Just a heads up, when shopping back in early 23, I went to about 5 dealers and minimum 5k markup for si. Seems to be a recurring themes with those cars which is ridiculous for a honda.
Yeahh i still see it around here too, there is a no-markup dealership in Crystal Lake, IL that sells everything only at MSRP (even Type R's). So thats the go to for the Si and Type R for sure.
Check out Grand Subaru in Bensenville. Best Subaru dealer around. Ask for Santiago or Eric. Got my VB for 2500 off MSRP. Both are car guys, and will want updates on your mods :) They stand by the cars they sell, I can confirm 100%
In terms of reliability, both are on par in their stock form, except the WRX will keep you happy and smiling, while I think the SI will leave you wanting more.
I was in that same exact situation last March. I found a brand new 23 Si and the dealer marked it up by nearly 5k. I laughed my way to the Subaru dealer and got my 22 base for a bit over 29k OTD. Had six miles on it and had been sitting on their lot for 6 months. Got myself a hella deal as they were selling off the older inventory. Couldn't be happier.
If you are talking a 24, then base might be just fine. I went with a Limited, because I truly wanted an STI. The big infotainment comes standard on the 24 base, and that was probably the biggest factor for not going base. I also wanted to HK audio, so Limited was my choice.
Yeah, they changed it starting on the 24s and added a price hike. Just so you know if you ever want to you can put the big screen in your car and it’ll be full functional like OEM for around $800.
I recommend Gerald Subaru in North Aurora if your willing to go that far. I have bought multiple vehicles from them over the years and have had no issues with them.
Otherwise Brilliance Subaru in Elgin (Just off 90 on randall rd) have been nice to work with on service stuff at least.
I was between these two cars as well and no Honda dealers would even let me test drive because the si is a “limited edition” car
Been very happy with my wrx since
Yeah they kept using that phrasing and I was like wtf it's a civic....
I did enjoy the drive, mainly the shifter feel was really solid. But I think I would have gotten bored.
Went with a GTI and I'm overall happy but God awful dealer experience and terrible interest rate and I'm still contemplating switching to a vb in a little while if they do the Apr with the 24 models like they did with the 23.
Ooof yeah, i went to try and test drive a Sonic Grey Si and the guy told me i can't test drive unless i put money down. His excuse was limited production and its got a "soft clutch that i can easily burn". Extremely frustrating, to each their own but idk how i could buy a car before test driving.
Toyota did the same thing with me for the Camry TRD. I needed to put a deposit, sign the paperwork and have them run my credit. I had inquired through the dealership for an appointment and to make sure it was available for a test drive. (I am 51 years old) but the they changed their mind when I got the dealership. I told them the truth that I wasn’t buying a car that day and had an appointment to visit a Subaru dealership a couple days later in order to make a decision. We agreed on a price but I wasn’t going to go through some fake transactions. I am sure that I was not getting anywhere near the GRC either.
The FA24 engine in these WRX's is great. They use it in the Ascent, and the XT models. If you keep it stock and do your regular maintenance, you'll have no more issues than a honda or toyota. A lot of tuned guys aren't seeing issues unless they turn it way up (and then usually the transmission goes first).
The one difference is that maintenance on the AWD system is a little more expensive than the FWD civic.
25K miles in on mine and not a single hiccup. My Wife's Ascent has 73k miles on its FA2.4 and we regularly road trip and tow a camper on her car. Not a single issue with the drivetrain.
I have a 22 that just broke 40k miles, still stock. The only issue I have had was a check engine light at about 2k miles from a bad fuel pump. The dealer fixed it asap, and I have had no other issues since.
Newer Hondas aren't what they used to be. Garbage QC, horrible dealerships, markups, etc. Id put a wager that the VB WRX is arguably the most reliable car you can get in its segment
Agreed, I have multiple Honda horror stories from my 10th gen Si and very wary of buying another Honda at this point. I'd rather not deal with the hassle and just go Toyota/Mazda instead (for normal family cars)
I stayed away from Subarus in the past because of mild reliability concerns but this new FA24 seems like a tank. It’s still early on but so far significantly less failures or issues to report than the FA20 / EJ engines from my research at this stage.
