@@larjkok1184 Umm YES. They have the exact same engine, transmission, AWD drivetrain and platform. The only difference is basically the body and interior and price lmao.
Love the S3. In the market to buy one. Sure, i could get the STI or the VW, but i prefer the luxury of the S3 which comes with performance too. And besides, you can only go so far and fast before you hit the next traffic light, and highways dont have corners in them that require you to take the apex. Not a fan of the current shape of the STI either...previous model looked better.
the testers dont know how to drive the STI for nuts...they said the engine did not have a wide enough powerband, that s y subbie gave u a closed ratio 6 speed... if u know how to keep the engine in the tight powerband it have a much better time on the track... u need to work the sti to get the best of it
Subaru makes such great cars now but cannot seem to grasp the design part. They need to fire all of their designers and get new people in there. I was all on board to get a new WRX but then when they came out I laughed. The exterior completely ruins this car for me. The new Golf R and GTI's look amazing, along with the new S3. If im spending that much on a car it better look good, even if its more of a performance car than a "looks" car. Why cant subaru do both? Theres not a single subaru on the road that catches my eye and makes me want to drive it.
The Adventure Mazda I agree with you. I personally like the exterior but the interior is just... ugh. I’m paying nearly as much as the S3 or Golf yet the interior isn’t that nice. Okay, for the 2018 model year, the materials were upgraded on the interior but I really expected a better design. Other than that, I think the STI is quite good. Except the not so good gas mileage.
i understand that the DSG is easier, but you can't say it's more fun than the manual. [I'm also a 16 Golf R Manual owner, so i actually have a say in this.]
sti slower because the turbo is too big for that course, thats y track cars and rally cars dont have massive turbos because the powerband is not usable
No one here races to work, races to the grocery store, races to pick the kids up from practice and races home while not having to fit ALL their gear and groceries in the back. True the Golf R isn't the best at everything but she'll stay right on your tail waiting for you to fail all while still providing the best gas mileage and the best balance of a daily driver. Not to mention the ability to switch from auto to manual and back again when you're done racing and stuck in stop and go traffic... The STi is fast (although not as fast as the previous model) but the interior makes me wanna puke with all the pink neon in my face. Too many people get caught up in speed and lap times when the true measure of the perfect car is to be able to do what you want, when you want, comfortably. German engineering for the win!
"I don't like the STi because you have to work harder behind the wheel." 3 pedals too many for you old fart? And also...anyone that has ever driven an STi will never tell you it isn't a good car for tight tracks, the uber short gearing is actually AMAZING on the track and keeps you in the power band, these blokes are fools.
It "Floats". It's meant to be Rallied, not Tracked. The Audi and the VW are the only two cars in that comparison that actually belong on a track. Do you see Subaru in the GT races where Chevy, Audi, Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Ford, and the other big names race their sports cars? No. Because Subaru is for rallies and their main competitor just dropped out after kicking their ass again and again.
People just don't know the potential of the STI lol search "Subaru WRX STI Isle of Man TT" and see if the S3 or Golf R can do the same standard! Sigh.. these car journalists lol leave the reviews to Jeremy, Hammond and May and go back to writing car magazines. Besides, the Subaru is cheaper, cheaper to maintain, faster on the track, 100% more reliable and interior is classy enough, you don't need diamonds and leather lol.
+Andy Thach well said . It's bs the saying it's not worth 50 k . Get real the other cars have no limited slip diff , intercooler sprayer , better suspension or setup features .. Btw the golf r the testing starts at 57 k . The manual golf r is 55 k
can buy a golf r grid for 47k which has more power then the last gen and more tech the the subie has ever had... the sti is an overrated car and expensive for what you get
Whether it be the interior or exterior, it still seems that Subaru is still gearing the STi towards the younger audience (with mixed success). The thing that bothers me is, most of that audience won't be able to afford the pricetag. As a lot of people have already put out there, it's no longer the bang for your buck car that it once was. Drop the price by $10,000 and we'll see if that makes a difference, Subaru.
All three cars are great . I have a golf R . And i know that Subaru is good to . It all comes down to what each person wants. All three companies must be doing something right cause they have been around a long time!
I tried to find an R, and when I purchased in '21, the S3s were actually 2-3k cheaper. I think the Golf R was having a big moment for the last five years or so, it stayed in the limelight. I love the R, I'm happy with the 3. Now Stage 2 :)
The engine note in the golf r /s3 is partly artificial sound. Google soundaktor golf r /s3 and you can see where the speaker is which pumps a grunty engine note into the cabin. Quite a few buyers were shocked when they found out about this!!
Why do people get so angry over STI being slower than the Golf R and S3? Who gives a crap about lap time around a track being 1-2 sec slower? Is that even relevant for everyday use? If you are
i will say this,the subie engine has remained practically unchanged around 2 decades now,im still amazed the design can still compete with the modern german tech at this stage,in that regard i respect the old school subie mentality showcasing its rally heritage 20 years later and still getting away with it,the car has soul,thats what makes the subie more personal to people,but i do think its time to turn the page and get with the times,in the 90s the sti in the right hands could beat ANY car on the planet,i think its time subaru took their heads out of the sand and revamp a loved but aging platform
They keep saying luxury but they don't really get into the performance bang for the money. Not too many people that like these cars give a crap about luxury. Its nice to have, but not at such higher costs. These guys are older, of course interior design and luxury is priority. How about opinions from someone who is the target consumer?
dummed down engine and lack of rumble in STI compared to older models?. ....what the f...are you talking about . It's the same drivetrain and you don't hear rumble you fool because it has stock exhaust.
As a new Golf R owner I can attest that the build "quality" gap between the VAG cars and the Subaru is likely more a case of perception rather than a true quality difference. Despite having a lovely soft-touch top-dash, I was rather surprised when my rear spoiler fins flew off after 900 miles! Furthermore that afore mentioned dash has more than a few rattles after only a 1100 miles. I can't bear to take it back to VW as they left scratch marks on my car whilst fixing the said spoiler fins.... don't be fooled by soft touch plastics disguising shoddy manufacturing and distracting from poor aftersales service.
clearly you dont know what you're talking about... a stage 1 golf r manual is faster then a stage 2 wrx sti. the engine is the golf is a far better motor. which can outperform that outdated boxer.
