2008 Subaru WRX STI

Amen! Preach it, Josh! I bought the same rubber cargo tray for a 2002-2007 Impreza *Wagon* for my 2004 Impreza *Sedan*. Despite not being designed for the sedan, the tray still fit very well. It's very highly recommended on NASIOC.
 
And I highly recommend people get trays like these for any and all vehicles. :o)

ROFL @ Suby being the first to comment on the first real entry for the STI.
 
I'm still not convinced on the hatchback. Maybe a few more entries and I might. Suby, help me out? :p

Different strokes for different folks, tlcruz. No worries. I can live with not everyone being a fan. :crowd gasps:
 
The Evo may be faster and more fun to drive. I'm not going to dispute that. But if I had a STI hatch, I could bring tools, amenities, and another set of wheels and tires to the track with me in the same vehicle, just as my friends do with their WRX Wagons, Volkswagen R32s and GTIs, MAZDASPEED3s, and the like. :o)
 
We'll see how the added utility of the hatch -- which the WRX Wagon always had (too bad there was never a STi/STI Wagon - this is it for those who wanted it) -- comes into play during the long-term STI's tenure. If he hasn't done so already, I can imagine Josh loading a mountain bike or two into it. Mountain biking fans should check out his CarSpace page!
 
http://www.carspace.com/jjacquot

I am not a fan of the hatch either. I can't really pin point why but IMO a well executed sedan looks much sleeker than any hatchbacks.

Yep, the optional cargo tray is a great feature. I have it on my WRX wagon, and my wife has it on her Forester. There have been several times in which we have had "messy" stuff back there, and we were very happy to have that rubber tray.
 
When dirty, take it out and just hose it off.

Got any rock chips yet? I got a bunch on mine with less than 2000 miles. Buying RA mud flaps this week. I can't take finding any new chips anymore on my rear wheel well edges.

I like the hatch, but then again wagons are growing on me. The sedan look is getting stall, and coupes are getting less usefull

I'm on the hatch bandwagon as well, not just for their utility, but for their looks, too. The A4, for instance, is finally starting to grow up as a sedan, but in Avant trim, it's been great looking for years.
 
And I'll say again for the record, I think this STI looks great! Can't wait to read more about it.

i think the front of the evo looks a lot better but the subaru has the evo beaten on the back. lancer's back is just ugly. someone should fuse the cars. mitsubihsi front, sti rear.

Do you guys like the cargo tray because it keeps things cleaner, seems more rugged, or what? I will admit that it seems like the floor of the cargo area of my wagon is getting a little ... nangy, though.
I can stuff my mountain bike in the back with the 60 folded down and the baby seat still tethered in place, but it's kind of a pain. I'm contemplating getting a trailer hitch and accompanying rack, but price of admission from the dealer is a bit steep. The U-Haul hitch looked so-so but for some reason I prefer the OEM. Not that this has anything to do with this thread.

Hatches have unmatched utility, and I find they can generally look pretty good. Then again, they can also looks really bad (Kia Rio) but this is no different from sedans I suppose.
 
Another thing that is really useful in the back of hatches is the cargo netting, but I don't see any hooks for one.

my parents have the rubber cargo tray in their subaru forester. it's quality. it's quite durable and is definitely nice for hauling around liquids that may potentially spill or dirt, etc.
 
as for the hatchback sti, I didn't like the look at all. but I saw it in person and I immediately changed my mind. the thing looks MUCH better in person (surprise, surprise). good enough to the point where I'd want it. the same cannot be said for the sedan though, which unfortunately resembles a toyota corolla way too much for my tastes (and I have seen both in person).

I have been a hatchback fan since my 1984 Mitsubishi Mirage 3-door, which was the soul of practicality with its fold down rear seat and 40 MPG economy, while giving a fun drive every time. I have always been bewildered by America's rejection of the hatchback. In Europe you see scads of that body style and I think it looks good. The current Volkswagen Rabbit for example is good looking, has a very nice interior and the base model is about $16K, which seems like a bargain with its zoomy 2.5 liter engine and engaging transmission. Anyone know why folks in the US hate hatchbacks?

"Anyone know why folks in the US hate hatchbacks?"
 
Although I like hatchbacks, many of us have memories of these not-so-hot hatchbacks:
 
Ford Pinto, Chevy Citation, AMC Pacer, Chevy Vega, and of course, the dreaded 1973 Chrysler Town & Country station wagon.
 
I think that's it, to many Americans hatchback = station wagon, which is just not "cool".

Rubber cover is definitely helpful in keeping gunk out of the hatch area.
 
What interior color is this long term test STI? Do I see hints of platinum gray, or just the camera light shining off the interior trim?

Americans hatchback = station wagon
 
The ultimate irony? The main suburbanite vehicle is just a 4WD station wagon (SUVs).

kurtamaxxxguy, according to the subaru.com web site, the STI's interior is:
 
Graphite Gray Alcantara® upholstery with Carbon Black leather bolsters

Stop teasing us, with all of this talk of cargo trays and rubbet mats.
 
Someone go out and rip through the gears on that thing. Race someone at the track, or tackle some gravel.
 
Take some pictures and video and then tell us all about it. We all know its coming, enough with the anticipation already!

When I first saw the new WRX hatch I was thinking oh no what did they do, but the STI makes the hatch look a ton better and being able to put those seats down is sweet since you can't in an Evo. So I like hatches now and will probably buy one in the future even though my wife still hates them. Oh well, she just won't get to drive it then.

Funny thing about the EVO. It's trunk is nothing but an oversize glove box. That's because they put all sorts of stuff back there (battery, electronic stuff, etc.) to get a 50/50 weight distribution. As a result the trunk size took a huge hit. The plain-Jane Lancer has a much larger trunk.
 
So, for practicality and cargo flexibility the STI scores a "10." The EVO? A big fat "zero."

I wouldn't say the Evo has zero practiciality and cargo flexibility, Bob. :o) I'd say it just doesn't have nearly as much as the STI offers.
 
Something else to think about is how often people in the target demographic of these vehicles have junk in the trunk. The target demo may have changed slightly with the new STI being a hatch to begin with, but maybe not greatly. :shrug:
 
For example, one would regularly find the following in my WRX's trunk (other than the space saver spare and accompanying tools), the aforementioned trunk tray, a Tire Rack emergency kit, a football, my bag of baseball/softball gear, and three pairs of cleats (1 pair of metal baseball cleats, 1 pair of rubber football cleats that I use for football and baseball/softball when metal ones aren't allowed, and one pair of cheap rubber baseball/softball cleats if anyone else needs a pair). I also used to employ the services of a USC Trojan trunk monkey. I have since removed him and placed him on my desk here at Edmunds.

"people in the target demographic of these vehicles have junk in the trunk"
 
I take offense to that. ;-P

I think that's only 16 pieces of flair. You know, the bare minimum.