Drag Race: 2024 Hyundai i30 Sedan N (Elantra) vs Subaru WRX – 0-100, 1/4 mile

Video review and POV test drive of the WRX here:

2024 Hyundai i30 Sedan N specifications:
206kW (280PS) / 392Nm, 2.0-litre turbo 4-cylinder
8-speed dual-clutch auto transmission with front-wheel drive
Claimed 0-100km/h: 5.3 seconds
Official average fuel consumption: 8.3L/100km
Tare weight: 1475kg
Power-to-weight: 139.66kW:1000kg
Boot space: 464L
Price: AU$52,000 (not including on-road costs, at time of upload)

2024 Subaru WRX RS specifications:
202kW (275PS) / 350Nm, 2.4-litre turbo flat 4-cylinder
6-speed manual transmission with all-wheel drive
Claimed 0-100km/h: 6.0 seconds
Official average fuel consumption: 9.9L/100km
Tare weight: 1521kg
Power-to-weight: 132.81kW:1000kg
Boot space: 411L
Price: AU$52,990 (not including on-road costs, at time of upload)

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[fullboost]

Nice video 👍 Be thankful we can still buy these cars they won't be around forever.

[CherryTuningPerformance]

It really is a shame that Hyundai added the "octane learning" to the Elantra/i30 Sedan N
On our dyno we consistently see ~10% less power on the cars that have not completed their learning process, meaning the i30 Sedan N is actually only running ~185kW in this test
Fortunately, and contrary to what's indicated in this video, there is a huge amount of headroom in not just the factory ECU, but also the factory hardware in terms of ECU tuning. We're easily, safely, and comfortable able to get the i30 Sedan N up to over 250kW without any mechanical modifications, and we have several DCT cars up over 300kW with a completely standard motor and only basic supporting mods. Additionally the engine itself has definitely proven it's strength both in Australia and overseas, with huge numbers being made on the stock engine. Even our own WTAC race car running a completely standard motor and making over 400kW on a (quite frankly) sedate E85 tune.
We'll be putting out a video about our WTAC car soon - but (to the presenter) if you want to get your hands on an i30 Sedan N with a little more power, send us a message on our website, we'd be happy to help you out! Maybe a tuned i30 Sedan N vs a tuned WRX?

[smilingcookie]

Great video, liked how you explained each detail you brought up, like what lower in profile tires means, not many reviewers do that. Thumbed up!

[PATZOS]

Love these new drag race videos, keep them coming ! Nice to see affordable performance cars stacking up against each other. GTI, GR Corolla or Sonata N line next please !

[waggaclint]

Having previously owning a 2013 WRX and now owning a 2020 i30N Hatch I much prefer the i30n, I do track days as well the i30N is definitely suited to the track better..

[russell]

I was a Subaru fanatic and the WRX was my favourite sports/rally car of the 90s, when you compare it to other JDM cars of its time in the Evo, Supra, Celica, Skyline etc…
The Hawkeye era was my favourite, the WRX and WRX STI use to be a V8 killer, the smile it put on my face when my little 2.0/2.5L turbo 4 banger use to wipe the floor with the 5.7L V8 SS Commodores and 5.4L V8 XR8 Falcons of its time was just living life as a young teen in his 20s.
They’d called the WRX a supercar killer, it use to demolish plenty of cars on the road, it won multiple rally championships, it was high on the radar for many kids in the late 90s to mid 2000s generation, it felt raw, the manual transmission was exceptional, it was an absolute hoot to drive, it rocketed off the line, it was an absolute beast, oh how times have changed.

The car nowadays is simply an embarrasment and not even worthy of having the WRX badge on the car, it’s just a grocery getter with a bonnet scoop just so the modern generation looks at this thing and says “oh look that’s a WRX”.

In 25 years the power hasn’t changed one iota, the latest WRX I owned was a 2015 VA WRX with the FA20 engine, I shifted away from getting the STI because it was basically the same powertrain since forever with the EJ25, I found the performance of the FA20 to be respectable and it was smooth and it picked up quite well especially on lower to mid-range power as the torque was snappier than the EJ, but it obviously did lack in the top end and that’s where the STI has the advantage especially around the track, in day to day driving you won’t notice much difference between the two, if this powertrain was available 20 years ago it would be considered crazy fast, but these days when the rest of the competition has progressed so much in terms of performance and Subaru has kept the WRX stuck for over two decades it has sadly become an embarrasment, a shell of what it use to be, it’s a laughing stock, most sports cars leave you in the dust and you struggle to floor it past a standard economy, no joke even a Camry Hybrid would give you a hard time to floor it past it, I know I’m ranting on quite a bit but it’s the sad reality of what the car has become, they’ve tamed it so hard, it’s now targeted towards families who want a decently priced sporty sedan with adequate performance and features, it now has modern day “luxury” features like most other vehicles such as heated seats, sat nav, harmon kardon speaker, touch screen display etc…, but people don’t buy a WRX for interior features they buy it for the raw driving experience, their target audience has shifted heavily, not to mention this latest model looks hideous but overtime it has grown on people, and in a world where manuals are dying and most sport vehicles have proper sport transmissions such as a DCT or ZF Automatic, Subaru decide to give it a CVT that absolutely kills the powertrain.