It is Haladex front wheel biased car versus Torque vectoring AWD, can't be the same performance, the tester just don't test the differences properly in the perfect AWD test the Haladex will show its weakness
+Manny Echaluce Haldex is a garbage poor performance but some kind.. "safe". Suffer from reliability and IT'S A LIE, because they say "permanent awd", but that system is a "permanent FWD" instead :)))
Many people are too biased to other makes of cars, I fucking hated BMW and a fan of Audi but sat in my mates BMW car for the first time and it was a different story!
Only the STI is available here in Canada. S3 will come within a year. The R probably not. I'd trade my 2013 S4 today for the S3. The R for the S4 would be a tougher trade.
Great video! Can't wait to get my R next summer! One piece of advice for CarAdvice: take 12 extra seconds per video to say "X Kw or X Hp and X Nm or X Lb/Tq". Converting it in our heads mid-video (or confusing most ppl to the point the stop the video) is distracting. This is a world audience, or at least We hope you'd aspire to be.
How can one even call a front wheel biased Haladex system an AWD system when the rear wheels are not powered until there is a slip, the Subaru on the other hand has Torque vectoring AWD.
Still awd..not all time. Sti looses power when it all goes to 4 wheels all time compared to front wheels..which gives the s3 the advantages (not including dsg trans). Lol
Had a chance to drive a Golf R a few months back and I must say, its really the worlds best performance bargain, sure it disappointed me in a lot of ways like the looks which was utter boxy and BORING and the service costs of Golf R is 2 high for a regular Joe but what struck me is the Golf R was much much better than most other sports cars that do the 0-100 in between 4.5 and 5.5s league, the Golf was comfortable all the time,oozes quality,and that DSG is wickedly quick, I got a 0-100 kph in 4.8s with GPS, and on the track we tried out the R was faster than a Mercedes SLK,BMW M135i,Ford Focus RS(used 2 be ma personal favorite b4 Golf R),WRX STi,Mitsubishi EVO X, by around 1-2 s, thats incredible GOLF nailed it, it will remain the benchmark 2 beat for all other brands, its 2 good for the money, also it returned almost 11.66 kmpl overall , what more does 1 need, In my mind worlds best sports car
It is an R thats the reason why the service costs it's a bit high than a normal 2.0 TDI but it is really fast with 2.0 turbo and 300 HP check out the new passat with bi-turbo engine :)
Eron Gashi yaa,i saw that 236 bhp and 450 NM from 2.0 bi turbo,i think its time other brands start to think and go back to drawing board VW is too good now a days
Why the British despises the Subaru's? for the past 10 years they have criticizes Subaru and praises the German saloons when obviously are in another category.
I think this review is a bit biased. I was in the market trying to pick between these 3 cars and i choose the subaru wrx sti. Before i drove the 3 cars i watched this review and others which were claiming the golf r and audi were superior cars to the subaru wrx sti. I decided to buy the golf R because it seemed like the best buy on paper until my friend convinced me to test drive the STI because he had driven the previous one. After i drove the STI i was speechless and was thinking back to these reviews wondering what these guys are on about. :-/ There is a lot of technology is the audi and golf respectively but the STI is engineered so well that the other 2 cars does not even come close to it. The grip, balance, precision etc in the STI ... I just don't have words to describe. The audi and golf do not come close to the drive of the STI its just something else. For me its the perfect blend between comfort and sports. Also i dont know why everyone is complaining about the Subaru STI interior, i bought the 2016 updated premium STI and i prefer its cabin over the audi s3 and golf R. It just feels like a real practical cabin well thought out. Its a very sport interior with elements of luxury when you pay close enough attention. The technology in the audi S3and golf r like the dsg and suspension setting is gimmicky compared to the practical engineering design of the sti. Do not believe what you hear and test drive the 3 cars your self and you will understand what i mean.
+Biscuit.Bear Lol not half as biased as you... calling the DSG and adaptive suspension control a gimmick.. you have no idea.. Subaru interior has a cheap feel, every review says it because it's true. The STI is doing 1.13's at Wakefield so it's not even fast. This review is accurate and unbiased. The Golf R and S3 are much better cars than the STI in every way except price. Enjoy your STI and love it for what it is, a cheap Japanese sedan but dont get confused and think it's better than a Golf R or S3 just because you own it.
+Andrew Miscevich lol okay. You know my age all of a sudden. Subaru are living in the 90's.. Way out of its league when compared to Golf and S3. It's quite a few pegs down in every aspect. Certainly performance, technology and quality.
Its my first ever Subaru lol.. I had a choice between the bmw m235i, audi s3 and olf R. I test drove all of them. Just because i picked the Subaru doesn't make me a fan boy.
On tight corners top end power is not needed, in rally with a lot of corners they usually use between 3k - 5 k rpm, the turbo lag is the real enemy, without a antilag system, those new direct injection engines are faster because the have less lag, the turbo builds boost in the lower range. so it is a great dissapointment that the STI did not use the FA engine, they could have tuned it to a safe 330 hp, and blow those haldex shitboxes out of the water, because in performance point of view haldex awd is horseshit.
Terribly wrong. APR/AWE/GIAC/REVO/UNITRONIC. Look them up. Golf R's are making over 500whp reliably. No problems with the 2.0t's, in comparison to the failure rate of the archaic boxer motor. BMW has Berger Tuning, RB, and Dynan amongst others. Sorry you made the wrong choice.
Lenny Datello First thing first: Depreciation. VW cars depreciate like crazy and after a year and a bit of owning my car, I already make a ton of money if I sell it. I have a friend at work that has a Golf R. I've definitely made the right choice buddy. He let me drive his a bit. My car is so much more exciting and sounds and feels hardcore compared to it. It's more fun and side by side the Golf looks smaller and just not as aggressive. The interior is nicer but everything in the Subie feels more manly and mechanical if that makes sense. I just got it tuned to just under 300awhp and the thing is a rocketship. Sounds like a much bigger engine too. The R still songs like a 4 banger. Anyway, my next car will be in a couple of years and I'm looking at a GTR, AMG Merc or some nice used exotic. Upgrading slowly as income goes up :)
Lenny Datello I do agree that the STI needs an engine update though. This engine is pretty awesome but did get old. I have a 2013 sedan stage 2+ and even though I easily could, I didn't get the new one because the drivetrain is the same. I also like the look of mine better. Rumor is that next gen is an electric performance turbo hybrid. That I would buy as a daily driver.