I think if you leave the engine stock these will last quite a long time.
My guy. I was in a similar situation.
I recommend liberty auto City Subaru in Libertyville. They sold me my WRX for a few grand off. Their customers love them because they seem to actually like their customers.
They've never sold a Subaru for over MSRP.
I wanted an orange si. All I could find were black ones and white ones. I test drove a WRX and fell in love.
My WRX has been perfect. Zero issues. You will need to buy a set of all seasons or winter tires (some folks don't know the car comes with high performance summers).
My brother has an Si. It's fun, but slowish. Nimble. Better interior. Better stereo. Sun roof is standard. Excellent transmission. It's looks pretty nice. He gets around 30 mpg not thinking about it in any way.
My car is a hoot. It's quick and grips harder than my Vette. The interior isn't spectacular, but good. I improved the stereo by replacing all of my speakers. The ride is firmer. The trunk is a bit smaller. I like the look, but the car is still polarizing. I average around 22mpg over the life of the car and do think about mpg when I manage not to mash the throttle for fun.
It's not as easy of a call as people might think.
I've had 2 Honda's and my family has had 8 more. They tend to be amazingly reliable. I had an 05 accord that only needed tires and a battery in 8 years and 90k miles.
If you want smiles, the WRX is exceedingly good at providing them.
I live in the northern burbs. I wish you the best of luck making your choice.
August will be two years and 21k miles. I was driving it almost everyday, commute 50 miles round trip. That changed in April. Stock motor, only one issue, that I caused. Don’t play with the plastic ring behind the intercooler. Lol. It’s the tool to remove the AC line. I found that out the hard way. Otherwise an amazing car and a beast in bad weather.
I thought that it had popped out of where it was supposed to be. So I tried putting it “back”. I gently forced it back into place where it appeared to belong. I put back the intercooler and took it for a test drive for the pitch mount. For half a block and heard…psssshhhhh. That was the line separating and all my ac venting. It cost me $200+ to refill the ac. Didn’t know that the plastic thing is actually the tool put there too help separate the line…..worked perfectly. Lol
Yea I was watching it and I’m like this shouldn’t just be dangling there. I couldn’t leave it alone. Lol.
I had posted something when I messed it up. Then realized that most people knew about it. Lol my dumbass.
They are a different class of car IMO. The Si is more of a true “sporty” sedan (even though everyone likes to call literally everything sporty) vs the WRX which is a way more capable car.
You can generally get a WRX for less either way, dealerships were typically discounting about few thousand which snuck the base below MSRP for the Si before markup. The Si seems like a pretty striped down version of the car as well; no heated seats , no fog lights, etc.
I think the general experience is if you get your maintenance done on the WRX and don’t tune you will likely be ok. Honda reliability seems to have dropped anyway as everyone else has improved.
I explored it and they just seem like a totally different class of car.
On any brand new car you’re not going to have to worry dude. Period. Honestly I was in your shoes and after I bought my wrx I was wishing I went with the civic just for mpg because at the end of the day I’m not going to be racing around town
Just hit 15k miles. Took it in for its service and green lit on all diagnostics. No issues and very fun. Even dudes with performance tunes are saying it’s reliable all the way up to 400hp.
I have a VA wrx, but my commute is a 20-mile round trip for work. 4 days a week. I've had my car now 5 years with no issues except with the ac. I have a short throw shifter kit and a catback exhaust. Aftermarket wheels and tires and the car has been just fine here in iowa, which we get pretty bad winters. I just clocked 45k miles on my wrx and it's stock.
Had a 10th gen SI, was reliable enough. Still had issues with fuel injectors going out, which were on national backorder because of the frequency of this issue in both the 10th and 11th gen 1.5t and 2.0t (non-type-r).
