage inside the interior. If you are interested in reviewing the circuit let me know I am nearby in illinois. Maybe you can do a comparison video.
Love the GR corolla, but the 22+ WRX is fantastic and the relative ease of making performance gains if wanted, is a huge selling point. Not to mention you can actually get one for MSRP or less. Subaru will also be releasing the BBK shortly as an option. I prefer hatchbacks but the VB WRX is a great platform
I agree. The power train, and factory tune are incredible and the fact that the FA24 is more reliable is a huge selling point, even though I will keep mine stock
And I thought I was the only one thinking this! I test drove a 22 manual WRX on FA500 coilovers with swift springs and it was incredible! A serious competitor to the GRC for significantly less money and instant availability.
picked up a 23 WRX and my husband has a 06 STI, the new FA engine we both agree is so nice. New VB WRX handling is so terrible though, many videos talked about how the handling was not so good but didn't explain why, so we reached out to Subaru corporate and they let us know the new WRX doesn't handle well because it doesn't have front LSD, doesn't have rear LSD, and doesn't have center DCCD diff, they said the new WRX is open diff with brake vectoring straight from the SUV global platform, we asked them why and they said they it's to save costs, they would have had a winning recipe with the new FA engine if they put good handling on it.
i managed to pick mine up for a 3k markup. not ideal but not a deal breaker for me atleast. honestly my only issue is i didnt get the color i wanted "red" ended up in a fully loaded one in black. i came out of a fully optioned 21 wrx and even interior wise i think the gr corolla is better, mostly because i hated the seats in the subaru
Good video. I have 06 STI. Back then it was reasonably quick vs competition and was quick enough that you’d pass it for having econobox interior and harsh NVH. That generation put things like standard forged BBS wheels, transmission oil cooler and functional intercooler spray as default equipment over moon roof, upgraded speakers and power seats. I feel like GR Corolla is taking that driving-focused approach and taking away all these things that are nonessential to driving. I am keeping the 06 STi but as soon as the prices stabilize I am going to get a GR Corolla as well. ETA - if anyone is actually looking to buy a used STI, I'd say get a pre-2018. I don't know this for sure but I've been told that they changed the center diff in 2018+ models and they cannot be launched as hard as all the previous year STIs, and that's why you see them in the high 5s instead of high 4s for 0-60.
you want a 2019 or up. comes with the type RA shortblock which is much more important IMO, from a reliability and power/smoothness standpoint. plus, this aint drag cars, i could care less how hard they launch.
@@Cichlid_Visuals I did forget about the type RA short block and the reinforced pistons... So I guess get the 2019+ and then swap out that bogging-down center diff? Yeah I definitely agree with the "not a drag car" thing, but I don't want to see a performance metric on a car getting worse over the years. The 5-60s is slower on the newer cars too because of revised gear ratio aren't they?
@@taelee347 exactly, its the fact that you need to grab 3rd gear to reach that 60 mph which is really just a numbers thing, because its actually much faster to 55 mph which is going to definitely matter more in a red light drag race or jumping on to the freeway before the asshole in the charger next to you.
@@Cichlid_Visuals The type RA block is proving to be not just potentially more reliable but also making more power. 18 vs 19 dyno graphs tend to show it, tuners seem to vouch for it as well. the "5" hp increase is noticeable more in the fact that they seem to make more to the wheels in comparison
@@Mvonada they do for sure, much more consistent results and what seems like less drivetrain losses as well. they can also handle higher revs, for longer periods of time.
Bought a brand new 21 sti base off the show room floor for 38600+ taxes in early 22. It was always my dream car. Sold it 6 months later to get a used 17 civic si. Best decision ever, mpg and smiles per gallon way higher. Seats in the base STI were a joke so uncomfortable for 40k and not supportive. The 3k upgrade for the recaros which are only a tiny upgrade was not worth it. The STIs headlights were great but the transmissions in these newer stis feel too notchy and seem to have issues with synchros I doubt they are the same bullet proof ones from the earlier models. The radio in a 2001 Corolla was more effective than the STIs. The whole cabin vibrated/pressurized under throttle hard to explain but in combination with the unsupportive seats made my fiancé sick with any spirited driving. In short there’s much better options for the price, unless you wear some serious nostalgia glasses 🤓 it’s hard to over come a lot of the issues it has. Most newer hot hatches feel more powerful in every situation. 19.5mpg for an underwhelming 230awhp is a crime.
Currently have a 2020 wrx (non sti) and already making a little more than 300hp with just a tune exhaust and intake, as long as you know how to build them without blowing them, they make good power, keep in mind this isn’t your luxury mercedes or standard Corolla, this was a car meant to be thrown over hills, around tight turns and over dirt and gravel. On a standard road with potholes with a driver not used to rally/race style of driving I can see how it could be uncomfortable, but it’s still a boxer 4 that sounds immaculate and takes corners like a beast, and the body especially with a few tasteful mods is to drool over lmao sorry to hear your fiancé didn’t dig it, I’ve honestly developed a deep passion for the platform
That being said I am also a civic fan boy at heart, and you can rev those lovely k series to the moon along with a lot of power potential, so still a good choice my man lol
Toyota from the 1980s has entered the chat... In terms of AWD rally cars, the AllTrac Celica pre-dates the WRX by 7 years. The AllTrac Celica also pre-dates the Evo by 6 years. So, the WRX, STi and Evo would not exist if the AllTrac Celica didn't exist first.
The circuit edition one in grey really calling my name haha at first i didnt like then but the circuit is growing on me. It reminds me of my good ol days with a mazdaspeed 3
Comparison between the optioned core I drove recently and my fairly standard bolt on STI. Shockingly the GR STILL feels just as quick, its shocking. The driving experience, size and looks in person are incredible.
I agree I sold my sti hatch the other week and 6 days later got a Corolla on accident at msrp 😅 feels very similar without the rumble. I’m enjoying it so far
Right now I'm trying to decide of going with a 2018-19 STI or a GR Corolla. You think Canada have ot worst? In Puerto Rico the Core model is being selled at 55-65k and the Morizo if they want to sell it, they are asking for 91-103k.
I bought a 2022 wrx instead of a 2021 sti. It doesn't have the badges or the brembos but it is a faster car and makes more power. You have to put $6000 and go stage 3 in an sti to get what the new wrx puts out with a tune and e85.
Have you driven a modified STi? I no longer have mine as I moved up to a 17 GT-R. But a stage 3 e85 EL STi on coilovers is more fun than cars that cost 2x as much. Sure those mods cost money but still ten thousand less than what I would consider competition.
I'm almost certain the Awd is permanently engaged except for two scenarios. E brake pull disengages rear axle, and when the clutch pack ( centre diff per se ) is overheated. It's not a Haldex system like a golf r or focus rs.
