Compare the2023 Hyundai Elantra NVS 2021 Subaru WRX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Elantra N are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The WRX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Elantra N has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the WRX’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Elantra N has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the WRX Limited offers a rear cross-path warning system and it costs extra.

Both the Elantra N and the WRX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Elantra N is safer than the Subaru WRX:

	Elantra N	WRX
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	142	308
Neck Injury Risk	21%	27.6%
Neck Stress	268 lbs.	313 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	66/48 lbs.	268/589 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Elantra N is safer than the Subaru WRX:

	Elantra N	WRX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	83	118
Hip Force	327 lbs.	443 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	355 lbs.	486 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	14 inches
HIC	184	292
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	44 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The Elantra N comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The WRX’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra N 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the WRX. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the WRX ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Elantra N’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the WRX’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Elantra N for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the WRX.

There are over 30 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Elantra N’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. With 6 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Hyundai higher than Subaru.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 78 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 22nd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 2 places higher in reliability than Subaru.

Engine

The Elantra N’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 8 more horsepower (276 vs. 268) and 31 lbs.-ft. more torque (289 vs. 258) than the WRX’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Elantra N gets better mileage than the WRX:

			MPG
Elantra N
FWD	Manual	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/31 hwy
	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/30 hwy
WRX
AWD	Manual	2.0 turbo flat-4	20 city/27 hwy
		2.5 turbo flat-4	16 city/22 hwy
AWD	Auto	2.0 turbo flat-4	18 city/24 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Hyundai Elantra N higher (3 out of 10) than the Subaru WRX (1). This means the Elantra N produces up to 22.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the WRX every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Elantra N offers an optional sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The WRX doesn’t offer an SMG.

The Elantra N’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The WRX doesn’t offer launch control.

The Hyundai Elantra N manual has a downshift rev synchronizer that automatically raises engine speed to make downshifts perfectly smooth. This keeps the car from lurching during downshifts, preventing loss of control during cornering. The WRX doesn’t offer a downshift rev synchronizer.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Elantra N’s brake rotors are larger than those on the WRX:

	Elantra N	WRX	WRX STI
Front Rotors	14.2 inches	12.4 inches	13.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12.4 inches	11.3 inches	12.8 inches

The Elantra N’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the WRX are solid, not vented.

The Elantra N stops shorter than the WRX:

	Elantra N	WRX
70 to 0 MPH	154 feet	160 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Elantra N has larger tires than the WRX (245/35R19 vs. 235/45R17).

The Elantra N’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the WRX’s standard 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Elantra N has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the WRX.

Suspension and Handling

The Elantra N has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The WRX’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Elantra N’s wheelbase is 2.8 inches longer than on the WRX (107.1 inches vs. 104.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Elantra N is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than on the WRX.

The Elantra N handles at .99 G’s, while the WRX STI Limited pulls only .90 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

To minimize engine movement during hard acceleration and transmission shifts, the Elantra N has solid engine mounts. The WRX uses conventional rubber.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Elantra N a Mid-size car, while the WRX is rated a Compact.

The Elantra N has 2.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the WRX (99.4 vs. 96.6).

The Elantra N has .8 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 2.6 inches more rear legroom and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the WRX.

Cargo Capacity

The Elantra N has a much larger trunk than the WRX (14.2 vs. 12 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, just waiting momentarily behind the back bumper can open the Elantra N’s trunk, leaving your hands completely free. The WRX doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Elantra N and the WRX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Elantra N is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The WRX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Elantra N has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The WRX has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Premium/STI/Limited.

The Elantra N has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the WRX STI.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Elantra N has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The WRX doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the Subaru WRX by over five to one during the 2021 model year.

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