The audi is obviously the better car. Not a fair comparison considering it cost about $15,000 more than the other two, well at least here in the US. I'd love to buy a wrx but why the hell does it still have shitty gas milage. The audi makes more power, run the 1/4 mile faster, and still gets a little over 30 highway. Hopefully suburu gets on board with the direct injection setup at some point.
lol, sadly subaru already has, and 25mpg is all you're going to get... Antiquated AWD is horribly inefficient, but amazing on dirt... thats why they're trying CVT and other bullshit on the WRX. Great for those countries who have yet to discover paved roads.
something is for sure.. since there are that many turbocharged cars in the market nowadays many "mythical" sport-cars are no longer what they used to... 10/15 years before when someone talked about his turbo "x" sport baby people said: wow that should be quite fast, nice stuff.. but today there are many models and so became a common thing it seems like STi and EVOs are now like "any" production everyday model such Vw GTi/R, etc. Alfa Romeo? Renault RS, Ford RS, (even M.Benz!!) and so on... Sad but true!
Hahah. Bruh S3 is much superior then the out dated STI. My S3 pulls on my buddys stage 2 16' STI...and is why i traded in years ago from a 15' STI to a S3.
It is obvious that these guys have a bios towards German cars. Though I agree with some of their review comments, bios can be clearly be seen in the track performance test. For instance, I've seen 4 RUclips videos comparing the 15 Golf with the 15 STI, with the exception of this review, not one showed the Golf R outperforming the STI on a performance track. Come on guys!
Was not really a fan of the Golf R, but after watching various RUclips videos, it does seem to tick a few boxes for me as im looking for a long term purchase soon, a car that does everything and hope to get at least ten years out of it, not joking either. The only things that bother me with this Golf are VW reliability plus the fake pumped sound into the cabin. I don't need or want that. Its ridiculous. I do like the STI, but the very firm ride is a bit of a negative for me, shame really because the car would easily last into my retirement. As for the Audi, ive had a new one and although very nice interiors and overall very good premium cars, I dont think its a very good choice for long term ownership. Reliability and maintenance costs would concern me. So what does that leave me ? Power, ride and handling, plus reliable ? Better get a Forester XT then :D
What’s the point of this video if every driver is gonna choose their own car that they already love, thought it would be more like a comparison and them picking out 1 car out of the 3
Obviously neither of these three guys could drive, why would you place an all wheel drive car to full rear lock and then say its the worst of the three all wheelers... Lets think about that one.... Of course it's going to drive like a rear wheel drive when you have the center diff set to rear bias.
How can you call this a car advice channel when you all pick different cars which you would buy at the end... The reviews you each did on the cars are really good, but it sounds almost like you had to sit on the fence for a reason. You should all drive each of the cars on film and then each give your verdict for each car. Of course you're going to pick the car, which you appeared on the video, to drive all day as the best one.
Conclusion is just like a rehearsal, host reading the script without emotion. Take easy，It's Just my opinion, I'm not mad, just some advice. OK? By the way I prefer Golf R.
Clearly you have no clue what you're talking about, wait til the Subaru starts to misfire, or leak oil due to ringland failure, or bends rods, or shits the headgasket. Then talk to me about expenses. Again clearly you have no clue😂
I have a 2017 STI and never lost to any car trying to compete with me I laugh at Bmw, Infiniti, Lexus, Audi, Alfa Romeo and many more I don’t waste my time no more
Golf R is fastest because, u dont need, to change the gears, which means a thing, the drivers don't know how to drive, and whats the point to put all the grip to the rear in STI where is a lovely auto-mode ,,,
There is no way in HELL the STi is slower on the track than the two other cars on the track. Notice how they didn't specify who drove each car. The STi is a no compromise track monster. Which means it isn't nearly as good a daily driver as the other two. But there is no way in hell it's slower. Do this test again, on the same day, by the same driver (preferably someone with experience at a race track) and i guarantee you that the STi will leave them seconds behind.
"...you have to work VERY hard behind the wheel and it STILL is a very mechanical car" LMAO. Go to a nursing home and drive a Prius, nobody has forced you to work VERY hard by testing sports cars.
s3 and golf isn't permanent awd, but a bullshit fwd-haldex for girlish "streetracers":))). We talk about healthy/strong'n reliable mechanic systems, not those ones good only for ..lists:)) Audi started with a4.. before that, anything badged audi is in fact.. cheap vw golf platform and haldex (q3, tt, a3, s3, rs3)
What a weak bland comparison this jokers are pushing, they forgot one of the most important thing most of us wanted to see!!! 0-60 & quarter drag!!!!!!!
Golfs have such a boring look and design the Audi looks like every other Audi and an overpriced vw, if all 3 were driving down the road guarantee sti would turn 10x more heads
bwahahaha. Are you driving down the street looking for girls at lunch near your old high school? Honestly anyone with any fucking bias would pick the S3 look over any of the other two... It's hard to compare the hatch to the two sedans, but anyone who says they wouldn't take the STI powertrain and the S3 interior/exterior is straight up lying, or they're 20 something's that don't even know what's what yet.
Audi Quattro ( Torsen or Haldex ) is better than Subaru AWD or any other AWD system.Note: VW 4Motion is not the Quattro with another name.They are very different on eletronics and programming and Quattro offers much more best final results than 4Motion.
Dsg transmission is something I really don't want. When going very slow it just eats up your clutches. It behaves like it has a torque converter, but it doesn't. Useless if your pulling trailers or driving on really bad roads.
So after a decade VW has finally made a motor that is on par with the aging EJ257 that has barely changed since it's introduction........... The new FA motor in STI might set the gold standard again.
Razvan J Subaru and non profit? uhh...... Subaru has been having increased annual sales year after year now and are growing. Most importantly, Subaru sales are dominating the U.S. Market ,one of the most important car markets in that Americans rely HEAVILY on personal vehicles. Sales are also great in Cananda and Australia. The "boy racer" segments" such as the WRX/STI are the best selling cars for Subaru. It's funny that you've mentioned VW and Audi, how's the diesel gate scandal going for them? Anymore resignations from VW top officals yet? How much money do they owe now? Are the stocks of VW still falling? How's the resale of VWs now? How many countries/states/organizations are filing law suits against them now? Is that overpoluting diesel motor that VW makes your example of comparing Subaru motors as "junk"?
