Compare the2023 Subaru WRXVS 2023 Hyundai Elantra N Line

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 Hyundai Elantra N Line doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Subaru WRX has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Elantra N Line doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Elantra N Line 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 Elantra N Line doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The WRX has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Elantra N Line doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the WRX and the Elantra N Line have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the WRX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 112 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Elantra N Line is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 6 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

The WRX’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 70 more horsepower (271 vs. 201) and 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 195) than the Elantra N Line’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru WRX is faster than the Hyundai Elantra N Line (manual transmissions 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 Elantra N Line doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

The WRX has 4.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Elantra N Line (16.6 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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 Elantra N Line doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

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 Elantra N Line are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the WRX’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Elantra N Line (245/40R18 vs. 235/40R18).

The WRX has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Elantra N Line’s suspension doesn’t offer front gas-charged shocks.

The WRX offers an available 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 Elantra N Line’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The WRX Limited handles at .96 G’s, while the Elantra N Line pulls only .91 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The WRX Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Elantra N Line (24.8 seconds @ .75 average G’s vs. 26.3 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the WRX’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the Elantra N Line’s (36.74 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

The WRX has .8 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more front hip room and .2 inches more front shoulder room than the Elantra N Line.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the WRX’s trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. The Elantra N Line’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the WRX. The Elantra N Line doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The WRX uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Elantra N Line uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the WRX is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Elantra N Line. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The WRX’s standard front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Elantra N Line’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. The WRX Premium/Limited/GT’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches.

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 Elantra N Line doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Blue Link can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The WRX’s power window switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Elantra N Line’s passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The WRX’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Elantra N Line’s projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The WRX’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Elantra N Line’s headlights are rated “Poor” to .”

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 Elantra N Line 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 Elantra N Line offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the WRX offers an optional Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Elantra N Line doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.