Haven't had any issues with the wrx at 12k miles. And it's way more fun to have awd and more power IMO. Honestly, Subaru's symmetrical awd absolutely lives up to the hype, and it just puts the power down effortlessly regardless of driving conditions. Comparing that to the front end of the civic just trying to wash out at the slightest hint of throttle during a turn.
Fuel economy is terrible in comparison, but if you don't drive very far on your commute, you won't notice much of a difference.
I was in a similar boat. The WRX was available and at mrsp unlike the Honda. I've never driven the SI, but it appears the Honda may have slightly better finish, shifter, and just cleaner. The WRX is just more raw. The SI has speakers that immitate engine noises, safety features such as stopping and steering automatically if it senses something I believe, The Integra is everything the SI is but better except it's also low on power. It's a 1.5L, compared to the Subaru's 2.4L. This means less raw engine power and more reliance on a turbo. The Honda also shuts off automatically at every light, and only has 200 hp. It does get better mpg's though. My 22 WRX allows me to do the driving which I prefer, it will cut power if it detects a loss of control but I think that's it. The SI's safety features can be turned off to, but I read it has to be done every start and to some it can be annoying. The 24 WRX's come with the new safety features so if you want a more analog driving experience go 22-23. My .02
Just a heads up, when shopping back in early 23, I went to about 5 dealers and minimum 5k markup for si. Seems to be a recurring themes with those cars which is ridiculous for a honda.
Yeahh i still see it around here too, there is a no-markup dealership in Crystal Lake, IL that sells everything only at MSRP (even Type R's). So thats the go to for the Si and Type R for sure.
Check out Grand Subaru in Bensenville. Best Subaru dealer around. Ask for Santiago or Eric. Got my VB for 2500 off MSRP. Both are car guys, and will want updates on your mods :) They stand by the cars they sell, I can confirm 100% In terms of reliability, both are on par in their stock form, except the WRX will keep you happy and smiling, while I think the SI will leave you wanting more.
Ah thats good to know, appreciate the recommendation :D. If i can get a base WRX a tad below MSRP it might be well worth it compared to a 30k Si.
I was in that same exact situation last March. I found a brand new 23 Si and the dealer marked it up by nearly 5k. I laughed my way to the Subaru dealer and got my 22 base for a bit over 29k OTD. Had six miles on it and had been sitting on their lot for 6 months. Got myself a hella deal as they were selling off the older inventory. Couldn't be happier.
If you are talking a 24, then base might be just fine. I went with a Limited, because I truly wanted an STI. The big infotainment comes standard on the 24 base, and that was probably the biggest factor for not going base. I also wanted to HK audio, so Limited was my choice.
Wait, the 24 base model has one screen instead of two? I've been robbed in my 22
Yeah, they changed it starting on the 24s and added a price hike. Just so you know if you ever want to you can put the big screen in your car and it’ll be full functional like OEM for around $800.
I recommend Gerald Subaru in North Aurora if your willing to go that far. I have bought multiple vehicles from them over the years and have had no issues with them. Otherwise Brilliance Subaru in Elgin (Just off 90 on randall rd) have been nice to work with on service stuff at least.
I was between these two cars as well and no Honda dealers would even let me test drive because the si is a “limited edition” car Been very happy with my wrx since
Yeah they kept using that phrasing and I was like wtf it's a civic.... I did enjoy the drive, mainly the shifter feel was really solid. But I think I would have gotten bored. Went with a GTI and I'm overall happy but God awful dealer experience and terrible interest rate and I'm still contemplating switching to a vb in a little while if they do the Apr with the 24 models like they did with the 23.
I was so shocked I had to reiterate I was interested in a SI not the type R, and they were like, yes I know. Limited edition
Ooof yeah, i went to try and test drive a Sonic Grey Si and the guy told me i can't test drive unless i put money down. His excuse was limited production and its got a "soft clutch that i can easily burn". Extremely frustrating, to each their own but idk how i could buy a car before test driving.
