Subaru WRX v Hyundai i30 N 2022 Comparison

Pitching the new 2022 Subaru WRX and Hyundai i30 N sedans against each other triggers a classic contest between a legend and an upstart.

The WRX has been making headlines and winning fans since the 1990s, when Subaru was world rally champion, the late Colin McRae was a superstar and this car was still a part of the Subaru Impreza small car family. These days it’s a standalone member of the range.

By contrast, the i30 N sedan is the latest member of Hyundai’s nascent N go-fast division and was only launched in late 2021.

But while they are coming at this comparo with distinctly different pedigrees and mechanical methods of going about things, they share a uniformity of purpose.

They aspire to be exciting drives.

The WRX does this in its time-honoured way, combining a turbo-petrol four-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine with all-wheel drive. It’s a familiar recipe some people argue hasn’t evolved enough for this new generation.

The i30 N sedan employs a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine driving the front wheels via a limited-slip diff.

The Hyundai has more tricks, doo-dads and performative buttons to press than the very analogue WRX. But does that make it better or just more complex?

Speaking of analogue, both test cars came with six-speed manual gearboxes – remember those?

We’re pitching the 2022 Hyundai i30 N Premium against the mid-spec 2022 Subaru WRX RS and they match up very closely on price.

The Hyundai i30 N Premium starts at $49,000 plus on-road costs, although our example came with the $2000 sunroof option.

The i30 N sedan is offered in Australia only in Premium specification. However, you can opt for the Hyundai i30 N hatchback with pricing starting at a more affordable $45,000 plus ORCs. There’s also a few examples of the limited-edition i30 N Fastback priced from $49,000 (add $3000 for DCT) still available.

An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission is a no-cost option for the i30 N sedan.

The Subaru WRX RS will set you back $50,490 plus ORCs. There is a cheaper entry-level sedan for $44,990 and the flagship tS for $56,990. There are also three auto-only WRX wagons – sold as the Subaru Levorg elsewhere in the world – priced from $49,990 to $57,990 plus ORCs.

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) with eight computerised steps is a $4000 – yes, $4000 – option for the WRX. That price brings with it a lot of other important safety gear as well, which we’ll get into in a sec.

Externally, the i30 N looks more overt. It has a spidery black grille insert, 19-inch alloy wheels, a spoiler protruding from the boot lid on outboard spars and two huge pipes exiting either side at the rear.

The WRX runs 18-inch alloys, has the functioning bonnet scoop feeding the engine intercooler, a lip spoiler, smaller quad exhausts and slightly incongruous SUV-style cladding adorning a body that continues that Subaru tradition of being a bit… off-kilter.

Like, what’s with those rear three-quarter panels? Do they remind you of a Toyota Prius too?

In terms of cabin comfort, these two have some equipment similarities. They both come with big infotainment touch-screens – landscape in the i30 N, portrait in the WRX – as well as push-button start, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connection, sat-nav, AM/FM and digital radio, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, sports pedals and old-style manual handbrakes (cool!).

But there are lots of differences too.

The Hyundai is alone in having a digital instrument panel, wireless smartphone charging, leather trim, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats and rear air-con vents.

It also gets a heap of driver-selectable tuning aids standard including adaptive dampers, a configurable sound generator to go with the multi-mode exhaust, a performance data display (g-meter etc), track maps, launch control (yep, in a manual) and six drive modes including one that is adaptive and two that are configurable.

The Subaru offers three modes via SI-Drive, but that’s only available with the CVT.

The WRX has its own exclusive features. Its Harman Kardon audio system has 10 speakers compared to the eight in the i30 N’s Bose system. The front passenger gets power seat adjustment, all four outboard seats are heated, a power sunroof is standard and it has USB-A outlets in the rear as well as the front.

There’s even a CD player hidden away in the centre console.

Both cars come with a space-saver spare tyre.

They are also protected by five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranties. Service intervals for the Hyundai are 12 months/10,000km, while the Subaru is 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

Capped-price servicing for the i30 N is $335 each for the first five services/50,000km. For the manual WRX, it averages out at $486 per service for the first five years/75,000km, or $2433 total.

