Forza Horizon 5 2019 SUBARU STI S209 (DLC)

I've spent enough time in Forza Horizon 5's garage to know that not every DLC car earns its slot, but the 2019 Subaru STI S209 is the kind of addition that makes longtime STI fans genuinely excited. This is the ninth car in Subaru Tecnica International's S-series lineage, and the first S-model ever sold in North America, with only 209 real-world units produced. Landing it in FH5 feels like a proper occasion. Under the hood the S209 packs a 2.5-litre turbocharged boxer four with 341 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque, bumped up from the standard STI's 310 hp thanks to a larger HKS-sourced turbocharger, upgraded fuel injectors, a high-flow fuel pump, and a reworked ECU. In-game that translates to a punchy, rev-happy car that loves to be pushed into the upper rev range, unlike the standard WRX STI which can feel a little flat near redline. The symmetrical AWD setup makes it feel planted and predictable through FH5's mixed-surface roads, and its Modern Rally classification at 70,000 CR puts it squarely in the bracket of serious rally-road builds. The wide carbon rear wing, quad 101mm exhaust tips, and BBS 19-inch wheels look outrageous in the livery editor, and the community has already been pushing it past 900 hp with wide-body builds. For multiplayer sessions this car slots in well. It is quick enough to be competitive in online lobbies without being one of those meta-breaking hyper builds that ruins casual co-op road trips. Four friends running a convoy through the jungle biome with a mix of stock and lightly tuned S209s is genuinely a good time, and the car's AWD confidence means less-experienced players won't get left behind every corner. It is not a couch split-screen title at all since FH5 dropped that mode, but online co-op and cross-platform multiplayer keep group play alive. Expect solid performance with full controller support, though wheel users with force feedback setups will feel the STI's front-end bite and the slight understeer characteristic that the real car is famous for. The criticisms are minor but worth flagging. This is a single-car DLC, so the value proposition depends entirely on how much you want this specific machine. Players who already own it through the Car Pass will find no new reason to double-dip. The S209's stats in-game do not dramatically separate it from other AWD rally builds already available, so players hunting pure competitive edge might not feel the gap. Steam reviews sit at Very Positive with around 85 percent approval, which for a piece of single-car DLC is a solid endorsement, and community sentiment praises the handling feel and the customization ceiling. The main grumble is that at stock tune it is not an instant meta pick, which is kind of the point. It rewards players who actually tune. If you are a Subaru loyalist, a rally-road fan, or just someone who wants one of the rarest production STIs ever made sitting in their virtual garage, this is a clean purchase. Casual players will appreciate how forgiving the AWD makes it on mixed terrain, and hardcore tuners will have a blast working that boxer engine past its limits.

Riley · Scout Team

Sports & racing

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