Compare the2024 Subaru BRZVS 2024 Honda Civic Type R

The BRZ has standard Whiplash Protection Seats, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Protection Seats system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The BRZ Limited offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The BRZ Limited has standard STARLINK Connected Services, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the BRZ and the Civic Type R have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available 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 BRZ its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 131 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Civic Type R has not been tested, yet.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is rated lower.

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 Honda With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Honda.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the BRZ lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

The BRZ offers an optional automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer an automatic transmission.

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

The BRZ stops shorter than the Civic Type R:

The BRZ has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Civic Type R’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The BRZ’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (55.5% to 44.5%) than the Civic Type R’s (61.4% to 38.6%). This gives the BRZ more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the BRZ’s turning circle is 4.5 feet tighter than the Civic Type R’s (35.4 feet vs. 39.9 feet).

The Subaru BRZ may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 350 pounds less than the Honda Civic Type R.

The BRZ is 1 foot, 1 inches shorter than the Civic Type R, making the BRZ easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The engine in the BRZ is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Civic Type R. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The BRZ Limited Auto has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the BRZ’s exterior PIN entry system. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The BRZ’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 Civic Type R’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru BRZ, based on reliability, safety and performance.