When it comes to safety equipment and specification, the 2022 Subaru WRX has a huge and concerning omission. If you buy the manual you can’t get autonomous emergency braking (AEB).

Yep, the only way to access this life-saving feature that will soon be legally required in Australia is to option the CVT. Other safety features added by ticking that box include adaptive cruise control, a group of lane centring and keeping functions, an intelligent speed limiter and speed sign recognition.

The manual WRX RS does come equipped with a blind spot monitor, a lane change warning alert, rear cross traffic alert and driver attention and weariness detection, along with eight airbags including driver knee and front passenger seat cushion.

But the lack of AEB is set to cruel any chance of a five-star ANCAP safety rating for the WRX manual.

Having said that, the 2022 Hyundai i30 N doesn’t have an ANCAP rating either and doesn’t appear destined to get one. That’s Hyundai’s choice though. It doesn’t want to spend the money required.

The i30 N does get AEB but it’s the Hyundai’s basic camera-only version that detects vehicles and pedestrians but not cyclists. It also doesn’t work very well at night and doesn’t allow adaptive cruise control.

Among the Hyundai’s various other driver assist systems are lane following, rear cross traffic alert and speed sign recognition.

Both cars get two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tether strap points.

The 2022 Hyundai i30 N is developed from the Hyundai Group’s new K3 monocoque architecture that first launched with the standard i30 sedan in 2020 (and also underpins the new Kia Niro).

A key outcome of this for the new i30 N sedan is a 70mm longer wheelbase than the hatch.

The 2022 Subaru WRX is underpinned by the Subaru Global Platform that has gradually spread through the line-up since first launching in 2016 with the Impreza small car.

The i30 N is powered by the Hyundai Group Theta-II 2.0-litre double-overhead-cam 16-valve four-cylinder intercooled turbo-petrol engine that makes 206kW at 5500-6000rpm and 392Nm between 2000-4700rpm. An overboost function that increases power to 213kW is only available with DCT.

With the aid of that electronically-controlled limited-slip diff and a compact and lighter new front axle that saves 1.7kg in unsprung weight per corner, Hyundai claims the i30 N will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 5.8 seconds (0.5sec slower than the DCT) and consume an average 8.2L/100km.

On test it achieved consistent economy returns in the mid-10s.

The WRX’s DOHC 16-valve ‘boxer’ turbo-petrol engine grows from 2.0- to 2.4-litre for this new generation, but boost levels are reduced and power only increases 5kW to 202kW at 5600rpm. Torque remains unchanged at 350Nm, albeit produced over a wider range from 2000-5200rpm.

Driving via a mechanical permanent all-wheel drive system, the WRX accelerates from 0-100km/h in 6.0sec and officially consumes 9.9L/100km.

Short gearing ratios, the AWD system and a tare weight listed at 1516kg no doubt don’t help the hefty consumption, which came in around 11.5L/100km on test.

The i30 N weighs in at 1445kg (kerb) and its advantage could actually be more pronounced. It misses out on the hatch’s lightweight forged alloy wheels that save 14.4kg in unsprung weight and one-piece bucket seats that save 1.1kg each

Speaking of numbers, these two measure up very closely in most ways. The WRX is 50mm taller at 1465mm and the i30 N’s 2720mm wheelbase is 45mm longer.

The Hyundai has the bigger boot – 464 litres versus 411. Both cars have a fold-down function that increases space, but the Hyundai compromises that with a bright-orange brace that makes fitting big items like bicycles impossible.

The brace does boost torsional rigidity by a claimed 29 per cent compared to the base car and it looks grouse, so perhaps a fair trade-off?

The mechanical package of both cars is completed by MacPherson struts up front, multi-links at the back for the Hyundai and double wishbones for the WRX. The i30 N’s active dampers in Normal and Sport mode were tuned for local conditions, but Sport+ retained the global tune.

Both cars come with electric-assist power steering, while the i30 N’s vented discs are substantially bigger at both ends and feature a new prefill function that primes the system when the driver lifts the throttle.

The Hyundai rolls on 245/35ZR19 Michelin Pilot 4S rubber specific to N and stamped ‘HN’ to prove it. The Subaru employs 245/40R18 Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres.

Straight-up we can tell you the 2022 Hyundai i30 N and Subaru WRX RS are fun cars to drive. So, tick the most important box.

