It’s every bit of everything you imagined it to be. Easy to install, flush fitment, and all of its marketed features: sequential tail light, unique design, and a freakin lock and unlock ANIMATION, which really sets these part from other tail lights.
If you’re cross shopping these with the other tail lights like I was, let me give you my thought process on why I picked these.
1. The sequential blinkers being just a line at the bottom of the light turned me off in the beginning. I felt like it had a perfectly good C light (that actually is animated through the lock and unlock animation) that other brands used as the blinker but Valenti did not. But then I looked at all the other sequential OEM lights. They all travel from inside to outside. This isn’t the case for C lights as it curves back around and comes back inside which for me felt less OEM and more “aftermarket.” So depending on the style you’re looking for, that’s one choice to make. Plus some states may have specific legal clauses on sequential lights that MUST go from inside to outside.
2. The C light design is incredibly unique. All competitors with a C light more or less mimics the OEM C light, which I was never a big fan of because the sedan with a C light tail light that everyone sees in the dark is usually a Civic. Then of course there are other aftermarket options that turns into something else completely and is no longer a C light. This tail light strikes the sweet spot of both keeping the original WRX concept of having a C light, but makes it special so no one would think it’s curved like a Civic. Also, the way the top is curved downwards rather than upwards like the OEM or like Civics and other aftermarket options gives it a really mean and aggressive look.
3. The brake light being the center rectangles also turned me off in the beginning, as it was another linear thing that I thought was perfectly good to be used as a sequential item rather than a solid function like a brake light… till I saw that there was actually an aftermarket tail light that did exactly that. Then I realized… unlike the Audis or Lambos or Mustangs that come OEM with sequential tail lights, the WRX/STIs have a really short and small area for tail lights. Which means the 3-4 tiny rectangles being used for sequential turning signals barely look sequential compared to the other ones mentioned before. So I ended up agreeing with Valenti’s choice to NOT use those squares for the turn signal. This exact reason also makes me appreciate the low curve on the top part of the C light even more because it lets the lobster claw look longer than it really is.
Now installation:
It’s super simple. Pop off a few clips to remove the interior trim, remove the nuts, pop out OEM lights, put on Valenti lights after putting on the provided gasket thingy. Wiring is simple but you get a choice. If you want sequential lights, leave the BLUE connectors UNCONNECTED and electrical tape them. If you want to keep the car legal and have the side indicator light up, CONNECT the GREEN connectors. Then route it to the fuse box.
My only gripe about this whole thing is that all the instruction is in Japanese. I’m fluent so I had no issues but I can see other users struggling with Google translate.
Another thing is the unlock animation will get interrupted and not activating if you double click, like you would when unlocking the car for the passenger, you know, the one time you want to be showing off the cool animation to.
But still, after everything, 10/10
