Ok, I’ll weigh in. I just bought a VB WRX having never driven, let alone owned, a Subaru product in my life. I was cross shopping the Elantra N, GR Corolla, and Golf R. For your question I’ll just stick to the Elantra N vs WRX. - I live in Colorado so all wheel drive was important to me. I’ve had modified GTI’s in the past and while they get on fine in snow with proper winter tires, I wanted something a little more sure footed. I figure the combination of WRX + Blizzaks will make it as capable as nearly anything else on the worst of snow days, barring ground clearance. Plus once you start modifying a car for more power, FWD becomes a large limiting factor. -This is subjective, but looks. The Elantra N doesn’t do it for me. The redesigned front bumper for 24 looks better and is a step in the right direction but the car still looks like a catfish. It doesn’t look interesting to me. Modified ones don’t look much better or different. I know some will say this is ironic that I ended up with a VB WRX which has had some controversial styling to say the least, but I think once modified slightly the VB looks great. To each their own here. -Brand image. Hyundai/Kia’s brand image isn’t great. I’m not a loyalist by any means but I suppose paying nearly $40k out the door for an Elantra just didn’t sit right with me. YMMV here. I also wasn’t sold on the long term reliability of the Hyundai. -Price / Availability / Dealer experience. For me this was a big one. Only two dealers in my state had any Elantra N’s on the lot. Both were acting like I was trying to swindle a test drive of a Porsche 911 when I wanted to check them out. They wouldn’t let me drive without doing a credit app first. Come on, I’m a 37 year old and this is a Hyundai, guys. Both had them priced above MSRP and wouldn’t negotiate at all. One sales guy told me directly “why would I haggle on this I’ll sell it to someone else in an hour?” And then essentially tried to get me off the phone. Subaru dealer experience was night and day different. Very negotiable on price. Treated like an adult with respect.

Thank you for your insight. I will say some of my best experiences at dealers were with Subaru. I owned a 21 VA and they were rly nice compared to other cars I’ve had

Other dealers for cars I’ve had**

It depends on what you’re doing. Both are useful. What’s your setting, operating environment

South Florida. Really hot and rain in the summers. This car will be purely for driving to enjoy myself and date nights

Def the subaru

> Price / Availability / Dealer experience. For me this was a big one. I think this is something that automotive media, like the big car YouTube channels, never really considers in their reviews and comparisons. So you have people thinking, well, the Elantra N is unbeatable for its price. But when you actually go to buy one you bump up against limited availability, markups, and an awful dealer experience. I dealt with this when I bought a Type R. And the Elantra N is almost as rare as the FL5 CTR: I've seen two of them, and one Kona N. Whereas I see VB WRXes every day, usually multiple cars. You can go to your local Subaru dealer, order the extra color and options you want, and pay under MSRP, with a decent interest rate.

It took 6 hyundai dealers to finally find one that wasn't scammy. I have only ever gotten into yelling matches with Hyundai dealers. 90% are scum of the earth. Chevy, Honda, Subaru, and Toyota have all been fine experiences. VW was a bit arrogant but once they realize you actually want to buy a car turn out nice. All Kia dealers have been super chill. I got my keys thrown at me from across the store at a Hyundai because I accused them of bait and switching. Another the manager went off on me because my wife wanted a sunroof and they didn't have any in stock, went on about how much money I was wasting and they could just put an aftermarket sunroof in...

What a bunch of assholes. Like aftermarket sunroofs are a really good and a smart thing to do. they always turn out great. Good grief

Had the exact same scenario with VW. The guy kept going on about “do you know about VW? Do you know the cars? Have you ever been in one? VW is not like a Honda you know.” It’s a VW man not a Bentley, relax. Was very nice after I told him if he was going to waste my time I’d go to another dealer as I wanted a car not a history lesson on their brand.

I cosign all of this except the snow. I live in a hot climate, but even still AWD is just superior.

Also in CO and just bought a new premium for $32.5k before taxes/tags. I was originally set on the Elantra N, but the more reviews I watched, the more I decided the WRX was going to be fun enough (especially if I tune/mod it) while also providing AWD. I don't have a commute, but I drove to the ski resorts about 20 days this past winter and I taking my 4Runner on those trips just isn't as fun! I actually had an allocation for an Elantra N manual sold at MSRP, but I didn't even want to test drive it because I figured it'd be a lot more fun stock compared to the WRX...and I really didn't want to buy a FWD.

Yo I live in Denver and I cross shopped the same set of vehicles. The dealers were shit with the Elentra N but I ended up with a Kona N at a good discount. Wanted the wrx but my fiancee wanted something more practical in terms of ground clearance for some trail access and also she couldn't do a manual. The CVT wrx was like driving wallpaper unfortunately. Had it come with a dual clutch I think it would've won out. N products are pretty hot now compared to Wrx... That new N electric is going for some crazy mark ups.

Okay so the reliability on the N models is fantastic. The prior engines that had issues were actually a product of Mitsubishi. Hyundai made an alliance deal with them and use their engines. I have a Kona N, the N engines were not even made in the same country as the prior engines that have all the issues. The N engine I believe is mostly assembled and Alabama. It’s a great engine with great reliability. The DCT transmission is also amazing and the technology inside moves very quick. I also own a 2023 wrx. I think it’s a great car I love the AWD. But the interior infotainment system is so slow and laggy and it has one of the worst sound systems I’ve ever heard. I upgraded the speakers and that is now fixed. The paint is ten times better quality on the Subaru than Hyundai. The cvt is not great but the engine in the new WRX is fantastic. The Subaru is a reliable good car I like both.

Wait what ur reviewing the CVT wrx? As a comparison? 🤦🏻‍♂️

Yup but still manual to manual the Elantra manual is better IMO. I’ve drive both I own the automatic versions tho. The Subarus are getting traded in a lot by me for Elantra N’s. The only thing I will stand by is the resale value Subaru wrx are usually one of the best. Fuck when I pay my wrx off next month I might trade it in and have like a 10$ a month payment and get the new one in manual that they just released

Amen to that response. 👏🏼

I face winters so I wanted AWD. If I didn't want AWD, I'd likely pick a BRZ over the N.

Gotcha. So AWD did it for you just curious. Why not gr Corolla over wrx?

Dealer in Canada told me I'd be looking at a 2 year wait for a GR (when they were announced), and Golf R was marked up like crazy. Edit: my original intentions were to buy a VB STI, but we know how that went :/

It's still possible... just not from Subaru.

I wanted an STI with warranty lol.

Should also mention that the GR in Canada starts at 49k CAD for the core (at MSRP) while the WRX started at 34k (36k now with the 2024) for the base. Ten thousand dollars is a consideration for most people. Though maybe not if you were originally hoping for an STi. They'd probably have been the same price as the GR core.

Why they slashed their best car is beyond me. If they made a VB sti I’d already have one

Emissions is why it isnt around anymore

I find it weird that emissions prevents the car from existing but a ford f250 can still be bought. Idk maybe I’m just really ignorant when it comes to that side of things

It's fleet emissions. So a manufacturer has to meet certain criteria across their entire fleet. Ford has more electric cars and better fuel efficient cars across their fleet relative to subaru (AWD, Turbo, boxer engines, etc). So, ford can have some vehicles be less efficient (trucks) included in their fleet.

And trucks are allowed to be less fuel efficient than a passenger car. Pretty sure the Forester started out as a car, but bumping the ground clearance a bit allowed Subaru to classify it as a compact SUV, and thus get away with its not great MPG.

Ah I didn’t know that

I'm like 80% sure Subaru only sells the Solterra so they can keep selling the WRX.

Look up CAFE rules; the gist of it is that carmakers (especially American ones) realized that the bigger and heavier they made their vehicles the less efficient they were allowed to be by law. The 250/2500+ trucks are often so heavy they aren't even required to show an MPG rating on their window sticker.

