WRX vs. new Dodge SRT-4?

I had fully intended on purchasing a used 2002 or 2003 (bug-eye) WRX. Then the SRT-4 caught my eye...

http://www.dodge.com/srt-4/index.html

I definately like the looks of the WRX better, but I still sorta like the SRT-4's looks too. It actually reminds me of a VW Bug and of course the Neon.

But, I'm wondering what you Subaru experts think about this new turbo car. I couldn't find out exactly, but I'm pretty sure it's 2 wheel / front-wheel drive. Big minus for me after looking at Subarus.

Is it worth a test drive come buying time?

It's front wheel drive. That's the worst part.

Another bad part is that Dodge has been giving magazines cheater cars that register a full 230whp. Any company that gives out cheater cars is a poor company in my book.

And it's an american car.

Give it a test drive if you want, but I wouldn't be caught dead in one (especially considering the fact that I can't fit into the car... if you're above 6'2, you probably won't be able to either. I'm a full 2" too tall for it)

its a neon...
aka: a girls car/sissy looking

Yeah, kinda my thoughts too. As far as it being an American car (a.k.a. "domestic" for me), I'm kind of torn. I've heard that domestic cars are generally cheaper to maintain and insure than foreign cars. Plus I've heard that cars from Detroit have become much better, quality-wise.

But... I'm willing to trust proven japanese companies over the fragile Ford cars (or other domestic companies) I've dealt with over the years.

Keeping in mind that it takes a 2.4 turbo in the Dodge to get that "230hp" whereas the WRX is pulling 227hp out of a 2.0 also rates in the WRX's favor in my book.

Alldar, it's not a Neon, compare the SRT-4 and Neon side-by-side, they're different.

Compare safety ratings. That's enough right there.

And saying that it takes them a 2.4l to put out a little more power than a 2.0l is like saying that the Skyline sucks because it takes 3.0l to make 280hp, but the STi makes 300hp with only 2.5l. That's just a ridiculous thing to say.

A guy a know has one and even with a few mods his best time ever is 14.7 and has yet to beat that time, so yea go ahead and get one...be slow, i dont care.....

And saying that it takes them a 2.4l to put out a little more power than a 2.0l is like saying that the Skyline sucks because it takes 3.0l to make 280hp, but the STi makes 300hp with only 2.5l. That's just a ridiculous thing to say.

While I agree it is not a like comparison, having seen the ads for the SRT-4 where they have been comparing it to the WRX and they bragged how it had more power, I think it is fair to say that I should hope they could get more power out a bigger engine.

IIRC, the Skyline produces more power than that, it is only 'listed' at that (I work with a Japanese engineer who is assigned here on a project and owns an R34, I have a feeling he knows what he is talking about when he told me about his car)

Let me say that I completely agree with you on your secondary comparison (the advertisement) and I realize that the skyline really does make more power. Your first statement just wasn't worded as well as it could've been. No problemo.

A friend of mine has a srt-4 and runs 14.7 stock.. and he beats WRX's all the time ( not sti's).. But the WRX is way better looking IMO.. Id get the WRX.. but the Srt-4 is fast.

People tend to forget that the driver of the car dictates the 1/4 mile time as much as the car itself.

My friend has an 02' WRX and has never lost to a SRT-4, and he has raced a couple....

Like Freakray said.. Depends on the driver

Keeping in mind that it takes a 2.4 turbo in the Dodge to get that "230hp" whereas the WRX is pulling 227hp out of a 2.0 also rates in the WRX's favor in my book.

Alldar, it's not a Neon, compare the SRT-4 and Neon side-by-side, they're different.



yo do you realise that the srt4's 230 is whp while the wrx's 227 is crank right?

anyway we have a huge thread on this topic in the street racing forum

btw do not underestimate those srt4 they will surprise you....and if you think they are overated just test drive one back to back with a wrx

an SRT-4 puts down over 230whp and its not a juiced up version. lots of neon owners are putting down that much on the dyno. dodge has seriously underrated this car. lets compare that number to what the WRX puts down. the WRX puts down around 167whp. hmmmmm 167whp vs 230whp. i'll take the 230whp please. plus that is for the older 03 models. the new 04 models are rated at 240hp but it actually puts down closer to 248whp thats freaking almost 280crank hp. and it has a limited slip and a high grip tires. plus that engine is bullet proof. sport compact car tore that engine apart and they say that can it handle tons of boost without worrying, and dodge has been turbo charging cars since hte early 80's ever heard of the conquest? the OMNI GLH? the Lebaron turbo? the Caravan turbo? so they know a thing or two about turbo charging.

