Jump in and it’s abundantly clear Subaru has not moved the game on with regards to cabin design.

The red STi logos on the steering wheel and on the instrument cluster would once have been a nice touch but they look dated and the plastics are of low quality and look like they will scratch. The car has got a decent level of all-round visibility but that’s of little comfort because the cabin is a massive let-down. Subaru needs to come up with a new interior to give the WRX STi a fighting chance.

A hardcore performance car is always going to struggle when balancing between driver enjoyment and relaxation but Subaru WRX STi comfort levels offer a fairly decent compromise.

The sports seats are incredibly supportive but the ride is a little on the firm side. It’s nice to hear the warble of the ‘boxer’ engine when driving enthusiastically but the cabin is not brilliantly insulated and road, tyre and wind noise can be wearisome after long stretches of motorway driving.

On the move the constant squeaks and rattles coming from the cabin are also rather irksome. The WRX STi may have a new shape and face but the workmanship is not up to that of the Ford Focus RS or even the Mitsubishi Evo X.