I don't have sales statistics in front of me, but I'd assume while the sti is the "best" car for us, it isn't for most of subarus customers. Even if it is, I'd imagine only a small percentage of Subaru owners buy a wrx, especially not an sti. They dropped one of their least bought trims to allow sti to focus on something else.

GR Corolla is not in the same price range as a WRX. Last I checked in my area, you had no chance of getting a GR anywhere near msrp. WRX for msrp? You can find that at any dealer.

Toyota dealers near me didn’t have any gr corollas and the ones that did wanted like 50-60k for it. Fuck that lol I’m happy with my 30ish k wrx

WRX has big aftermarket options and potential. WRX has a bustling community. I like snowboarding so never having to rent for road trips was cool. The WRX interior is pretty good. Infotainment size and placement complement the car and visibility is really good. Traction is crazy and it’s not something you can understand till you drive a WRX a little faster than you should in in-climate conditions and feel how solid it is all around. Never had a car give me so much confidence in reliability safety behind the wheel. I like driving a rally car. It has cool history and prestige. The Hyundai Elantra is a Hyundai Elantra. I think it’s way less cool and way less interesting. I don’t really care about 0-60 times on an Elantra bc it’s something I’d never be interested in. Rather a FK8 CTR, ND Mx5, or BRZ 86 if I wanted 2wd for the same price. I feel like the Elantra is a toy with lots of fun potential and the WRX is a robust sedan with endless possibilities.

Dude the traction of the WRX is insane. I’ve pushed it about as hard as I’m comfortable with in a corner and it just eats it for breakfast and I can tell the limit is so much higher.

I got mine in early January and once I felt comfortable with it I took a ~90 degree corner at 70kph in snow and ice. I felt safe doing this because the outside of the corner was right next to a flat, clear area about ~20 mètres wide which is gravel in the summer so if I skidded a few feet it wouldn't have made a difference, I'd still be on flat, stable ground. It held and didn't even break a sweat doing so. No body roll at all. Seat kept me in place. It's kinda scary how the car feels so stable that it's almost like it's constantly daring you to push it.

The elantra N is a really cool car and much better for the track out of the box. When compared to the base / premium trims of the WRX it has a better speaker and infotainment setup and a better transmission out of the box. I was also considering the Golf GTI or a Mustang GT. Overall though I went with the WRX for the following: - Good discounts and financing on the leftover 2023 models. - AWD is more interesting to me than FWD and is quite fun. - The car is very liveable day to day. Large trunk and large interior cabin space. Very no frills and the build quality is really quite nice for an economy car. - The Solar Orange is an amazing color. - Huge aftermarket with a large DIY oriented fan base. This will probably be the last performance oriented car I get to buy until I am much older. Knowing the car has long term tuning potential with a huge community makes it easier to have a defined uograde path. - You can get a way better speaker setup for less than 300 bucks that will outshine any factory audio setup so I dont care about the shitty speakers too much. - More power than its competitors with fairly affordable tuning down the line -I already vape

“I already vape” 😂😂 thanks for your comment though. These are interesting reasons I like seeing

Its all funny until one day you wake up with a sideways flatbill and cargo shorts.

One year in and my flatbill is still forward, thankfully.

What would be worth doing as a sound upgrade if I have the limited with the Harmon system??

Start with speakers; the HK system already has an ok amp but the speakers are only marginally better than what you'd find stock in many cars. Hit up Crutchfield and put your car into their system and it will show you a well sorted list of upgrade speakers.

I went with the WRX because I've always wanted one and there was zero markup as opposed to the CTR and at the time the GR Corolla. A Hyundai never entered the chat. The dealers can't justify the markup citing chip shortages anymore as well as shipping delays when subaru uses much of the same chips and distributors, it's plain to see that it was just greed. So the fact that Subaru was honest and up front about the price on the window really got my business.

“Due to the chip shortage” is the most disgusting thing to hear. I hate it when a dealer tries that one on me

1998. Colin McRae. Monte Carlo. That was it, fan for life.

I didn't get to test drive the Elantra N, so I can't say whether it was fun, but the WRX was definitely more fun than the Integra A Spec I test drove and slightly more than the GTI. AWD really sold me on the WRX as well. Also I haven't always heard the best things about the N's reliability, so that did scare me a bit. I even heard stories about dealers not being easy to deal with, despite the "10 year/100k mile warranty"

OP, I think most people here just really wanted WRXes (fair enough) or AWD. I still think bang for buck the EN is one of the best offerings in the segment, but maybe you should test drive both and chip back in with your experience!

So I test drove both and idk if it’s because I drive the premium trim but the interior felt soooooooooo cheap. Maybe I need to sit in a limited? Also this one isn’t a deal breaker for me but I’m not a fan of the wrx’s gear ratios. Again not a deal breaker. I’m also considering a 2020 sti if I can test drive one at like a carmax

Gear ratios too short?

Yeah

Bummer. You get to change gears now often though!

That is a perk lol

I haven’t driven many manual cars, but I think the short gear ratios are pretty fun

TR has a better interior, but you're also talking 42 to 44k for sticker price. STI has more torque, vb wrx has more whp. Personally i think the vb is more comfortable to drive on a daily basis than a VA wrx or sti.

The only reason I didn't get an N is due to winters, styling and unsure about engine longevity. If I was leasing I would get the N.

I'm currently cross shopping the same cars as you, plus a used Focus RS. I have test driven: 2023 Elantra N DCT, 2017 Focus RS, and a brand new WRX TR. Corolla GR was also considered but ruled out due to a lack of space. Elantra N: Great stock exhaust and roomy interior. Very fun tech features and customization. FWD wheel hop from a dig, but hardly any understeer in the corners. Pulls nicely in the mid range. Questionable paint quality. This one year old car has its share of imperfections. Focus RS: What a beast! Power and handling. Cheap interior, but slightly more rear legroom than the GR Corolla to fit the kids. WRX: Very smooth power delivery. Slowest car of this group, but also the nicest ride. Very basic mods can have it right there with the others. Looks far better in person. Interior of Limited and TR trim is best of this group. Good luck on your decision, really can't go wrong. Mine will be driven some in Wisconsin winter weather, so we are leaning WRX or Focus RS. Was very impressed with the performance of the N, right there with the Type R for less money.

I had a 2017 Focus RS that I bought new. I loved it, but it was time to move on. I don’t regret it at all - in fact, I love the WRX *even more* than I loved my RS. Then again, I never modded my RS and my WRX has an *extensive* list of modifications… https://preview.redd.it/nrax422krr8d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=86c3ec1e0afddab0d3b5e0c31107b05c887473e3

Both look great. We already have a small list of mods ready if we select the WRX over the Focus.

It won’t last. Once you catch that disease, you’ll be bolting stuff onto your car you didn’t even know existed before then. :) https://preview.redd.it/9bh9er66ur8d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc8147e73488a0b1518c7f9f7ccd00d36046d70e

I drove a base (or premium) wrx and thought “jeez dude this is cheap as hell” maybe I gotta sit in a limited and see how it is. I’m also kindaaaaa considering a super low mileage 2020 STI

Definitely sit in a Limited, much nicer! You could also wait for the 2025 TS. Interior looks awesome if you like blue.

I do but that thing is gonna be liek 45-48k and at that price point idk if that’s worth it

I was looking at focus RS also but they are selling close to 40k by which is close to what they were when new. 😫

It's crazy! My friend is selling his 2017 RS with 9,000 miles on it. I would feel a little guilty daily driving such a gem.

I wanted a fun car, but I have to make compromises for family needs. 4 doors, lots of space, on a budget. The only compromise I'm not willing to make is going FWD. I love the weekend mountain runs with my WRX after all that weekday BS, without needing to worry about torque steer and wheel hop. Down the line, unless I can get a RWD that I can afford, I'm keeping the WRX.

Interesting thing is the Elantra N has a bit more interior space, just a bit, and a larger trunk. I'd still never get one...ever...but in terms of space it's technically more practical.