The i30 N is grunty and solid, it feels embedded in the road, powering into and out of corners using a deep well of torque, inspiring front-end grip, flat body control and accurate steering.

Despite weighing in heavier, the WRX feels less substantial. Its engine spins freely and smoothly to the cut-off, its steering is lighter and a little less defined. It gets everywhere impressively fast, but the i30 N feels like it would ultimately cover ground faster when the pace is on.

Maybe that would change in wet conditions, but on dry roads the i30 N was commendably behaved, happily channelling power through its LSD with communicative skerricks – rather than interfering bucketloads – of torque steer.

The amount of adjustment available through the i30 N’s drive modes is quite astonishing. You should find a setting for key inputs that will suit you, even the LSD, which comes in two settings.

However, shock absorber compression damping proved something of a discussion point. Cruising in Normal mode it proved comfortable enough but then quickly smacked through its range into the bump stops on rougher roads.

The Sport setting also felt underdone. Only in Sport+ did the system truly feel up to enthusiastic driving on a winding and sometimes rough road.

But in any mode a sharp-edged hole encountered by a front tyre could send a horrid shudder through the body. It was bad enough to cause concern for wheels and rubber.

Steering started meaty in Normal and weighting became progressively heavier through the modes.

By contrast, the WRX’s one-size-fits-all suspension ran a well-tuned middle ground. A bit too taut for just pootling about, it worked well when the speed came up and the road turned interesting. The steering remained determinedly light throughout.

Both gearboxes are pretty accurate, but the WRX has a shorter throw and tighter gate more suited to the sporting task. Its shorter ratios meant you could contemplate third and even fourth in sections where the Hyundai was happy in second.

The i30 N’s clutch take-up was that bit wider and friendlier. And yep, stalled both. Out of practice these days!

The Subaru’s pedal positioning was better for heel and toeing, but at least the Hyundai offered rev matching to compensate to some extent. The WRX’s brake pedal engaged earlier in the stroke. Outright retardation was decent from both cars.

The Hyundai exudes more character, snorting, crackling and brapping. The Subaru’s distinct gravelly boxer beat was muted. The WRX was undoubtedly the quieter car to ride in, generating less road noise.

It also had the far better turning circle at 11.2m. Hyundai claims 11.7m for the i30 N and that seemed optimistic.

Living with either of these cars as a day-to-day drive would be a bit of a bore because of the manual gearboxes. But move beyond that to things like seat comfort and storage options and there is not a lot to complain about.

Having said that, the WRX has a super-chubby steering wheel rim that some people might find awkward. But both cars have well-bolstered driver’s sports seats, reach and rake steering adjust and sizable left foot rests.

The touch-screens are both big, clear and reasonably sensible to navigate. However, the WRX’s combo of digital and physical controls for the air-con seem unnecessarily complex. The i30 N just has lots and lots of stuff to drill through.

In the back seat it’s a bit hit-and-miss. The i30 N gets air-con vents but the WRX fights back with USB outlets. Both have a decent amount of leg space. The i30 N has a more reclined back rest but the WRX does a little better on headroom.

The 2022 Hyundai i30 N and Subaru WRX are fast four-doors that will please anyone that buys them with the intention of driving enthusiastically.

The i30 N is more complex, has more atmospherics, more gravitas and more pace. It is an excellent vehicle and a tribute to N’s growing reputation and capabilities.

The WRX is simpler and easier to get your head around. You adjust to it much more than it adjusts to you. The crew at Subaru that develop this car can be proud of the simple, effective package they have put together.

It may not be a great leap forward, but it is still headed in the right direction.

But the omission of standard AEB and other features from the manual WRX is a mistake too big to ignore or justify.

Paying an extra $4000 for those features combined with a CVT a lot of enthusiast drivers won’t want is entirely disappointing.

For that reason alone, the Hyundai i30 N wins this comparison. That it is also a marginally better car ices the cake.

How much does the 2022 Hyundai i30 N Premium sedan cost?
Price: $49,000 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 206W/392Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 8.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 192g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested

How much does the 2022 Subaru WRX RS cost?
Price: $50,490 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 202kW/350Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 9.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 250g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested