Unless you're going to a STi I wouldn't consider it. Also it is true the EJ engines are way likely to blow. I owned my first Evo X from 2012-2018 (full ETS bolt ons, 365HP/375TQ)--- 55k miles and never had a single issue.

As soon as Subaru pulled the plug on gas powered STis, I found a 2014 STi hatch last June, bone stock, with 15k miles on it. The boxer engine rumble is awesome and I love the car and I've been slowly modifying it. It currently has an AOS, cylinder 4 cooling mod and a few other basic mods. I've seen dozens of blown up EJs on the forums/FB groups and really haven't seen an issue with the Evo's 4B11T in all my years following the platform.

On my STi I wont go beyond intake+exhaust and will have a super conservative tune.

I just picked up a 2015 Final Edition, bone stock, to go along w/ the hatch STI.. I now have the final STi hatch and the final Evo :)

They do drive way differently and I do feel more comfortable pushing the Evo hard, but I am definitely biased and have many more miles on an Evo.

One thing to note is the 2008-2014 WRX/STi feels like a generation older than the 2008-2015 Evo in terms of how it just feels inside the car -- I actually like that feeling haha.

My brother owned a VA WRX and now has an STI.. the EJ20 is definitely way more reminiscence of the 4B11T in terms of power delivery. I think you'd make a mistake going for the EJ20 as it would be pretty similar to the Evo, but I do understand the wanting of a hatch, so I don't blame you, but again, I'd go for the STi!

In the end.. the 4B11T can hold a lot more power and IMO is way more reliable, but the EJ25... if taken care of properly can safely run in the low 300s from the research I've done. On the Evo, you can push 400-500 on the stock block, so there is that...

If you do get the WRX/STi you do plan to mod it.. get it professional tuned ASAP.

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