On par? The VW engine is more responsive, revs better, produces torque at lower rpm and is more fuel efficient. It's literally better by any measure.. And it's 500cc smaller.. Thanks for playing, better luck next time.
Jistro "more responsive", in what way? with modifications? Yes, i've seen Golf GTI/Rs with APR tunes and such and they make high numbers ,but it's clear that the motor can't handle the power with owner reports of catastrophic turbo failures (as in the turbo failing and shredding itself will as a result tear apart the rest of the motor). "Revs better", what do you mean? A honda motor such as the K20 and F20 series revs smoother, more willingly than either the Golf R and STI, mostly due to its naturally aspirated and high redline nature. So I'm not sure how "revs better" is a statement. Low end torque isn't necessarily "better". With low end torque you give up top end power, more so with a 4 cylinder turbo motor. If you wand low end torque and midrange/topend get a forced induction V8. The Golf R motor being smaller is a wash because you have to account the overall weight of the vehicle. The STI nad Golf R are about the same weight, with the STI being about 50 or 80lbs lighter. MPG, i'm sure that the Golf R motor is better and i would hope so for their sake. The STI isn't as bad as people say, I've seen STIs get 24 city and 28 highway if they like a normal person and not a jackass. The MPG difference is mostly due to the differences in the AWD drive train. The STI has symetrical AWD (all 4 wheels are working 24/7) while the Golf R AWD is essentially a front wheel drive car until it senses that it starts to slip then it kicks in its AWD.
+Mrlolibre do your research better. The STi lacks low end response and runs out of breath in the top end. The turbo failures in the mk7 R were because of the start stop function and were addressed a long time ago. What are you talking about when you say they can't reliably handle the power? There are EA888 cars running 11's with a flash and 10 second passes with basic upgrades. Maybe you made a mistake and bought an STi instead of a Golf R but just man up, the Euro stuff in this category is better by every measure except maybe the haldex AWD (which could be argued either direction). Try and stop being a blind fanboy.
Not sure what you're talking about the STI is more than capable to be a daily driver. I'm sure at least 95% of STI owners use it mostly for daily driving. Way to throw in a Audi S3, a car that is a level up in price range compared to the STI. The STI doesn't have low end torque not because it's an outdated engine. It's built to make power in the higher revs for track use. It would be just plain silly to be at a track at 2000 RPM.
well that was a bit pointless, you all choose each car.
I love how the STI has a radio from a 09 Corolla.
If interior was up graded it will be 60 k
The Golf R and the Audi S3 are basically the same car lol
Not really did you listen to what they said!
Um, no.
@@larjkok1184 Umm YES. They have the exact same engine, transmission, AWD drivetrain and platform. The only difference is basically the body and interior and price lmao.
@@Braeserker same plastic water pump and reliability too 😂🙄
Excactly, I was thinking the same thing
Love the S3. In the market to buy one. Sure, i could get the STI or the VW, but i prefer the luxury of the S3 which comes with performance too. And besides, you can only go so far and fast before you hit the next traffic light, and highways dont have corners in them that require you to take the apex. Not a fan of the current shape of the STI either...previous model looked better.
the testers dont know how to drive the STI for nuts...they said the engine did not have a wide enough powerband, that s y subbie gave u a closed ratio 6 speed... if u know how to keep the engine in the tight powerband it have a much better time on the track... u need to work the sti to get the best of it
Subaru makes such great cars now but cannot seem to grasp the design part. They need to fire all of their designers and get new people in there. I was all on board to get a new WRX but then when they came out I laughed. The exterior completely ruins this car for me. The new Golf R and GTI's look amazing, along with the new S3. If im spending that much on a car it better look good, even if its more of a performance car than a "looks" car. Why cant subaru do both? Theres not a single subaru on the road that catches my eye and makes me want to drive it.
Dr. Josef Blough Ph.D. They didn’t stop making the STI. Only in Europe. The rest of the world still has the STI
The Adventure Mazda I agree with you. I personally like the exterior but the interior is just... ugh. I’m paying nearly as much as the S3 or Golf yet the interior isn’t that nice. Okay, for the 2018 model year, the materials were upgraded on the interior but I really expected a better design. Other than that, I think the STI is quite good. Except the not so good gas mileage.
STi is a huge disappointment. In 2000 it could match an M3, in 2015 it struggles to hang with a Fiesta.
Roy Batty You are smoking some serious shit, wow
+Roy Batty really
Makes sense since the EJ25 motor has been in Subaru cars since 1998
Shoegum lmao, you believe this
Ej205 1998 . 1999- 2005 ej207 . Ej257 2005 -2017
So... the best conclusion is not to have a definitive conclusion?
Great objective review. golf and S3 are defenitly more advanced. S3 is my favorite, and looks the Best.
i understand that the DSG is easier, but you can't say it's more fun than the manual. [I'm also a 16 Golf R Manual owner, so i actually have a say in this.]
This is a very biased review...
sti slower because the turbo is too big for that course, thats y track cars and rally cars dont have massive turbos because the powerband is not usable
STI fanboys now making excuses for turbo lag... l o fucking l.
Plus it’s a piece of shit.
I don’t give a damn about the competition. I’d still choose the Subaru. It’s just something about them.
I love going slow and warrenty engine replacments too😍
No one here races to work, races to the grocery store, races to pick the kids up from practice and races home while not having to fit ALL their gear and groceries in the back. True the Golf R isn't the best at everything but she'll stay right on your tail waiting for you to fail all while still providing the best gas mileage and the best balance of a daily driver. Not to mention the ability to switch from auto to manual and back again when you're done racing and stuck in stop and go traffic... The STi is fast (although not as fast as the previous model) but the interior makes me wanna puke with all the pink neon in my face. Too many people get caught up in speed and lap times when the true measure of the perfect car is to be able to do what you want, when you want, comfortably. German engineering for the win!
No, German engineering means designed by Germans in Germany. Why should I have to explain this?
Dustin Stevens
German engineering means engine failure.
Check out the extremely high engine failure rates of German car makes.
Well said
Exactly. The golf is for all the non wankers.
Stock for stock s3 is faster than both in a straight line.
"I don't like the STi because you have to work harder behind the wheel."
