the older ones look alright, but the newer ones are pretty damn ugly. I've driven multiple, wrx's and sti's, they're understeering pigs. sure they feel "stiff and sporty" driving around town or well under the limit, but once you approach the limits the things push like a mofo.   I drove a friends track prepped sti for 40 min session at a track day, the car had a shit ton of rake, went to the point of running no front sway bar, and had to run retarded shock settings in an attempt to get the front to keep its grip and the thing still had a big understeer problem.
they dont have good steering feel, are decent in snow, but audi's awd system is quite a bit better.
ive seen countless wrx's and sti's in the shop i work for, they arent terrible in terms of reliability, but i wouldnt consider them good by any means, and they certainly arent aging well. and yes the build quality sucks, the interior is pretty much power wheels quality.
there arent many cars as versatile as the wrx, so ill give you that, though the EVO beats it in that catagory.  there are plenty of audi's and bmw x-drives id rather have, mini countryman all-4 possibly, r32, golf r,   shit, even though its underpowered as hell, id probably take a suzuki sx4 over a wrx.