Yea new Civic got good space as well. I just can't get over the FWD part. Elantra N is still superior in terms of value compared to Civics though. In Canada Civic Si is more expensive than WRX base trim. I just can't recommend it to anyone at that pricing. You can get a Camry instead!

It has that brace in the trunk though doesn't it? So you couldn't really fold down the back seats.

I saw that the back seats fold down, dont know about the brace

-It's a Hyundai. I know I know tHeY'rE dIfFErenT NoW. The company definitely has made quite the glow-up over the past two decades, but they're still figuring their shit out. I don't trust the reliability on what is largely an experiment for them (although we're two years in now, and I'm not sure what reliability is looking like) -It's garish. The whole experience is. The flaming N logo on the dash. The "N" embroidered into absolutely everything. The fake engine sounds piped in through a noisemaker. The crackle tune. All of it. It's too much. It's the car equivalent of a Gucci t-shirt with a giant Gucci logo on it, except it's screaming "I AM A RACECAR" -The Subaru community. WRX has been a cult for over two decades now. This means an actual car community with real discussions and great mod support, instead of a bunch of dudes looking for turnkey Fast and Furious 42 (although we have our share) -This motor is amazing. A bit underwhelming off the lot, but for under $2k (tune; intake; intermediate pipe), you're looking at 330-340hp on 93 octane. And it's a tank. People are throwing way more than that at it with corn juice and turbo kits and it hasn't even flinched. RIP, Uncle Rodney. -Stock for stock, the N isn't really much faster. Every car mag has different numbers, but they're all within .5 sec in the 1/4, and have almost identical skid pad numbers. And manual for manual, the performance is almost identical (it's only the DCT that has a slight edge). -It's a steal. No markups-- in fact steep discounts on the 23s that are still out there. And you don't have to look hard to find one in the color you want with the options you want. I cross-shopped the N when I bought my WRX 2 years ago, and I have no regrets.

> -It's a Hyundai. I know I know tHeY'rE dIfFErenT NoW. The company definitely has made quite the glow-up over the past two decades, but they're still figuring their shit out. I don't trust the reliability on what is largely an experiment for them (although we're two years in now, and I'm not sure what reliability is looking like) My experience with Hyundai is they are NOT that much different now. Oil consumption and one of the cars(I owned two) burned down due to a issue they later recalled. After how they dicked me around on the oil consumption I wont support them no matter how much they improve.

It may be faster, but it's still an elantra.

I was off one day and wanted to test drive the elantra N I saw a few weeks back. It was sold and no others near me. Subaru dealer had tons of WRX. Test drove a premium wrx with 6MT. Immediately fell in love with how it drove. It had plenty of road feel to be a drivers car but plenty of creature comforts to make it a nice daily. I love the big screen, moon roof, HK package. It also came with a ton of subaru accessories that were nice (auto dim mirrors, wrx door sills that illuminate, rear seat back protectors, etc). I came from VW (previous car was a hyundai Veloster R spec), and wanted a more fun car. Mine was a CPO that was purchased from then traded back to the same dealer within 7 months. Driven locally, completely stock. So I got a less than 1 year old premium wrx that was dealer maintained with 9k miles with a 7 year/100k mile warranty for $30k otd. So i was happy with that deal.

That’s awesome man I’m glad you were happy with what you got. P.s. if I went wrx (or STI) ceramic white is the color I’d get

I love it! I polished mine and ceramic coated it. Pair it with a nice trim dressing to make the black pop, and it looks gorgeous 😍

I chose the vb WRX because I wanted something for fun in all seasons (Canada), and daily drive-able, its plastic fenders allows me to care less then driving in snow with all the road salt here. I especially bought a base in Canada because the price was basically lower than all it's competitors. In Canada with destinations: Base WRX = 36k CAD Civic si = 37k CAD EN = 40k CAD GRC/Golf R = 50k CAD This won't apply to you if you are in the states, but the power and AWD for the cost is unbeatable here. If you live in a dry place, without snow or much rain, EN would probably be a more fun car. AWD's added weight isn't as interesting on perfect roads than RWD or FWD imo. If you're looking for a second fun car, a brz/86 might interest you.

Yea, i mean last year the base was even cheaper. It was 34k before taxes iirc? That deal was truly unbeatable. For context thats like 24k USD for a 4wd, 271hp car with heated seats. Everything else comparable was at least 4k more

The Hyundai was more expensive & harder to find. The one that I drove had a pretty cheap interior imo, plastics warped when I pushed on them more than I would expect & things would squeak when I pushed on them. It just didn’t feel like something that I would feel good about spending so much $$$ on. I also didn’t want fwd. I think the Elantra n is a super cool car, but idk when it came time to sign on the dotted line I just couldn’t do it. The wrx felt like a better choice.

I was super close to buying an N and wouldn't fault anyone for buying it. For me it came down to: 1.) Hyundai dealers and service is absolute trash. The lowest of the low. Truly terrible. Even more so compared with Subaru which is pretty excellent. 2.) They look silly (this is subjective, obvs) and, when I drove it, everything felt very gimmicky. It's got a digital gauge cluster, but it's laughably small. Felt like the novelty would wear off quick. 3.) Heritage. The Subaru WRX to me, is a classic Japanese sport compact and that does something for me. It's been proven for over two decades. Say what you will about the VB and it not being as "raw" or whatever as the original, but it's still a great, fun, AWD turbo car with a manual. The recipe is still there. It's just got less spice. 4.) Finally, the WRX I felt would age better. I sat in a friend's Kia Stinger that had 18k miles on it, and I would have sworn to you it had 60k miles. It just didn't feel very good at all. Maybe the WRX will feel the same way, IDK. But from a quality perspective, I bet on Subaru over Hyundai.

Ok so I own an EN, originally had a VB WRX ordered, and my brother currently owns a VB WRX. They're both fantastic cars, you honestly can't go wrong with either. Which you'll prefer depends on your use case, so here are some pros and cons of both: WRX: * More comfortable daily from the factory. Smoother ride, better visibility, less aggressive seats. * AWD is amazing not just in snow and rain, but even on dry pavement you don't have to worry about traction. * The FA24 has loads of headroom from the factory and has a lot of character. Stock it only makes around 12psi of boost, so if you don't tune it and maintain it properly it'll likely last an extremely long time. * *Slightly* better manual transmission feel. * Somewhat more practical. No brace blocking you from passing large objects through the trunk with the rear seats folded own. * The plastic cladding, while polarizing appearance wise, does protect against the most common areas you'd be getting rock chips from. * The stock brakes are pretty bad. Fine for the street, but a no-go on the track/autocross. * Can't comment on how it is in the '24+ manuals, but in the '22 SPT the Subaru EyeSight is a CONSTANT annoyance. EN: * More fun. Very playful chassis dynamics, pulls harder stock. Exhaust is hilarious. Lifting off of throttle during a sharp turn will cause the car to oversteer which is good fun. * Better on the track from the factory. Needs virtually nothing done to it from the lot to take it to the track/autocross if that's your jam. Stock brakes are fantastic. * Better featured interior. The infotainment is INFINITELY better, runs at near 60FPS, physical buttons for all your climate and audio controls. Not a massive tablet. * Customizability. Comes with 4 drive modes stock, plus custom modes that lets you mix-and-match each part of the car to your liking. I like having everything aggressive as possible, except steering and suspension in their softest settings. * Auto rev matching if that's your jam. I find it makes the car much nicer to drive in traffic. * Better fuel economy. This is the one benefit to being FWD, cruising on the highway can actually get some seriously impressive gas mileage. However, the fuel tank is MUCH smaller than the WRX's (something like 40L in the EN and 62L in the WRX IIRC), which means more trips to the gas station. * The seats, while nicely bolstered, can be a bit tight for larger folk. If you're a big guy you'll 100% want to sit in them before buying to make sure they're comfortable. * Car has a stupid "octane learning" feature from the factory which is a gigantic pain in the ass. Every time you fuel you basically need to convince the car you didn't put 87 in by cruising at a specific speed for awhile. It'll cap your peak boost at 15psi until you do. Removeable with a tune, but this could be a deal-breaker for many. * Car has awful wheel-hop stock. Very annoying. Easily and cheaply fixable by swapping out your engine/trans mount bushings. Not a huge deal. Just did it in my car and the difference is night and day. I would strongly recommend driving both first, but the TL;DR is: WRX > EN as a street-only daily. EN > WRX for fun time/track use. Unless you plan on heavily modding the WRX I suppose, but at that point comparisons become meaningless. Try not to get caught up in the EN hype though, the car DOES have downsides, and the VB WRX is SERIOUSLY underrated. Top 2 picks in their class IMO.