3 pedals too many for you old fart? And also...anyone that has ever driven an STi will never tell you it isn't a good car for tight tracks, the uber short gearing is actually AMAZING on the track and keeps you in the power band, these blokes are fools.
It "Floats". It's meant to be Rallied, not Tracked. The Audi and the VW are the only two cars in that comparison that actually belong on a track. Do you see Subaru in the GT races where Chevy, Audi, Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Ford, and the other big names race their sports cars? No. Because Subaru is for rallies and their main competitor just dropped out after kicking their ass again and again.
The Audi looks like something a chick would drive. Give me the Scooby. I will definitely feel the safest on a twisty road.
People just don't know the potential of the STI lol search "Subaru WRX STI Isle of Man TT" and see if the S3 or Golf R can do the same standard! Sigh.. these car journalists lol leave the reviews to Jeremy, Hammond and May and go back to writing car magazines.
Besides, the Subaru is cheaper, cheaper to maintain, faster on the track, 100% more reliable and interior is classy enough, you don't need diamonds and leather lol.
+Andy Thach well said . It's bs the saying it's not worth 50 k . Get real the other cars have no limited slip diff , intercooler sprayer , better suspension or setup features .. Btw the golf r the testing starts at 57 k . The manual golf r is 55 k
can buy a golf r grid for 47k which has more power then the last gen and more tech the the subie has ever had... the sti is an overrated car and expensive for what you get
New sti doesn't even cost 40k out the door in dollars. Maybe they are talking different currency or something.
+david morris - in Australia we have our own dollars, but they are made of vegemite with pictures of kangaroos on them.
Whether it be the interior or exterior, it still seems that Subaru is still gearing the STi towards the younger audience (with mixed success). The thing that bothers me is, most of that audience won't be able to afford the pricetag. As a lot of people have already put out there, it's no longer the bang for your buck car that it once was. Drop the price by $10,000 and we'll see if that makes a difference, Subaru.
mixed success? the new STIs are selling better than ever. Subaru can't keep up with the demand of the STIs.
All three cars are great . I have a golf R . And i know that Subaru is good to . It all comes down to what each person wants. All three companies must be doing something right cause they have been around a long time!
I tried to find an R, and when I purchased in '21, the S3s were actually 2-3k cheaper. I think the Golf R was having a big moment for the last five years or so, it stayed in the limelight. I love the R, I'm happy with the 3. Now Stage 2 :)
The new sti finally changed engines and would be interesting to compare.
The engine note in the golf r /s3 is partly artificial sound. Google soundaktor golf r /s3 and you can see where the speaker is which pumps a grunty engine note into the cabin. Quite a few buyers were shocked when they found out about this!!
Wouldn't the S3 sportback/hatchback be a bit faster than the saloon/sedan version?
Harpreet06 yes it would be! I have the sportback
Why do people get so angry over STI being slower than the Golf R and S3? Who gives a crap about lap time around a track being 1-2 sec slower? Is that even relevant for everyday use?
If you are
i will say this,the subie engine has remained practically unchanged around 2 decades now,im still amazed the design can still compete with the modern german tech at this stage,in that regard i respect the old school subie mentality showcasing its rally heritage 20 years later and still getting away with it,the car has soul,thats what makes the subie more personal to people,but i do think its time to turn the page and get with the times,in the 90s the sti in the right hands could beat ANY car on the planet,i think its time subaru took their heads out of the sand and revamp a loved but aging platform
+Erick Bren Except a souped up GTR will eat any German engineered street car alive.
They keep saying luxury but they don't really get into the performance bang for the money. Not too many people that like these cars give a crap about luxury. Its nice to have, but not at such higher costs. These guys are older, of course interior design and luxury is priority. How about opinions from someone who is the target consumer?
dummed down engine and lack of rumble in STI compared to older models?. ....what the f...are you talking about . It's the same drivetrain and you don't hear rumble you fool because it has stock exhaust.
Yea lol I have a 2015 STi and took the rear mufflers off, sounds like a fucking monster!
STI seems to get slower and slower as the new models come in. Not good. Give me an earlier STI with the 2 litre not the crap 2.5.
As a new Golf R owner I can attest that the build "quality" gap between the VAG cars and the Subaru is likely more a case of perception rather than a true quality difference. Despite having a lovely soft-touch top-dash, I was rather surprised when my rear spoiler fins flew off after 900 miles! Furthermore that afore mentioned dash has more than a few rattles after only a 1100 miles. I can't bear to take it back to VW as they left scratch marks on my car whilst fixing the said spoiler fins.... don't be fooled by soft touch plastics disguising shoddy manufacturing and distracting from poor aftersales service.
Find a new dealership....Not that hard.
You tested a race car against 2 luxury cars and complained about a sparse interior...
"race" car. The Golf R isn't a luxury car. It's every bit as capable as the STI, with a better motor and better interior.
Lenny Datello Better motor? We will see after few miles of hard driving.
+Lenny Datello better motor haha , the motors shot the DSG is the only reason it's good , golf r manual no chance against a sti
clearly you dont know what you're talking about... a stage 1 golf r manual is faster then a stage 2 wrx sti. the engine is the golf is a far better motor. which can outperform that outdated boxer.
NO! they're all in the same segment, similar power, similar performance, but all offer a slightly different package.
All have similar performance so it comes down to looks and S3 wins by a mile. I wouldn't be seen dead in the nasty looking Subaru.
It is Haladex front wheel biased car versus Torque vectoring AWD, can't be the same performance, the tester just don't test the differences properly in the perfect AWD test the Haladex will show its weakness
+Manny Echaluce Haldex is a garbage poor performance but some kind.. "safe". Suffer from reliability and IT'S A LIE, because they say "permanent awd", but that system is a "permanent FWD" instead :)))
Can't believe the new sti is slower than my stock engine RX8 around wakefield lol, are you sure you can drive?
Many people are too biased to other makes of cars, I fucking hated BMW and a fan of Audi but sat in my mates BMW car for the first time and it was a different story!
Only the STI is available here in Canada. S3 will come within a year. The R probably not. I'd trade my 2013 S4 today for the S3. The R for the S4 would be a tougher trade.
s3 so beautiful
S3 and Golf identical engines , chassis the lot , body difference only
Great video! Can't wait to get my R next summer! One piece of advice for CarAdvice: take 12 extra seconds per video to say "X Kw or X Hp and X Nm or X Lb/Tq". Converting it in our heads mid-video (or confusing most ppl to the point the stop the video) is distracting. This is a world audience, or at least We hope you'd aspire to be.