There is a difference I noticed you had it the STI front wheel biased I usually go rear wheel biased makes a difference plus a stage 1 cobb tune generally takes away the RPM drop after 6400 good video
pretty sure he didnt have the torque "biased" to the front while driving, it seems he understands how it works unlike most. and thats the thing, no matter what setting you are in, it is always rear wheel biased. the plus setting only allows more torque, or less center diff slip, to the front wheels.
Shifting with the STI is a problem because sometimes it feels like it wants to hold onto a gear and you have to fight it to get it into the next gear. I know many miss 3rd with the STI for that reason.
After test driving the GRC, I came to the same conclusion as you - the GRC is a better car. If it had been available at the time I bought my STI (late 2021), I likely would have chosen it over the STI. But I do not feel compelled to switch to the GRC. Having invested a couple thousand in modifications into the STI, I feel it is roughly equivalent to the GRC, and it would not be worth it to switch. The GRC has better steering feel to me, especially in Track mode, which is a big plus to me, but this doesn’t warrant making the switch.
If you’re not living where it snows a lot or deep, then go for a front wheel drive, it will save you on gas, tires, maintenance cost etc. they are lighter. Get the Honda Si, Type R or Acura Integra A or S
The perspective of history can be a harsh judge. Unobtainium & ADM will override the otherwise good things about it. Compare to mid-90s Impala SS which offered Corvette engine, transmission & related upgrades but it was available to the common man at traditional below-invoice pricing.
I don't think people will remember that the original owners paid over sticker. If it's great, and it's unique, it will be remembered. I especially believe this for the current Z06, amazing car but the dealers are absolutely ruining the "supercar for less" appeal.
lol ok, subaru EJ's go boom or blow head gaskets with little to no mods....I had a stock wrx for 9 years bought it brand new. And guess what the Head gaskets went..STOP toyota reliability compared to subaru isn't even a thing.
The Corolla needs some more color on the interior to liven it up a bit imo. A couple red accents here or there or red stitching or something along those lines would go miles.
Wow i was getting 5 sec to 60 in my 06 Legacy GT stock. With a grown up interior. I miss that car. GR in Canada is between $60-75k. 21' STi below $50k. Mint second gen Legacy GT $12k lol.
Funny, I think this gen WRX/STi is one of the best looking compact performance cars of all time… but I hate the big wing on it, I think it looks better without the wing. But the GR NEEDS that rear spoiler… just not the complete tally look without it!
Same these people saying the subaru is better are brain dead. I was a die hard subaru guy, till my stock WRX blew a head gasket for no reason other then it being UNRELIABLE. Now im all team toyota.
@@onefastSI2008 sorry about the wrx, they give themselves a bad name and have a lot of friends with similar stories. Glad you’re loving the grc. They really are special. Had mine for 9 months now
@@zedzillar349 that’s awesome man congrats. I have a 23 loaded core but I’m eyeing up the blue 24 grc CE can’t lie. Can’t justify that though just for a color but I’m still really happy with it🔥
It might have be me but i had the opposite opinion between the sti and GR, i owned a 17 sti for about a year with some mods (stage 1) and my buddy has a GR (stock), very comparable cars and really comes down to personal preference but i felt like i had a more connected experience with my sti then the GR
Gr corolla is more refined Toyota version of STI. At the end of the day this STI hasn't changed since 2015 where Gr is a 2023 car. Also STI can be easily tuned with a cobb.
My final input again speaks to shallow understanding of auto product planning & model range management. One, Toyota owns 20% of Subaru, and engine tech has been passed to the newest FA24. The "No STI 😭!" "It's ugly 😭!" Loads of people believed felt the WRX was a better value and, this is big, STI buyers STILL tore the car apart!! And ugly? The bugeye, that was ugly, yet its an icon. I predicted in 2021 people will see the VB in person and change their minds, and the vast majority have. Finally, understand the differences between huge companies and small. Key here is big companies can control their cars "growing up" and when the tine comes, slip a new car in at the bottom. Think Fiesta, Fit, Yaris. They have flexibily, too. They can spread tuning across the smaller cars, or make just one a monster. Ah, Subaru cannot do this...wake up...understand this. If Subaru had the budget, they could have "grown up" the Impreza/WRX/Levorg, as demanded by the market, but pass the WRX name to a new compact hatch, far lighter than a Golf, lighter than the Corrola GR, and if they could price it at GR levels AND mass produce it, unlike the GR, with no price gouging, like the GR, this Scooby woukd tear the hell out if the GR and certainly the ugly Hyundai N cars and heavy Golf. Point being: before bitching and whining, underatand how this all works, from someone who does.
That could possibly be a joke, but I’d definitely do it. I was very much considering one when I bought the GR as well. Though I was considering a lot of cars😂
i chose a focus RS over an STI in 2017, and I have loved it since. I followed the GR from the day I heard we would get it in the US, but now thats its here and I'm watching driving vids I just don't see it being better than the RS in many metrics... and anyone who says reliability i mean who buys these sort of cars for reliability...
@@Realistick last I looked GR corolla got 5.4s to 60 focus rs was 4.5s both according to motor trend not manufacturers who ignore rollout and cook numbers to make them sound better (not to mention my RS is paid for and FBO lol) ... I guess my point is if ones almost a 10 year newer car id expect 10 years newer performance. not on par performance with a outdated interior and no big gains short of it saying toyota on it. these things cost 45k-50k around here in the us if you are lucky enough to find one. TLDR i expected more I guess...
@@Realistick i will say tho the lighter weight of the GR does interest me quite a bit.. and when the price comes down a little and the aftermarket in the us comes up a little... well ill be there. :)
@@GrizleMah0gany I'd definitely drive one before writing it off! I'm hoping they become reasonable someday, but they'll probably hold their value like the RS has (bittersweet). FYI, Motortrend uses rollout and even without that, I got it in 5 flat (4.7 with). Quarter mile times seem to even favor the GR (you have to shift twice before sixty in the toyota, not sure if that's the case in the ford). I guess it sucks that they haven't really gotten quicker since the rs dropped for 2016, but the EVO and old STI were doing similar things in the early-mid 2000s too.🥴
if ur gunna do track like laguna seca or the nurbergring then the STi is the clear winner. if your gunna do auto-x/ rally cross real rally shit, the GRC is the winner, its much better rally car for the streets, but the STi is a track capable car that can take on bad conditions. id rather have the STi for track day, and the GRC for rally dirty snow course. both great cars.
Should have used all stock but tuned 2022 wrx. The new wrx is much faster than the sti. Put that markup money into the wrx and it's easily a gr killer.....
Maybe in speed, but the vb is still slower stock and then you still need to address the brakes and it’s much less fun to drive. If all you care about is performance, the gr is better. Wrx is an easier to live with, cheaper alternative and probably the one I’d recommend to most people.
@Realistick The brakes are definitely a weak point for sure but the stock tune is very conservative and only hitting around 11 to 12 psi. Mainly to keep it more economical for the average consumer but all you have to do is turn up the boost and it's all there. But ya, stock for stock, technically on paper it doesn't sound as good but in a real world scenario where people will be upgrading these cars the 2022 wrx makes the most sense hands down based on how much it costs to make more power.
