Compare the2025 Subaru WRXVS 2025 Honda Civic Type R

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

Safety

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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 Civic Type R 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 Civic Type R doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Subaru WRX is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Honda Civic Type R, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	WRX	Civic Type R
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-10 MPH
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-22 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-21 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
Warning Issued-Brights	3.3 sec	2 sec

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The WRX Limited Auto/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 Type R 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 Type R doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The WRX 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 WRX and the Civic Type R 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 Type R:

	WRX	Civic Type R
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 Type R:

	WRX	Civic Type R
	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

The Civic Type R’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’ 2024 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 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Honda.

Engine

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 Type R doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

The WRX has 4.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Civic Type R (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 Type R 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 Type R doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

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 Type R are solid, not vented.

Suspension and Handling

The WRX 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.

For better maneuverability, the WRX tS’ turning circle is 3.8 feet tighter than the Civic Type R’s (36.1 feet vs. 39.9 feet). The WRX’s turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the Civic Type R’s (36.7 feet vs. 39.9 feet).

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the WRX Limited is quieter than the Civic Type R:

	WRX	Civic Type R
Full-Throttle	79 dB	88 dB
70 MPH Cruising	71 dB	73 dB

Passenger Space

The WRX has .5 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom and .4 inches more rear hip room than the Civic Type R.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the WRX. The Civic Type R 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 Type R 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 Type R. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Honda. J.D. Power ranks Subaru 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 14% lower rating, Honda is ranked 12th.

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 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 WRX’s exterior PIN entry system. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the WRX Limited/GT/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.

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 Civic Type R offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Compared to the Honda Civic Type R, the Subaru WRX eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the WRX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the WRX will cost $1140 to $3110 less than the Civic Type R over a five-year period.

Recommendations

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

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