Sti interior is s joke. Audi wins hands down
What? No drag race?!
How can one even call a front wheel biased Haladex system an AWD system when the rear wheels are not powered until there is a slip, the Subaru on the other hand has Torque vectoring AWD.
Still awd..not all time. Sti looses power when it all goes to 4 wheels all time compared to front wheels..which gives the s3 the advantages (not including dsg trans). Lol
Had a chance to drive a Golf R a few months back and I must say, its really the worlds best performance bargain, sure it disappointed me in a lot of ways like the looks which was utter boxy and BORING and the service costs of Golf R is 2 high for a regular Joe but what struck me is the Golf R was much much better than most other sports cars that do the 0-100 in between 4.5 and 5.5s league, the Golf was comfortable all the time,oozes quality,and that DSG is wickedly quick, I got a 0-100 kph in 4.8s with GPS, and on the track we tried out the R was faster than a Mercedes SLK,BMW M135i,Ford Focus RS(used 2 be ma personal favorite b4 Golf R),WRX STi,Mitsubishi EVO X, by around 1-2 s, thats incredible
GOLF nailed it, it will remain the benchmark 2 beat for all other brands, its 2 good for the money, also it returned almost 11.66 kmpl overall , what more does 1 need,
In my mind worlds best sports car
It is an R thats the reason why the service costs it's a bit high than a normal 2.0 TDI but it is really fast with 2.0 turbo and 300 HP check out the new passat with bi-turbo engine :)
Eron Gashi yaa,i saw that 236 bhp and 450 NM from 2.0 bi turbo,i think its time other brands start to think and go back to drawing board VW is too good now a days
where were you when you did the drive?
Mc Curtis Kelley At spain in June 2014
golf -r lovely but Mercedes amg 45 the dogs bollicks
Why the British despises the Subaru's? for the past 10 years they have criticizes Subaru and praises the German saloons when obviously are in another category.
This is an Australian review
I think this review is a bit biased. I was in the market trying to pick between these 3 cars and i choose the subaru wrx sti. Before i drove the 3 cars i watched this review and others which were claiming the golf r and audi were superior cars to the subaru wrx sti. I decided to buy the golf R because it seemed like the best buy on paper until my friend convinced me to test drive the STI because he had driven the previous one.
After i drove the STI i was speechless and was thinking back to these reviews wondering what these guys are on about. :-/
There is a lot of technology is the audi and golf respectively but the STI is engineered so well that the other 2 cars does not even come close to it. The grip, balance, precision etc in the STI ... I just don't have words to describe. The audi and golf do not come close to the drive of the STI its just something else. For me its the perfect blend between comfort and sports.
Also i dont know why everyone is complaining about the Subaru STI interior, i bought the 2016 updated premium STI and i prefer its cabin over the audi s3 and golf R. It just feels like a real practical cabin well thought out. Its a very sport interior with elements of luxury when you pay close enough attention. The technology in the audi S3and golf r like the dsg and suspension setting is gimmicky compared to the practical engineering design of the sti.
Do not believe what you hear and test drive the 3 cars your self and you will understand what i mean.
+Biscuit.Bear Lol not half as biased as you... calling the DSG and adaptive suspension control a gimmick.. you have no idea.. Subaru interior has a cheap feel, every review says it because it's true. The STI is doing 1.13's at Wakefield so it's not even fast. This review is accurate and unbiased. The Golf R and S3 are much better cars than the STI in every way except price. Enjoy your STI and love it for what it is, a cheap Japanese sedan but dont get confused and think it's better than a Golf R or S3 just because you own it.
+Jistro ok whatever you say old man! STI is the better car and Will only get better in 2018! STI will beat these two cars around the track!
+Andrew Miscevich lol okay. You know my age all of a sudden. Subaru are living in the 90's.. Way out of its league when compared to Golf and S3. It's quite a few pegs down in every aspect. Certainly performance, technology and quality.
+Biscuit.Bear no you're just a fan boy
Its my first ever Subaru lol.. I had a choice between the bmw m235i, audi s3 and olf R. I test drove all of them. Just because i picked the Subaru doesn't make me a fan boy.
On tight corners top end power is not needed, in rally with a lot of corners they usually use between 3k - 5 k rpm, the turbo lag is the real enemy, without a antilag system, those new direct injection engines are faster because the have less lag, the turbo builds boost in the lower range. so it is a great dissapointment that the STI did not use the FA engine, they could have tuned it to a safe 330 hp, and blow those haldex shitboxes out of the water, because in performance point of view haldex awd is horseshit.
The wrx and sti sedans from MY11 to the current model are the loudest they've even been lol. Exhaust note and drone anyway.
Every time I see an STI they just seem to look uglier...
The STI factory tune, which I'm guessing is what they are using, kinda sucks, so you absolutely have to get it tuned for it to be good.
When they stop making this Sti all will cry. Its a classic just like the Evo was. Scoop em up before the get rid of them.
S3 for me
Aftermarket wise sti wins but golf r is all day for me (manual of course) I love my k04 gti and can't wait to go to an awd!
But we aren't here about aftermarket cars. And if we were....the 700BHP R32s would shit on the aftermarket STIs.
The STI was made for mods and the other two haven't really. That's why I bought an STI over a 335xi.
Terribly wrong. APR/AWE/GIAC/REVO/UNITRONIC. Look them up. Golf R's are making over 500whp reliably.
No problems with the 2.0t's, in comparison to the failure rate of the archaic boxer motor.
BMW has Berger Tuning, RB, and Dynan amongst others.
Sorry you made the wrong choice.
Lenny Datello yes he did
Lenny Datello First thing first: Depreciation. VW cars depreciate like crazy and after a year and a bit of owning my car, I already make a ton of money if I sell it.
I have a friend at work that has a Golf R. I've definitely made the right choice buddy.
He let me drive his a bit. My car is so much more exciting and sounds and feels hardcore compared to it. It's more fun and side by side the Golf looks smaller and just not as aggressive.
The interior is nicer but everything in the Subie feels more manly and mechanical if that makes sense.
I just got it tuned to just under 300awhp and the thing is a rocketship. Sounds like a much bigger engine too. The R still songs like a 4 banger.
