WRX v GTI v SI v MS3

[A.B.]

I saw those pix of the base impreza too, not exactly thrilled, heh.

Not the end of the world on the lack of 11s, waiting a few more months = bigger down payment I suppose.

[2ZZMR2]

I have an 08 WRX that I picked up about 10 days ago. I've already put about 1400 miles on it. I love it, tons of fun and handles great on the street. I'm on HKS coilovers and 17x8 RPF1's with some 235 all seasons iirc and an OS tune from AWDTuning so i'm at 250 wtq and 200whp.

I had an 05 GTI in the past (about 5 years ago) and it doesn't hold a candle to the WRX. My roommate used to have an 08 GTI which was a blast (APR 93 octane tune, AST Coilovers, RS3's) but I decided to get the rex over one of these after driving the one I bought around town and for the AWD and way better traction control.

I mention the Traction Control because i've found the WRX actually works really well with the traction on, the GTI does not. My MKIV GTI had way too many electrical issues for a brand new car and i'm glad it's gone.

The si isn't in the same group as far as i'm concerned, but is a nice car if that is what you like. I prefer the WRX to the MS3 (even though I haven't driven one) based on the styling and awd. The WRX handles weather like it thinks mother nature is joking (coming from mid-engine rwd cars with no electronic nannies other than ABS). I started laughing during a recent downpour we had in DFW area when I exited the freeway and felt the left side of the car start to hydroplane, the car didn't even wiggle, just took it and kept going.

[A.B.]

Thanks for the input MR2, I appreciate it.

My older brother is a mechanic, owns / runs a 2 bay shop solo.. always been into tweaking and rebuilding cars.

When I asked him about the models discussed here he advised me the same thing on the Vdubs, electrical nightmares etc. If the GTI was a few grand less I would look into it further for the handling and interior, dollar for dollar I think the WRX is superior tho. I do like their interiors, but the 00 civic I drive now is bland, so it's not like the WRX interior will be lackluster in comparison.

[Arki Boy]

Make certain what you really want, I like all cars except Si. MS3 is like an idiot grinning at you with bad intentions,cons: torque steer. GTI definitely has better interiors (audi-ish, imo), not much power but saves a little gas. I bought a wrx because it's just an all-around car with serious performance. Not a fan of fwd though..

[dbya rx]

i test drove the wrx, ms3, and gti before making my decision to go with the wrx. all these cars were 2010's.

the ms3 was a great car, fast, handled amazingly. if they would had had a "grand touring" trim level with full leather seats, moonroof, and HID's, I would have probably considered buying the car because my wife had a 2008 mazda3 and the car was awesome, even though it only had 165 bhp. lacking the "grand touring" options was a deal breaker for me because i wanted leather, moonroof, heated seats, and HIDs. and as others have said, the ms3 is pretty unattractive to put it kindly.

i drove 2 gtis, one with a 6spd manual and one with the volkswagen DSG, both fully loaded with leather, nav etc. they both drove great, and as against i thought i was going to be to the DSG, it was actually a lot of fun and really not as lame as i anticipated. the interior is impecable, and the exterior styling is very nice. HOWEVER, its just kinda slow compared to the ms3 and the wrx.

the si was not even a thought for me due to lack of power and options, but it really serves its purpose as commuter car that gets pretty amazing gas milage with some performance with great reliability, i just didnt want one.

the 4 vehicles you are considering are very different in their driving characteristics, styling, options, and price. with my car stickering over 30k, i was getting into Audi A3 price, which i test drove and didnt like very much but thats a whole other story.

you are not gonna find a lot of people on this forum that are going to tell you NOT to buy a WRX because we all bought them at one time or another because we liked the car more than any other. I would test drive all 4 vehicles if the are available, and then really try to evaluate what you want to get out of the car. the 4 vehicles that you listed as options are all great cars in their own way, so thats good that there is not an outlier that just plain sucks and would be a bad decision. just dont expect people in ms3 forums, gti forums, and si forums to be as nice as we are around here. you should buy a wrx just based on how cool this forum is , right?

good luck!

[Jeremy Clarkson]

Well said..This forum and people here are awesome, very knowledgeable on their cars. I also test drove all of them except the Si. My choice of cars too when I was shopping back in the day although I consider the Ralliart as my second choice because of awd and the amenities inside, it's pricey when new and I'd rather opt for a used evo x gsr for same price. I did love the dual clutch on the vw and ralliart, really fast but I just love shifting on my own. Know what you really want for a car and it's not hard to figure out.

[Rhazel1]

I can't really comment much about the MS3, SI, or GTI so I will comment on the ride quality for the WRX. I own a 2010 STI and go on a 3 hour road trip at least once a month. From my understanding the STI has a slightly stiffer suspension than the WRX, but if I'm wrong I'm sure someone will correct me, no biggie. Even if the ride is stiffer I don't really notice it when going on long trips. Seats are comfortable and aside from the boxer rumble it is pretty quiet, my wife and her dog usually fall asleep on the drive, she finds the rumble from the engine kinda soothing. I don't think anyone has brought it up, but some people have experience the rattling that Subarus are haunted with. A quick search on how to get rid of em will be needed of course unless you are like me and can just ignore them. I hope this helps with your decision.

[zwrxp09]

I can only give detailed comments on the MS3 and the WRX as I've owned both, and my sister has a 2010 Mazda3, and I test drove a 2011 MS3 for 25 miles!