The dodge srt-4 is lied about by dodge. They say it has 205 to 230 when it really has about 270 something. I have SEEN a stock srt-4 beat a stock evo 8. They are extremely fast. Dodge lies about the stats to get teenagers insurance lower so they can buy the car and not hav ehigh insurance. They say it does 0-60 in 6.3 but it really does it in about 5 flat. I would most likely get this car over a WRX but i think the WRX looks SO damn much better. Also, it is a neon....... I raced one in my accord and it was an awesome race, i pulled ahead at the very end and therefore can sayi beat one but that was because i spent over 10g's on my accord. SO, there you go.

Compare safety ratings. That's enough right there.

the skyline only has 280 becaus ethat is the make amount of HP you can have in Japan stock. Then they dont have emissions so you can make it up to whatever.

you guys are so smart...

the neon is "rated" at 215hp. it makes 223 whp, that's about 250-260 crank hp.

gave magazines cheater cars?
right. b/c the car's been tested by owners as well, and it makes that kinda power.

your friend has an srt4 and it runs 14.7.
he's an idiot. that car runs low 14's, like 14.1, stock.
the wrx runs 14.1-14.3 stock in most tests i've seen.
i'm utterly amazed by what i'm reading here. you guys seriously don't know anything about the car at all.
and now you're talking safety? yeah, b/c you care about that when you're driving hard in a straight line.
everyone wants to run with this idea that the neon is only a 1/4 mile car. and it isn't. they handle just as well as they fly in the 1/4. but you guys for get that, b/c you're all concerned with ET's. great.

i'm still lost on the 14.7 second srt4. does your friend know how to drive, or what's going on?

who said i knew everything about the car?.. All i said what my friend has beaten plenty of WRX's. He got a 14.7 the first time he ran when he first got the car. I don't know what he runs now.. and Vtech accord.. Ive seen srt-4 and evo 8 race.. the evo 8 won. but not by much.. it was extremely close. So I wouldnt be suprised that stock for stock it beat the evo

right.
so you sit there and spout off the 14.7 like it's gospel.
you probably could've mentioned this other info before, that would clear a whole lot up.
no one here is in your head, and we're giving you the benefit of the doubt, assuming you know something.
also. you shouldn't come in here spouting off about a car that you don't know anything about. that leads to posts like this, where you get told to do some research, so you can post fact, not just your opinion.

the skyline only has 280 becaus ethat is the make amount of HP you can have in Japan stock. Then they dont have emissions so you can make it up to whatever.

wrong. the skyline is proven to put down over 300whp stock, thats closer to 350+ crank hp. those cars are very underrated from the factory. and that 280hp is not from emissions, its just a stupid gentlemen's agreement to prevent horsepower wars from goin on with japanese manufacturers. but some people like nissan have been breaking that rule quit some time ago.

some people like all the manufacturers in japan...

it's a listed hp rating... but that's it.
it's like the 60's where muscle cars were rated at say, 425hp, when they were putting 450+ to the wheels...

toyota, nissan, subaru, mitsu, and mazda have all been surpassing that number... but the skyline is the most notable...

his post wasn't necessarily wrong, but needs some rewording...

Ok first off the Neon is the American version of the Civic, all the CHICS dig em. Just like to clarify a bit, the neon claims to have 230 Hp@5300Rpm and 250 lbs-ft torque stock, and then wrx has 227 Hp@6000 Rpm and 217 lbs-ft torque. Ok, that is Dodge's best model line up and yet subaru still has an upgrade to go to, the sti will inhaliate the srt-4 no doubt. Still the wrx sedan kills that gay neon coupe even with lesser torque and minimal hp. Let's not forget that the wrx is also AWD that allows it to launch and pik-up faster than FWD.

