Compare the2025 Honda Civic SiVS 2025 Subaru WRX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2025Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. 4YM20-MXPF5 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2025/03/31

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 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/tS offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Civic Si has standard Rear Cross Traffic Monitor, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the WRX Limited/GT/tS offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

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

	Civic Si	WRX
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Stress	241 lbs.	348 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	65 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	189/372 lbs.	284/524 lbs.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Civic Si is safer than the WRX:

	Civic Si	WRX
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD

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 Honda Civic Si is safer than the Subaru WRX:

	Civic Si	WRX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1 inches
Hip Force	286 lbs.	388 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	268	357
Hip Force	516 lbs.	839 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
Hip Force	805 lbs.	819 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda Civic Si is safer than the WRX:

	Civic Si	WRX
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	67 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.38 in	1.42 in
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	67 lbs.	112 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Force	357 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.46 in
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The Honda Civic Si achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The WRX is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Warranty

There are over 67 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.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated lower.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Civic Si
	Manual	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/37 hwy
WRX
	Manual	2.4 turbo flat-4	19 city/26 hwy
	Auto	2.4 turbo flat-4	18 city/25 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Civic Si’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The WRX doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

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.

Brakes and Stopping

The Civic Si stops much shorter than the WRX:

	Civic Si	WRX
100 to 0 MPH	312 feet	319 feet	Car and Driver
70 to 0 MPH	156 feet	159 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	102 feet	112 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Civic Si’s wheelbase is 2.5 inches longer than on the WRX (107.7 inches vs. 105.2 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.

Chassis

The Honda Civic Si may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 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.

Passenger Space

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.

Cargo Capacity

The Civic Si has a much larger trunk than the WRX (14.1 vs. 12.5 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

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.

Recommendations

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

The Civic was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 10 more times in the last 41 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 2025 North American Car of the Year. The WRX has never been chosen.

The Honda Civic outsold the Subaru WRX by over 13 to one during 2024.

See Available Inventory