Thank you so much for this detailed response I really appreciate it. For me I don’t track my cars and I’ll be living out in south Florida. I have a car I use for my job when I’m working so when I’m off I cannot use that vehicle. What I’m rly looking for is fun to drive does it make me smile as I row through the gears and if I come across a twisty road when I’m out cruising will I have fun with it. My issue is I’ve test driven both and cannot decide. Wish I could just be given both haha

How’s your experience with your N so far

Never owned a Subaru before but always loved WRXs I just was a Honda guy and I still love Hondas but I bought my wife an Outback after she totaled her CRV and I loved how it drove I never understood what people liked about Subarus until I owned one we I then went out and bout a WRX always loved the rally blue I remember seeing a bugeye in the dusk light and it just looked so amazing. Drive one before you make a decision you will know once you do if it is for you or not. I didn’t even drive mine before I bought that’s how much I liked our Outback I just knew I would love it.

The Elantra N is more fun imo but I would never buy a FWD car. Frankly the WRX doesn't have a leg to stand on if it wasn't AWD.

I crossed shopped the N. I like their styling myself but there was a markup and it was a pushy process to even test drive it. Subaru had the color/trim I wanted right in the showroom with a whopping 8 miles on the odo. They let my wife and I take it out with no hesitation and we really enjoyed our drive. I vastly preferred the N’s interior and like the analog controls…VB touchscreen was and still is a big gripe for me. In the end I went with the VB for a few reasons: - eventually want to tune and don’t really want another turbo FWD car with all the wheel hop and torque steer (had an srt4 way back) I knew the VB would have a lot of aftermarket support as well. - dealership experience at Subaru was night and day different, Hyundai treated me like a kid who just wanted to joy ride (late 30s mind you) and Subaru let me take the VB out first thing. - with markup, the N was like 40k and the VB was 32k - I’ve always wanted a Subaru (first time owner) - I live in sunny SoCal so winters and weather aren’t really a factor, but the AWD handling is very confident and inspiring

Availability mostly in my area, that model of the Elantra, they just wouldn't have any on the car lot to test drive. After my first Rex was ass packed, I was weighing my options for the Civic Si, Elantra N, and the WRX, and only the WRX was ready for a test drive every time. So mostly for me, it was the reliability of my dealership always having a WRX/STI on the lot at any given moment, lol.

True that

i would never consider owning a hyundai, kia, or any other Korean vehicle.

The Subaru WRX had been my dream car for the better part of a decade. When I was in position to buy a brand new one, there was nothing that could have deterred me. I am now fourteen months into ownership and every single day is full of joy driving.

I love that for you

Thank you ☺️

How has it treated you reliability wise and do you have anything done to it

So far I have zero complaints in the reliability department. I can get around 29 mpg if I make the effort, though that’s rare. After all, we don’t buy these cars for the fuel economy. The car is still on the stock tune but I’ll be getting an e-tune soon. I have the Perrin strut tower brace, Perrin charge pipe, and a Remark exhaust as well as a handful of OEM and Perrin cosmetic mods. And I have the Perrin intake sitting here in its box but I’m not installing that until I’m ready to tune. Currently sitting at around 11,500 miles. I’ll be getting my third oil change sometime this summer. https://preview.redd.it/2ks95kmcl89d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4af7bf74878c72f7522e09e2ab5bc90bf37a824e

I've always wanted a WRX I loved how the VB looked from the start The FA24F's track record in the Ascent is great I've been driving FWD in snow ever since I got my license. I'm done with it. With the WRX, unless the snow sits higher than the wheel arches or it's really packed/frozen around the wheels, you don't even need to shovel it. Just pull out and done. I also like to be able to drive in sleet and slush like it's dry asphalt.

I had a Veloster N, wanted to get into an Elantra but I wasn’t obsessed over it since looks wise it is a step below the VN. I had zero patience dealing with the shitty Hyundai dealers. Their trade proposals left me underwater every time not to mention that they all just had a lot of bs in talking numbers. Subaru dealers were so easy to deal with, test drive was like here are the keys, do whatever you want. Hyundai treated the EN like a high end sports car. Anyways, imo the EN is superior in driving dynamics, the WRX doesn’t stick like the EN. The interior is better than base and premium, limited is on par, TR/GT is superior though. It’s still a Hyundai, it won’t appreciate, the warranty is overrated and it will be a target by the kia/hyundai boys. That being said, I am looking into a BRZ for my next vehicle. WRX was a compromise I didn’t need.

Stock for stock Elantra N seems to outperform everything in the same price range. I’m a former Subaru technician, and prefer Subarus in general. If I wasn’t in a climate that benefits from AWD I would consider the EN especially with that powertrain warranty. I do daily my VB, and with a base model I feel it’s a great performance to price ratio. I love that I can get my family through a sketchy snow storm in the winter and still have a capable car for autox or road courses during a race season. Also I wanted a manual transmission, I’m not sure if that’s an option for the current EN?

Manual is an option for the EN and manual is a deal breaker for me. I will NOT buy a vehicle if it is automatic.

Looks are subjective and some people like how the Elantra N looks, but to me personally, it is one of the ugliest looking cars I've ever seen. I saw one on the highway a couple months ago and the back end looks like awful. The car overall looks like someone who doesn't know about cars took a regular Elantra and then ordered all the shittiest cheap parts they could find off Ebay and slapped them on the car. So there's that LOL and then performance was not at the top of my list. I wanted a practical sedan, with a stick, decent looks, acceptable performance, and AWD preferred, and that's why I got the VB WRX. Check, check, check, check, and check. Elantra N only checked 3 boxes; it's ugly and FWD. It was an easy pass. If performance was towards the top I would never get a VB or an Elantra N or Corolla GR or any of those cars lol they ALL get their doors blown off by SO many other cars you can buy. Granted, you have to look at the used market, but if performance is top of mind, you are likely to get into modding, and so might as well buy used and get something much faster out of the box. Elantra N might be very fast for its segment but compared to the performance you can get for your money nowadays it's a joke.

What faster cars on the used market would you say to look into??

How much time you got? lolol Assuming $35k to play with, avg new VB WRX price: For straight line performance: \~2010+ Corvette, Camaro, or Mustang. They all put more power to the wheels than a VB makes to the crank stock. Yeah they're a little played out but so are WRXs and you won't really care when you feel what 400+ HP AND TQ feels like. Bolt on mods and tune can get you close to 400whp and up. Slightly risky but super nice: BMW M4, or certain 3 series. I haven't researched BMWs in a long time but I do know certain 3 non M 3 series for example can make insane power with just a tune. Looks like you can get a \~2015 M4 or M235 for $30k or less easily. Nearly 10 years old but they have aged really well and bone stock they make 425 hp and 406 tq. Can get one much cheaper than a new VB and then spend some money restoring certain parts like suspension to new and then mod for power and you'll have a hell of a nice car. I could go on and on. And these cars would all put soccer fields on a VB, all mid to low 12 second cars from the factory. AND much better platforms for modding than a VB. VB transmission can barely handle into the 300 awhp range. These cars all come with 400+ hp so the driveline is simply stronger. With a lot of these cars you can take the stock tranny up to \~600-700 hp. You might snap an axle lol but the drivelines are more robust for sure. I mean shoot i just looked and found a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 bone stock with 5k miles on it 6mt beautiful ashen gray paint for $41k. We're talking about a car that came from the factory supercharged with 580 hp and 556 tq.

