Used Subaru WRX STI prices hit $230K

Prices for second-hand examples of the last-of-its-kind 2021 Subaru WRX STI EJ25 Final Edition have exploded in recent months, with one example currently listed at carsales for as much as $230,000.

There are currently nine MY21 STI Final Editions listed for sale at carsales, all but one of which is privately advertised, and even the cheapest offering is listed at $119,990.

Revealed on April 19 last year and priced at $62,440 plus on-road costs, the Subaru WRX STI EJ25 Final Edition was launched as the swansong flagship for the 2.5-litre EJ25 turbo-boxer engine that’s powered warm and hot Subies for decades.

Since then the new-generation Subaru WRX has emerged with an all-new 2.4-litre turbo flat four, and the Japanese brand announced the shock news there won’t be a hotter STI version this time round, without ruling out an electric STI model one day.

That’s the key reason why asking prices for the previous STI have skyrocketed, along with the fact only 75 examples of the EJ25 Final Edition were ever offered Down Under.

Based on the flagship WRX STI Spec.R, the Final Edition was adorned with bespoke badging, gold alloy wheels, a pinstriped grille, black body elements, Ultrasuede steering wheel, red STI starter button, silver seatbelts and interior stitching, and an ‘EJ25 Final Edition’ numbered badge beneath the gear lever.

The $230,000 asking price mentioned above refers to a white EJ25 Final Edition manual sedan carrying the highly sought-after ‘01/75’ build plate.

Also helping to explain the eye-watering asking price, only 15 of the 75 units sold Down Under were Pearl White, and this particular vehicle advertised privately in NSW has only 52km on the odometer, plus STI floormats, front window tint and ceramic paint protection.

“Car is New and only has delivery klm's and will need an appointment if an inspection is required as car is in storage,” says the seller.

To put things into perspective, the #1 car’s current list price is almost four times higher than its original retail price and would net the seller a $167,560 profit if it sold for the advertised figure – minus a few grand for the on-road costs that would’ve been paid at the time of delivery.

But even the ‘cheapest’ Final Edition – a blue example with 5300km on the clock – is being advertised for nearly double its original list price.

It isn’t just private sellers trying to capitalise on the demise of the once-homologated rally icon; dealers are getting in on the action too and making the most of this newfound demand, just as some did with the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series and 300 Series.

With just 24km under its belt, STI EJ25 #63 is listed by a dealer as a used vehicle with an asking price of $185,000 – very nearly triple the original asking price.

For reference, you ‘only’ need $166,500 to get yourself into a top-spec BMW M3 Competition xDrive, or $175,100 for something a bit more exotic like a manual Porsche Cayman GTS.

Subaru Australia has confirmed to carsales that the last WRX STI EJ25 Final Edition was sold (new) by a Queensland dealership in February of this year.

Used prices for turbocharged Subarus have been steadily on the rise in recent years, with the older models – like the GC8 WRX and gen-one Liberty RS – in particular coming to the fore.

Still, it’s unlikely the STI Final Edition will get anywhere near the market value of the fabled Subaru WRX STI 22B, good examples of which now fetch more than $400,000 at auction.

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