For decades, the WRX STI stood tall as the undisputed king of the Subaru mountain, boasting around 310 horsepower and dominating dirt trails worldwide. But prepare to have your enthusiast heart broken… or completely thrilled. The Japanese marque has just announced an all-new, all-electric family hauler that blows past the legendary STI with a massive 420 horsepower.
“Fast. Family. Fun.”
According to a recent press release, Subaru is gearing up to unveil its next electric SUV at the 2026 New York International Auto Show. Instead of leaning into the typical eco-friendly talking points, the automaker is aggressively pivoting its EV marketing with a bold new tagline: “Fast. Family. Fun.”.
Subaru confirmed that this upcoming adventure vehicle will feature its legendary Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and an incredible 420 horsepower. This officially makes it the most powerful production vehicle the brand has ever built. To put that massive power output into perspective, the brand’s current electric crossover, the Solterra, produces just 215 horsepower. This unnamed mystery SUV nearly doubles that output, easily eclipsing the gasoline-powered STI models of the past.
How the New EV Stacks Up Against STI History
To really understand how wild a 420-horsepower factory Subaru is, you have to look back at the undisputed king of the automaker’s performance lineup: the WRX STI. Even when counting the absolute rarest, most highly tuned regional exclusives, this new electric family hauler still comes out on top.
Here is a look back at the STI’s historical horsepower figures:
- First Generation (1994–2000): Ranged from 247 hp (Version I) to an officially stated 276 hp (Version VI) due to the “gentleman’s agreement” among Japanese automakers limiting advertised power.
- Second Generation (2000–2007): While JDM models maintained the 276-hp cap on paper, the first North American STI arrived in 2004 packing a larger 2.5-liter engine that produced a massive 300 hp.
- Third Generation (2008–2014): USDM models held steady at 305 hp, while JDM models hovered around 304 hp.
- Fourth Generation (2015–2021): Ranged from 305 hp up to 310 hp for the final USDM model years.
- The “S” Line Exclusives (S201-S209): Subaru’s highly tuned, limited-run variants slowly climbed from 296 hp up to 341 hp for the 2019 STI S209 (the first S-Line sold in the US).
- 2018 STI Diamond Edition: Limited to just 30 units for South Africa, this aggressive 30th-anniversary build produced 349 hp.
- 2018 STI TC380: A Japan-only exclusive limited to 50 units. Co-developed with rally driver Toshihiro Arai, it cranked out 380 hp.
- 2010 Cosworth Impreza STI CS400: Widely considered the most powerful factory-backed STI ever sold to the public. Limited to just 75 units for the UK, Cosworth rebuilt the flat-four engine to produce an earth-shattering 395 hp.
Redefining the Subaru Experience
While the WRX and STI earned their stripes on gravel backroads, this new 420-hp EV is going to bring a big change to the nameplate. Because electric motors deliver 100% of their torque instantly, this heavy-duty family hauler could launch off the line faster than any homologation car the brand has ever sold.
Early industry reports suggest this new EV is a larger, three-row crossover that shares its underpinnings with the recently revealed 2027 Toyota Highlander EV. However, the Highlander EV doesn’t currently offer anywhere near 420 horsepower, meaning Subaru is purposefully tuning (yes, you can still “tune” power delivery, motor mapping, and battery output on an EV!) its version to be a true performance powerhouse.
The global debut of this insanely powerful new electric SUV will be livestreamed on April 1, 2026, at 10:25 a.m. ET, live from the New York International Auto Show. You’ll be able to watch here live.