@@KushestWRX Definitely, although I'd love to do a video with a modified wrx to see what the real world (non-dyno) results are. But also, there's so much more going for the GR than just power. If you have a modified vb that I could drive, and you want to bring it to Bloomington Indiana, you can drive my GR to see what I mean!
Well my 22 wrx is getting ready to be in tuned already have a few things done to it maybe if u want I’ll get with u if u want to review it once it’s done
Biggest thing in real life is there isn’t enough space in GR for it to be your daily driver. Unless you are single with no friends and no kids. The Wrxs and Stis are basically full size sedans. GR would be a great weekend car, but who has the extra money. If you do you should be putting it into a retirement account 😜👍🏻👍🏻
You’re making it sound like a 911😂, my parents had smaller cars when i was growing up (most families with 2 parents have two cars in the US). It’s tight but workable and easily accommodates my friends. There’s a lot of things you SHOULD do but if you can afford to secure your future and enjoy your life the way you want, I’d ignore what everyone else says.
Yeah they're really not that much smaller than any other sporty sedan. If you can't fit into a GR Corolla, I'd bet you wouldn't make an STI work either.
So much wrong. Price gouging? How about a top line GR being north of $50k to begin with? How about it being an extremly limited production car (6500-8500 worldwide)? How about it being a halo car built for promotional purposes and losing money on each one? Ah..and the comparison to Subaru? If people were old enough to follow 30 years of the WRX, they would know that reviews once glowed, when it was a "rally car for the street", and the WRC glory days were alive. By 2006 (yeah, 2006, two years after the STI hit US shores, the whining was deafening that Subaru had already "lost it's way." The Top Gear show really pushed this. And the clash between too harsh vs. lost their way began. To address it, the 07 Limited arrived, with leather, sunroof, upgraded audio, heated seats, sound deadening, black Brembos and wing delete. Note: during a period between 2006-2011, wing deletes were a rage, as many owners didn't want to look like teens. Then it got bigger and softer, and Subaru withdrew from the WRC, taking with it the rally cred. Reviewers & "fans" alike were now impossible to please. Rather than thanking God the car was continuing as the Evo died, bitching got deafening, as it is today. Hatch love? They offered only a hatch because it far outsold the sedan. But people bitched. The sedan arrives..."it's ugly"...but now the hatch, without them is "wimpy". The GR STI was track tuned via a thousand laps by Tommi Makinen (look him up, then come back) but the all knowing reviewers and kids on the websites said it had terrible handling. OMG... harsh, childish/losing it's edginess, too much luxury/"where's the heated steering wheel." And the power..."It's not enough, I want more! 😭." Listen up... Subaru KNOWS owners mod the F out of these cars...so.why in the world would they build 400hp cars that would raise the price and which they'd need to warrantee, when they can let owners (happily) mod the cars themselves? It's called wise business decision. And no, there is no wise ass response to this, as it is fact.
The only problem with Subaru is that they made shit engines. The STI would have remained legendary if their engines didn’t blow up from being looked at wrong. If Subaru knew their cars were going to be tuned, why did they make them so damn fragile? I don’t know of a single STI owner that didn’t have at least one engine failure on their record. Might as well have been badges of honor.
@Realistick I watched the video, you don't know how to launch it. I'm not trying to flame you, just saying that's not how you do it. STIs if launched correctly are 4.6 to 5 seconds depending on the driver. Most videos I see, unless they are an sti owner always launch it incorrectly and yes, it is abusive but the car can take it, the clutch will definitely wear much faster. There is the Rev the shit out of it and dump at +5k rpm (don't recommend) and then there is the ride the clutch method to keep it in high boost and utilizing the torque (wear the shit out of clutch faster but get excellent launches) I've owned 2 stis a 2012 that was moded ~400hp and a 21 that has no mods. Again, I'm not trying to give you crap, but the STI is not like most other cars to launch.
@@DarkPragmatic They changed something about the center diff clutch pack for 18 (I think it has to do with the electronic control). She really had nothing left. Instead of explaining myself, read this. www.motortrend.com/reviews/2018-subaru-wrx-sti-first-test-review/
@@Realistick @DarkPragmatic I actually came to the comments to see if someone said anything about how good of a launch it actually was. This is how i would launch a car i cared for, sure you can maybe get abit of a better time however this not being his car and him being respectful to the drive train all in all good launch. Sure could maybe put a disclaimer that the 0-60 time isn't the end all be all, but when watching a video like this i thought that is already assumed knowledge.
That "clunky" feeling of the STI transmission is you feeling the linkage directly attached to the shifter. The GR Corolla has a cable actuated transmission. It is smoother, but give it a few years and it is going to feel spongy and less precise when the cable stretches. That is the downside of cable actuated transmissions.
The sti trans has its lil quirks, but with a short shifter, weighted knob and bushings I don’t notice the clunky feeling anymore. Just the difficult shift from 1 to 2 when the fluid is cold.
My man did his research 👏🏼
It honestly depends. I've driven old c60 toyota transmissions that are super floppy but I've also driven stock ones that were super tight and mechanical feeling. It just depends on how abused the car was and you can always put new cables in.
@@nateTrh I'd still rather not change cables every 80k miles or so. Just my personal preference. If it doesn't bother you that much it is a win for you. 👍
@jonathanb1987 I mean, same, but that's why I just drive rwd cars or Hondas lol. S2K ftw
The age of the Subaru interior is so appealing compared to modern interiors.
So true I have a 17 sti limited the interior is so much better than a bunch of new 2020-23 cars
This gen STI interior is very similar to the 2006-2007 Sti just modern. Most people come into my car and say how nice it is in there.
I agree I prefer the interior of the STI. But all things considered, the GR interior isn’t far off from the STI, compared to many other modern interiors.
My 21 sti has a way nicer interior than my 22 explorer st.
The year in, year out perpetual criticism of Subaru "sea of plastic" is unprecedented and directed at no competitor since the Evo. Worst of all, reviewers/haters forever bitch about the car losing it's raw feel...yet bitching about missing wussy shit like heated steering wheels, insufficient sound deadening, and for nearly 15 years reviewers have very frequently compared to AUDI'S! No brand faces more unfair targeting, comparisons, inconsistent opinions, etc. than Subaru.
Finally, an actual comparable comparison.
