If you think Subaru’s most compelling performance buy has to be the BRZ, think again. The brand has long excelled at two very different kinds of driving machine: rugged, all-weather family haulers and genuinely thrilling sports cars. The Subaru BRZ is the purist’s choice — a low-slung, rear-wheel-drive two-door — but there’s another Subaru that quietly outguns it on paper, undercuts it on price, and does things the BRZ simply can’t. It’s the performance sedan that enthusiasts keep overlooking, and it’s unlike a traditional sports car in almost every way.
Subaru Knows How To Make Enthusiast Cars
2026 Subaru WRX AWD Club Spec Evo. Special. Limited edition. HeadlampSubaru Australia
Since Subaru dropped out of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2008, it seems like the Impreza has lost some of its luster for enthusiasts. Subaru still trades on its heritage, and in 2015 spun off the Impreza’s WRX badge into its own standalone model. We’re now in the second generation of the Subaru WRX as a standalone model, and it’s a seriously underrated enthusiast’s car. Most interestingly, the WRX is almost the complete opposite in sporting philosophy to the Subaru BRZ, yet it delivers more power, a more sophisticated drivetrain, and costs less.
Currently, a 2026 Subaru WRX starts at $32,495 versus the BRZ’s starting price of $35,860 — making the WRX $3,365 cheaper despite offering all-wheel drive, 43 more horsepower, and two extra doors. Both share sporting DNA, a wickedly characterful Subaru Boxer engine, and a standard manual transmission.
The WRX Is An Underrated Enthusiast’s Car
When the second generation WRX arrived, there was an air of disappointment in media and enthusiast circles — it was seen as mild, an STi version wasn’t ready at launch, and the non-manual variant uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT). However, the WRX delivers 271 hp and 258 lb-ft of turbocharged torque, and the manual version uses a viscous center differential with a 50/50 torque split through Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel-drive system.
At the media launch event for the current generation WRX, it became clear that while it doesn’t have the aggressive looks and rallying pedigree of early WRX models, it still has a wicked side and is happy to play in the dirt. Power is plentiful, the manual transmission offers all the satisfaction and balance you’d expect from a Subaru stick shift, and it’s a sedan that attacks a back road with the eagerness of a hot hatch.
2026 Subaru WRX
ENGINE
2.4L H4 ICE
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
HORSEPOWER
271 HP @5600 RPM
TORQUE
258 lb.-ft. @ 2000 RPM
Fuel Economy
(CITY/HIGHWAY/COMBINED)
19/26/22 MPG
As it’s a Subaru, the WRX is just as willing to venture off the tarmac and onto dirt roads. The front and rear differentials are open, but brake-based torque vectoring does an excellent job of helping both car and driver attack corners with confidence.
The Subaru BRZ Doesn’t Rely On Power
2026 Subaru BRZ front 3/4Subaru
In direct opposition to the WRX, the Subaru BRZ is a two-door, low-slung, rear-wheel-drive sports car — though it does offer rear seats, unlike its closest rival, the Mazda MX-5. While the WRX is happy to leave the tarmac for a dirt road, the BRZ is far more at home swapping one stretch of tarmac for a track day. Which is faster on circuit is genuinely debatable, but the WRX’s all-wheel-drive system and extra power give it a clear advantage getting out of corners.
2026 Subaru BRZ
ENGINE
2.4L ICE
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
HORSEPOWER
228 HP @7000 RPM
TORQUE
184 lb.-ft. @ 3700 RPM
Fuel Economy
(CITY/HIGHWAY/COMBINED)
20/27/22 MPG
The BRZ makes 228 hp and 184 lb-ft from its naturally aspirated Boxer engine, but like the MX-5, it’s all about momentum driving — the chassis is tuned to carry speed through a corner rather than blast out of one. It’s a delight on a twisty back road and teaches you how to manage a rear-wheel-drive car without leaning on power. For those who prize purity in a sports car, it would be a two-horse race between the Mazda MX-5 and the Subaru BRZ — but there’s a rather large elephant in the room.
The Subaru Bargain Sports Sedan
2022 Subaru WRXIan Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
For an enthusiast who isn’t committed to the traditional sports car route or the rally-inspired sedan route, the WRX presents a compelling proposition — one that’s often unfairly dismissed as the less hardcore choice. Matched with its $32,495 entry price, the WRX is genuinely Subaru’s performance bargain. And when you start comparing it with the competition, things get even more interesting.
2022 Subaru WRXIan Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet
For those shopping for a sports sedan at a reasonable price, the field is small but strong. The Hyundai Elantra N stands out with comparable horsepower and excellent chassis tuning, starting at $35,100. The Honda Civic Si remains a great comfort-minded enthusiast car and a bargain at $31,495, though its turbocharged four-cylinder produces just 200 hp — modest for a sport sedan.
The Volkswagen Jetta GLI also fits the criteria of a sports sedan available with a manual, but it’s notable mainly for how underwhelming it feels to drive after experiencing the Civic Si’s sharper dynamics. The Civic Type R should enter the conversation, too — but then promptly exit, since it starts at $47,395, more than $14,000 above a base WRX.
The Subaru BRZ’s Twin From Toyota
2027 Toyota GR86 in Trueno BlueToyota
Unless you’ve only just discovered the Subaru BRZ, you’ll know it’s essentially the same car as the Toyota GR86. The two were developed through a joint venture between the brands, and there was a third flavor from Scion beforeToyota learned a harsh lesson: young people generally can’t afford to buy new cars. The two cars are mechanically identical, sharing Subaru’s four-cylinder Boxer engine, with differences coming down to styling and a few tuning choices.
2027 Toyota GR86 in Trueno BlueToyota
The GR86 is an even less expensive proposition, starting at $31,400 versus the BRZ at $35,860. It’s worth noting, however, that the BRZ doesn’t offer a base trim — it opens with the Limited version, which includes features like blind-spot monitoring and 18-inch wheels that only appear on the GR86 Premium trim at $34,000.
There are plenty of opinions on which version of the rear-wheel-drive sports car is better. The broad consensus is that the GR86 is more fun in everyday driving, while the BRZ is more focused on shaving lap times and offers more compliant suspension for daily road use.
Don’t Sleep On The WRX
2026 Subaru WRX front quarterSubaru of America
Here’s the thing: the WRX is only outpowered by the Elantra N among its close competitors — and only by 5 hp — while none of those rivals offer all-wheel drive. Subaru’s AWD system is one of the best in the business. For a true apples-to-apples AWD comparison, you’d need to step up to the premium tier and something like the Audi S3, which brings all-wheel drive along with 328 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, plus genuinely premium materials — at a significantly higher price point.
2026 Subaru WRX boxer engineSubaru
When comparing the WRX to its direct competition, every rival is front-wheel drive. There’s real joy in a well-sorted front-wheel-drive car, and plenty of discipline to be learned in driving one quickly — but a capable all-wheel-drive system will get you through and out of a corner faster, and that’s before factoring in the WRX’s horsepower advantage over the Civic Si or Jetta GLI.
2026 Subaru WRX rear 3/4Subaru
While the current WRX is more refined and less visceral than some of its predecessors, and lacks the cachet of the WRC-era Impreza models, it’s a nimble, polished driver’s sedan. It’s fair to say the WRX has matured into a better daily driver than ever — but that doesn’t mean it’s lost its edge on a back road or become a stranger to the track. Quite the opposite, and it’s well worth a serious look for anyone who needs a usable back seat and wants to spend less than $40,000.
Sources: Toyota, Subaru
