Subaru is preparing to reintroduce a six-speed manual option for the WRX in Japan, using the outgoing STI’s TY85 gearbox. Multiple outlets report that Subaru is effectively bringing back the manual transmission setup seen on the earlier WRX STI, but the change is tied to the Japanese lineup and is not presented as a global return of the STI model.

Car and Driver and Carscoops describe this as the current-generation WRX receiving the TY85 manual from the discontinued WRX STI, with regular availability in Japan. Top Gear highlights that this does not necessarily mean the WRX STI nameplate is returning, emphasizing the distinction between a manual transmission being added and the STI model returning.

Across the coverage, the consistent focus is on the manual transmission’s return, the specific TY85 gearbox, and the market (Japan). The outlets vary mainly in how explicitly they address whether the STI model itself is coming back.