My first car a 2005 Chevy blazer, had it for 3 years, then after eyeing civics for a while I came across a deal on a 2020 wrx premium (non sti), as someone who only had a small bit of experience with manuals, I managed to learn to drive it in 2 weeks with minimal stall, and within a month I was no longer stalling, I will say the short first gear is a tough one to get the hang of, and the suspension took getting used to, but man when you can shift out of first with ease and you feel every precise bump in your body without too much shock, you feel linked with the car like an avatar, also when your surprised by the quick shift and feel of the car, please keep in mind it’s a rally bred car, the vast majority of its design is from rough backroads and tight turns. The car I got was off a friend who had already put in a Cobb access port with a stage 2+ tune, full invidia exhaust, map intake, an f1 brake light, and an sti wing lol it’s making about 300hp and close to 275tq, for a first manual I’m absolutely in love, and plan on building and keeping her for years, I’m honestly late to Subarus too, as a kid I always idolized vettes and Camaros haha thanks for having me Jdm 🤌🏼
I own a Focus RS but man there’s just something about both the GR and the STi that I love.
I am a Toyota fan boy till I die, but I had to get a 2020 WRX STI after trying to get a GR86 and having ridiculous markups, and the 3 dealerships in California that do not mark up had a waitlist of up to a year. Some had such a long waitlist, they weren't adding anymore folks. I wanted a specific color and had to be manual transmission, seems I was asking for too much. I am much happier with my STI, as it is fully mechanical vs the 86, as I was told from owners (they said the STI was the better choice for a pure drivers car).
The only problem i see with the gr corolla is its tuned to hell. People trying to get more out of it and its causing problems. Where as the wrx is under tuned.
Definitely more tuning potential with the STI but I can firmly attest that most tuned or modded WRXs that were traded in at the dealership I used to work at, came with notable problems and we always had to send them to an auction. The GR with a supporting mod or two (usually valve springs) can make insane power, check out some GR Yaris builds.
@@Realistick that’s because the average owner of a Wrx sti jumps strait into power mods and doesn’t bother with supporting mods- oil, cooling, etc.
Thats not a problem. The gr yaris makes 500whp and holds it fine. Considering how bad subarus blow up when modding, I think it's safe to say the win goes to toyota on that one
The wrx is not under tuned. They’re basically hitting their limits without some serious supporting mods. WRX are notorious for blowing their engines.
@RVG Go to google, type in "*any performance car model* engine failure/rod knock etc." and you will get results for every single one. The WRX is just more common in this because of idiots "tuning" it to hell and abusing it, Donut Media included. If anything the WRX is safer because if you blow, say, an RB engine it will cost you way more than an EJ/FA.
How many people were planning to buy the 2017 Lancer EVO but Mitsubishi cancelled it's production? How many people were planning to buy the 2023 STI but Subaru cancelled it's production. The extra high demand w/ADM for the GRC was created by more than one thing, especially these other cars being cancelled before people could get theirs. Quite a bit of FOMO going on here.
I never thought I'd buy a brand new Toyota especially a Corolla. Through highschool my dream car was a WRX hatch or Speed3 hatch. Ended up with a 2008 Mazda 3 2.3L NA 5 speed hatch back. Now I'm an adult with no kids trying to figure out what to buy. Then Subaru killed their manuals, Ford killed the Focus RS/ST. Used cars are nearly as expensive as new cars. My buddy texts me about the GR Corolla and I fall in love. Unlike the Civic Type R there's no fake vents. Everything on it is functional. It has a manual parking brake. It's a proper hatch back. It's only available in a manual. And I need to have it. Spent 11 months on a wait list. End up with a circuit edition and I absolutely love it. It's not perfect. But damn does it tick almost every box I have. The audio system sucks, there's no storage, the glove box doesn't lock, there's no center armrest. I basically spent $2,000 on a winter weather package on a car that ships with tires that fall apart below 40 degrees. The heated seats are kinda a joke. But when you're carving up a back road none of that matters. And all you can do is smile and either bang it into another gear or try and wait till the last second to brake. I still have my Mazda and I still love it. It's slow but that heavy handed hydraulic steering in a 2008 car can't be replicated with electronic power steering. In a weird way I feel like an F1 driver in my old Mazda I feel like I can perceive everything down to the millimeter in that car. I do have 100,000 miles and 10 years behind the wheel of it. But damn do I still love turning into corners and just winding that naturally aspirated engine out to 7,500 RPM. But it is slow it's only fwd. My GRC has never hiccupped going over a bump/dip turning in. It just puts all of it's power down relentlessly. It's a beast I can still load up with a tall case of napkins for the restaurant. I doubt anyone else has had 144 16oz beers, a case of napkins, shrimp, steak, 4 gallons of ranch and two cases of bread in their GRC.
I love that toyota did this. Its absolutely a ray of hope from the company that harkens back to 80's and 90's with the awd turbo Celica GT-Four vs regular Celicas - shitbox interior and all.
Sti fan boy here
I got one of these about 2 months ago for MSRP. Love it dearly. I always liked the Evo and remember the first time my friend took me for a ride in his. I really think this is going to be the Evo of this generation.
SAME!
I was between these two and decided on a 2019 STI. I still would pick the same choice.
BUT- a very big thing many don’t consider is if you’re going to daily drive your car. I daily drive mine. I came from a 2016 base WRX (not an STI) and it was the easiest manual I have ever driven or owned. I would imagine the GR Corolla and the WRX drive similar in terms of manual transmission feel and shifting. VERY easy to drive, gearing was perfect for cruising speeds, (making it easy to drive around town at lower speeds and RPM or cruising at 30 MPH for example) and the clutch was paper light. The STI, is on steroids. Because steroids have side effects, driving it you deal with those side effects sometimes. The clutch takes more patience and grabs more suddenly rather than gradually, the gearing in the STI I LOOOVE but it is geared for acceleration on a track. Not driving through town to get to work! So I find myself shifting more frequently, and utilizing rev matching to engine break. Also, gotta mention it, it is pretty bad in terms of fuel economy. But still it is in my opinion the best car ever. I love these cars so much. Between the look, the sound, the suspension (which I LOVE not sure why people dislike it), EJ257, STI 6 speed, Helical front LSD, Torsen rear LSD, Center differential, Si drive, Subaru’s AWD tuning, 6 piston Brembos. I am never selling my car man. BUT, if you find yourself not appreciating the usage of steroids but want the similar capabilities you could do it ALL NATURAL and get a Corolla GR. Nah, get an STI!!!!
Wrx clutch is crap I know I owned it for couple yrs. I have both 24 GR Corolla and 21 STI now, GRC clutch feels more like CTR, I had 22 CTR but sold it because I couldn’t stand FF. STI was my fav until I got GRC. If STI was prototype GRC feels like a final product.
for me the wrx gearbox felt atrocious. i was amazed that a car could go into production with such crappy shifting feel. the upgrade to sti was worth it for me for the gearbox alone
The GR benefits from the hatchback form, less temperamental engine, and the fact you can buy a new one since the STI is no more.
I must say that the GR Corolla is the best buy in this small, compact, performance, manual transm., AWD class. Thanks for the review 😀
If you can buy one 😂
@@LimgraveKnight15 yes if you can?
@Byrne not hard to find. I know of multiple right now for msrp
@@Olivia300zx not possible to buy one in Europe
@Alen Green ouch, but atleast you have the yaris!
Great video. With the loss of the STi, I was searching for either a GR Corolla or a VW Golf R to replace a Subaru XV Crosstrek, but neither looked like it was going to be possible due to local supply limitations and MSRP markups. One day, I was getting one of my cars serviced, and saw a 2020 WRX STi in Rally Blue for sale with relatively reasonable miles. I took it for a test drive, and was able to get it for what I felt like was a reasonable price. An STi, in that color, was my goal since I was 16.
One thing I will remark on is that the WRX STi has hydraulic power steering with a very quick steering rack, instead of electric power steering which is more common now. The steering effort in my STi definitely has a distinct change through the rev range which takes some getting used to again after driving cars with electric power steering for so long. This is particularly pronounced if turning from a stop and needing to accelerate quickly, say for a turn onto an undivided state high way from a side street in traffic.
To me, I love the hydraulic rack in my 16 STI. Electronic feels too disconnected imo
I can tell you the 13:1ratio Subaru steering rack is better steer than the GR yaris,and the gearchange is better(06 wrx sti jdm)
Great channel! Throttle House can be a little too, well, Throttle House to get the practical info I like. Same w/Savagegeese. Love your style & presentation, plus you're 6'3'' so I can get a good idea of headroom!
I'm 6'3" too, so it's great to see how he fits in each car he tests
The lever that shuts down the power grid comment is accurate lol. I love shifting my 21' STI
The GR in red is beautiful!
Aren’t the hyper yellow sti brakes also 6 piston front calipers
That’s correct.
Yes, they work quite well
The Circuit Edition addresses a lot of the interior gripes. I agree that the Core feels cheap, that's why I held out for a CE. I came from a Focus ST, which was fully loaded and had a fairly good interior (ST3), but the ride was pretty stiff. Didn't like long trips in it. The GRC rides better, a much better daily driver, although there is a very noticeable lack of interior storage/cubby holes.
I’m happy with my Elantra N. I’ve driven my coworkers GR Corolla and surprisingly, I felt more fun with my EN.
I actually just drove the Elantra on short track and a Road America! Really enjoyed it, the interior of the elantra and the exhaust sound were certainly better, plus the size and price makes it a much better value too. Though I had much more fun in the toyota, I prefer the manual on the GRC and its willingness to rotate was better too, not to mention it could put the power down much better on the short course.
People paying ridiculous markups for that cute little 3 cyl corolla belong in an asylum.
It makes a cute gift the for GF but anyone spending over 40k for 3 cylinders needs a serious automotive lesson
It’s a Toyota
Yep, also goes for anyone paying a markup tbh
You earned my sub with "threatens other cars and small birds". Great comparison video. Can't wait to see more.
great unbiased review!
This was such a fun comparison! Picking up a 2020 STI this Saturday and I’m so amped
Make sure you set aside some money each month for when the engine goes! It’s nearly guaranteed to happen lol
@@ROVA00 If you go full on boy racer on it and start messing with it then it will.
My man!! Picked up my 2020 wrx premium of a friend about 7 months ago, if you can get behind the awesome rally dna in this car and become one, I promise you’ll love it, mines currently on a stage 2+ tune and is an absolute beast, just keep in mind these guys can be finicky if you flood them with power, if you do reliability mods first and power last you will thank me, also I’m not what you consider a “pro” I highly recommend smeedia if you don’t know him he’s got a great channel
@@ROVA00 Yeah that's what happens when you put all the hot boy stuff on a car it breaks.
@@metubewrx no mate, i didn’t do any of that. I babied the car and was very vicious of my driving and maintenance. Anyone that’s ever owned an STI knows it’s stupid common for these engines blow up.
I hopefully will be getting the ce soon. I currently have a loaded core and I agree this car has a very unique powerband. I always regret not pulling the trigger on a evo9. I have driven a few and love them. I had two mazda speed 6s and I almost bought an evo instead of replacing the first speed 6 after it was totaled. My only real gripe with the corolla is the fact that it has no armrest or storage inside the interior. If you are interested in reviewing the circuit let me know I am nearby in illinois. Maybe you can do a comparison video.
Nice, good to see your videos
Love the GR corolla, but the 22+ WRX is fantastic and the relative ease of making performance gains if wanted, is a huge selling point. Not to mention you can actually get one for MSRP or less. Subaru will also be releasing the BBK shortly as an option. I prefer hatchbacks but the VB WRX is a great platform
Exactly.
I agree. The power train, and factory tune are incredible and the fact that the FA24 is more reliable is a huge selling point, even though I will keep mine stock
@@panderalexanderI paid more money for my used STI than I could have spent buying a BRAND NEW wrx. NOW YOU SEE WHY HAYAGAHAHAHDHFBFJDHWGAHWBR
And I thought I was the only one thinking this! I test drove a 22 manual WRX on FA500 coilovers with swift springs and it was incredible! A serious competitor to the GRC for significantly less money and instant availability.
picked up a 23 WRX and my husband has a 06 STI, the new FA engine we both agree is so nice. New VB WRX handling is so terrible though, many videos talked about how the handling was not so good but didn't explain why, so we reached out to Subaru corporate and they let us know the new WRX doesn't handle well because it doesn't have front LSD, doesn't have rear LSD, and doesn't have center DCCD diff, they said the new WRX is open diff with brake vectoring straight from the SUV global platform, we asked them why and they said they it's to save costs, they would have had a winning recipe with the new FA engine if they put good handling on it.
i managed to pick mine up for a 3k markup. not ideal but not a deal breaker for me atleast. honestly my only issue is i didnt get the color i wanted "red" ended up in a fully loaded one in black. i came out of a fully optioned 21 wrx and even interior wise i think the gr corolla is better, mostly because i hated the seats in the subaru
Congrats!
Visually the STI is my favorite.
Inline six sound at 15:47 hahaha. Good video!
Dealership not selling cars over MSRP, including used cars with reference to their original MSRP 🤡🤡
Good video. I have 06 STI. Back then it was reasonably quick vs competition and was quick enough that you’d pass it for having econobox interior and harsh NVH. That generation put things like standard forged BBS wheels, transmission oil cooler and functional intercooler spray as default equipment over moon roof, upgraded speakers and power seats.
I feel like GR Corolla is taking that driving-focused approach and taking away all these things that are nonessential to driving. I am keeping the 06 STi but as soon as the prices stabilize I am going to get a GR Corolla as well.
ETA - if anyone is actually looking to buy a used STI, I'd say get a pre-2018. I don't know this for sure but I've been told that they changed the center diff in 2018+ models and they cannot be launched as hard as all the previous year STIs, and that's why you see them in the high 5s instead of high 4s for 0-60.
you want a 2019 or up. comes with the type RA shortblock which is much more important IMO, from a reliability and power/smoothness standpoint. plus, this aint drag cars, i could care less how hard they launch.
@@Cichlid_Visuals I did forget about the type RA short block and the reinforced pistons... So I guess get the 2019+ and then swap out that bogging-down center diff?
