--- title: "Subaru Hears You and Knows People Want a New STI: TDS" date: "2026-03-05" modified: "2026-03-05" authors: - name: "Joel Feder" job_title: "Director of Content and Product" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/joel-feder" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/subaru-hears-you-and-knows-people-want-a-new-sti-tds" categories: - "News" - "The Downshift" --- # Subaru Hears You and Knows People Want a New STI: TDS ![Subaru Performance-E STI concept]() Good morning and welcome to *The Downshift*, or *TDS* for short. Tight, dense, and lacking filler, *TDS* gathers the latest automotive headlines from around the globe and puts them in one place. Stories are summarized in a single sentence accompanied by a link for those seeking more information. πŸ”Š Episode 6 of *[The Drivecast]()* went live yesterday and it's all about [Rivian's RAD.]() You can [listen to the latest episode]() on the site by navigating to the Podcasts tab or on [Apple Podcasts](), or [Spotify]().. 🚨 Just to reiterated what Senior Editor Adam Ismail said yesterday, we are making some scheduling changes that will see Mr. Ismail taking over *TDS* duties on the regular every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. You'll still get your full dose of Feder on Tuesdays and Thursdays most weeks. And with that, the first cup of coffee is gone, definitely ready for a second, and it's almost time to get my daughter to school. Let's get into it. 🚘 What I’m driving: Spending the week with the 2026 Volkswagen Golf GTI and am simply charmed by the iconic hot hatch. But the control interfaces, particularly the touch-based sliders for the climate and volume, are horrid to live with and hard to comprehend how someone thought these were a good idea. At least they are now backlit. πŸ’¨ Subaru of [Australia General Manager Scott Lawrence said]() "there has been a significant volume of feedback" regarding the desire for a new STI and "the tempo of news and activity out of STI publicly is picking up;" the comment comes hot on the heels of Subaru displaying two STI-badged concepts ([one electric]() and [one gas-powered]()) in Japan in October and another STI-badged car in January, "as those concepts proved, lots of work in that space – STI isn’t dead," Lawrence said. πŸ”‹ Lexus [announced pricing for the new 2026 ES lineup]() and the EV costs less than the hybrid model. πŸŽ‰ The first [new Alpina model under BMW's ownership will debut]() on March 6 at the Amelia Concours show in Florida. πŸ€– Subaru's no-cost hands-free driver-assist system for highway driving [has arrived for the 2026 Outback](). 🚨 Honda and Acura [recalled 65,135 EVs]() for two separate issues that are both software related and will require a trip to the dealership for updates. πŸ“ˆ For the first time the retail king, Honda, will [shift some focus to include fleet sales]() to help lift volume while attempting to shield used-car residuals. πŸ—“οΈ The [BMW i3 will debut ]()on March 18. πŸͺ¦ The [Kia EV6 GT has been put on ice]() until further notice for the U.S. with the performance variant of the mainstream EV getting hit by tanking sales and tariffs. 😳 The [Honda Insight has returned](), but not in the way you remember it; the Insight nameplate has been resurrected as an electric crossover for Japan. 🚨 [Ford recalled 604,533 vehicles]() due to the fact their windshield wiper motors may fail. πŸš• The NTSB said Waymo robotaxis did indeed [illegally pass stopped school buses]() in multiple incidents. *Got a news tip or feedback? Drop us a line at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Overseeing what you see, read, touch, hear, and interact with from the vast lakes of Minnesota, Joel Feder shapes how The Drive looks and operates as the head of content and product initiatives. On a daily basis, Joel leads the newsroom and editorial staff playing point on both short-term coverage and long-term strategic plans. His mission is to help ensure The Drive shapes the future of automotive media by helping the team execute original reporting, breaking news, and exclusive opportunities. Regarded as an industry insider and recognized by colleagues, fellow journalists, and manufacturers as a point-person and leader in the industry, Joel owns and runs the largest automotive professionals group on Facebook in an effort to serve and help others. Joel serves as a juror for the World Car Awards. In addition, he is the board chair and chair of the governance and nominating committee for Move Forward MN, a local non-profit that helps at-risk youth with barrier-free mental health and housing services. While you’re reading this he’s either on his computer or iPhone chasing the latest news or drafting a story. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() [Bluesky]() [Email]()