RSX Type S vs. WRX - which to buy

an Impreza WRX - both 6-spd.

to drive. Maybe most importantly, something well-mannered that I'll look forward to driving day-to-day, everyday. Looked at, and drove, both - can't make up my mind...!

If you are in an area where it snows get the Subie if you are in an area where they never see snow the decision is harder. You cannot go wrong with either car. Both are well made and very durable. I think you get more bang for your buck with the WRX which is what I drive. But I have snow to contend with. I have the 5 spd in my WRX. Personally I don't like FWD but I'm in the minority on that. I'd still go for the Subie which is what I did but both cars are excellent.

FWIW... I live where there is never any snow. Further, I've never really liked front-wheel drive cars (and, I've owned several). Now, I'm sort of leaning toward an all-wheel drive model to eliminate that front-wheel spin when leaving the line on wet days; and, to eliminate the torque steer that they all have to some degree.

Acura is so smooth and refined. WRX seems much less so. Still in a quandary... : > ((

About to spend that hard-earned cash on either a new Acura RSX Type "S", or an Impreza WRX - both 6-spd.

Want something quick from corner to corner, fast down the straight and fun to drive. Maybe most importantly, something well-mannered that I'll look forward to driving day-to-day, everyday. Looked at, and drove, both - can't make up my mind...!

Suggestions, please...

Thanks.

an Impreza WRX - both 6-spd.

to drive. Maybe most importantly, something well-mannered that I'll look forward to driving day-to-day, everyday. Looked at, and drove, both - can't make up my mind...!

Sure I live in a cold area as well and we get a lot of snow but if the guy lives in Florida or someplace where it's always hot it won't be as much of a factor. Both cars are decent and atthe moment I'd have to give the nod to the acura on resale value but I've driven the Acura and I didn't care for it. The WRX is great except for the oversensitive ABS which I really hate.

or an Impreza WRX - both 6-spd.

to drive. Maybe most importantly, something well-mannered that I'll look forward to driving day-to-day, everyday. Looked at, and drove, both - can't make up my mind...!

C,

Yep...! My mistake in writing the first message...

Don't be too hasty with your evaluation. The performance numbers (acceleration) show that the Acura RSX "S" is less than a half-second behind the WRX 0 - 30; 0 - 60; 0 - 1/4 mile... I know... it surprised me too...

What souping up did you do?

Hi Jack!

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 00:08:40 GMT, "Jack" wrote:

an Impreza WRX - both 6-spd.

I've driven both in "D Stock" trim on an autocross course. The Acura felt considerably lighter and sportier than my WRX wagon. I was a bit faster in my rex, but then I'm used to it; in general it seems that the Acura will out perform the WRX at autocross, all else being equal. That said, they are very different cars, with very different goals in life. If you rarely haul more than a couple sacks of groceries, and never plan on taking it off of paved roads, the Acura is a fine choice, and a really neat car. If you like dirt roads, drive in snow in the winter, and/or need more utility in a car, AND still like to be able to rip up the asphalt now -n- then, look no further than the WRX. I routinely carry two 16.5ft canoes on mine (a wagon, remember), with a weeks worth of fishing and camping gear in the back, over roads that barely qualify as such, and frequently at a pretty fair pace (washboards are best served at speed). The WRX will accommodate me and the Ms, two teenaged kids, and three largish dogs without problem (well, the kids get drooled on, but hey, not _my_ problem ;-), and will comfortably tow a small (3 motorcycle or equivalent) trailer. Ya just flat can't do that with the Acura, or any other "sports" car that I'm familiar with. The Acura is (IMO) a better looking ride, and will probably hold a higher resale value. Alas, they are very popular with car thieves, which somewhat increases the odds that you won't have one to re-sell. So. In the end it mostly depends on what you want to do with the car, and that's something you have to decide. My $.02, and worth every penny!

ByeBye! S.

Steve Jernigan KG0MB Laboratory Manager Microelectronics Research University of Colorado (719) 262-3101

"Jack" asked:

Test drive them on a twisty gravel road, this should be enough to convince you to get the WRX. Of course if you're on the highway all the time and never drive on bumby twisty roads you could just get the Acura.