Yeah I definitely agree with the "not a drag car" thing, but I don't want to see a performance metric on a car getting worse over the years. The 5-60s is slower on the newer cars too because of revised gear ratio aren't they?
@@taelee347 exactly, its the fact that you need to grab 3rd gear to reach that 60 mph which is really just a numbers thing, because its actually much faster to 55 mph which is going to definitely matter more in a red light drag race or jumping on to the freeway before the asshole in the charger next to you.
@@Cichlid_Visuals The type RA block is proving to be not just potentially more reliable but also making more power. 18 vs 19 dyno graphs tend to show it, tuners seem to vouch for it as well. the "5" hp increase is noticeable more in the fact that they seem to make more to the wheels in comparison
@@Mvonada they do for sure, much more consistent results and what seems like less drivetrain losses as well. they can also handle higher revs, for longer periods of time.
Bought a brand new 21 sti base off the show room floor for 38600+ taxes in early 22. It was always my dream car. Sold it 6 months later to get a used 17 civic si. Best decision ever, mpg and smiles per gallon way higher. Seats in the base STI were a joke so uncomfortable for 40k and not supportive. The 3k upgrade for the recaros which are only a tiny upgrade was not worth it. The STIs headlights were great but the transmissions in these newer stis feel too notchy and seem to have issues with synchros I doubt they are the same bullet proof ones from the earlier models. The radio in a 2001 Corolla was more effective than the STIs. The whole cabin vibrated/pressurized under throttle hard to explain but in combination with the unsupportive seats made my fiancé sick with any spirited driving. In short there’s much better options for the price, unless you wear some serious nostalgia glasses 🤓 it’s hard to over come a lot of the issues it has. Most newer hot hatches feel more powerful in every situation. 19.5mpg for an underwhelming 230awhp is a crime.
Currently have a 2020 wrx (non sti) and already making a little more than 300hp with just a tune exhaust and intake, as long as you know how to build them without blowing them, they make good power, keep in mind this isn’t your luxury mercedes or standard Corolla, this was a car meant to be thrown over hills, around tight turns and over dirt and gravel. On a standard road with potholes with a driver not used to rally/race style of driving I can see how it could be uncomfortable, but it’s still a boxer 4 that sounds immaculate and takes corners like a beast, and the body especially with a few tasteful mods is to drool over lmao sorry to hear your fiancé didn’t dig it, I’ve honestly developed a deep passion for the platform
That being said I am also a civic fan boy at heart, and you can rev those lovely k series to the moon along with a lot of power potential, so still a good choice my man lol
Toyota from the 1980s has entered the chat...
In terms of AWD rally cars, the AllTrac Celica pre-dates the WRX by 7 years. The AllTrac Celica also pre-dates the Evo by 6 years.
So, the WRX, STi and Evo would not exist if the AllTrac Celica didn't exist first.
The circuit edition one in grey really calling my name haha at first i didnt like then but the circuit is growing on me. It reminds me of my good ol days with a mazdaspeed 3
Comparison between the optioned core I drove recently and my fairly standard bolt on STI. Shockingly the GR STILL feels just as quick, its shocking. The driving experience, size and looks in person are incredible.
I agree I sold my sti hatch the other week and 6 days later got a Corolla on accident at msrp 😅 feels very similar without the rumble. I’m enjoying it so far
@@ambushbullieshow could you!! Sell the rumble they stopped making? 😢
@@Untamed_STI I got a 207 swapped 400 hp gc8 coupe and a forester xt too plus a Supra so I got 2 subies 2 Toyotas lol 😂
@@Untamed_STI the 3 banger has its own rumble
@@ambushbullies in that case I understand LOL I gotta get there one day
Right now I'm trying to decide of going with a 2018-19 STI or a GR Corolla. You think Canada have ot worst? In Puerto Rico the Core model is being selled at 55-65k and the Morizo if they want to sell it, they are asking for 91-103k.
I bought a 2022 wrx instead of a 2021 sti. It doesn't have the badges or the brembos but it is a faster car and makes more power.
You have to put $6000 and go stage 3 in an sti to get what the new wrx puts out with a tune and e85.
BTW, I'm Puerto Rican too 🇵🇷
Veloster Ndct wrecks them
Both lol
Así mismo es están muy caras aquí en PR
Corolla would be fun but its impossible to buy one
Would love u to do a comparison of the GR Corolla and the mk8 golf r manual.
Have you driven a modified STi? I no longer have mine as I moved up to a 17 GT-R. But a stage 3 e85 EL STi on coilovers is more fun than cars that cost 2x as much. Sure those mods cost money but still ten thousand less than what I would consider competition.
Love em both, good friend of mine has an STI, but I love the classic 80's/90's rally car look of the GR more.
Sneaky little blurring of the speedometer at 11:18
🤫
What shoes are those dawg? at 16:28
I'm almost certain the Awd is permanently engaged except for two scenarios. E brake pull disengages rear axle, and when the clutch pack ( centre diff per se ) is overheated. It's not a Haldex system like a golf r or focus rs.
Ive heard both things but the Savage Geese guys interviewed a lead engineer and what he said definitely makes sense. I’d check that video out!
There is a difference I noticed you had it the STI front wheel biased I usually go rear wheel biased makes a difference plus a stage 1 cobb tune generally takes away the RPM drop after 6400 good video
pretty sure he didnt have the torque "biased" to the front while driving, it seems he understands how it works unlike most. and thats the thing, no matter what setting you are in, it is always rear wheel biased. the plus setting only allows more torque, or less center diff slip, to the front wheels.
What do you mean by rpm drop
Shifting with the STI is a problem because sometimes it feels like it wants to hold onto a gear and you have to fight it to get it into the next gear. I know many miss 3rd with the STI for that reason.
Need to blip
Great video
After test driving the GRC, I came to the same conclusion as you - the GRC is a better car. If it had been available at the time I bought my STI (late 2021), I likely would have chosen it over the STI. But I do not feel compelled to switch to the GRC. Having invested a couple thousand in modifications into the STI, I feel it is roughly equivalent to the GRC, and it would not be worth it to switch. The GRC has better steering feel to me, especially in Track mode, which is a big plus to me, but this doesn’t warrant making the switch.
I had/ have both cars. A 2013 Sti sedan and a 23 GRC both just had and intake and exhaust. And I can’t tell u which I love more
If you’re not living where it snows a lot or deep, then go for a front wheel drive, it will save you on gas, tires, maintenance cost etc. they are lighter. Get the Honda Si, Type R or Acura Integra A or S
Graze the roof, or raise the roof? Harharhar
Great review as always by the way.
The GR Corolla has THE WORST back up camera in any new car available on the market. Other than that its a pretty solid car :)
nothing you saw in initial d will work unless your last name is fujiwara
The perspective of history can be a harsh judge. Unobtainium & ADM will override the otherwise good things about it. Compare to mid-90s Impala SS which offered Corvette engine, transmission & related upgrades but it was available to the common man at traditional below-invoice pricing.
