Compare the2023 Subaru WRXVS 2023 Acura TLX

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 WRX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The TLX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 TLX doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The WRX Limited SPT/GT has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The TLX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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

Both the WRX and the TLX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

There are over 2 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the WRX’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the WRX’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the TLX’s camshafts. If the TLX’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

The TLX’s redline is at 7000 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The WRX has a 6000 RPM redline.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. With 1 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Subaru higher than Acura.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 18 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Acura.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 1 place higher in reliability than Acura.

As tested in Car and Driver the Subaru WRX is faster than the Acura TLX turbo 4 cyl. (automatics tested):

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 TLX doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the WRX gets better mileage than the TLX:

The WRX offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and fuel economy. The TLX doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

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 TLX doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

The WRX stops much shorter than the TLX:

The WRX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the TLX’s standard 50 series tires.

The WRX Limited handles at .96 G’s, while the TLX A-Spec SH-AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The WRX Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.1 seconds quicker than the TLX A-Spec SH-AWD (24.8 seconds @ .75 average G’s vs. 26.9 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the WRX’s turning circle is 3.4 feet tighter than the TLX’s (36.74 feet vs. 40.1 feet). The WRX’s turning circle is 3.5 feet tighter than the TLX with 19/20-inch wheels’ (36.74 feet vs. 40.2 feet).

The Subaru WRX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 700 pounds less than the Acura TLX.

The WRX is 10.8 inches shorter than the TLX, making the WRX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

The WRX has 5.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the TLX (98.9 vs. 93.4).

The WRX has 2.6 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the TLX.

The engine in the WRX is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the TLX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

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 TLX doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its AcuraLink can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the WRX Premium/Limited/GT has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The TLX doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The WRX’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The TLX has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Subaru WRX outsold the Acura TLX by 62% during 2022.