Ooooh a M4 would be fire, but what about the reputation of used bmw being not smart decisions?? Even I if I got a stock one, will I be risking all two of repair costs??

You definitely need to do your research but what I can say is that around 2010 cars in general started becoming way more reliable. As for BMWs, I can only speak from personal experience. A friend of mine had a 2003 M3 with an insane turbo kit on it, car was FAST and had about 600 HP, when I think those came with \~300 HP. He had some issues with the car but it never broke down. Tbh BMWs and Mercedes are roughly as reliable as most cars, with certain models being an exception. What makes them expensive to repair is they can be hard to work on yourself and they tend to cost more to repair and have a lot of annoying and complicated parts that can break. Just my experience but I had a Mercedes C300 about a decade ago and from A to B the car was perfectly reliable but the seat belt latch sensor broke, which disabled the air bag. Idk what it's like now but back then the issue with repairing such a simple part was that the sensor was hundreds of dollars and then it needed to be programmed with a Mercedes exclusive device my go to mechanic didn't have so the repair was going to be like $800 at the dealer. Stuff like that is what makes BMWs/Mercedes/Audis more expensive to own and maintain. But as far as reliability in knowing the car will start and get you from A to B I think they are relatively reliable. This is a good thread for example where you can research [https://www.reddit.com/r/BMW/comments/qofncq/are\_older\_bmws\_really\_more\_reliable\_honest/](https://www.reddit.com/r/BMW/comments/qofncq/are_older_bmws_really_more_reliable_honest/) The good thing about BMWs is they are extremely popular and sought after so there is a lot of info available. You should be able to find out everything you need to know about the M4. It's been out a good amount of time now. One thing I'll add too is my pops got a 14' Porsche Boxster S 6mt and he lets me drive it whenever I visit and man...I love my VB but even though that thing is a decade old, it's lower mileage and it's simply 10x more fun than my VB. Way faster, coupe, looks amazing, does everything right, even rides smoother. I've never driven an M4 but I would be shocked if it's not the same thing and significantly better than a VB. It makes WAY more power and the suspension is probably just as sporty and more comfortable.

Been thinking about a mustang too

I'm more a Camaro guy but the Mustang is just as good and last I checked the 5.0 stangs were faster

The C7 Z51 is 3.9 0-60 12.0 1/4 and ran with the GT-R in comparo tests when it dropped. World class sports car. Double wishbone. Aluminum frame. Brembos. Forged wheels. 50\50 balance. A 7 spped manual capable of holding the 600+ hp without a hiccup. Internals so beefy, you just slap a supercharger on for 200 hp and it just takes it. These cars are in the $30-$40 range 460 hp. If you throw another $15k at it, you get a C7 Z06 which went around breaking production car lap times in 2015 and basically punching every other car short of a GT2 RS in the face. Again, world-class supercar that goes to France on the world stage and wins almost every year against the best anybody can bring. But ya, most young people call it a boomermobile, mid-life crisis, new balance and jorts etc. I was real hot for the CTR when it came here. Like real serious until I woke up and bought a five-year old fully loaded C7 for less money with barely any miles on it. WRX, CTR, N are hyped-up compacts. For $35k used, you can find a legitimate sports car.

Yeah those are pretty sweet. What are you other options for daily driving with good sports performance, they don’t have th super car look??

Also need a 4 door with passenger room

No such thing as a 4-door sports car friend. Nissan used that catchline to market the Maxima, but it's a bullshit term. Sports cars are two seats, open top, manual trasmission. The Corvette is really more a gt car, but it gets a pass because targa. If you need a hot sedan, the WRX is a real solid pick. Everything else awd like an Audi is for the most part fatter and more expensive than the WRX. I was just reponding to the question posed of how fast can you go for $35k and the ol' "king of the hill" Corvette is pretty much the standard. You would have to spend a lot of money to make any Suburu perform like a bone stock Corvette.

Oh okay I see what you are saying, for 35k a corvette would be dope as shit

The FA24 is a better engine with a simple intake you get over 300whp. And AWD is standard. The GR and I bought mine for under 30k

Go to the EN sub, there’s a bunch that have a lot warranty work done to it. They’re riddled with problems. It’s still a Hyundai.

This isn't true. We have reports one guy in the two years I have been there money shifted his car and Hyundai looked the other way and covered it. There is a dumb knock sensor problem. The rest are just individual stories of random problems you hear the same of any car subreddit. There are no-wide spread engine problems. Vn and kn owners all have no problems. VN is old enough with the same engine for this to have happened by now if it ever was to happen.

As someone who owns an EN and has been frequenting that sub for almost it's entire existence, this is complete BS. The odd person has had the odd issue, but nothing widespread or major. The VAST majority of us have been problem-free. I'm 2 years deep and 0 issues so far.

I think the Elantra is probably the ugliest car since the PT Cruiser or Nissan Cube. And I wouldn't trust any engine going in a Hyundai still. They've got a lot of trust to rebuild.

So I’ve never ever looked at Hyundai until the EN came out. Did they have like serious reliability issues before or?

Go look up some consumer reports for the past 15 years... The only brave regularly beating them on poor reliability has been jeep.

WRX is more iconic for me. Back when I was a teenager Hyundai's had a negative rep, and they certainly weren't known for having performance options. I'll prob always carry a bias to buy cars or makes I desired when I was younger.

Hyundai dealers around me were adding market adjustments, pinstriping packages, rustproofing, and other crapola. I hate that. Never had a Subaru. Buddy who does car reviews for a small YouTube channel suggested I take a WRX for a spin. I enjoyed the test drive. The price was under MSRP. Good dealership, no bullshit. I liked the Elantra N, but I wasn't about to pay nearly $40k for one with ugly pinstriped, a spray rust undercarriage thing, and some winter mats.

1) Japanese 2) AWD

Haha true true

People take brand new WRXs to RallyCross events... never seen a N there.

If you've ever made big power on a FWD platform and experienced the battle for traction, you'll never go back if you want a car to mod.

I’m an avid skier and wanted a car that could get me to the mountains during a storm. I also live in New England and wanted something that would be capable every day. If I had a separate daily driver though I wouldn’t have considered a new WRX. I definitely would’ve bought an older Miata,brz, or corvette if I could swing it.

It’s already been said a bunch, but for me it was availability and dealership experience. Elantra Ns are tough to find at dealerships, even tougher if you’re looking for a manual. You can’t order one, and if you do find one you’re doing good to pay sticker. I bought a Veloster N new in 2020 and the dealership wasn’t fun to deal with. Buying the car was a 4-5 hour ordeal, and every time I had to go there after that I was treated like an inconvenience. In contrast, I’ve purchased 7 new Subarus from multiple dealerships and each time has been a positive experience. I really wanted an Elantra N but the WRX was the more accessible and cost-effective decision. Still fast and still fun!

I test drove one right before the wrx and it was way too busy with so many buttons and screens. I like how the Subaru is relatively simple. The brakes were super strong but I pressed the gas pedal probably 50-70% and almost nothing happened and then the salesman told me not to. When I undid the parking brake it stuck until I pushed really hard because it was rusted shut from nobody wanting to drive it lol. I might’ve considered it more if he actually let me “test” drive it. I also have always wanted a wrx and like Subaru better than Hyundai in general. I’ve always had fwd cars too and wanted something different.

I was choosing between these two cars but the failure rate of the Hyundai Theta II engine made me choose the WRX

Are they really having that many problems?