I don't think people will remember that the original owners paid over sticker. If it's great, and it's unique, it will be remembered. I especially believe this for the current Z06, amazing car but the dealers are absolutely ruining the "supercar for less" appeal.
Correction on the fluorescent brake calipers. They were only available 2019 and 20
mint I have an STI and now can see a comparison good good
for getting more power, the STI has a better chance than that 3 cylinder motor.
lol ok, subaru EJ's go boom or blow head gaskets with little to no mods....I had a stock wrx for 9 years bought it brand new. And guess what the Head gaskets went..STOP toyota reliability compared to subaru isn't even a thing.
I have a WRX and IMO the GR Corolla Circuit Edition interior is alot better. It's kinda unfair to compare the STi interior to the GRC Core.
TOYOTA GR COROLLA 😎👍
Why is the idel so hi on the STI? 1100rpm?
Could be A/C is running or the blower motor, etc
Most likely cold start, mine on a cold start is roughly 1500 rpm, then once it warms up, it goes below 1000 rpm, around 500-800 rpm.
@@Sphoxros mine does the same thing after it warms up
Mine idles at 850-900 but it’s tuned.
The Corolla needs some more color on the interior to liven it up a bit imo. A couple red accents here or there or red stitching or something along those lines would go miles.
Wow i was getting 5 sec to 60 in my 06 Legacy GT stock. With a grown up interior. I miss that car.
GR in Canada is between $60-75k.
21' STi below $50k.
Mint second gen Legacy GT $12k lol.
COROLLA WIN
Funny, I think this gen WRX/STi is one of the best looking compact performance cars of all time… but I hate the big wing on it, I think it looks better without the wing. But the GR NEEDS that rear spoiler… just not the complete tally look without it!
The 2008-2013 is the best generation of STI and the fastest. And the best looking .
Gr corolla all day. Absolutely loving mine.
Same these people saying the subaru is better are brain dead. I was a die hard subaru guy, till my stock WRX blew a head gasket for no reason other then it being UNRELIABLE. Now im all team toyota.
Just bought my GR 24 and it's a blast subaru kicked to the curb
@@onefastSI2008 sorry about the wrx, they give themselves a bad name and have a lot of friends with similar stories. Glad you’re loving the grc. They really are special. Had mine for 9 months now
@@zedzillar349 that’s awesome man congrats. I have a 23 loaded core but I’m eyeing up the blue 24 grc CE can’t lie. Can’t justify that though just for a color but I’m still really happy with it🔥
@christopherbassit2757 Thank you and I don't blame you on blue it looks sick
Again, congratulations on your GR ✨ Hope your enjoying
Functional hood scoop is not a benefit here 😂. Jeers to top mount intercoolers
Agreed front mount = less heat soak, but the scoop still allows more air to the engine bay so still a W oh and it looks good
It might have be me but i had the opposite opinion between the sti and GR, i owned a 17 sti for about a year with some mods (stage 1) and my buddy has a GR (stock), very comparable cars and really comes down to personal preference but i felt like i had a more connected experience with my sti then the GR
Agree that the GR is 90% Evo. Just missing the extra sharpness.
Rushing a manual trans in a subaru is not an elegant thing.
No not at all hahahah, it took me so long to be able to shift my Sti smoothly each time.
Who won
I have a 2019 CHB SE, even that model corners and takes ramps with gusto.
Gr corolla is more refined Toyota version of STI. At the end of the day this STI hasn't changed since 2015 where Gr is a 2023 car. Also STI can be easily tuned with a cobb.
That GR interior is so freaking ugly. An entry-level rental car would be an upgrade here.
Nostalgia merchant
My final input again speaks to shallow understanding of auto product planning & model range management.
One, Toyota owns 20% of Subaru, and engine tech has been passed to the newest FA24. The "No STI 😭!" "It's ugly 😭!" Loads of people believed felt the WRX was a better value and, this is big, STI buyers STILL tore the car apart!! And ugly? The bugeye, that was ugly, yet its an icon. I predicted in 2021 people will see the VB in person and change their minds, and the vast majority have.
Finally, understand the differences between huge companies and small. Key here is big companies can control their cars "growing up" and when the tine comes, slip a new car in at the bottom. Think Fiesta, Fit, Yaris. They have flexibily, too. They can spread tuning across the smaller cars, or make just one a monster. Ah, Subaru cannot do this...wake up...understand this.
If Subaru had the budget, they could have "grown up" the Impreza/WRX/Levorg, as demanded by the market, but pass the WRX name to a new compact hatch, far lighter than a Golf, lighter than the Corrola GR, and if they could price it at GR levels AND mass produce it, unlike the GR, with no price gouging, like the GR, this Scooby woukd tear the hell out if the GR and certainly the ugly Hyundai N cars and heavy Golf. Point being: before bitching and whining, underatand how this all works, from someone who does.
how does it compare to the evo x? next video? 😂
That could possibly be a joke, but I’d definitely do it. I was very much considering one when I bought the GR as well. Though I was considering a lot of cars😂
i chose a focus RS over an STI in 2017, and I have loved it since. I followed the GR from the day I heard we would get it in the US, but now thats its here and I'm watching driving vids I just don't see it being better than the RS in many metrics... and anyone who says reliability i mean who buys these sort of cars for reliability...
I've driven the RS and the GR, both are fantastic, I find the GR to be a little more smooth to operate, just as quick and slightly more comfortable.
@@Realistick last I looked GR corolla got 5.4s to 60 focus rs was 4.5s both according to motor trend not manufacturers who ignore rollout and cook numbers to make them sound better (not to mention my RS is paid for and FBO lol) ... I guess my point is if ones almost a 10 year newer car id expect 10 years newer performance. not on par performance with a outdated interior and no big gains short of it saying toyota on it. these things cost 45k-50k around here in the us if you are lucky enough to find one. TLDR i expected more I guess...
@@Realistick i will say tho the lighter weight of the GR does interest me quite a bit.. and when the price comes down a little and the aftermarket in the us comes up a little... well ill be there. :)
@@GrizleMah0gany I'd definitely drive one before writing it off! I'm hoping they become reasonable someday, but they'll probably hold their value like the RS has (bittersweet). FYI, Motortrend uses rollout and even without that, I got it in 5 flat (4.7 with). Quarter mile times seem to even favor the GR (you have to shift twice before sixty in the toyota, not sure if that's the case in the ford). I guess it sucks that they haven't really gotten quicker since the rs dropped for 2016, but the EVO and old STI were doing similar things in the early-mid 2000s too.🥴
o for sure my 04 sti with bolt ons is easily faster than my rs. but the rs is easier to drive, launch, live with, etc.
Homie is listening to Mac miller 🤝🤝🤝
I own a Kona N which I adore. I can take or leave the STI, but I dream about the GRC.