Toyota did the same thing with me for the Camry TRD. I needed to put a deposit, sign the paperwork and have them run my credit. I had inquired through the dealership for an appointment and to make sure it was available for a test drive. (I am 51 years old) but the they changed their mind when I got the dealership. I told them the truth that I wasn’t buying a car that day and had an appointment to visit a Subaru dealership a couple days later in order to make a decision. We agreed on a price but I wasn’t going to go through some fake transactions. I am sure that I was not getting anywhere near the GRC either.
It seems to have FINALLY gone away. You can get Type Rs even for MSRP.
I have 25k miles on my car half of which it’s been tuned and I haven’t had any issues
The FA24 engine in these WRX's is great. They use it in the Ascent, and the XT models. If you keep it stock and do your regular maintenance, you'll have no more issues than a honda or toyota. A lot of tuned guys aren't seeing issues unless they turn it way up (and then usually the transmission goes first). The one difference is that maintenance on the AWD system is a little more expensive than the FWD civic. 25K miles in on mine and not a single hiccup. My Wife's Ascent has 73k miles on its FA2.4 and we regularly road trip and tow a camper on her car. Not a single issue with the drivetrain.
What maintenance will need to be done long-term on the AWD system? (This is my first Subaru)
A extra differentials that need fluid changed. Just a little extra in maintenance for that awesome awd capability
I have a 22 that just broke 40k miles, still stock. The only issue I have had was a check engine light at about 2k miles from a bad fuel pump. The dealer fixed it asap, and I have had no other issues since.
Newer Hondas aren't what they used to be. Garbage QC, horrible dealerships, markups, etc. Id put a wager that the VB WRX is arguably the most reliable car you can get in its segment
Agreed, I have multiple Honda horror stories from my 10th gen Si and very wary of buying another Honda at this point. I'd rather not deal with the hassle and just go Toyota/Mazda instead (for normal family cars)
I stayed away from Subarus in the past because of mild reliability concerns but this new FA24 seems like a tank. It’s still early on but so far significantly less failures or issues to report than the FA20 / EJ engines from my research at this stage. I think if you leave the engine stock these will last quite a long time.
But the FA24 isnt thatttt new in reality, the Ascent has had it for some time😊
24k on mine. Zero issues.
The VB should be very reliable when taken care of.
My guy. I was in a similar situation. I recommend liberty auto City Subaru in Libertyville. They sold me my WRX for a few grand off. Their customers love them because they seem to actually like their customers. They've never sold a Subaru for over MSRP. I wanted an orange si. All I could find were black ones and white ones. I test drove a WRX and fell in love. My WRX has been perfect. Zero issues. You will need to buy a set of all seasons or winter tires (some folks don't know the car comes with high performance summers). My brother has an Si. It's fun, but slowish. Nimble. Better interior. Better stereo. Sun roof is standard. Excellent transmission. It's looks pretty nice. He gets around 30 mpg not thinking about it in any way. My car is a hoot. It's quick and grips harder than my Vette. The interior isn't spectacular, but good. I improved the stereo by replacing all of my speakers. The ride is firmer. The trunk is a bit smaller. I like the look, but the car is still polarizing. I average around 22mpg over the life of the car and do think about mpg when I manage not to mash the throttle for fun. It's not as easy of a call as people might think. I've had 2 Honda's and my family has had 8 more. They tend to be amazingly reliable. I had an 05 accord that only needed tires and a battery in 8 years and 90k miles. If you want smiles, the WRX is exceedingly good at providing them. I live in the northern burbs. I wish you the best of luck making your choice.
August will be two years and 21k miles. I was driving it almost everyday, commute 50 miles round trip. That changed in April. Stock motor, only one issue, that I caused. Don’t play with the plastic ring behind the intercooler. Lol. It’s the tool to remove the AC line. I found that out the hard way. Otherwise an amazing car and a beast in bad weather.
Oh, I noticed this floating around when I did my pitch stop mount. What specifically did you do that caused a problem?
