Compare the2024 Subaru WRXVS 2024 Honda Civic Si

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Civic Si 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 use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Civic Si 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 Civic Si doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The WRX offers optional 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 Si doesn’t offer a GPS response system, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the WRX and the Civic Si 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, 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.

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

	WRX	Civic Si
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	250	325
Neck Injury Risk	24.5%	30%
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	156	444

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 Subaru WRX is safer than the Honda Civic Si:

	WRX	Civic Si
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	152	195
Abdominal Force	165 lbs.	286 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	66 G’s	79 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	208	260
Spine Acceleration	48 G’s	51 G’s

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

Reliability

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.

Engine

The WRX’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 71 more horsepower (271 vs. 200) and 66 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 192) than the Civic Si’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Subaru WRX is faster than the Honda Civic Si (manual transmissions tested):

	WRX	Civic Si
Zero to 30 MPH	1.8 sec	3 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	5.8 sec	7.3 sec
Quarter Mile	14.1 sec	15.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	101 MPH	95 MPH

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 Civic Si doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

Transmission

The WRX offers an optional automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. The Civic Si doesn’t offer an automatic 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 Civic Si doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the WRX TR’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Civic Si:

	WRX	WRX TR	Civic Si
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	13.4 inches	12.3 inches
Rear Rotors	11.4 inches	12.8 inches	11.1 inches

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 Civic Si are solid, not vented.

The WRX stops much shorter than the Civic Si:

	WRX	Civic Si
70 to 0 MPH	153 feet	160 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	124 feet	134 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	130 feet	147 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the WRX Premium/Limited/GT’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Civic Si (245/40R18 vs. 235/40R18).

The WRX TR’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Civic Si’s 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the WRX TR has standard 19-inch wheels. The Civic Si’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The WRX has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Civic Si’s suspension doesn’t offer 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 Civic Si’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The WRX Limited handles at .96 G’s, while the Civic Si pulls only .93 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 Civic Si (24.8 seconds @ .75 average G’s vs. 26.3 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the WRX’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Civic Si’s (36.74 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Passenger Space

The WRX has 2.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Civic Si (98.9 vs. 96.6).

The WRX has 2.2 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom and .4 inches more rear hip room than the Civic Si.

Cargo Capacity

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the WRX’s trunk lid uses concealed beam hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. Its intrusive beam hinge reduces the Civic Si’s useful trunk space.

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

Servicing Ease

The WRX uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Civic Si 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 Civic Si. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The WRX Auto offers a 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 Si doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The WRX Premium/Limited/GT/TR’s front and rear power windows all 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 Civic Si’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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/TR’s exterior PIN entry system. The Civic Si doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

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

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

The WRX’s standard rear view mirror and optional 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 Civic Si doesn’t offer the luxury of automatic dimming mirrors.

The WRX Premium/Limited/GT/TR has standard heated front seats, which keep the driver and front passenger extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the Civic Si.

The WRX Premium/Limited/GT/TR’s 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. The Civic Si doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

To direct the driver from any location to a given street address, a GPS navigation system is standard on the WRX Limited/GT/TR. The WRX’s navigation system also has a real-time traffic update feature that offers alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Civic Si doesn’t offer a navigation system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru WRX and the Honda Civic Si, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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