THE BREAKDOWN
- Subaru teased a new STI model in a recent video.
- The video shows STI badging and a blue silhouette.
- Full reveal expected January 9 at the Tokyo Auto Salon.
Another day, another Subaru WRX STI teaser. This time, Subaru released a short video on its Japanese social media channels, hinting at the return of the legendary performance badge ahead of a debut in 2026. We’ve seen this before—but there’s still reason to be hopeful.
The clip is short but gives us some insight into what it could be. It opens with tight shots of an STI logo, followed by quick glimpses of a blue, WRX-shaped sedan (or maybe a hatch?) tearing through snowy forest back roads. Turn the volume up, and you’ll catch the unmistakable rumble of a Subaru boxer engine, even though the company remains silent on any technical details.
Coming soon pic.twitter.com/X4SGKw3eVl
— 株式会社ＳＵＢＡＲＵ (@SUBARU_CORP) December 25, 2025
The teaser wraps up with the message "Coming Soon" and a date of January 9, 2026. That timing lines up perfectly with the Tokyo Auto Salon, one of Japan’s biggest performance-car events in the world, and a logical place for Subaru to (potentially) reintroduce one of its most iconic nameplates.
So what is it? Commentators speculate that this is probably just another STI Performance Pack—essentially the same warmed-over visual treatment we've seen on other models abroad. Subaru did tease the Performance-B and Performance-E concepts recently, which offered glimpses of what the brand’s performance future might look like. But this probably isn't a production version of either of those models, sadly.
Subaru has also suggested that future STI models could feature some level of electrification. But whatever’s hiding in this teaser doesn’t sound electric—or even hybrid. If Subaru follows through with a production STI, which seems unlikely at this point, January could finally mark the return of one of the most beloved names in rally-bred performance. Here's hoping.