Well, most likely if the numbers mentioned before are true, then the speeds are really too similar to matter unless you redline all the time. In that case alone you have a little bit of a jump with the WRX (Car and Diver's

5.4 0-60 for the Rex Versus the 6.3 for the Acura...from what it sounds like, the gap stays about like that the rest of the way but I'm not sure). Probably not enough of a difference to base a purchase on unless you are buying one to specifically race the other.

Everyone else had good points, what with the getting out of town trips, any roads that aren't perfect tarmac, bad weather, etc in favor of the WRX, also.

I'll have to disagree with S on the looks, though. Even the new face of the WRX (which I like a lot less than ol' bug-eyes) is more appealing than the Acura in my eyes. :)

Resale value is based on your area. You'll get a lot better resale for the Subie than you will for the Acura up here. Can't speak for your area.

Most importantly you mentioned something that you'll look forward to driving day-to-day and fun to drive. For what it's worth, I had a huge grin on my face when I first drove my WRX, a grin that I still get on my face nearly every time I drive it. It still seems new and impressive to me and is more and more fun to drive as the days go by. I absolutely love it and it gets better all the time. That, in my eyes, is more important than time slips.

Being based in the UK, I'm not sure what type of Honda the Acura RSX Type "S" is, but unless it's a Civic Type 'R' equivalent it's obviously nowhere near as sporting as a Rex. Question is, do you really want a car as sporting as a Rex?

In terms of driveability, I assume that the Honda has front-wheel-drive and is therefore an understeerer. We all know that the only fwd car which is genuinely fun to drive is the Mini (the real one, not the fat BMW thing).

The Scooby's all-wheel-drive also tends to understeer, but nowhere near as badly as most fwd cars and it has the advantage of bullet-like acceleration out of corners because of its massive traction and lack of torque steer. (The awd is fabulous on dry tarmac and great in the wet, but don't expect it to do much for you off road or in deep snow because of the low ground clearance and unsuitable wheels and tyres.)

One of the great attractions of the Rex is that it is still a genuine drivers' car. Some find it quirky and demanding and learning to get the most out of it - whether pushing or cruising - takes more than a short test drive. (I assume we're talking about the manual here....if you want an auto, this isn't the car for you.)

Subarus are pretty much bullet-proof as far as reliability is concerned. The Rex is quick, though, and if driven properly it will eat consumables like brakes and tyres at a great rate. Ham footed - and fisted - people can also go through clutches - and even gearboxes

- fairly quickly.

Essentially, if you have to ask the question, this probably isn't the car for you. Stick to the old man's Honda.

David Betts snipped-for-privacy@motorsport.org.uk

I don't know where the Integra R falls in the Acura/Honda family tree, but it is definitely a sports car! Lotsa "factory" performance goodies on it that would cost a bundle to retrofit. It occurs to me that we may be talking about different cars here; the Acura I have driven was a 2000 or 2001 Integra type R, the newer RSX-S might be something else entirely . . .

Here I will respectfully disagree, subject to the above caveat. In DS trim, which allows the use of DOT approved racing tires such as the Hoosiers or Kumho Victoracers, the Integra exhibited perceptibly less understeer than my WRX wagon. I think what confuses the issue here is that understeer feels different in an AWD car. A FWD car _feels_ like the front is pushing to the outside when it lets go. The AWD (in the WRX anyway) does not give the impression of push as much, rather all four tires slide, while the car carves a nicely arced turn, the radius of which increases as you add throttle. It feels fast, and is huge fun, but eventually you come to realize that it isn't the fast way around the course. I believe that a good part of the Integras neutral handling can be attributed to the performance oriented suspension package. These components are legal in "stock" class on the Integra, as they are "factory equipped", whereas the same level of preparation on my WRX would move the car into a "Prepared" (Duh ;-) class.