Anyway, my next car will be in a couple of years and I'm looking at a GTR, AMG Merc or some nice used exotic. Upgrading slowly as income goes up :)
Lenny Datello I do agree that the STI needs an engine update though. This engine is pretty awesome but did get old. I have a 2013 sedan stage 2+ and even though I easily could, I didn't get the new one because the drivetrain is the same. I also like the look of mine better. Rumor is that next gen is an electric performance turbo hybrid. That I would buy as a daily driver.
@@OviWanKeno9i where's that new exotic?
The audi is obviously the better car. Not a fair comparison considering it cost about $15,000 more than the other two, well at least here in the US. I'd love to buy a wrx but why the hell does it still have shitty gas milage. The audi makes more power, run the 1/4 mile faster, and still gets a little over 30 highway. Hopefully suburu gets on board with the direct injection setup at some point.
lol, sadly subaru already has, and 25mpg is all you're going to get... Antiquated AWD is horribly inefficient, but amazing on dirt... thats why they're trying CVT and other bullshit on the WRX.
Great for those countries who have yet to discover paved roads.
something is for sure.. since there are that many turbocharged cars in the market nowadays many "mythical" sport-cars are no longer what they used to... 10/15 years before when someone talked about his turbo "x" sport baby people said: wow that should be quite fast, nice stuff.. but today there are many models and so became a common thing it seems like STi and EVOs are now like "any" production everyday model such Vw GTi/R, etc. Alfa Romeo? Renault RS, Ford RS, (even M.Benz!!) and so on... Sad but true!
STI with a little mods would eat them
Lmao...i own a 16'stock S3 and i race my buddys 16'STI stage 2...and i still pull on him. Subies are for high school kids.
Nice race
GOLF 7 R is great
206kw or 280hp in s3 and golf R!! those australian Golf R and audi S3 got 20hp less than european (german) version
because their euro engines need premium fuels like 95 98, subarus run on whatever the fuck is flammable
Cykoid they dont need nothing premium especially not WV engines!! you could have them with regular (cheaper) gasoline and they will have same hp
+Mr11ESSE111 yeah, they do. My fania RS requires 98.
Go buy a type R n run it on 91 lol. See if the warranty holds.
sugarnads maybe in Australia needs but in Europe you can tank with cheapest gasoline and it will have same hp and nothing will be wrong
Hats off to the lad that picks the STI.
Ummm the STI should of beaten both of those cars..someone is bias! 🤔
Hahah. Bruh S3 is much superior then the out dated STI. My S3 pulls on my buddys stage 2 16' STI...and is why i traded in years ago from a 15' STI to a S3.
The VW has a very good chazzy
m135 x drive for me please
It is obvious that these guys have a bios towards German cars. Though I agree with some of their review comments, bios can be clearly be seen in the track performance test. For instance, I've seen 4 RUclips videos comparing the 15 Golf with the 15 STI, with the exception of this review, not one showed the Golf R outperforming the STI on a performance track. Come on guys!
DCT buddy!!
Was not really a fan of the Golf R, but after watching various RUclips videos, it does seem to tick a few boxes for me as im looking for a long term purchase soon, a car that does everything and hope to get at least ten years out of it, not joking either. The only things that bother me with this Golf are VW reliability plus the fake pumped sound into the cabin. I don't need or want that. Its ridiculous. I do like the STI, but the very firm ride is a bit of a negative for me, shame really because the car would easily last into my retirement. As for the Audi, ive had a new one and although very nice interiors and overall very good premium cars, I dont think its a very good choice for long term ownership. Reliability and maintenance costs would concern me. So what does that leave me ? Power, ride and handling, plus reliable ? Better get a Forester XT then :D
What’s the point of this video if every driver is gonna choose their own car that they already love, thought it would be more like a comparison and them picking out 1 car out of the 3
The question is, do you want to drive a rally looking car like the subaru in everyday city driving? No If you're an 18 year old boy, then maybe yes.
Obviously neither of these three guys could drive, why would you place an all wheel drive car to full rear lock and then say its the worst of the three all wheelers... Lets think about that one.... Of course it's going to drive like a rear wheel drive when you have the center diff set to rear bias.
A video review finally using some proper electronic music not cheesy sounding EDM :)
these 3 hot-hatches, hold on. you mean 1 hot-hatch. the GTI.
How can you call this a car advice channel when you all pick different cars which you would buy at the end... The reviews you each did on the cars are really good, but it sounds almost like you had to sit on the fence for a reason.
You should all drive each of the cars on film and then each give your verdict for each car. Of course you're going to pick the car, which you appeared on the video, to drive all day as the best one.
s3 golfr wrx all very fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOL, STI got his arse handed over to him on a silver plate, BY A HATCHBACK! I really didn't expect that, but it's funny!
what about 1/4 mile...???
Pointless! If this car review channel wants more audience. Please make some serious judgement for your review. thanks.
What is.wrong? That is just true. You mad because shitty subaru is shit?
Conclusion is just like a rehearsal, host reading the script without emotion.
Take easy，It's Just my opinion, I'm not mad, just some advice. OK? By the way I prefer Golf R.
Audi and golf r much more expensive to service maintanence sti all the way
Clearly you have no clue what you're talking about, wait til the Subaru starts to misfire, or leak oil due to ringland failure, or bends rods, or shits the headgasket. Then talk to me about expenses. Again clearly you have no clue😂
The problem with the Golf R is that it looks like that. Maybe if you are looking for a sleeper, but does the styling have to be SOOO F-ing bland?
I have a 2017 STI and never lost to any car trying to compete with me I laugh at Bmw, Infiniti, Lexus, Audi, Alfa Romeo and many more I don’t waste my time no more
Lmao
Golf R is fastest because, u dont need, to change the gears, which means a thing, the drivers don't know how to drive, and whats the point to put all the grip to the rear in STI where is a lovely auto-mode ,,,
Golf R definitely looks good. STI looks better ;)
And S3 looks the Best.
TheEryk03
If you want a "Batmobil"
How pointless where was drag race?
Subaru sti is a shit car for people who can afford a proper sports car. Worse badge of the lot. Even vw has more prestige
There is no way in HELL the STi is slower on the track than the two other cars on the track.
Notice how they didn't specify who drove each car. The STi is a no compromise track monster. Which means it isn't nearly as good a daily driver as the other two. But there is no way in hell it's slower.
