Subaru President and CEO Atsushi Osaki poses for a photograph in front of the company's Performance-E STI concept, a battery electric vehicle (BEV) concept model, during a press briefing at a press day of the Japan Mobility Show 2025 at Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo, Japan October 29, 2025.Issei Kato/Reuters
The Subaru WRX STI hasn’t been sold in Canada since 2021, but two new STI concepts just might hint that it might be making a comeback.
At the Japan Mobility Show last week, Subaru unveiled the all-electric Performance-E STI and the gas-powered Performance-B STI.
“These vehicles embody the joy of driving and the exhilaration of control at the heart of Subaru’s heritage,” Atsushi Osaki, Subaru’s chief executive officer said in his address at the show. The company hasn’t said whether either car will make it to production – and, if they do, whether they could make it to Canada.
The first car, the sleek, all-electric Performance-E has blue paint, gold wheels and the massive spoiler of an STI, but what’s under that slick bodywork is still vague.
“By incorporating various innovative technologies, this concept model offers intuitive, exhilarating driving experiences,” a Subaru press release said.
While Subaru said the E is the future of “the performance scene,” the gas-powered Performance-B looked an awful lot like a souped-up Impreza, suggesting that it could be seeing production a little sooner.
There aren’t many details here either – although Subaru said it could have a horizontally opposed engine and the company’s all-wheel drive. There have also been reports of an available manual transmission. It would be a hot hatch to compete with the Toyota GR Corolla.
But the two STI concepts could be a signal that it’s still serious about performance cars, whether they’re gas or electric. That’s especially important for a carmaker that took heat for lacklustre performance in the Solterra, a car co-developed with Toyota and Subaru’s first EV – although Subaru beefed up the specs on that car this year.
But even if the E never makes it to production, its looks might influence future models. Since the previous STI was pulled in many markets because of tightening emissions regulations, there’s also a chance that we could see a hybrid version of the B.
Of course, while the two STIs stole a lot of attention, Subaru isn’t forgetting the SUV crowd – it also showcased its upcoming Trailseeker EV, which is expected in Canada early next year.
The Trailseeker is expected to deliver about 375 horsepower and an estimated range of about 420 kilometres.
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