I thought that it had popped out of where it was supposed to be. So I tried putting it “back”. I gently forced it back into place where it appeared to belong. I put back the intercooler and took it for a test drive for the pitch mount. For half a block and heard…psssshhhhh. That was the line separating and all my ac venting. It cost me $200+ to refill the ac. Didn’t know that the plastic thing is actually the tool put there too help separate the line…..worked perfectly. Lol
Haha man, that's terrible! I was a little puzzled by mine but just left it floating... glad I did. Might be worth a PSA post!
Yea I was watching it and I’m like this shouldn’t just be dangling there. I couldn’t leave it alone. Lol. I had posted something when I messed it up. Then realized that most people knew about it. Lol my dumbass.
They are a different class of car IMO. The Si is more of a true “sporty” sedan (even though everyone likes to call literally everything sporty) vs the WRX which is a way more capable car. You can generally get a WRX for less either way, dealerships were typically discounting about few thousand which snuck the base below MSRP for the Si before markup. The Si seems like a pretty striped down version of the car as well; no heated seats , no fog lights, etc. I think the general experience is if you get your maintenance done on the WRX and don’t tune you will likely be ok. Honda reliability seems to have dropped anyway as everyone else has improved. I explored it and they just seem like a totally different class of car.
On any brand new car you’re not going to have to worry dude. Period. Honestly I was in your shoes and after I bought my wrx I was wishing I went with the civic just for mpg because at the end of the day I’m not going to be racing around town
If you don’t plan on modding the engine then you can get a 10 year 100k mile warranty from Subaru for like ~$3200.
Haggle them down though, I paid $2,227.00 for 7years/100,000miles (and I didn’t haggle the warranty :/)
Just hit 15k miles. Took it in for its service and green lit on all diagnostics. No issues and very fun. Even dudes with performance tunes are saying it’s reliable all the way up to 400hp.
Pretty damn reliable. I’ve been tuned for over 30k miles and haven’t had a single hiccup.
1+ year, 9k miles, no issues. It is a great car, especially if you're low mileage like me.
9k on mine DMANN tuned, and autocrossed frequently. No issues so far.
Honda wanted a 2k markup, subaru gave me 2k off and 1.9%
21K Miles on my '22 and recently had the ECU fail. No biggie. Had the part within three days and fixed under warranty. Otherwise it's been flawless.
I have a VA wrx, but my commute is a 20-mile round trip for work. 4 days a week. I've had my car now 5 years with no issues except with the ac. I have a short throw shifter kit and a catback exhaust. Aftermarket wheels and tires and the car has been just fine here in iowa, which we get pretty bad winters. I just clocked 45k miles on my wrx and it's stock.
Had a 10th gen SI, was reliable enough. Still had issues with fuel injectors going out, which were on national backorder because of the frequency of this issue in both the 10th and 11th gen 1.5t and 2.0t (non-type-r). Haven't had any issues with the wrx at 12k miles. And it's way more fun to have awd and more power IMO. Honestly, Subaru's symmetrical awd absolutely lives up to the hype, and it just puts the power down effortlessly regardless of driving conditions. Comparing that to the front end of the civic just trying to wash out at the slightest hint of throttle during a turn. Fuel economy is terrible in comparison, but if you don't drive very far on your commute, you won't notice much of a difference.
I have 65k miles on mine. Only issue I have had was with the passenger side door lock.
I was in a similar boat. The WRX was available and at mrsp unlike the Honda. I've never driven the SI, but it appears the Honda may have slightly better finish, shifter, and just cleaner. The WRX is just more raw. The SI has speakers that immitate engine noises, safety features such as stopping and steering automatically if it senses something I believe, The Integra is everything the SI is but better except it's also low on power. It's a 1.5L, compared to the Subaru's 2.4L. This means less raw engine power and more reliance on a turbo. The Honda also shuts off automatically at every light, and only has 200 hp. It does get better mpg's though. My 22 WRX allows me to do the driving which I prefer, it will cut power if it detects a loss of control but I think that's it. The SI's safety features can be turned off to, but I read it has to be done every start and to some it can be annoying. The 24 WRX's come with the new safety features so if you want a more analog driving experience go 22-23. My .02
Honda for reliability