There are likely tons of enthusiasts who think this comparison test would never be a fair fight. Conventional wisdom suggests all-wheel-drive sport compacts like the 2022 Subaru WRX are inherently better than front-drive cars like the 2022 Honda Civic Si, thanks to their four-corner traction. They offer stability and performance you supposedly can't get with only two driven wheels.

Additionally, since the 1990s, Subaru has unlocked impressive grunt from its turbocharged flat-four engines—something Honda only figured out for its inline-fours in the past decade. In the important area (to hardcore fans, anyway) of racetrack worthiness, the Subaru always seemed to have so much more to offer than the Honda: more power, a better chassis, and traction for days. So where do we get off having an entry-level performance car like the 2022 Honda Civic Si challenging a rally-bred motorsports titan like the 2022 Subaru WRX?

In fact, the Civic is positioned better than you might think. Certainly, Honda building more turbocharged cars of late is part of the 2022 Civic's current position of strength. Honda's powertrain engineers have had success with not just the model's 1.5-liter turbo inline-four engine but also the 2.0-liter forced-induction inline-four workhorse in the previous Civic Type R, as well as turbo-hybrid systems like the one in the Acura NSX.

This explains why we rounded up a 2022 Civic Si with the grippier summer tires option and a 2022 Subaru WRX Limited for a little comparison test. The WRX Limited is presently the highest-trim model in the lineup that's available with a standard manual transmission. So both sedans are affordable sport compact standouts, but which makes the smarter all-around choice?

Honda equips every 2022 Civic Si with the same 1.5-liter turbo-four engine as in the previous generation. It makes 5 fewer peak horsepower than the old Si, for a total of 200 hp, but its peak torque of 192 lb-ft of torque arrives sooner at 1,800 rpm. The engine also maintains more output when wound out to its 6,500-rpm redline.

The 2022 Subaru WRX's new and larger 2.4-liter turbo-four seems huge by comparison. It develops a peak of 271 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, which is 3 more hp and no more torque than the outgoing WRX's 2.0-liter boxer. Here, too, Subaru indicates the new unit's torque curve is broader than before.

Both cars get a standard six-speed manual transmission, but only Subaru WRX Limited shoppers have the option of a CVT. Our judging panel agreed the shift action for both manuals was satisfyingly short and notchy.

Both drivetrains are equipped with a limited-slip differential, and the WRX's continuous all-wheel-drive system also includes torque vectoring. MacPherson struts up front and a multilink rear suspension return on the Civic; the WRX is outfitted as always with MacPherson struts in front and a rear double A-arm and toe-link arrangement, plus electronically adjustable dampers. Curb weight for the 2022 Honda Civic Si with manual transmission is 2,981 pounds, and the shift-it-yourself 2022 Subaru WRX Limited checks in at 3,412.

All 2022 Honda Civic Si models ride on 18-inch wheels, whether they be wrapped in the base grade's all-season tires or the sticker summer rubber. The WRX has a slight performance edge because its base configuration features summer tires on 17s, but the upgrade for the Limited is a wider summer tire on 18s—245 width compared to the Si's 235. That said, both sets of tires never seemed to quit.

Not unexpectedly, the more powerful all-wheel-drive 2022 Subaru WRX is quicker than the 2022 Honda Civic Si. When we tested it, our WRX Limited sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds and covered the quarter mile in 14.3 seconds at 97.8 mph. Most of our comparison drivers loved the Subie's grunt but lamented its narrow powerband and early redline. Features editor Scott Evans said, "All the action is between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm; we know boxer engines can rev higher. Make it happen, Subaru."

The Civic Si needed an additional second—7.1 seconds in the sprint to 60 mph, 15.3 seconds in the quarter mile—in each test, and it finished the quarter mile traveling 5 mph slower. This highlights the Si's biggest drawback: It seems like there's barely any power on tap in comparison to the WRX. But although it's tame, the Honda's engine now pulls until redline, a bit of tuning that was absent in the last Si. "Makes the car feel quicker, even if it isn't," Evans said. "It's more rewarding to drive fast."

Although the Subaru is swifter than the Honda, it's worth mentioning both cars are slower than the versions they replace. Every WRX we've tested since the 2013 model year has been slower than the one before it (an outlier 2018 model was marginally slower than the 2022). The Civic Si is slower than the turbo Si we tested as a 2017 model, and it's slower than every 2.0- and 2.4-liter naturally aspirated Si we've tested since the seventh-gen model (2000 to 2005).

Beyond the test track, there's never a shortage of grip in the WRX. In fact, the car still feels like the homologation Impreza model first issued decades ago so Subaru could compete with it in the World Rally Championship. There was a rawness to the old WRX that made the Subaru a fitting sparring partner for its former nemesis, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, itself an AWD rally car for the streets. Some of that spirit—papered over by years of development—is still alive in the WRX today.

Our judges were split on the WRX's handling feel at the limit, though. They either thought it was firm and forgiving or bumpy and choppy. Evans' take is probably the most succinct. "There's a lot of compliance in the suspension; it feels like it has a lot of wheel travel. But as much as it moves vertically, it's glued to the road. You quickly learn to stop worrying about the body movements because the tires are not letting go."

We appreciated the modern WRX's power and grip during spirited canyon runs, but its ride was less likable in day-to-day driving. At modest speeds, road imperfections transmit into the car. This is an area where the Civic shines, striking a better handling balance between sport and comfort.

