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The WRXs and STIs are very practical cars that go fast, good ergonomics, actual usable power (who cares if I can go 175 in my SS?) an acceleration at lower speeds, decent cargo carrying capability. Rear seats are smallish, but much bigger than a camaro's obviously. I had a WRX previously. These cars are fairly easy to work on and mod and there is a huge amount of support out there for them.
The WRX and STI have gotten closer over the years (after the 2008 wrx disaster), which is a good thing for the WRX. The STI is a "different" animal in that it's nearly track-ready in terms of suspension setup, brakes, wheels and tires, transmission, etc. It has a lot more potential for modding due to the forged engine/cylinders. The WRX posts nearly equal 0-60 times because it doesn't have to shift as many times getting to 60mph, but the STI with it's 6-speed is by far the better machine on the track. The WRX was widened, stiffened up and the power was increased recently, and with a minimum of $$$ you can make it "as fast" accelerating as an STI, but you don't have the brakes, suspension components and setup, and many other parts that make it an STI. Unless you are going to track, a WRX is 80-90% of an STI in terms of how you're going to use it practically, plus the fact that it doesn't take a lot of $$ to make the WRX as fast as the stock STI. If you want to eventually mod beyond that with a bigger turbo and other stuff, or have the baddest road-sticking car out there, get the STI. That will be better in the end and you won't have to dump as much $$$ into the suspension/brakes to support engine mods.
I'm going to buck the trend though and say that they aren't all that in the snow when set up for performance. The AWD is outstanding, but if you put real performance tires on it, it ain't all that great anymore. What you can do is get winter or all-season tires and THEN it's outstanding with AWD, but don't expect all that much on snow with performance, the tires make too much of a difference IME, although you often see some pretty cool tire/wheel combos with STIs. One guy around here races and has a gravel-tire/wheel setup.
I had a modified WRX before and I would not hesitate to go back to Subaru due to the reliability. I sold it at 135K with the mods I did and the engine was going strong, the only thing that ever failed on me was the "boost control solenoid", possibly due to my mods, but it was a $100 part to replace and didn't cause the car strand me or anything, just reduced power. Given how reliable it was with the mods, I know they build solid cars. I got the 2SS to get something different for the most part. I don't need to carry kids or rear passengers, so that's not really an issue. New STIs go for a little too much as well and the slightly used ones go for more than they should (I sold my WRX above KBB). I think that Subaru often needs to embrace new technology and develop it to a higher extent like the bigger japanese auto makers do, like direct injection and 6-7spd transmissions, the japanese market gets cool features like twin-scroll turbos and completely forged engines, which also kind of stinks.
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