Compare the2023 Honda Civic SiVS 2023 Subaru WRX

The Honda Civic Si has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The WRX doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Civic Si deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Civic Si’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The WRX’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Civic Si’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the WRX.

The Civic Si has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the WRX Limited/GT offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Civic Si has standard Cross Traffic Monitor, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the WRX Limited/GT offers rear cross-path warning.

The Civic Si’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The WRX doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Civic Si and the WRX 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 and rearview cameras.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Civic Si the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The WRX has not been fully tested, yet.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the Civic Si for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the WRX.

There are over 68 percent more Honda dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Civic Si’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Civic Si’s reliability 38 points higher than the WRX.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Honda higher than Subaru.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 2 places higher in reliability than Subaru.

On the EPA test cycle the Civic Si gets better mileage than the WRX:

The Civic Si has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The WRX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Civic Si higher (6 out of 10) than the Subaru WRX (3). This means the Civic Si produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the WRX every 15,000 miles.

The Civic Si stops shorter than the WRX:

The Civic Si’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 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 Civic Si has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the WRX.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Civic Si’s wheelbase is 2.6 inches longer than on the WRX (107.7 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

The Civic Si handles at .97 G’s, while the WRX Limited pulls only .95 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Honda Civic Si may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 600 pounds less than the Subaru WRX.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Civic Si has a liquid-filled front engine mount. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The WRX uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The Civic Si has .2 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, .9 inches more rear legroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the WRX.

The Civic Si has a much larger trunk than the WRX (14.4 vs. 12.5 cubic feet).

The Civic Si’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The WRX has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

On a hot day the Civic Si’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance with the keyless remote or at the outside door handle. The driver of the WRX can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Civic Si’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The WRX’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Civic Si has standard extendable sun visors. The WRX doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Civic Si’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the WRX Premium/Limited/GT.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda Civic Si, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Subaru WRX isn't recommended.

The Civic was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023 and 8 more times in the last 39 years. The WRX has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Civic as the 2022 North American Car of the Year. The WRX has never been chosen.

The Honda Civic outsold the Subaru WRX by over seven to one during 2022.