2021 Subaru WRX vs 2022 Nissan Sentra

The 2021 Subaru WRX had a youthful and somewhat rebellious aesthetic, often compared to a teenager with piercings and tattoos. While it appeared tamer than the racier WRX STI, the WRX still sported a wedge-like front end and a short trunk lid, giving it a speedy look even when stationary. Aerodynamic bodywork and a functional hood scoop added to its sporty appearance. Inside, the WRX's cockpit was function-first, featuring hard plastics that contributed to its less mature reputation compared to rivals like the VW GTI and Honda Civic Si. The WRX came in Base, Premium, and Limited trims, with the Limited offering leather upholstery, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and advanced driver-assistance features.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra, redesigned in 2020, carried over its modern, low-slung, coupe-like exterior into 2022. It looked like a smaller Altima, a significant improvement over its pre-2020 versions. The Sentra was available in bold colors like blue, burnt orange, and “Scarlet Ember,” with some options for a contrasting black roof. Inside, the Sentra shone with a modern yet simple layout, featuring easy-to-use controls and a touchscreen that served as the visual centerpiece. The Sentra came in S, SV, and SR trims, with the SR offering sport cloth seats with orange accent stitching and a leather-wrapped shift knob. The Midnight Edition package added dark accents and unique badging, enhancing its stylish appeal.

The 2021 Subaru WRX was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine, producing 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It offered a six-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Despite being the most powerful among its rivals, the WRX required precise rev management to extract its full potential. The CVT, though not ideal for driving enthusiasts, kept the revs in the powerband effectively. The manual transmission, however, felt vague and less precise. The WRX featured Vehicle Dynamics Control with Active Torque Vectoring, enhancing its cornering precision. While the WRX had well-weighted steering and excelled on winding roads, its stiff ride was less comfortable compared to the Civic Si and GTI.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT and front-wheel drive. While not outstanding, the engine and transmission provided solid low-end acceleration and satisfactory highway performance. The Sentra’s steering was well-weighted, and its cornering was sharp for a non-performance car. The suspension handled most road bumps well but struggled with harsher conditions. Overall, the Sentra was great for commuting, city driving, and occasional road trips, offering consistent performance across different settings.

The 2021 Subaru WRX featured a conventional sedan layout with a trunk offering up to 12 cubic feet of cargo space. This was more than the Civic Si coupe but less than the sedan and significantly less than the VW GTI. The WRX’s interior packaging felt dated, with limited in-door bottle holders and a center console that could obstruct shifting. However, it provided a comfortable driving position with good visibility and decent rear seat space, accommodating four adults comfortably.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra offered 14.3 cubic feet of trunk space, better than many small sedans but slightly less than the Kia Forte. The trunk space could be expanded with a 60/40 split-fold rear bench, though it created a ledge that could complicate loading larger items. The Sentra’s trunk could be remotely opened via the key fob or a dash button. Inside, the Sentra had spacious front seats with ample headroom and legroom, and the rear seats provided solid legroom and decent headroom. The front row featured large in-door cargo trays and bottle holders, with plenty of cupholders and trays in the center console.

The 2021 Subaru WRX came standard with a 6.5-inch touchscreen running Subaru's Starlink infotainment system, with a 7-inch touchscreen available on higher trims. Both screens supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, offering a sensible layout and easy-to-use controls despite dated graphics. The Limited trim featured an optional package with navigation and a Harman Kardon premium stereo, providing great sound quality. However, the WRX’s tech felt outdated compared to newer models.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the SV and SR trims featured a larger 8-inch touchscreen. Both screen sizes had easy-to-navigate menus and conventional hard buttons along the bottom, as well as volume and tuning dials. The system’s graphics could use updating, and it lacked wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which were becoming more common. Despite these drawbacks, the Sentra’s infotainment system was user-friendly and functional.

The 2021 Subaru WRX did not come standard with the latest safety features. Subaru's EyeSight system, including adaptive cruise control, emergency automatic braking, and lane-departure warning, was available on the Premium and Limited trims but only with the CVT. Adaptive high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and reverse automatic braking were optional on the Limited trim. All WRX trims came standard with a tire-pressure monitoring system and traction control.

The 2022 Nissan Sentra came with a comprehensive list of standard driver-assistance features, including forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, forward collision avoidance, pedestrian detection, driver drowsiness monitoring, lane-departure warning, and blind spot monitoring. Our test model included additional features like a surround-view parking monitor and adaptive cruise control. The Sentra earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick" award from the IIHS, with high ratings for crash testing and driver-assistance effectiveness.