2022 Subaru WRX vs 2022 Honda Civic

The 2022 Honda Civic was available in familiar LX, Sport, EX, and Touring trim levels, with prices starting at $21,700 for the Civic LX and going up to $28,300 for the Civic Touring, excluding a $995 destination charge. A new five-door Honda Civic hatchback was also set to return later in the year, but the two-door coupe was no longer part of the lineup. The primary evaluation vehicle was a Civic Touring in Morning Mist Blue, a new paint color that added $395 to the price, bringing the total to $29,690, including destination charges. A Civic Sport with extra-charge Platinum White Pearl paint and the new Honda Performance Development (HPD) appearance package was also sampled, estimated at just under $25,880.

The redesigned 2022 Civic resembled the larger, longer-wheelbase Accord sedan and was more conservative and plain in appearance compared to the previous model. The interior featured a minimalistic approach with a span of metal honeycomb mesh running the dashboard’s width to hide the air vents. Honda improved the car’s interior materials, especially in the Touring trim, reflecting a maturity the previous Civic lacked.

The 2022 Subaru WRX, on the other hand, was two inches wider than the outgoing model, with a subtle front end featuring a small hexagonal grille and sharp-looking LED headlights. The profile was less busy, with black plastic cladding designed to improve airflow and reduce turbulence. The rear fenders flared outward dramatically, and the taillights had a multifaceted design. The new WRX looked smoother and more streamlined, although the body cladding could be distracting on brightly colored vehicles like the Solar Orange test car. The Premium-trim tester included LED fog lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a subtle trunk-mounted lip spoiler.

Inside, the WRX saw significant improvements with better fit and finish. The D-shaped, flat-bottom steering wheel, aluminum-alloy pedal covers, carbon-fiber-pattern trim accents, and black cloth seats with red contrast stitching set the WRX apart from other Subaru models. The vehicle finally looked modern and well-appointed.

The 2022 Honda Civic offered two engines in the redesigned sedan. The LX and Sport trims featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. The EX and Touring trims came with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were paired with continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) with new Step Shift programming to mimic traditional automatic transmissions. The Sport and Touring trims included a Sport transmission mode for quicker responsiveness. The Civic’s improved structural rigidity, revised suspension tuning, and enhanced steering feel made it fun to drive, with the Touring trim offering quicker acceleration. However, the Civic Touring returned 30.4 mpg on a 95-mile driving loop, falling short of the EPA’s estimate of 34 mpg.

The 2022 Subaru WRX featured a new 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 271 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The WRX came standard with all-wheel drive (AWD) and offered a choice between a six-speed manual transmission and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The CVT, dubbed the Subaru Performance Transmission, had eight shift points and provided faster upshifts and downshifts compared to the previous generation. The new GT trim, available only with the CVT, featured Recaro seats, electronically controlled dampers, and a Drive Mode Select system. The manual transmission was precise and easy to handle, with a satisfying clutch pedal. The new WRX’s suspension, mounted on the Subaru Global Platform, reduced body roll and improved ride quality on rough roads.

The 2022 Honda Civic’s redesigned front seats offered better support, with the leather-lined Touring trim featuring a power driver’s seat and heated front seats. The back seat had more legroom than most in the segment, but the Civic lacked rear air conditioning vents and heated rear cushions in the Touring trim. The new center console had less storage space but more accessible cupholders. Trunk volume was generous at 14.8 cubic feet, or 14.4 cubic feet with the Touring trim, which had a smaller trunk due to the premium sound system components.

The 2022 Subaru WRX offered a cargo capacity of 12.5 cubic feet, up from 12 cubic feet in the previous model, with a 60/40 split-fold function for the rear seats. The sport seats were comfortable and supportive, with premium cloth materials in the base and Premium trims and Ultrasuede in the Limited and GT trims. The seats had ample bolstering without feeling too tight, making the WRX a viable commuter vehicle. The standard AWD added to the vehicle’s practicality.

The 2022 Honda Civic featured digital instrumentation, with the Touring trim offering a 10-inch display panel with greater customization and driving environment data. The Vehicle Activity display showed when the LED headlights, taillights, brake lights, and turn signals were on. The standard infotainment system had a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the Touring trim offered a 9-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, HD radio, satellite radio, and a navigation system. The Touring trim also included a 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint 2 premium surround-sound audio system.

The 2022 Subaru WRX’s Premium trim and higher featured an 11.6-inch tablet-style touchscreen display with physical controls for climate control, power and volume, tuning, and defrost functions. The system had quirks with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with the latter displaying across nearly the whole screen and the former showing up on only the top half. The base trim had two 7-inch displays stacked one on top of the other. The WRX was also available with an 11-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo system.

The 2022 Honda Civic’s upgraded Honda Sensing collection included Traffic Jam Assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and Lane Keeping Assist. The Civic EX and Touring trims featured a proper blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. The Civic’s vehicle architecture was stronger, with new front airbag designs and rear side-impact airbags. A standard rear-seat reminder system was also included.

The 2022 Subaru WRX’s CVT-equipped models came with Subaru’s EyeSight suite of advanced driver assistance systems, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and lane-tracing assist. The manual WRX did not have EyeSight due to the risk of stalling during panic stops. Blind-spot monitoring with lane-change assist and rear cross-traffic alert was standard on the Limited and GT trims. The WRX’s Subaru Global Platform absorbed more energy in a crash, and the car came with seven airbags, including a driver’s-side knee airbag.