There are two additional issues with the WRX that make it a more difficult car to manage when pushed to it's limits on an autocross. The first is the notorious turbo lag, and believe me, the rex at

6500ft elevation is a real pooch until the turbo spools up. I know, I know; exhaust changes, aftermarket BOV, yadda, yadda; we're talking "Stock" class here. The second glitch is the WRXes (at least mine, tho other drivers seem have the same gripe) reluctance to downshift into first gear. Slow turns followed by fast slaloms are real tests of patience; you want to downshift, but also hope to finish the day with your first gear intact so you can drive home, and get to work on Monday. Exiting the slow turn in second and working the clutch hard to keep the turbo spinning seems to be the general response.

Oh, and you _can_ take the mighty rex offroad with a little care. Obviously it's never gonna be a serious 4X4, but check out for some fotos. And since I know someone will ask; Lincoln Gulch Road in the White River National Forest east of Aspen CO, on a fishin' trip last fall. And the fishing at the lake in the last foto (Grizzly Lake) was good, thanx. It snowed a bit on the hike out.

Absolutely true. The car is easy (maybe too easy) to drive really fast. OTOH, it is very difficult to get that last 1% (the 1% that separates the winners from the rest of us) out of it, for reasons mentioned above. Even very skilled pilots have difficulties maintaining consistency.

I will mention that a WRX wagon driver who routinely finishes towards the upper end of the DS class in our division drives an automatic; he tells me that he keeps the gas pedal on the floor and uses his left foot on the brake to modulate his speed. Whatever the reason, he gets around faster than me by a fair bit.

Don't misunderstand; I love my WRX, but in all honesty I have given up on it as an autocross car, and have gone back to driving my well sorted old MR2 in CSP. I still consistently finish mid pack, but the tail-happy little mister is simply more fun to autocross, and in the end that's what it's all about.

ByeBye! S.

Steve Jernigan KG0MB Laboratory Manager Microelectronics Research University of Colorado (719) 262-3101

Does this require going to 17" wheels or could you stay with 16"s?

As I understand it, what you refer to as 'autocross' is what I would refer to as as 'auto test'......ie manoevring around pylons on tarmax, not grass-track racing. I would have thought a Rex would be pretty useless at this as you need to slide the car around precisely at relatively low speeds. Awd makes it too hard to break traction. In the UK we use small front-wheel-drivers or rear-wheel-drivers like Minis and Sprites. Much quicker than anything else, except the cut-down specials.

David Betts snipped-for-privacy@motorsport.org.uk

The Acura RSX Type-S is one step below a 2003 Honda Integra Type-R in Europe. It has 20 less horsepower and not quite as good a suspension or brakes and no LSD. The Acura RSX Type-S FP is basically a Honda Integra Type-R with 20 less horsepower and no LSD. One option you're forgetting is importing a Honda Integra Type-R from Europe. It'll cost about the same as a fully loaded WRX.

JaySee

At a lapping day last weekend

I was roughlyevenly matched with two RSX Type S's in my WRX wagon. Keep in mind the RSXis a lot lighter, so even if the WRX in theory will accelerate faster(provided you're on boost the whole time), the RSX gets around the trackjust as quickly, and with less wear on tires and brakes. Next time I'mhoping for rain.

On the way home, after loading all of my crap back into the car, and having room for a lot more, I took some fun dirt roads, and nary an RSX in sight in the rear-view.

I'm in Ottawa, and ski a lot, so the unbeatable performance in snow (and never having to use the parking brake to get sideways) is invaluable.

Andy.

"S", or an Impreza WRX - both 6-spd.

and fun to drive. Maybe most importantly, something well-mannered that I'll look forward to driving day-to-day, everyday. Looked at, and drove, both - can't make up my mind...!

Group, To answer my own message...

Thanks for all the great input... Today I ordered the car...

Had the opportunity to look at both cars side-by-side and to drive them in succession. The RSX-S is certainly quick and as smooth as a glass. The WRX is fast and gives you that 'pushed-back-in-the-seat' feeling when you tach it up...

I'd say that the Acura is like a Swiss watch - the WRX, like a Swiss army knife.

Since I don't have snow to contend with, and I drive it mostly in the city and on freeways, I chose the Acura RSX-S.