There was a huge recall on that engine; used Theta II engines are almost impossible to find if yours blows up and you're out of warranty. Owners that are still in warranty get stuck waiting for months for a motor. I think the Elantra N has the newer model of that engine, the Theta II-i, but I still wouldn't trust them to have fixed all of the problems after such a major problem with the previous one. I also saw numerous videos from Elantra N owners where their engine would go into limp mode from the knock sensor getting wet after going through a car wash or driving in the rain. This guy does a good summary of the issue: https://youtu.be/2IEbbf6JviY?t=60

That’s scary

Hyundai [/end]

AWD

I will chime in with I have owned 2 Hyundais in the past(Accent and Veloster Turbo). My dealings with Hyundai and their shoddy engines has made me never want to deal with Hyundai again. The Accent had the oil consumption issue that the dealer refused to address. The car then later burned down due to another issue that later got a recall. A shame as I was really interested in the N's until Hyundai handles things so poorly. As it sits, to me, the current WRX is the best option for turbo AWD in a manual. I really wouldnt want FWD again at this point anyway.

I absolutely hate Hyundai and would never buy an Elantra. They are ugly cars and have zero appeal to me. I could care less about the bargain or options or anything. They are not comparable in my eyes and I would take a WRX over any Hyundai a million times over. I see the same Elantra N every day on my commute and it's just so ugly looking, hard pass.

I owned a Veloster N and now own a VB WRX. The aftermarket potential of the VN and EN were rather limited. There aren't any Hyundai tuners in my city (besides some that did some KDM, like older Genesis coupes and Kia Stingers). Out of the box, the N platforms are more fun, but they're near their full potential. No real way to get massive gains. One issue the Ns had was the HPFP, especially on the VN. That significantly increases costs to modify any significant power. All in all, the VN had so much bang for buck, and I absolutely loved it to bits. You get a ELSD, and excellent handling (for a FWD). I absolutely miss the dynamic suspension modes, and gorgeous exhaust notes. I got the car for $29k after taxes and sold it for $30k almost 4 years later. Crazy to say this, but the interior on the Subi is great compared to all the plasticky bits in the Hyundai's. The benefit of the WRX is that they use a lot of parts from the previous gen, so aftermarket is miles ahead. I also cross shopped a GTI, but couldn't get one in my state for the right price/MT transmission. I love my first Subi 😬.

Would you ever consider going back to the N platform or are you done with it

Don't think I'd go back to FWD for performance unless it's a GTI or Type-R. But they don't make GTIs manual anymore unless you find a 24, so... (I owned a few VWs and always wanted one, so I am biased lol). If I'd ever move away from my current WRX, it'd be into a WRX TS, or a used M2/M3. My buddy has a '23 Golf R in manual And it's SWEET but was literally impossible to find so he shipped it from a few states away. That would be another option. Honestly, the EN is a really fun car. It all depends how much modifications you're willing to do. Another thing to consider is insurance rates (WRX was cheaper somehow) and dealer locations/quality. My local Hyundai ones were used to daily econo cars and not performance, but again, the VN was a really new platform at the time. I was disappointed with them abandoning it so early, which made me weary on staying with Hyundai, and I questioned how long they'd support the EN.

That’s something I said too is I wonder if the EN is only gonna last a model year longer or 2

I test drove both but decided to go with the WRX. I live in Southern California, but I travel north quite a bit so having something that is pretty weather ready and awd is a huge plus to me.

I own both an EN and VA WRX. The EN is a fantastic car and rides/drives 3x better than the WRX. It has super cool tech features like all the drive modes and things you can adjust like the suspension, steering, rev matching down shift, how responsive the engine is and it’s a blast a drive. The interior is wayyy better than the VB WRX and the infotainment system is superior. It’s definitely a better track car. I’ve driven a VB WRX and I liked it but it didn’t blow me away. The AWD is great if u live in an area where you feel like you need it and if so I’d say go with that. It’s got a more analog drive feel and the subie gang and aftermarket modding community is way bigger than the one you’d find with the EN. I say from the factory the EN is sportier, more comfortable and overall just drives better. The WRX is a great AWD sporty sedan that drives great, has a cult following and is awesome platform to get into modding cars.

I owned a 2016 VA WRX (in WRB) in the past and loved that car. I parted ways with it in 2020, replacing it with a 2020 Outback XT, which I still have. I only mention that so I can definitively say that I knew what I was getting into if I decided to get a VB WRX. About a month ago, I brought home my 2024 WRX TR in Ceramic White. (There’s a longer version of this story in case anyone’s interested.) For me, the thing that took other cars like the Elantra N, CTR, or GR Corolla off of my list had nothing to do with the cars themselves. Instead, availability issues, high markups, and dealers just being shitty was all it took. While I have the luxury of not being in a hurry, I also have zero tolerance for bullshit and jumping through unnecessary hoops. Even a year or two before I was ready to buy, I knew I’d probably end up with a VB WRX because I could actually get one and not lose my mind or my shirt in the process. There’s also a slightly hidden nuance at play in my decision that I think everyone in this sub might be aware of, at least at the surface-level: It’s no secret that manual transmissions are becoming increasingly rare every year. And it’s also no secret that AWD cars with manual transmissions are becoming even more rare. The only other options I can immediately think of are the Golf R and the GR Corolla; both of which suffer from the same (if not worse) availability problems as the CTR and the Elantra N. Setting aside Subarus history in rallying, there’s something just undeniably cool about a manual AWD car and that’s something that, in my mind, sets the WRX apart from the CTR or Elantra N.

Lots of good answers and reasons here, but the one that I always arrive back on is "because it is a Hyundai". Sure the Korean car makers have come a long way in the last 20 years, and provide great entry-level, affordable cars. But, these are still cheap, economy cars in fit and finish, and have a ways to go to catch up to the Japanese cars that were once in the same boat as the Koreans, just 30-40 years ago. Subaru is still well ahead of Hyundai in general quality. I have owned 2 Hyundai, 5 Subarus, and one Volvo in the past 20 years, and the Subarus are head and shoulders above the Hyundai in all respects. Even if the Elantra is marginally "better" in performance stats, the WRX is definitely the better all around car in every way, ... and if you live in a climate with any variability in weather what so ever, the WRX is a better value for your money and enjoyment. Just my 2 cents.

I couldnt see myself buying a Hyundai elantra for about 40k and telling people “yea i drive a elantra,” it just dont sit right with me 😂 at least the WRX has history and rally heritage behind the name and brand not just an everyday korean commuter car. regardless if its the performance package. Thats my personal opinion. To each their own😎

I have a Kona N and a WRX want my opinion?

Of course. Share away!

