This is an unbiased post:

I have driven the WRX, the STi (I own the STi now, yay), and the SRT-4.

Many people have mentioned the same thing about the power of the WRX and SRT-4, they're about the same, with the SRT-4 having more power on the straight away (the 2.4 liters helps). But when it comes down to handling, the WRX is pretty amazing for an awd car, it has a good turn radius. Now, the SRT-4... I wasn't expecting it, but the turning radius was extremely poor and wide. It was hard to park the car into a spot, I literally had to crank the wheel all the way in order to get it to park straight.

Now, I'm not knocking the car, but just the fact that it took so much effort to park the car turned me off to the idea of ever owning one. The interior of both cars is all right; I prefer the WRX more since it seats better. I'm a big tall guy and I barely fit in the SRT-4, my knees hit the dash with the seat all the way reclined and the steering wheel up. It's not comfortable at all. The WRX is great, I can have the seat forward a bit, my knees don't hit anything and the steering wheel has plenty of room to move up and down.

That's just my 2 cents. If I had to choose either one, I would definately choose the WRX, simply because of comfort and better handling.

-GDO

 

that all sounds right to me. keep up the good taste fellas

 

I drove a FWD 1993 sentra se-r for 10 years. super modified suspension- 1.0G plus some. custom koni coilovers. that car smoked ANYTHING in the corners when the pavement was smooth (3" of wheel travel @ all 4 corners). bought a 04 WRX because CA roads have bumps and potholes. the WRX wins. If you buy a FWD, please get a LSD. my 2 cents.

 

do you mean the wrx wins in the potholes or even on smooth pavement?

 

It's a neon.(period) All subies are cool... I can't say the same for neons.

 

I wouldnt say a neon isnt cool, i mean sounds like your hating, but i still think the SRT4 is a cool car.. just not my 1st choice if i was in a performance competition.. the i give respect to the SRT4 cause for its price it does a make a lot of power. and its fast. but again the WRX to me is the faster better car. im not talkin stock vs stock, cause i never keep my car stock. especially when a WRX has been imprisoned, locked up, chained up beast.. waiting to break out and murder those who have done evil by restricting it like that.. coming out of a maximum security prison with 3 cats and 2inch piping exhaust... its waiting, ready and eager to kill with a straight pipe. turbo cars are meant for pure flow. pure 3inch mandrel bent turboback. and exhaust are really cheap to customize.. couple hundred and u can get mandrel bent piping.. instead of buying an expensive name brand such as HKS.. but hey if u got the money.. HKS other brands are real clean real performance so go for it. bottom line is this.. add straight pipe to a turbo car and that is giving it freedom like USA won its freedom

 

shouldnt just say its a neon period hahah cause that is like saying its a civic period.. and fixed up civics have been known to be fast, just as fixed up neons can be fast.

 

my sentra KILLed the WRX or anything on smooth pavement. the car was very much like the car on pg.68 SCC August 2004. The WRX is better in the real world. It is a shame that many people put such stiff springs and huge bars on the WRX.
The stock WRX has vague steering, a rattling suspension, super ****ty brakes(a better tire would help) and fun but crappy tires.
my 4 cents.

 

Have you ever seen the stock lavender neons of the 90's? The shape of the civic doesn't look like a girls car.

 

are you stock, suspension wise, on your rex ?

 

I have owned a 03 WRX, I currently own a 04 STi, and I have driven an 04 SRT-4. I took the SRT to its limits. I wasnt very impressed with its highway acceleration 70-110. The brakeing was ok, and it handled very well for a fwd, but not nearly as good as the Subies. Granted my car is close to 10g more, but the interior felt real cheap, seats were uncomfortable, exhaust rumbled, but in the wrong way, and it only had two power windows. Teh subie's are soo much better of cars.

Nick

 

Neon doesn't have 4 air-bags- with the uprated seats.
My subie is stock.
I am hoping that I can come close to my old se-r... with the benifit of more suspension travel.

 

you mentioned the exhaust rumbled in the wrong way.... well F U C K Y E A H H H!!!! its cuz it snorts and pops from factory as it has NO MUFFLER but of course, i choose the WRX so ill shutup again

 

Maniac My coworker has a 2004 STR-4 with MOPAR stage 2 and a CAI. I have a 2002 WRX with COBB stage 2.5 (with AcessPort). Recently we took both cars out around a little loop by our work, in an industrial area. The run started with a short straight, a quick 90 degree right, about an 1/8-mile straight, then 90 deg left, straight, left, straight (fast, about 1/6 th mile), then sharp (70 degree) left into a narrow street which stops at a stop light.

Even though the SRT-4 was not too far behind in the straights, it was in the turns where the WRX really shined. The SRT just did not have enough traction to put the power down in the turns. The inside front wheel would spin wildly while the entire front end would push into heavy understeer.

The point is, its not how much power you can make, (and both cars are very capable in that respect, with the SRT-4's displacement being an advantage) but how much you can transfer effectively to the payvement. That's useable power! The greatest performance limitation of the Neon is its front wheel drive... and there is no way around that...


HEY MANIAC, WHAT THE HECK MAKES IT A STAGE 2.5???? I DONT SEE A MAP ON COBBS SITE... IS IT AN UP PIPE or CHOICE OF FUEL??? OR I DUNNO WHAT IS IT? lol

 

...is basically a stage 3 WITHOUT the upgraded TMIC. Or, you can look at it as stage 2+ VF34, STi pinks, Walbro FP, up-pipe, and the AcessPort map re-flash.