The WRX is the default option for an AWD sedan with 3 pedals and some power, and the STI takes a step up from there. So I figured I'd take one out on a cold, rainy day in New England (CT, USA).
The Interior: Comfortable seats, black with red trim, but nothing too aggressive looking. Heated driver and front passenger seats. Plenty of room inside in the front and back seats, and a surprising amount of trunk space. The gage cluster is the most aggressive thing inside, backlit in red/orange, with a large tach and odometer on each side, with a spot for some extra info in between the two. Subaru's standard, fairly long shift knob with the pull-up collar for reverse, and reverse in the bottom right.
The Tech: Standard Subaru infotainment for 2017. It's fairly basic, as far as infotainment goes, and the only important thing I noted was Bluetooth. I know Bluetooth shouldn't really be notable for a 2017, but there wasn't much else that was notable. No Android Auto/Apple CarPlay in the 2017 and no backup camera. It also has Subaru's optional StarLink security system.
Driving: The weight and the AWD system help it to feel very planted, even in rainy, cold weather on all-seasons. The visibility all around is pretty good all around. The clutch is fairly heavy, with the bite point being very close to the top. The shifter feels fine, but it bothered me that the forward throw from neutral is shorter than the backward throw (shorter distance from neutral to 1/3/5 than to 2/4/6). That really only matters when you're going from neutral, as you would from a stop, but I kept second-guessing whether or not I was in gear. The power is readily available, and I launched pretty hard from a stop more than once, and I definitely enjoyed the handful of times where I got to rev it out a bit. This is one of the more raw cars I've driven, and it's pretty loud inside. I imagine it would make an uncomfortable daily, but could provide some fun on a back road, or carving through some snow.
The Value: We're in a high demand, low supply market right now, so the pricing seems a little crazy to me on this one. It's listed at $29k with 32.5k miles on it, and has damage in the Autocheck report. Gas is rated at 17/23 mpg for city/highway, with premium gas, which isn't awful, but it's definitely not great.
If I wanted something to handle a lot of inclement weather or had to deal with a lot of rough roads, and I still wanted to be able to bomb around without feeling like a slug, this could be a pretty solid option. But personally, I think it's a little too raw to be used as a daily. Also, Subarus tend to hold their value well, but you're paying a little extra to wear the badge.
As a side note, this one had the giant wing on the back. And while I understand that some people are into that, I'd personally want to take that off as soon as I got home, unless my home was St. Louis and I really liked to see the arch in the background.