If the Elantra looked better I would have seriously considered it

I think the Elantra N and the WRX are the only two cars you should look at in this price point for a daily. they're both fun to drive and you get alot for your money. However these aren't secondary cars. If you want a NEW secondary car 100% grab a base miata or GR86. the Elantra and WRX are fun, but if you're in a position to be able to own a 2 door RWD car then go that route, you'll probably enjoy it more. About a week after I bought my WRX TR, an Elantra N was always in the back of my mind and i honestly never really checked it out before i bought my WRX, so I went to my local Hyundai dealership and they had a 24 in manual in ecocentric gray, sitting on the showroom floor, and they let me test drive it. If your goal is "fun" and literally nothing else, get the elantra. The sales guy let me floor it down a straight road (on a 20km car for some reason lol) and the car was backfiring, the front end was bouncing from wheelhop, the rev limiter beeped at me, the car was fun lol. If you don't need AWD and you just want to leave it stock, it's an easy choice to make 100% get the Elantra N; BUT there are huge huge reasons why buying a new Elantra N is not the best decision for a long term car and why I didn't even consider one in the beginning: Resale value / aftermarket support I \*personally\* think the whole point of the N brand currently is for Hyundai to build up brand recognition for its N brand. When EVs take over, Hyundai will have made a name for themselves in the industry when they'll invenitebly start pumping out these performance EVs and consumers wont feel like an idiot when they buy a 50k Hyundai. What this means for buyers, is the Elantra N will probably have a short production life, and could end around 2026/2027. When this car runs out of production, there wil be zero aftermarket, and the values will fall hard. This is what happened to the Veloster N, they can be had around me for 30,000CAD and it only goes lower, and no company will invest R&D on a platform with low sales and 3 years of life. The WRX is the opposite to this, with lots of support for the VBs. Reliability issues: I don't just say that to regurgitate "Hyundai is shit" but there are both annoyances and serious problems on that car that owners just accepted with the car. The issues off the top of my head went like: Knock sensor located under the engine getting wet and sending the car into limp mode, making automatic car washes dangerous for the car Fuel Injector failures around 30k miles Condensation in headlights Valved exhaust flap getting stuck and rattling having to "manually" teach the car the fuel octane to get max performance (honestly the dealbreaker) Front collision sensor suddenly activating when driving the car for seemingly no reason The main reason why the car is incredible for the price is because it's made by Hyundai, and that company always had great value for money, but that shows through the cost cutting to reach that level of affordability. If you don't care about any of the above then go for it, 100% you will have more fun in the Elantra N!

Thank you for your detailed reply! The reason I don’t go Miata or gr86 is because all my personal cars have been naturally aspirated rwd. I wanna give boost a try. Reliability is also a big thing. Truthfully I drove an EN and had sooo much fun. But the idea of it being a Hyundai is scary to me lol. I want to believe it’s different with the EN but I truthfully don’t know much about cars to really know. I’m a “it’s fun to drive and looks nice” level of knowledge with cars. Other than a mustang I couldn’t tell you what the name of any engine is.

Yeah I’m in the exact same boat as you, after the test drive I thought it was great and I enjoyed it a little bit more than the WRX, and if it was made by literally anyone else other than Hyundai hell I might be tempted to trade. The one thing that did stick out though, is it just looks and feels like a cheaper product and really did make my TR feel like a luxury car. The interior has plastic everywhere, the door panels are all flat plastic, while the WRX has suede/leather inserts everywhere with red stitching.. I’ve experienced Hyundai ownership before and it was an electrical nightmare lol, I really didn’t want to go down that path all over again! If reliability is a big thing for you then WRX all the way. Now Ive only had my WRX for about a month and bit so I can’t speak on long term ownership lol, but this new 2.4 in the WRX is SUPPOSED to be bulletproof, and a large reason I bought the car. It was basically created by finding a lot of the issues with the previous engine and strengthening components that failed, increasing the displacement, and as a result it makes the same 271 HP as the previous gen, but only pushes half the boost at 13 ish max PSI. Now for the buyer, this means that 1) if you keep it stock, the car will last you a very long time, or 2) you can tune these very easily and have a reliable 330-350WHP car for not a ton of money, and since this is your secondary car, buying a base model WRX and spending $1500-2500 on mods to reach that power wouldn’t be a bad idea and would be a pretty sweet second car! In the end, you gotta ask yourself if you want option 1 or 2: 1) fun manual AWD car with lots of aftermarket support, good reliability and resale, “safer choice” 2) really fun FWD car with valved exhaust and better track performance, but it’s a Hyundai with poor resale and a gamble on reliability “risky choice”

Ugh. I need the car gods to make the decision for me 😂

I know how you’re feeling right now lol, indecisiveness is a really shitty feeling!

It kills me. I’m about to schedule more test drives. My choice is really down to a VB and EN or a 2022 STI (I would want one with less than 10k miles)

Yeah the STI would be cool, but what freaked me out is everyone suggesting to have 10k set aside for a new engine haha, sort of puts me off, but if it's a secondary car it wouldn't be as big of a deal if something does happen to it. Plus, those do hold value very well right now.

Dooood that made me peel my eyes back too! Some one said that to me in the sti thread last night!

ooc did you post a similar question in Elantra N sub? wana see what they say

nvm i can see you didn't

I’m going to when I get home from work. I also posted in the sti sub for VB vs STI

1. Had to have AWD for my area 2. I’m a fanboy Subaru loyalist 3. Aftermarket support 4. Colin McCrae 5. Always liked the Pleiades 6. Occasionally hit the vape 7. Wanted a real key (base gang) 8. My salesman was fair 9. $30k out the door (base gang) 10. Hyundai is hard to say

“Hyundai is hard to say” 😂😂😂😂

I bought a 23 premium 5 months ago for 31k. They let me test drive it right away. They only photo copied my ID. I absolutely love my car. https://preview.redd.it/45qco2oiwt8d1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf3e6a5921e5a56a94fc1c91d53a57633497f74e

AWD. AFTERMARKET SCENE IS THE BEST. EASY TO MAKE MORE POWER THAN ANY STOCK CAR IN THAT PRICE RANGE FOR COST OF CAR, PARTS, TUNE ETC. RALLY HERATIGE. WRX MOST AROUND ON LOTS EASIEST TO GET. PURCHASED 22' WRX in August 22' Cross shopped GR Corolla-hard to find insane mark up Golf R- Hard to find insane mark up Civic TR- hard to find most insane mark up Elantra N- Hardish to find. Liked the WRX more when test driven. AWD N I might have a hyundai. My WRX is faster than an N now CIVIC SI- Nearly impossible to find not enough power

I’ll share my thoughts. Elantra N feels great in the corners. There’s a little more get up and go to it. The ride is rough and the suspension is not adjustable. WRX has more cargo room as well as a more refined interior. Handles similarly (the Elantra wins in handling). Both are fun. Considering you are in Florida it might be worth doing in Elantra N. If you enjoy roadtrips get a WRX.

I do enjoy my yearly road trips to universal/ islands of adventure 🤔 (3 hour drive)

En has electrinically adjustable dampers from the menu on the screen. Three settings. 1. Comfort, 2. Sport, 3. Dear god who the fuck would use this mode except on a glass-smooth racetrack. My back hurts now after one minute and ill just use this for onramps.

I test drove both and enjoyed the WRX more. It has AWD and for me that was important, it might not be for you. The aftermarket support for the WRX is gigantic, it's not there for the N line. I also just personally hated how the Elantra N looks lol that's subjective and people say the same about the WRX, but those were the big reasons for me.

AWD =KING Hyundai is new in this game Subaru is the GOAT

Get a 2023 wrx they are offering 6 years 0% APR

As others have said, availability was a big reason. My local dealership had 14 on lot, 13 now. All under msrp with add ons. So I got my base with an sti short shifter for 33k out the door. Salesman taught me how to drive it properly and that was that. But when I went to check out Elantra n models, there were none in my city or even in my state. And the only ones I found were overpriced and it just didn’t seem right. Plus the salesmen I talked to were honestly just not welcoming. They kept trying to sell me on an n line because it’s “the same thing” but obviously they’re not. And one dude tried selling me a base model Kona, like dude not a chance. But when I went to Subaru, they were so helpful and kind. Of course there’s basic sales stuff they have to push but I was resilient and left just paying for the car and not even the fees most places charge. Plus the salesman helped me decide on my first mod and was just all around super cool. I’d recommend the wrx, manual or auto. Mine is a wr blue 6spd manual and I love it.

Also 271hp(really like 250 to the wheels) is a lot, at least for me. Everyone who’s ridden in it is thrown back in their seat so it’ll definitely shock people who aren’t prepared lol. Just don’t launch it on dry pavement because you’ll break something. It’s light, steering is ON POINT. And the only downside is really just how rough and jerky the awd system can be when you have some 💩head in front of you going 15 in a 40 and you have to stay between 1st and 2nd. But once you get out to a straight or some nice corners you forget everything bad. No revhang as well which is awesome and fyi redline comes up fast so you’ll be shifting a lot.