"It seems if Honda engineers had to make a choice between civility and agility, they chose civility, but only by the slightest of margins," summed up senior editor Aaron Gold. "I think that was the right decision. I doubt they could keep the body strapped down any better without making the ride unacceptably hard for day-to-day driving, and that's best left to the Civic Type R."

Steering in each car felt direct, though there was a bit more heft to the Civic Si's tiller. This was another area of split opinions among our judging panel. Some, like executive editor Mac Morrison, gave the Honda steering a thumbs-up for "its weight and the size of the steering wheel, the way it feels, [and] how it fits my hands."

But the WRX's lighter steering also had fans among our jurists, like features editor Christian Seabaugh. "I could see some ham-handed drivers being turned off by how quick and aggressive the steering is, but if you drive with your fingertips, it's so communicative and enjoyable."

The 2022 Honda Civic Si's greatest performance metric in this fight might not be power, or quickness, or driving dynamics. You could say it's efficiency. Its engine produces 133 hp per liter compared to the WRX's 113 hp per liter. (Remember when Honda nerds made a big deal about the 1.6-liter naturally aspirated B16 inline-four's 100 hp-per-liter ratio back in the late 1990s?) And the Honda is rated at an impressive 27/37/31 mpg city/highway/combined compared to the Subaru's 19/26/22 mpg. With way better fuel economy, the Si offers almost 20 miles more range on a full tank of gas (384 miles) despite that reservoir being 4.2 gallons smaller than the WRX's.

Both cars are equipped with disc brakes at all four corners, but the WRX comes with standard rear ventilated rotors (the Si's are solid). It took the Subaru 113 feet to bring the car to a stop from 60 mph in our testing; the lighter Honda needed 110 feet. Our panel was generally on the same page about brake feel for each. The WRX has soft initial bite, but the pedals in both cars were progressive, and the stopping power was easy to modulate.

You'll find a bit more head- and legroom in the front row of the Subaru, but the Honda is more spacious in the back seat. The Civic Si's trunk can hold more, as well, 14.1 cubic feet compared to the WRX's 12.5 cubic feet. Both cars are designed with 60/40-split folding rear seat backs.

Each also comes with standard automatic headlights, keyless entry, moonroof, trunklid spoiler, dual-exhaust finishers, and remote trunk release. Additional standard equipment includes push-button start, leather-wrapped steering wheel, rear center armrest with cupholders, sun visors with illuminated vanity mirrors, and sport pedals.

Standard equipment the 2022 Subaru WRX Limited boasts beyond the Civic Si includes foglights, steering-responsive headlights, dual rear USB charge ports, and heated front seats. Where the Civic's seats are trimmed in cloth, WRX's feature faux suede. Meanwhile, Gold pointed out how the WRX's seating position "is very tall compared to other cars—feels like you're driving an SUV." Seabaugh was bummed by the lack of lumbar support in the Si's front seats.

In fact, the Si's seats are fully manual when it comes to adjustments. The WRX, on the other hand, gets a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat. Other WRX advantages include dual- versus the Si's single-zone climate control, and an 11.6-inch central touchscreen compared to the Si's 9.0-inch screen (though we preferred the Honda's smaller display for its conventional horizontal orientation).

We also liked the Si's aluminum shift knob more than the leather-wrapped item in the WRX. Further Civic Si strengths include a 7.0-inch gauge cluster screen (only 4.2 inches in the WRX), wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility (both are wired in the WRX), and 12 speakers (the upgraded premium system in the WRX Limited gets only 11 speakers).

Overall, there's a lingering familiarity to the 2022 WRX's interior. Materials and build quality are high, but the overall dash and center console designs haven't evolved much over the years. This is in sharp contrast to the 2022 Civic's redesigned cabin, which is clean and modern. Honda's choices in cabin textures—like the hexagonal honeycomb grille that extends across the dash, textured plastic trim pieces on the doors and center console, and ridged center-stack knobs—help the Civic look premium for its class.

The base 2022 Honda Civic Si starts at $28,595, with summer tires adding just $200, which is a steal. Our test car also carried premium Blazing Orange paint for an additional $395, which took its final retail price to $29,190.

That's more than $1,000 less than the 2022 WRX's base price of $30,600. And when you move up to the WRX Limited, which sits just below the GT top trim, the price jumps by almost $7,000 to $37,490. But the Subaru also gets features the Honda lacks, such as all-wheel drive, enhanced exterior lighting, nicer front seats, a bigger touchscreen, and rear USB ports.

If track sessions are in your future, the 2022 Subaru WRX isn't a bad choice. We might even argue it's the cooler car from a historical context. But the modern WRX is also frenetic to drive. Our judges were unanimous when it came to how much easier it was to pilot the Civic quickly. And with the way gas prices are, we'd be less inclined to take the Subaru out for fun days considering how thirsty it gets.

The 2022 Honda Civic Si is a better choice for both its affordability and all-around excellence. Honda took a great foundation into the 11th-generation Civic and built a fun little machine that also comes through with plenty of practicality. It's not a "numbers" car by any stretch, but it does inspire confidence behind the wheel—enough so that we could repeatedly take it to its limits, and it simply kept chugging along. It also delivered refinement levels we've frankly never seen in an Si, and it might just be the most fun version yet.

Verdict: The WRX is the same beast as always, but it's more sport than compact and lacks a small car's price or efficiency.

Verdict: Just as the Civic has aged into a great all-arounder, the Si has matured into an entertaining sport sedan.