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Again, the STI’s cabin is an environment which is geared towards performance motoring. The driving position is excellent – all the necessary controls are easily accessible and you’ve got a huge amount of visibility too.

The screens – both in the middle of the dash and plonked atop the dash – look old-fashioned compared to VW products but are clear and easy to read. You’re offered a number of parameters that driving aficionados will appreciate, such as how much g-force you’re pulling through a corner and how much air the turbocharger is pumping into the engine. Just don’t look at the trip computer if you’re worried about fuel economy.

For most buyers, Subaru WRX STI comfort levels are one of the last things they’ll be worrying about. It’s a good job too, really, since on your average bumpy UK road it’s pretty dire.

The more rigid shell almost certainly doesn’t help in this respect, and ditto the performance-focused suspension. There’s no getting away from the fact that ride quality wasn’t on the STI designers’ minds in quite the same way as ultimate cornering performance. At times it’s so bad it affects your voice as you’re chatting while going over a lump in the road.

Refinement is also a weak point, with quite a high amount of road noise filtering into the cabin; it’s a shame the addictive sounds of the exhaust or engine doing its thing isn’t more audible, too.

It isn’t all bad news though. The front seats are great, hugging occupants yet not pinching like some bucket seats do.