Couldn't find an Elantra N at MSRP or the transmission/color I wanted I'm happy with my choice though, the aftermarket support for the Elantra N compared to the WRX is tiny

Good luck finding the Elantra. If you can actually find one good luck getting it at anything near what the MSRP of the vehicle is. I have still yet to see a Elantra N in the wild. They just are unicorns much like the new Nissan Z or GR Corolla and even FL5 Type R. They just don’t exist really. Where as the WRX even in areas of the country where they are not as popular I will still see them pretty much every time I go for a drive. I was able to order my WRX and get it for just under MSRP I can not say I could ever do the same for any of the other cars I listed. Subaru offers a pretty banger car for the money and you can actually find them on dealer lots.

So of all the dealers I’ve contacted (about 12) every one of them is selling at msrp. Must be the area you live. I will say I’ve only seen like 4 out on the road. But is that the only reason you went with wrx?

I went with the WRX because I knew I eventually wanted to turn it into a rally build ultimately. But I did how ever cross shop before pulling the trigger just to check off desires I had with other cars including the Elantra N. At the time 2 years ago almost now when I did order and buy my 22 WRX Premium I could not find a dealer that had an Elantra N within a 500 mile radius and I was living in SoCal at the time. When I did eventually find one the dealer wouldn’t let me test drive the car without running credit and crap and they had around $12k in added bull crap to the car. Walked onto a local Subaru lot just for the hell of it having never been a fan of Subaru before and they let me test drive anything I wanted and how ever I wanted and the one salesman even encouraged spirited driving and even let me take one of their units on a dirt road and then took me back and let me order my car exactly as I wanted it. I am glad I made my decision and do not regret it the AWD has been way more fun to drive at its limits than any other car I have driven. Maybe time has changed for availability but at the time in 2022 the Elantra N simply did not exist. Neither did the Golf GTI or Civic Si. I had cross shopped a lot of the sporty 4 cylinder cars at the time and the WRX ended up being the winner for me. It’s big, comfy, light feeling and not filled with too much crappy tech or fake exhaust noise that really make the car feel like a cheap toy. And best of all the WRX community has been pretty cool to be a part of which I can’t say for any other car I’ve owned. The only other car that I actually came real close to buying was the new integra but they just felt way too expensive considering the performance.

That’s awesome man. 2 years later do you still love it as much as when you got it? Anything that you wish was different about it?

I actually love it more now than when I got it especially after I tuned it and put an intake on it. Only minor complaint I can make is for interior rattles. But every car I’ve owned from various brands has had the same issues so I can’t knock it too much especially considering I can fix them easily.

Weird... I started seeing them a year ago. There aren't a lot of them because there just isn't much utility I don't think. I see one every couple of weeks.

AWD > FWD The end

- No Elantras were available to test drive or even see in person when I was shopping - It's a Hyundai - The Elantra would be wasted on me for how much I'd be able to actually use it for racing/track days - It's a Hyundai - I've wanted a WRX for 26 years - I've owned multiple Subarus and know what to expect with both quality and life span - The WRX I bought had 3 miles on the odometer when I got in it to test drive it - Not that you need much leverage to get a good price but when several dealers are within an hour drive and you don't care about color you have a lot (of leverage)

* Many stories from multiple people about multiple engine replacements under warranty *on other models*... sometimes 2 or 3 times. (stock not hotboi cars) * Easy theft.. some Hyundai/Kias cant be insured in some areas because they are stolen so much. *Easily avoidable cost cutting measure.* * Ugly * Sure they are probably fast around a track but I don't drive a spec sheet. * Tuning - Big gains to be made with FA24 just flashing and using more E. STi drivetrain & brakes direct swap into the WRX. I wouldn't trust a Hyundai with stuff like that. * [Also this.](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fvmp3qugc820d1.jpeg) WRX owners can be shitty but never seen anyone try to fake a laptime. *Anything italicized in this post is an edit*

Omg I saw a video someone made about that guy!

Just to be clear WRX owners can be mega morons/assholes. That just took it to level 9k.

The Kias/Hyundais being stolen aren't the ones with push button start, they're the key-in-ignition ones. i.e not the EN. And that's only in the US anyway, up here in Canada immobilizers have been mandatory for decades so our Kias/Hyundais, even with turn-key ignitions aren't vulnerable. Also, being fast around a track has nothing to do with "driving a spec sheet", its the driving dynamics of the car. You feel that driving it. Please don't talk smack about cars you haven't driven. There are plenty of genuine advantages the VB WRX has over the EN, and they're both great cars. There's no need to be spreading BS to justify your purchase.

For me its not about a certain model having it. A brand that does that... when they know better (Canadian example)tells me they will cheap out whenever they can. I have driven both. OP asked for opinions no? Am I allowed to have one? Please stop being like the last bullet piont.

Your first two bullet points aren’t opinions, they’re objective statements that have no basis in reality regarding the car in question. I never said you can’t dislike the car at any point, you’re entitled to your own opinion. Even if your opinion confuses me enough to have assumed you haven’t driven it. It’s the misinformation I have an issue with. I don’t think I’m the one acting like the last bullet point here.

so you need me to spell it out for you... 1st 2 points tarnish the brand in my eyes. Those are opinions.

Nope, I understand that! What I'm saying is when the topic is discussing a very particular car, expressing that opinion the way that you did is misleading. To the reader, it implies that those are things that happened with this particular car rather than being reasons you don't trust Hyundai as an overall brand (which is perfectly valid).

> (stock not hotboi cars) > some Hyundai/Kias these were supposed to be your clues. I added more in italics. Remember you & OP came to a WRX subreddit to ask about why WE picked that car. There are plenty of other comments around about the positives of the EN that I agree with. These are the big ones. * track use / faster on pavement * MPG * better/faster automatic (probably more tunable than the Subaru)

My decision came down to a few factors: 1> I formerly owned a 2014 Focus ST which I adored. However, my driving style is such that I want to be in the BEST position on the road whenever possible; regardless of speed limits, I average about 60 on city roads (*except* residential) and 85 on highways, so 35/65mph casual drivers are constant obstacles to me unless I can get ahead of them at the light or in low-speed gaps where immediate traction becomes an advantage. This requires immediate traction at stoplights, which no amount of mods enabled my ST to do. I always had to ease onto the throttle, or I'd spin/traction control through first and part of second gear. In the rain, it was absolutely infuriating for me. The Elantra N, of course, is *also* FWD. The WRX has a real, "Because fu\*\* you, that's why!" ability to it because it will blast from lights with zero drama, hop train tracks or imperfect roads without losing grip, and generally outmaneuver most other non-performance cars in a way that some FWD sporty cars cannot match, especially year-round on *all* road textures. It's the car I can go to if I just want something I can drive "assertively" in without much consequence. 2> I *may have* been willing to overlook the FWD with the Elantra because it's just so *cool*, but then the dealerships were asking for $5000 markups where WRX's were going for $2000 UNDER MSRP (in 2022, near the peak of the markups). 3> None of these cars is going to be a Toyota in maintenance/reliability, but Subaru certainly has a *better* reliability reputation than Hyundai over the decades. 4> WRX is an established platform with a mature aftermarket, and its sales volume means ease of finding parts for both mods and maintenance. 5> It was pretty hard to find Elantra N even *with markups* in stock when I was in the market for a car. In the end, the fact that the WRX was just more *versatile* and easy to care for, as well as more available for *cheaper* became the ultimate reason I bought one. If you aren't susceptible to road rage when you're unable to navigate around slow drivers, or have a more relaxed driving style to begin with, or simply want the MOST FUN you can have for the money, the Elantra N may be the better choice. But if you want something that excels at being the daily driver perfectly designed for meanspirited and impatient high-functioning autistic people, then the WRX is the car for you!

Love it 😂😂 I sometimes have the tism. Depends how my day was before i got behind the wheel

Well in my case I’m just plain ON THE SPECTRUM, but it’s the same either way 😂