2023 Subaru WRX vs Honda Civic Type R Comparo: Spec Sheet Battle

2023 Subaru WRX vs Honda Civic Type R: Two legends face-off

By now, Subie fans already know that the all-new 2023 Subaru WRX was recently launched in the Philippine market. It remains to be quite sporty with a healthy horsepower bump, and it gets a new exterior design, as well as several new safety features. 

That said, this new sporty sedan has one big competitor in the Philippine market. And yes, we’re referring to the Honda Civic Type R, which while priced a bit higher than the new WRX, also fits perfectly in the performance sedan-shaped niche.  

So, how does the top-spec 2023 Subaru WRX tS compare against the soon-to-be outgoing Honda Civic Type R? Let’s find out by comparing the two.  

2023 Subaru WRX vs Honda Civic Type R: Exterior

To begin, let us compare the WRX Sedan’s and the Civic Type R’s dimensions. The Subaru model has a length of 4,670mm, a width of 1,825mm, and a height of 1,465mm. It also has a wheelbase length of 2,675mm. 

The 2023 Subaru WRX sedan

The Civic Type R in turn is 4,577mm long, 1,877mm wide, and 1,434mm high. Its wheelbase then spans 2,700mm. 

That said, the WRX Sedan is longer, but the Civic Type R is wider. The Honda model also has a lower height, and it has a longer wheelbase as well. The Civic Type R is also lighter than any of the WRX variants. It has a curb weight of 1,407kg, whereas the lightest WRX, the one with the manual tranny, is 1,515kg.  

Do note however that the Civic Type R is a hatchback, whereas the new WRX we’re comparing it with is the sedan model. 

The Honda Civic Type R

Regarding exterior equipment, both models come standard with LED headlamps, LED taillights, and front fog lamps. As sporty models, they also both come with the usual sports car accouterments like a spoiler, side skirts, aggressive front and rear bumpers, etc. The Civic Type R does come with more of these bits. 

For wheels, the Subaru model rides on an 18-inch set, whereas the Honda gets a larger 20-inch set. 

2023 Subaru WRX vs Honda Civic Type R: Interior

Inside, both the Subaru WRX Sedan and the Honda Civic Type R can seat up to five occupants. Both also provide their drivers with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a tilt and telescopic steering column, a push-to-start button, etc.  

On the top-spec WRX Sedan though, its driver seat is electronically adjustable. In turn, the Civic Type R’s driver’s seat is manually adjustable. Do note also that the Civic Type R’s front seats are fabric bucket seats. The ones on the WRX do get bolstering, but these are just regular seats. 

The WRX sedan's rear cabin

For comfort, both of these models also come with automatic air-conditioning. On the Subaru, it comes with rear vents. Also present on the Subaru but absent on the Honda is a sunroof. 

In terms of entertainment, the top-spec WRX gets an 11.6-inch touchscreen linked to an 11-piece Harman Kardon sound system. The Civic Type R in turn gets a smaller 7-inch touchscreen connected to an eight-piece speaker system. Both come with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and USB connectivity.

Other features found on both models include power-folding side mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming rearview mirror, among others. 

The Civic Type R's rear cabin

2023 Subaru WRX vs Honda Civic Type R: Engine & Performance

Under the hood of the Subaru WRX is a turbocharged 2.4-liter boxer-four gasoline engine. It is capable of making 271 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque. For the WRX tS sedan, it uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT) sending power to all four wheels. 

The Subaru WRX's 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer-four engine

Compare that to the Honda Civic Type R, which uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 gasoline engine. At maximum, this four-banger can make up to 306 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. Power is then sent to the car’s front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. 

As one can see, the Honda model can produce a bit more compared to the Subaru. That’s on top of the fact that the Civic Type R is a fair bit lighter than any of the WRX’s variants. They also have different transmissions, though the WRX’s entry-level variant also comes with a six-speed manual gearbox. The WRX CVT trims also come with a paddle shifter manual mode. 

For transmissions, the Subaru WRX uses a MacPherson strut front suspension, and a double wishbone type for the rear. The Honda Civic Type R meanwhile utilizes a dual-axis MacPherson strut, and a multi-link suspension for the rear.  

The Honda Civic Type R's 2.0-liter inline-4 turbocharged engine

Both cars then have disc brakes for all four wheels, and both also come with an electronic parking brake with an auto-brake hold function. 

As mentioned earlier, these two vehicles actually belong to different classes. They, after all, use different body types. The Subaru WRX can either be a sedan or a wagon, whereas the Honda Civic Type R is a hatchback. 

2023 Subaru WRX vs Honda Civic Type R: Safety

When it comes to safety, both the Subaru WRX and Honda Civic Type R both come standard with anti-lock braking, stability control, hill-start assist, rear parking sensors, rear parking cameras, ISOFIX, an engine immobilizer, speed-sensing door locks, a car alarm, etc. 

The WRX's cockpit

Both also get autonomous emergency braking, lane departure alert, lane keep assist, among others. Of note, these are part of the EyeSight 4 driver assist safety suite which is now available on the new WRX.

For airbags though, the Subaru gets a total of seven while the Honda model gets a total of six. Also, the Subaru model does have some driver-assist features that are not present on the Civic Type R. These include a driver monitoring system, steering responsive headlamps, blind-spot detection, and lead vehicle start alert. 

The Civic Type R's front cabin

Lastly, the WRX gets adaptive cruise control, while the Civic Type R gets standard cruise control. 

>>> Related: Honda Civic Type R 2008 for sale

2023 Subaru WRX vs Honda Civic Type R: Price

2023 Subaru WRX vs Honda Civic Type R: Conclusion

To conclude, one can say that the 2023 Subaru WRX is a sedan that also strikes a good balance between being a good daily, and being a sporty vehicle. The Honda Civic Type R in turn leans more towards performance, whilst having some bits that can make it practical. 

The 2023 Subaru WRX from the rear

Both do offer a decent amount of space, though the Subaru WRX obviously beats the Civic Type R when it comes to safety. In turn, the Civic Type R’s engine is just beefier compared to the Subie.  

So which is the better model? Well, let’s just say that if performance is your priority, get the Honda Civic Type R. If you want a car with a good safety kit but that’s also fun to drive, get the Subaru WRX. 

The Honda Civic Type R from the rear

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