Do this test again, on the same day, by the same driver (preferably someone with experience at a race track) and i guarantee you that the STi will leave them seconds behind.
"...you have to work VERY hard behind the wheel and it STILL is a very mechanical car" LMAO. Go to a nursing home and drive a Prius, nobody has forced you to work VERY hard by testing sports cars.
track time... sti is slowest...
i wasted 8 minutes of my life on people who cant drive a Japanese car...
moving on with life.
Who care's about money but the s3 is the best out of those two cars
little turbos won to the bigger turbos
s3 and golf isn't permanent awd, but a bullshit fwd-haldex for girlish "streetracers":))).
We talk about healthy/strong'n reliable mechanic systems, not those ones good only for ..lists:))
Audi started with a4.. before that, anything badged audi is in fact.. cheap vw golf platform and haldex (q3, tt, a3, s3, rs3)
damn sucks to live in australia.
You guys are playing a lot for your cars compared to us here in Canada and your steering wheel is on the wrong side. Shame really.
I don't see the aesthetic appeal of the golf hatchback. . .
Subaru lost the plot a long time ago
Guys who knows whats driving doesnt matter how exterior looks like. golf r, best bargain. Sti's too crude for me
What a weak bland comparison this jokers are pushing, they forgot one of the most important thing most of us wanted to see!!! 0-60 & quarter drag!!!!!!!
They don't know how to drive fast cars, for "review" purposes only lol
Golfs have such a boring look and design the Audi looks like every other Audi and an overpriced vw, if all 3 were driving down the road guarantee sti would turn 10x more heads
Well said
bwahahaha. Are you driving down the street looking for girls at lunch near your old high school? Honestly anyone with any fucking bias would pick the S3 look over any of the other two... It's hard to compare the hatch to the two sedans, but anyone who says they wouldn't take the STI powertrain and the S3 interior/exterior is straight up lying, or they're 20 something's that don't even know what's what yet.
Only if you are driving past teenaged boys lol
Probably because the driver has an outrageous sound system blaring...
golf 7r karol
If I run out of toilet paper I just use my moms t-shirts. Lifehackin
+givemthechair bro - nice
lol at subaru fanboys, the Sti has a better AWD system but compared to VW/Audis 2.0T, its engine is shit..not a fanboy just stating facts..
hahaha but before you have too see the dragrace audi vs subaru and after came her and talk about audi engine
arenc muka Coherent sentences please.
Audi Quattro ( Torsen or Haldex ) is better than Subaru AWD or any other AWD system.Note: VW 4Motion is not the Quattro with another name.They are very different on eletronics and programming and Quattro offers much more best final results than 4Motion.
Aluminum does not equal shit.
***** Pretty sure it's a luxury sports combo. Some people don't want a "raw " or harsher, noisier ride. Also, real men drive whatever they want :-)
Dsg transmission is something I really don't want. When going very slow it just eats up your clutches. It behaves like it has a torque converter, but it doesn't. Useless if your pulling trailers or driving on really bad roads.
the reviews from this site seems to be getting the down thumbs quite frequently.
So after a decade VW has finally made a motor that is on par with the aging EJ257 that has barely changed since it's introduction........... The new FA motor in STI might set the gold standard again.
Razvan J Subaru and non profit? uhh...... Subaru has been having increased annual sales year after year now and are growing. Most importantly, Subaru sales are dominating the U.S. Market ,one of the most important car markets in that Americans rely HEAVILY on personal vehicles. Sales are also great in Cananda and Australia. The "boy racer" segments" such as the WRX/STI are the best selling cars for Subaru.
It's funny that you've mentioned VW and Audi, how's the diesel gate scandal going for them? Anymore resignations from VW top officals yet? How much money do they owe now? Are the stocks of VW still falling? How's the resale of VWs now? How many countries/states/organizations are filing law suits against them now? Is that overpoluting diesel motor that VW makes your example of comparing Subaru motors as "junk"?
On par? The VW engine is more responsive, revs better, produces torque at lower rpm and is more fuel efficient. It's literally better by any measure.. And it's 500cc smaller.. Thanks for playing, better luck next time.
Jistro "more responsive", in what way? with modifications? Yes, i've seen Golf GTI/Rs with APR tunes and such and they make high numbers ,but it's clear that the motor can't handle the power with owner reports of catastrophic turbo failures (as in the turbo failing and shredding itself will as a result tear apart the rest of the motor).
"Revs better", what do you mean? A honda motor such as the K20 and F20 series revs smoother, more willingly than either the Golf R and STI, mostly due to its naturally aspirated and high redline nature. So I'm not sure how "revs better" is a statement.
Low end torque isn't necessarily "better". With low end torque you give up top end power, more so with a 4 cylinder turbo motor. If you wand low end torque and midrange/topend get a forced induction V8.
The Golf R motor being smaller is a wash because you have to account the overall weight of the vehicle. The STI nad Golf R are about the same weight, with the STI being about 50 or 80lbs lighter.
MPG, i'm sure that the Golf R motor is better and i would hope so for their sake. The STI isn't as bad as people say, I've seen STIs get 24 city and 28 highway if they like a normal person and not a jackass. The MPG difference is mostly due to the differences in the AWD drive train. The STI has symetrical AWD (all 4 wheels are working 24/7) while the Golf R AWD is essentially a front wheel drive car until it senses that it starts to slip then it kicks in its AWD.
+Mrlolibre do your research better. The STi lacks low end response and runs out of breath in the top end.
The turbo failures in the mk7 R were because of the start stop function and were addressed a long time ago.
What are you talking about when you say they can't reliably handle the power? There are EA888 cars running 11's with a flash and 10 second passes with basic upgrades.
Maybe you made a mistake and bought an STi instead of a Golf R but just man up, the Euro stuff in this category is better by every measure except maybe the haldex AWD (which could be argued either direction).
Try and stop being a blind fanboy.
Not sure what you're talking about the STI is more than capable to be a daily driver. I'm sure at least 95% of STI owners use it mostly for daily driving. Way to throw in a Audi S3, a car that is a level up in price range compared to the STI. The STI doesn't have low end torque not because it's an outdated engine. It's built to make power in the higher revs for track use. It would be just plain silly to be at a track at 2000 RPM.
How the fuck did the sti lose?... I smell bullshit