When manufacturers are ready for something new, they often retire a specific car to make way for it. Then, the market gradually forgets about the old model. Usually, those last-run versions quietly depreciate as a part of that process, and people gradually move on toward the next best thing. But sometimes, enthusiasts are just not willing to let go, which can then slow the depreciation rate and skew the used market.This situation appears to be the case with the 2021 Subaru WRX STI, as it's now reaching five years out of date. Some of these Subarus still command high values, as if the market is not emotionally finished with them. Still, there are signs that the post-discontinuation hype may be starting to fade. The 2021 WRX STI prices are softening, and while that may not make the last STI necessarily cheap, the sporty machine could be the right buy for anyone looking for a performance car that works year-round. STI Listings Now Tell A Bigger Story SubaruCurrent listings for the 2021 WRX STI on major used car marketplaces typically cluster in the mid-$30,000 range, depending on mileage, ownership history, condition, and trim level. Buyers may still need to pay around $40,000 for the nicest Limited models, but higher-mileage STIs sit in the low $30,000 range or even around the upper $20,000s. Meanwhile, the broader market for this generation of WRX STIs sits comfortably below those levels, illustrating the widening gap between final-year cars and the rest of the generation.These levels suggest that the final-gen WRX STI may be trending away from the panic buying, or FOMO, trend immediately after the model's retirement. These cars carried a particularly strange burden because they had hype emanating from Subaru's decision to kill the high-performance model. It wasn't going to produce another internal-combustion WRX STI on the new WRX platform, which instantly created a lot of angst in the marketplace. Suddenly, the outgoing car wasn't just a particular version of the breed, but the last of its kind, at least in the US market.Following Subaru's announcement, buyers began to view this STI version as irreplaceable, whereas earlier they might have criticized it for being somewhat dated. Now, the market seems to be a little more rational about the vehicle's value The Final STI Was Already A Throwback When It Was New SubaruWhen Subaru launched the 2021 STI, it was far from revolutionary. The sedan still featured the company's EJ257 2.5-liter turbo flat-four, returning 310 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque, and it came exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission. It had Subaru's driver-controlled center differential all-wheel-drive system, which gave drivers a level of mechanical involvement that was synonymous with the marque.The STI also featured serious chassis hardware, including forged aluminum-alloy lower front arms and inverted front struts. It sat on 19-inch alloy wheels with summer performance tires, had a helical limited-slip front differential, a Torsen limited-slip rear differential, and Brembo performance brakes. Subaru set a nominal torque split of 41:59, giving the car a rear-biased performance attitude despite its all-wheel-drive layout.Still, Subaru didn't intend its STI to be quiet, relaxed, or especially polished, and the car basically did what it said on the tin. The car wasn't especially lightweight for a compact, at 3,450 pounds for the base STI and 3,514 pounds for the STI Limited. It was also a bit of a gas guzzler, with the EPA rating it at 16 miles per gallon city, 22 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined.Back in 2021, that seemed to be the formula that STI enthusiasts expected, but it was starting to feel a little out of date in the general marketplace. The formula certainly belonged to an old-school performance car culture, with its mechanical differentials, manual gearbox, turbo lag, and firm suspension. In many respects, it was starting to show its age, and this may have led to some snarky comments in 2021. But in 2026, the car’s inherently mechanical attributes are certainly back in favor among enthusiasts and help explain its hold on the market. The Driving Experience Is Why Buyers Kept Paying Subaru The final WRX STI could certainly be outmatched by others with better acceleration, stronger fuel economy, and less inherent drama behind the wheel. But for those drivers who liked to get down and dirty with their vehicle, few other cars could match it. CarBuzz described the car in a driving review as "unashamedly hardcore" and stated that to "find the limits of its adhesion, you have to be a very brave person." That underscores how demanding the vehicle was to drive at its limit and why it had such a strong following among enthusiast buyers.Many point to the EJ257 engine as being central to that personality. This unit required the driver's full attention and strong commitment. It didn't deliver the kind of broad, easy torque spread that you could find in many newer turbo engines. But a driver willing to commit and take control could also take full advantage of the vehicle's six-speed manual, center differential settings, firm suspension, and all-wheel-drive grip.That level of driver commitment means that an STI was not for everyone, and today, it can feel far too busy as a daily driver. The cabin isn't premium by current standards, and the ride is always firm, while those with an eye on the fuel pump are unlikely to be happy. Still, the market for this particular car stayed hot because it appealed to a very specific set of buyers who were not just shopping for transportation. Those buyers knew they were getting access to one of the last relatively affordable performance sedans from a mainstream automaker. The Price Drop Is Real But Needs Careful Framing Subaru It's certainly possible to find older WRX STIs from the generation in the mid-$20,000 range, but final STI prices are a different story. Here, values are still quite elevated by comparison, even as they cool from their most overheated phase. One resource suggests an average price of just under $34,000 for 2021 WRX listings. Kelley Blue Book shows private-party value estimates from the high $20,000s to around $32,000, depending on condition and location. While there’s a gap between guide value and retail ask, and the final STI may still have some emotional pull, the room's temperature may now be falling.When new, the base STI started at $37,245, and the STI Limited came in at $41,945. Many final-year cars are now comfortably below those numbers, although some limited versions are still close to the original sticker price. Clean, stock, low-mileage examples may be protected by scarcity and enthusiast demand even now, but the final STI may be becoming affordable again in certain scenarios. The Last STI May Be Entering Its Most Tempting Window Subaru The final WRX STI is now old enough to have depreciated from peak hype, but it is still not sitting in the realm of a collectible. And that means that now may be a suitable time for the right buyer to move. After all, the 2021 STI is modern enough for regular use, and it's still part of the familiar Subaru ownership ecosystem. But it’s also a vehicle from a different time, and it's certainly very different mechanically compared to the newer WRX generation or other smoother turbo performance cars.The risk for buyers is that this current window may not stay open indefinitely. To start with, the cleanest cars may become harder to find, and their owners may increasingly appreciate what they have and decide to dig in their heels. Also, the rougher cars are likely to accumulate more modifications or mileage and need to defend their questionable service histories. Of course, that doesn't mean that buyers should rush to sign any checks. They should still look for stock or lightly modified examples and insist on a clean title, strong maintenance records, and careful owners, rather than just land on the first car they find.The market may finally be starting to change, with the final STI not just floating on some end-of-an-era hype. And that could make this moment very interesting for those interested in the last-of-its-kind rebel. After all, there's no doubt that this car was very special when it first came out, and while it remains so today, it may finally be a little more reachable in the current market.