Compare the2022 Subaru WRXVS 2022 Cadillac CT5-V

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru WRX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Cadillac CT5-V doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The WRX has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The CT5-V doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the WRX. But it costs extra on the CT5-V.

Both the WRX and the CT5-V have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the WRX has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 6.2 supercharged V8 in the CT5-V.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 13 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the WRX lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The CT5-V doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the WRX gets better mileage than the CT5-V:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru WRX uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The CT5-V requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The WRX offers an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The CT5-V doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better maneuverability, the WRX’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the CT5-V’s (36.7 feet vs. 39 feet). The WRX’s turning circle is 5.8 feet tighter than the CT5-V Blackwing’s (36.8 feet vs. 42.6 feet).

The Subaru WRX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 700 pounds less than the Cadillac CT5-V.

The WRX is 10 inches shorter than the CT5-V, making the WRX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The WRX has .8 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front hip room and .1 inches more rear headroom than the CT5-V.

The WRX has a larger trunk than the CT5-V (12.5 vs. 11.9 cubic feet).

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the WRX Premium/Limited/GT’s exterior PIN entry system. The CT5-V doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its OnStar® can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The WRX has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. A locking fuel door is only offered on the CT5-V Blackwing.

The CT5-V’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The WRX Premium/Limited/GT’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The Subaru WRX outsold the Cadillac CT5 by over two to one during the 2021 model year.