I have a 2022 VB WRX in…
I have a 2022 VB WRX in Premium trim, it took some imagination to see past the gaudy flat black plastic trim covering a large portion of the car (especially the fender flares), but with a clear vision and a lot of aftermarket support, I've been able to turn my ugly WRX duckling into my mind's eye's vision of a graceful STi swan. That said, it was more than just what I envisioned as far as potential aesthetics that convinced me to buy a VB WRX (or be in the market for any generation WRX/STi for that matter,) that being the powerplant and drivetrain, although admittedly a bit lacking in power output by today's standards. Subaru people love the interactions with the senses that an EV simply can't replicate. The whooshing and whistling sounds that come with the throaty burble that only a turbocharged flat-four can deliver will be found high on the checklist that WRX/STi consumers refer to when purchasing their next cat, as well as the mandatory thorough attention required toward shifting through the gears of a 6 speed m/t drivetrain (a bit gimmicky when added simply as fan service in an EV where it isn't required.) I think Subaru's safest bet is to take babysteps as far as utilizing an EV as their flagship performance model, namely by beginning with a hybrid rather than diving in headfirst into EV with an ST"e", because to many Subaru WRX/STi people such as myself, choosing to traverse that latter option would not be bringing back the STi at all.