2016 Subaru WRX STI Series.HyperBlue Review: Photo Gallery
CARS.COM — There is nothing subtle about the regular Subaru WRX STI, but the special-edition Series.HyperBlue takes it to another level.
Related: Subaru Freshens 2018 WRX, WRX STI
The Series.HyperBlue, released for the 2016 model year, is easy to tell apart from the standard STI, thanks to its screaming blue paint. Only 700 of these special-edition models made it to American shores, along with 500 examples of the BRZ with the same name and color. Subarus are more widely known for another shade of blue, WR Blue Pearl, but I’m a big fan of this new color as well. It reminds me of the Volvo S60 Polestar I drove last fall in a good way: Both of the cars I’ve driven in this shade are all-wheel drive and great fun.
Beyond the eye-catching color, the Series.HyperBlue also gets a set of specific styling options inside and out. On the exterior are 18-inch blacked-out BBS wheels, black side mirror housings and black STI badges on the front fenders. Inside, there’s blue contrast stitching on the black leather and Alcantara upholstery — even in subtle spots such as the manual transmission shifter boot. Also standard on the Series.HyperBlue is a 7-inch multimedia system with navigation, welcome lighting and a nine-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo system.
Everything mechanical is pure STI. The 305-horsepower, turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder “boxer” engine makes 290 pounds-feet of torque and is mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission. The Series.HyperBlue also comes with Subaru Intelligent Drive, which offers three different drive modes (Intelligent, Sport and Sport Sharp) with different throttle response for everyday commutes or more spirited driving. There are also three different automatic settings for the center differential, shifting more power to the rear if desired or tightening it for slippery conditions such as gravel or snow.
Driving the Series.HyperBlue was a joy; it’s docile when you want it to be but shifts into a corner-eating monster on demand. There’s a ton of grip from the wide wheels and the very intelligent AWD system helps to put power down on exit. The engine doesn’t hit peak torque until 4,000 rpm, but I actually didn’t mind that. At lower rpm there is enough torque that the car never feels sluggish and revs up fast enough so the power can be grabbed quickly. Or you can just put it into Sport Sharp if you want to get tossed around a bit.
Although Mitsubishi discontinued the Lancer Evo in 2015, the WRX STI isn’t without competition. The Volkswagen Golf R and the newly released Ford Focus RS battle it for AWD, rally-inspired supremacy and another hot hatch also looms on the horizon: the forthcoming Honda Civic Type R.
Check out more photos of the Series.HyperBlue below.