On the other Hyundai who was a laughing stock are now in the big leagues, alongside its sister company Kia ofcourse, these companies that use to not even get a second look have improved so much in the past few years they are on par with the German big 3 in terms of performance, exterior and interior, hiring Albert Biermann from BMW M division has skyrockted them to be a game changer, I’ve driven the i30 Sedan N (Elantra N) and it was unbelievable, I planned on upgrading my VA WRX to the VB but after the reveal I decided against it and bought the Sonata N Line instead, it was such a great decision to go with that over the VB, car looks smick, the performance is phenomenal, the front tyres absolute shred the road, and not to mention the interior features are on par with cars that are 20-30k more.

While one company keeps moving forward, the other keeps degrading itself way down the line.

TL;DR
Hyundai have improved big time, Subaru is stuck in the past.

[Silverbulletzx]

My job takes me places up north to where i need AWD. So, i have a 24 WRX Premium. Tuned with intake, exhaust, UEL header...it's a completely different car. Day and night difference in power. And i still get 30 mpg on highway road trips.

[Chaundb]

I30N has yet to disappoint me. The hatch version for me has the best look. Hyundai nailed it perfect with this car from day 1.

[nowhere]

I like them both and think they are both beautiful on the eye.

[mga]

Automatic versus automatic would have ended badly for the WRX with that horrible CVT.

[smilingcookie]

7:42 cows watching the race on the left 😂

[mahcooharper]

Have always loved WRXs (and hated front wheel drive tbh) but of these I'd go for a manual i30N every day.

Is wonderful that cars like this still exist tho, so kudos to bith manufacturers

[rabidsminions]

15k servicing is a lot of kms before changing the oil.

[GoogleAccount-ptzu]

I raced a guy with a tuned VB WRX, I could tell because the exhaust was obnoxiously loud and when he shifted into 2nd the car launched forward like he hit some speed boost button, I know stock for stock my Sonata would take him, it’s just a shame that Subaru detunes their cars so hard from factory, that 2.4L has so much potential yet they restrict it so hard and in stock form the WRX gets embarrased by practically all the competition, GR Corolla, Yaris, i30 N, Golf R/GTI, Type R would absolutely walk all over it.

[chrish]

Manual vs manual would have been a better test. Regardless, keep up the awesome work 👏

[iiWeenieHD]

the subaru has declined so badly, i worked as a mechanic for 8 years at subaru and i learnt to love the brand (especially for repairing its second nature to me) but the tech side for the subaru is atrocious, that cluster with the little centre screen is really beyond me, but i definitely much prefer the quality of the interior materials as opposed to what hyundai uses for example, both great cars and happy to still see them around in full petrol form, no hybrid no EV 👍

[paulsimpson]

I wish journos would stop theorising that one engine is closer to the limit than another based on capacity. Engines are designed for a particular lifespan, bearing loads are calculated, rotating assembly forces etc. to assume this is down to capacity is just rubbish. The fact the Hyundai allows you to track an i30n and keep your warranty says it all whereas Subaru is well known for bearing failures and ring land failures. Boosted Subarus die young, that’s a well known fact.
And torque is really just an engine developing power at lower rpm’s. Power is what determines a cars quarter mile time because Work = Force x distance and Power = work/time……if you want to cover the quarter mile quicker you need more power. If you want to plough your paddock in half the time then you buy a tractor with twice as much power.

[steve]

Different uses. I bought a WRX because it snows where I live half of the year. Both are fun vehicles!

[benglasby]

I haven’t test driven the VB WRX, but I’ve test driven the i30 sedan N. It was a weapon. I plan to test drive one next time I’m close to civilisation. The cooled seats are the cherry on top in the I30 too.

[andywiththen]

Good review. It's a shame the WRX has lost it's way. The 0-100 of 5.7 seconds is basically what they say the manual N Sedan will do so the results wouldn't have been overly different. I have had my DCT down to 5.1 seconds stock.