Honda Civic Type R FK8 vs Subaru WRX STI VA
“The FK8 Civic Type R is the front-drive precision instrument that wins on the stopwatch; the VA WRX STI is the older, rougher all-wheel-drive car that wins through the steering wheel.
The Honda is the quicker car and nobody here argues it. Its K20C1 is on boost in about half a second where the STI's EJ257 makes you wait 'a full second or two', it stops shorter, and a reviewer who went back to the Subaru still concedes it 'just does not have the outright speed of the type r'. The Type R is also easier to live with: 'such a better ride than an STI', which gets called 'very bouncy', and a six-speed one tester rates 'the best I've ever used in any car ever'.
The STI answers with what the stopwatch can't see. It is the only car in its group test with hydraulic power steering, and three of the six reviewers single that out — it 'feels more natural'. Its all-wheel drive lets you 'be really aggressive with the clutch' and just go. Savagegeese enjoyed driving the Subaru more, and another reviewer says what brought him back to it was 'personality'.
The Type R is the more complete car; the STI is the one some of them would rather drive.
you want the quicker, more sorted car — less lag, shorter stops, a better ride and a superb manual — and you can live with electric steering and putting it all through the front wheels.
you want hydraulic steering feel, all-wheel-drive launches you can be rough with, and a car with personality — and you'll accept turbo lag, a bouncy ride, a dated infotainment screen and heavy fuel use.
Buy the FK8 Type R if you want the faster, more complete car: it out-accelerates and out-brakes the STI, rides better, and comes with a shifter one tester calls the best he's ever used. Buy the VA STI if steering feel and all-wheel-drive character matter more than pace — it's the more natural car through the wheel and the one two of these reviewers simply enjoyed more.
Pace isn't in dispute: the Type R is quicker in every figure quoted, and turbo lag is the STI's stated weakness. The split is on handling. Single-car reviews put the Type R's chassis at the top of the class ('absolutely unshakeable', 'the steering is perfect'), yet in direct comparison Doug DeMuro says the STI 'handles better' on a weekend drive and three reviewers prefer its hydraulic steering. Coverage note: six reviewers, one video each, all from 2017–2021; three of the six videos are reviews of the limited-run STI Type RA, and much of the Type R column comes from single-car FK8 reviews rather than back-to-back tests.
Performance
“The STI gives you it probably a full second or two of lag before the turbo kicks in this thing maybe gives you half a second before the turbo kicks in”
“the all-wheel drive and the WRX STI makes a huge difference in terms of driving dynamics... you can pretty much be really aggressive with the clutch and just kind of given the beans”
Handling
“The STI is the only car here with hydraulically assisted steering and right away I can tell it definitely feels more natural than the other to”
“I actually prefer the way the steering feels in the STI... I do prefer a good hydraulic power steering over a little cop over here”
