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I feel the need to add my two cents.
I've had a 2004 STi, and a 2013 STi hatch, and I've test driven a 2015 and 2016. I ended up impulse-buying a 2016 M235i, and I'm all the better for it.
A few key points here, from my point of view:
- The M2 will be INFINITELY better on the highway. The 50-70 times in top gear are hours apart. The STi is an absolute dog on the highway. The M235i was magnificent. Hit the gas in 6th, and you're actually accelerating without waiting for the car to wake up!
- Build quality, especially paint, is not even a comparison. I've taken tons of rocks in the M235i, without a single mark. The STi loses paint with a stiff breeze. The M235i has been the best car I've ever owned for rattles. The STi, well... we all know the story there. Sadly, my wife's C450 AMG makes my old STi seem like it had no rattles...
- The boxer sounds great, but the inline-6 sounds great too.
- AWD isn't some silly thing just for snow, it gives a genuine advantage in virtually any conditions. The biggest advantage, in my opinion, is that I could still thrash my STi in the rain. Florida is always warm, but they get lots of rain. The M2 will be fantastic, but I know I pine a bit for my STi every time it rains...
Get the M2, it's the better car, in almost every single way. Don't lease a WRX for a daily driver/highway car - it's worse at both. For barely more than $10k over the cost of the STi, it really is a fantastic bargain.
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