WRX

Pros
- AWD (big pro!)
- quick 0-60 4.7 secs and 13.7 1/4 mile
- smoother ride
- heated seats
- heated side mirrors
- moonroof
- very unique boxer engine drone

Cons
- inferior audio system (no auto-volume control on navi unit, and horrible speakers)
- limited trim, no rear armrest!
- vanity mirrors without illumination! why?!?!?!?!?
- a bit soft and floaty on corners
- having a hard time finding a decent seating position that won't end up hurting my knees or lower back, those $10 lumbar support from walmart or autozone helped a bit

MS3

Pros
- Adaptive HID Headlights auto on/off
- dual-zone auto-climate
- push-button start
- more premium audio system
- rain-sensing wipers
- more livable rear seats
- 6-speed manual
- best-in-class and near BMW-responsive steering and handling... with this, it can beat the stock WRX on a road course

Cons
- harsh ride on the 1st-gens but a little tweak on the current gens made it a bit smoother but still harsher than most
- (FWD) torque steer, altough I built muscles on my left arms with it but I eventually got tired of it
- seat downgrade (look-wise) from 1st-gens but still comfortable enough and holds driver better than stock wrx seat
- IMO the exterior is fine. it's still a looker everytime i see one on the road. it depends on the one's tastes i guess

If you don't mind the looks and FWD of the MS3, I'd say go for it. Just get a complete set of winter boots with steelies. I miss it's handling and better-holding seats but I'm not regretting my purchase of the WRX bec of AWD and the unique boxer drone. And if you're situation is like mine, I'd go for the WRX.

[2.0Rs]

Si - Fun, decent mpg, but bland and boring. Great resale but nothing you would be excited to drive. If you just want a commuter with a lil pep in it's step, this would be excellent. If you want to mod or feel power then it's not so great.

GTI - Nice little cars but everyone I know who's had one has constantly complained about stuff breaking, roof lining sinking, etc...minor nusances. And given their cost I don't care for them.

MS3 - Very nice. FWD is good for snowy weather and they have tons of pep and are fun. Personally I can't stand their new (literally) facelift. But they're great cars as long as FWD is ok with you.

WRX - My MPGs are 21.x really no matter how I drive and I'm stage 2. To me that's pretty dang good. AWD is awesome for weather, the interior is sparse but decent. Comfort is just fine since the suspension is so soft. If you want "sporty" handling stock...the WRX isn't it. But with some sway bars or springs you'll be much better off.

So I would say WRX if you want usable power (the usable torque on these are fantastic) and any-condition drivability. If you want a nicer ride and interior then go MS3. But to me those cars are now so freaking ugly I can't even look at them without laughing. So I would go WRX > SI > MS3 > GTI. The cost of the GTI is completely unjustified given the quality and power of the car.

The new wrx's actually got the award for best resale value. So now those honda guys can't hold that one over wrx owners head. lol

[zwrxp09]

Honda doesn't own the best resale value category anymore. Subaru and Mazda already passed them, at least in the compact car category.

I've heard about tranny problems with the Honda Civic Si, during it's first few years, I don't know if it's still the case though.

GTI... it's a Euro car, Euro cars doesn't have a very good reputation when it comes to reliability, parts breaking down easily and problems here and there. Although, GTI/Golf/Rabbit is actually Europe's best selling compact car if I'm not mistaken.

[2.0Rs]

Honda with trans issues? lol. I'm sure it's the same old second gear grind issues they've always had. Even a friends new nsx had the second gear grind. haha. And they say wrx's have issues when those cars don't put out close to the tq and they can spin wheels instead of possible stripping a gear.

[zwrxp09]

It's the 3rd gear popping out I was talking about. If the 2nd gear grind is another issue then yes, Honda has tranny issues then.

[2.0Rs]

Ahh....forgot about that one. This kid I know went through 5 shift forks but I just figured it was because he drives like a ricer banging gears which is what he did. lol

[mangostick]

I can't really comment much about the MS3, SI, or GTI so I will comment on the ride quality for the WRX. I own a 2010 STI and go on a 3 hour road trip at least once a month. From my understanding the STI has a slightly stiffer suspension than the WRX, but if I'm wrong I'm sure someone will correct me, no biggie. Even if the ride is stiffer I don't really notice it when going on long trips. Seats are comfortable and aside from the boxer rumble it is pretty quiet, my wife and her dog usually fall asleep on the drive, she finds the rumble from the engine kinda soothing. I don't think anyone has brought it up, but some people have experience the rattling that Subarus are haunted with. A quick search on how to get rid of em will be needed of course unless you are like me and can just ignore them. I hope this helps with your decision.

spring rates are just about same, (within a lb/in of each other) but damper rates I'm sure are different.. as is front end geometry.. but for highway driving its really not going to make a huge difference. I actually have 08 STI springs up front in my '10 wrx.. same rate, just 15mm shorter ride height. Looks great, handles same (if not a slight increase in turn-in) .. works for me.

As for the comparison, I can comment that the si handles like its on rails.. but to me seemed gutless until wound way up into where it wasn't useable on the street. The GTI.. really fun car.. but, a little more expensive to maintain than the honda and mazda.
The ms3.. if these came awd I'd own one.. I dig em.. but dont dig fwd on anything with more than 150hp..

The wrx? .. well I happily own one so I guess you can draw conclusions based on that alone lol

[REXMAN03]

I like how you came to a subaru forum to ask our opinions about wrx's

Your, replies may be a bit biased.