😅
Sti for the win! 🔥
I miss my 2021 WRX. Would love to see the Elantra N on your channel
if ur gunna do track like laguna seca or the nurbergring then the STi is the clear winner. if your gunna do auto-x/ rally cross real rally shit, the GRC is the winner, its much better rally car for the streets, but the STi is a track capable car that can take on bad conditions. id rather have the STi for track day, and the GRC for rally dirty snow course. both great cars.
Should have used all stock but tuned 2022 wrx. The new wrx is much faster than the sti. Put that markup money into the wrx and it's easily a gr killer.....
Maybe in speed, but the vb is still slower stock and then you still need to address the brakes and it’s much less fun to drive. If all you care about is performance, the gr is better. Wrx is an easier to live with, cheaper alternative and probably the one I’d recommend to most people.
@Realistick The brakes are definitely a weak point for sure but the stock tune is very conservative and only hitting around 11 to 12 psi. Mainly to keep it more economical for the average consumer but all you have to do is turn up the boost and it's all there.
But ya, stock for stock, technically on paper it doesn't sound as good but in a real world scenario where people will be upgrading these cars the 2022 wrx makes the most sense hands down based on how much it costs to make more power.
@@KushestWRX Definitely, although I'd love to do a video with a modified wrx to see what the real world (non-dyno) results are. But also, there's so much more going for the GR than just power. If you have a modified vb that I could drive, and you want to bring it to Bloomington Indiana, you can drive my GR to see what I mean!
Well my 22 wrx is getting ready to be in tuned already have a few things done to it maybe if u want I’ll get with u if u want to review it once it’s done
@@chadbrown7648 You can reach me on Instagram or through email (on my YT about page) and I'll try to make that work!
sometimes you just need to watch another subaru fan
The GR is 70k on Toyotas website July 25 2023
1000 times better STI than GR Corolla, even the STI looks more agresive Rally Car exterior and interior
Did you call the STI transmission clunky? The STI has one of the best awd manual transmissions ever made.
Clunky from drivetrain shock, definitely (maybe pre 2018 models change this). I like the notchy feel but that too is more down to personal preference.
Subaru all day babyyyy 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
I’d rather the GR go up against the golf R or focus RS
STI lost its touch generations ago
All in the cards when I can get ahold one
@@Realistick sweet I’ll be looking forward to it🫡
Why did the STi die, oh yeah Toyota bought a lot of Subaru stock and now are in control and stop the STi so they could bring out that car.
Biggest thing in real life is there isn’t enough space in GR for it to be your daily driver. Unless you are single with no friends and no kids. The Wrxs and Stis are basically full size sedans. GR would be a great weekend car, but who has the extra money. If you do you should be putting it into a retirement account 😜👍🏻👍🏻
You’re making it sound like a 911😂, my parents had smaller cars when i was growing up (most families with 2 parents have two cars in the US). It’s tight but workable and easily accommodates my friends. There’s a lot of things you SHOULD do but if you can afford to secure your future and enjoy your life the way you want, I’d ignore what everyone else says.
Yeah they're really not that much smaller than any other sporty sedan. If you can't fit into a GR Corolla, I'd bet you wouldn't make an STI work either.
So much wrong. Price gouging? How about a top line GR being north of $50k to begin with? How about it being an extremly limited production car (6500-8500 worldwide)? How about it being a halo car built for promotional purposes and losing money on each one? Ah..and the comparison to Subaru? If people were old enough to follow 30 years of the WRX, they would know that reviews once glowed, when it was a "rally car for the street", and the WRC glory days were alive. By 2006 (yeah, 2006, two years after the STI hit US shores, the whining was deafening that Subaru had already "lost it's way." The Top Gear show really pushed this. And the clash between too harsh vs. lost their way began. To address it, the 07 Limited arrived, with leather, sunroof, upgraded audio, heated seats, sound deadening, black Brembos and wing delete. Note: during a period between 2006-2011, wing deletes were a rage, as many owners didn't want to look like teens.
Then it got bigger and softer, and Subaru withdrew from the WRC, taking with it the rally cred. Reviewers & "fans" alike were now impossible to please. Rather than thanking God the car was continuing as the Evo died, bitching got deafening, as it is today.
Hatch love? They offered only a hatch because it far outsold the sedan. But people bitched. The sedan arrives..."it's ugly"...but now the hatch, without them is "wimpy". The GR STI was track tuned via a thousand laps by Tommi Makinen (look him up, then come back) but the all knowing reviewers and kids on the websites said it had terrible handling. OMG...
harsh, childish/losing it's edginess, too much luxury/"where's the heated steering wheel."
And the power..."It's not enough, I want more! 😭." Listen up... Subaru KNOWS owners mod the F out of these cars...so.why in the world would they build 400hp cars that would raise the price and which they'd need to warrantee, when they can let owners (happily) mod the cars themselves?
It's called wise business decision. And no, there is no wise ass response to this, as it is fact.
The only problem with Subaru is that they made shit engines. The STI would have remained legendary if their engines didn’t blow up from being looked at wrong. If Subaru knew their cars were going to be tuned, why did they make them so damn fragile? I don’t know of a single STI owner that didn’t have at least one engine failure on their record. Might as well have been badges of honor.
I complain about turkeys constantly.
i have a 22 wrx. I love my 22 wrx!
He clearly doesn't know how to launch a WRX or STI.
Dog I did one launch and it didn't even bog below 4k rpms, any more abuse and child services would be on my ass. The 18+ STI is slow from a dig.
@Realistick I watched the video, you don't know how to launch it. I'm not trying to flame you, just saying that's not how you do it. STIs if launched correctly are 4.6 to 5 seconds depending on the driver. Most videos I see, unless they are an sti owner always launch it incorrectly and yes, it is abusive but the car can take it, the clutch will definitely wear much faster. There is the Rev the shit out of it and dump at +5k rpm (don't recommend) and then there is the ride the clutch method to keep it in high boost and utilizing the torque (wear the shit out of clutch faster but get excellent launches) I've owned 2 stis a 2012 that was moded ~400hp and a 21 that has no mods. Again, I'm not trying to give you crap, but the STI is not like most other cars to launch.
@@DarkPragmatic They changed something about the center diff clutch pack for 18 (I think it has to do with the electronic control). She really had nothing left. Instead of explaining myself, read this. www.motortrend.com/reviews/2018-subaru-wrx-sti-first-test-review/
@@Realistick @DarkPragmatic I actually came to the comments to see if someone said anything about how good of a launch it actually was. This is how i would launch a car i cared for, sure you can maybe get abit of a better time however this not being his car and him being respectful to the drive train all in all good launch. Sure could maybe put a disclaimer that the 0-60 time isn't the end all be all, but when watching a video like this i thought that is already assumed knowledge.
i watched abit further he pretty much did put a disclaimer saying you can squeeze out a better time lol
35k msrp selling for 45-50K