When you think of performance SUVs, the Subaru Forester probably doesn’t spring to mind. It’s a capable family vehicle that can handle rough roads, but it’s not a nameplate you associate with five-second takeoffs and Brembo brakes. We would call it one of the greatest sleepers ever built, but it looks meaner than a standard Forester, which somewhat undermines that status.
Unfortunately, you can’t have one. At least not for a few more years. The Forester STi is a JDM exclusive, and one that we think is worth waiting for. Here’s why…
The Subaru Forester STi Is A 265-hp Family Wagon
Blue 2004 Subaru Forester STi rear endSubaru
The second-gen Subaru Forester launched in 2002 for the 2003 model year, built on the new Impreza platform, with its biggest improvement being the 2.5-liter boxer engine, available in naturally aspirated and turbocharged variants. As one would expect of a Subaru wagon or SUV, the second-gen featured symmetrical all-wheel drive as a standard feature.
In Japan, Subaru’s STi team launched the performance wagon for 2004, marketing it as a sportier version of the SG Forester, and packing it full of goodies borrowed from the WRX STi. If you know your Subarus, you can tell the STi apart at a glance by the hood vent, STi-badged fog lights, and a unique bumper and grille. The car definitely looks more stylish than a standard Forester, but there’s much more to it than a revised exterior.
The most important tweaks are all in the engine. Let’s go over the specs to see what we mean.
2004 Subaru Forester XT
2004 Subaru Forester STi
Engine
2.5-Liter Turbocharged 4-Cylinder
2.5-Liter Turbocharged 4-Cylinder
Power
212 hp
265 hp
Torque
235 lb-ft
279 lb-ft
0-60 mph
6.2 Seconds
5.1 Seconds
The most powerful US version of the Subaru Forester, for 2004, was the XT, packing a turbo-four that could clear 60 mph in just over six seconds. Not bad for a family car, but the STi shaved more than a second off the takeoff with an extra 53 horses under the hood.
But the power figures only tell half the story – the STi borrowed more from the rally-bred WRX STi than just horsepower.
It’s Basically A Big WRX STi
2004 Subaru Forester STi interior side viewSubaru
Compared to the WRX STi, the Forester STi shares a six-speed manual gearbox and an upgraded intake manifold with the rally car, while the engine itself is built on an EJ255 block, meaning it shares architecture with the WRX STi’s EJ257. The rally car vibes flow into the cabin, as well, with STi-branded seats and a red-stitched leather steering wheel.
Adding to all that is a sportier suspension setup, with STi sport springs and a 1.2-inch lower ride height, bringing it down to just 6.3 inches of ground clearance. That isn’t exactly scraping every speed bump, but it’s low enough for Subaru to advertise that this car isn’t just for grocery runs. Subaru capped it all off with a set of Brembo brakes.With all that going for it, there’s just one problem – you almost certainly can’t buy one.
Just Three More Years, And It’s Yours
2004 Subaru Forester STi 2.5L Turbo EJ25 H4 EngineSubaru
If you’re in the market for a unique performance model, you don’t have to wait all that much longer for the Forester STi to become street legal. 2004 was 22 years ago, meaning you’ve got three years left before you’re in the clear.
It’s actually legal to import right now, if you want to grab one for yourself before the price spikes in a few years. You’ll just need somewhere to store it, and you’ll have to trailer it to and from the track – a waste of what would otherwise be a perfect daily driver. If you can stand looking at a car you’re not allowed to drive every day for the next three years, here are a few listings we were able to find on import and auction sites.
- A 70,230-mile model is selling for $19,670, which covers cost and freight to Baltimore, MD.
- A 58,000-mile model is selling for just $9,850, with no mention of freight costs.
- A 54,059-mile model is selling for $17,839, without freight costs included.
- An importer in Canada listed a model with no mileage last year for $23,000.
- A 57,028-mile model is listed for $14,954, freight not included, in Saitama, Japan.
At the moment, these cars are difficult to find for sale. You can try websites like CarFromJapan and Goonet Exchange, but the selection is quite limited right now. In a few years, there will be more demand for the car, and more supply to follow. For now, Japanese sellers are hardly bothering to list the STi on English-language websites, because they know we’re not really in the market just yet.
It’s worth keeping an eye out for good deals in the meantime, but the buying experience will likely be easier if you simply wait it out for a few years. Then, you can actually drive your car home instead of trailering it, and you won’t have a 3,000-lb brick taking up half your garage while you wait for the 25-year rule to run out.
But if three years feels like a long time to wait – or you just want something you can drive today — there’s a USDM option that gets surprisingly close.
Late Second-Gen Foresters Got A Power Boost In The US
Silver 2006 Subaru Forester XT front on roadSubaru
We don’t want to say that the USDM Subaru Forester XT is “the next best thing” to an STi. The SG9 is, for some JDM fans, a dream car. The Subaru Forester XT, in its best version, is underrated, if not quite an STi. No Brembo brakes, no STi suspension, no STi badging, just a good, punchy, reliable engine and symmetrical all-wheel drive.
But if you don’t want to deal with import sites, or if you can’t wait three years, the 2006-2008 version of the second-gen Forester XT produces 230 hp. That’s still 31 horsepower short of the STi, but it’s a 20-horsepower improvement over the 2004 model XT.
Our own price-tracking tool sees the 2008 Forester XT trending at just $7,995, from an MSRP of $28,895. Checking for used listings, we were able to turn up the following models:
- A 57,255-mile 2007 XT Limited is selling for $13,000 in New York.
- A 106,918-mile 2008 XT Limited model is selling for $7,298 in Kentucky.
- An 80,100-mile 2007 XT Limited is selling for $7,990 in Virginia.
- A 111,674-mile 2006 XT Limited is selling for $14,123 in California.
- A 132,840-mile XT Limited is selling for $9,069 in California.
It’s easy to find an XT selling cheaply, but it’s hard to find one with low mileage. These are family cars, after all, meaning they’ve put on thousands of miles of road trips and school pickups and daily commutes. Thankfully, these older Subarus pack real transmissions, either a four-speed automatic or (rarely) a five-speed manual, meaning that they’re not saddled with the not-so-reliable CVTs found in newer models.
Even so, it’s difficult to recommend spending anywhere near $10,000 on a model with six digits on the odometer. $7,000 isn’t a terrible price for a beater, but if you can find something with fewer than 100,000 miles on it, it could easily last another 100,000 and then some.
A Dirt-Cheap Beater Should Last Until The STi Is Street-Legal
Silver 2006 Subaru Forester XT rear on roadSubaru
If you’re just looking for a Subaru to last until 2029, when the STi becomes street-legal in the US, a high-mileage, low-price Subaru Forester XT should last you at least that long.
As far as ownership costs go, RepairPal puts annual maintenance for a Subaru Forester at around $632. Not that you’ll be paying for full coverage on a beater, but CarEdge estimates around $2,035 for full coverage, for a 40-year-old driver with good credit and a clean record. FuelEconomy.gov estimates $3,800 a year in fuel expenses, assuming 15,000 miles driven annually, split 45/55 between highway and city driving.
This all comes out to a total of $6,467 in annual ownership expenses, but that number is certainly a bit high if we’re talking about a car that’s old enough to vote. You’ll likely spend around half that, at most, for basic liability, bringing the total down to around $5,467. The biggest expense to watch is fuel, as the SUV averages 20 miles per gallon, and gas prices remain elevated. Even so, you could do a lot worse for a 20-year-old wagon.
Sources: Subaru, RepairPal, CarFromJapan, Goonet Exchange, CarEdge, FuelEconomy.gov.
