2021 Subaru WRX STI Interior and Cargo

As standard, the 2021 Subaru WRX STI has Ultrasuede/carbon black leather upholstery. The bolsters are red, and they have red stitching. This adds a sporty touch to an otherwise bland, functional interior. In the Limited model, the front seats are upgraded to Recaros, also featuring red leather inserts. In Limited guise, the driver's seat is eight-way power-adjustable. The other sporty touches include a leather-wrapped, flat-bottom steering wheel, as well as aluminum-alloy pedal covers. The rest of the car is pretty average, and nothing special.

You'd expect the WRX STI's sedan shape to have more cargo space than its hatch rivals. The reality is that the hatches easily give it a beatdown in this particular category. The Honda Civic Type R has 25.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, while the outgoing Golf R has 22.8 cubic feet of space. The STI only has 12 cubic feet of cargo space. It's a large enough space, able to carry three suitcases, but weak compared to its direct rivals. This space can be extended by folding the rear seats flat in a 60/40 split.

Overall storage space is merely average. The center console has a large storage area beneath the climate control. The console between the front seats also has two cupholders, while the doors each have a single bottle holder. There is also a rear center armrest with dual cupholders. The glovebox is illuminated and lockable, for storing valuable items.

As we said before, the WRX STI is unashamedly about the driving experience. Only the essentials are included as standard, but at least they're nice essentials. The base STI comes with dual-zone climate control, keyless entry with a push-button start, cruise control, a tilt and telescoping steering column, STI-specific instruments, a rearview camera, heated front seats and mirrors, and hill start assist. The Limited model adds Recaro seats, eight-way power-adjustment for the driver's seat, blind-spot detection, lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and a power moonroof. Depending on how much you value comfort and convenience, the Limited isn't a bad choice.

The STI's Starlink seven-inch color touchscreen infotainment system is easy to use and integrates Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD Radio, and SiriusXM. You can also stream music via Bluetooth, or the dual USB ports. It also has a CD slot, which many manufacturers don't include these days. The Limited model adds navigation. The base model uses a six-speaker setup, while the Limited model is equipped with a nine-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system.