I would skip the WRX, & only look at the STi's.

Since you are the one paying for it, go & drive both, then make up your own mind. The TCO on the STI will be less then the S4.

 

If your looking for luxury and comfort, S4, but if your looking for performance go with the STI. At the same time don't get me wrong, the S4's do have good performance, just not as good as the STIs.

 

if going fast is your only concern, then i would say STI, otherwise, i'd go with the S4.

If you are a road-tripper, the S4 will show you where your money went. I went with the S4 after i drove it and i love it. will it beat an STI? no... but do i look like an idiot ricer in a yellow sedan with a gigantic ridiculous wing? no.

it's personal preference. i love the luxury, the rarity, the sleeper styling, and the mods of the S4.

FWIW... subaru has a better AWD system. not by much...but better.

 

Why is it "which one is faster" such a key for you - are you planning on racing? If you are planning on purchasing a car for driving - besides perhaps just being concernd about straight line speed - you might want to consider other aspects of the car...perhaps make a list and prioritize what you care about most. Then drive both (or several etc) and evaluate them for your needs/wants. Neither are available in lime green BTW.

 

if you are going to get a car, non s4, get an evo, you won't have the tranny issues

 

Id say s4, because if you want, you can make it almost as fast as an sti, but really if you want to go any faster then something like the sti then maybe your in the wrong market. Theres so much more to owning a car then just speed, i think the word unique comes to mind when someone sees or talks about a twin turbo sporst sedan, can that be said about an sti?? And if its really necessary, you can use the money that you dont spend on buying an s4 for the ko4 kit, and that will make the s4 in a very drivable, sti killer range. Knowing that any b5 s4 will be a used one, and prob not going for 30 + .

 

The sti is a very fun car but like you guys are saying it has a rice theme to it. I was going to buy one but found an s4 for right price. I think i would still rather have an sti for only one reason.... I wouldn't feel bad about flying down a dirt road in it. The s4 is so classy and nice even though you can pick them up for cheaper that it makes me scared to drive it anywhere. The s4 does attract a different crowd of people. you either get respect when you pull up or you get a dirty look for having a fancy car. personally i like the class that comes with the audi.

 

Like others have said it depends on what you want. I'd say sit in each. The interior on an sti is not anywhere near as nice as the S4. I chose to get a S4 because Ilike the interior and exterior more than an STi and Ican live with the fact it weighs more and is slower (stock at least).

 

Asking in a audi forum..... hmmmmmmmm ummmm S4.

Plus the Sti wing screams rice

 

Agreed, asking a Audi forum, what they think of other cars, we are going to be biased.

The EVO/STI are so NOT rice! Everything on both of the car are are there for one reason, to make the car faster! There purpose built fro speed. It all goes back to WRC rules for racing. Anything that is functional & wind tunnel testes is not rice!