Ok first off the Neon is the American version of the Civic, all the CHICS dig em. Just like to clarify a bit, the neon claims to have 230 Hp@5300Rpm and 250 lbs-ft torque stock, and then wrx has 227 Hp@6000 Rpm and 217 lbs-ft torque. Ok, that is Dodge's best model line up and yet subaru still has an upgrade to go to, the sti will inhaliate the srt-4 no doubt. Still the wrx sedan kills that gay neon coupe even with lesser torque and minimal hp. Let's not forget that the wrx is also AWD that allows it to launch and pik-up faster than FWD.


ok learn how to read our posts...then repeat to yourself...WHP is not the same thing as Crank Horse Power....


and the srt4 is the best of dodge's line up?....crap that must mean that new srt-10 viper must really suck

oh and in case you did not notice the sti is 10000$ more

Ok there idiot, i was talking about an upgrade to the WRX and not the whole company's upgrade. And if your gonna tell me that its a 10000$ upgrade then your not too informed on the pricing of the viper. If your backing up the neon vs a wrx, then you must be a complete idiot. neons suck period, you would have to put in millions of dollars into mods just so it can keep up. I have an old ass 93 talon with like no mods and it wipes its ass clean against a 98 neon sport with about 10 g's worth of mods. Thats just to show you the power of DSM against shit Neon.


...If anyone out there is looking for the only good domestic car from dodge, it would be the stealth...i give props to them about that car, but everything else can suck my b@!!$

Ok there idiot, i was talking about an upgrade to the WRX and not the whole company's upgrade. And if your gonna tell me that its a 10000$ upgrade then your not too informed on the pricing of the viper. If your backing up the neon vs a wrx, then you must be a complete idiot. neons suck period, you would have to put in millions of dollars into mods just so it can keep up. I have an old ass 93 talon with like no mods and it wipes its ass clean against a 98 neon sport with about 10 g's worth of mods. Thats just to show you the power of DSM against shit Neon.


...If anyone out there is looking for the only good domestic car from dodge, it would be the stealth...i give props to them about that car, but everything else can suck my b@!!$


wow i learned so much from that post....please continue to enlighten us more with your wisdom

we can all stand to learn so much from you since we are all idiots for backing up the srt4

Alright, some of you posting in this thread don't have the damn brains that God gave a pissant. I get sick and tired of having to come and correct morons like Raz_Kaz who don't have the foggiest idea what in the hell they're talking about.

1. Dodge did not give any magazines cheater cars. Any 2003 SRT-4 that you put on the dyno will turn out around 223HP and about 250 ft/lbs of torque to the wheels while a 2004 will put down quite a bit more. Now speaking of horsepower, some of you keep referring to the WRX's numbers. Let me remind you, that those numbers are at the crank. So, the WRX has 227HP if you account for drive-train loss, which is worse than the SRT-4, you are looking at around 160-170HP at the wheels. Sorry buds, but that isn't very impressive. So the SRT-4 is putting down around 65 more horsepower than the WRX. Also, in every race that I've seen between the WRX and the SRT-4, the SRT-4 just walks on the WRX. I've had a test drive in both, and the SRT-4 would drop the WRX like a bad habit.

2. The SRT-4 is not a Neon. How many times do I have to tell people this? It is no more a Neon than the WRX and the WRX STi are an Impreza. The only thing that the SRT-4 shares with the Neon is some sheet metal and some interior bits. Also, I am 6' 2" and I fit in the SRT-4 just fine.

3. It is an American car, what the hell is that supposed to mean? Dodge has been turbo-charging cars a lot longer than Subaru has. I think they know what they are doing. I get sick of ignorant people that make assumptions on a car based on the country of manufacture. You're a damn moron if that is how you think.

4. As for safety rating, both the WRX and the SRT-4 have a four star rating. Do some research before you make a stupid statement like that.

5. If all you can pull in the SRT-4 is a 14.7 in the 1/4 mile then you don't know how to freaking drive. The SRT-4 is capable of 13 second runs stock; the WRX is only capable of 14s. Also the STi only runs in the low 13s so I don't think it will be annihilating the SRT-4. With about $1,500 in bolt ons you can have an SRT-4 in the low 12s on street tires. The SRT-4 can give the STi a good run for its money and blow the damn doors off a WRX.

I think there are only three other people that have posted in this thread besides myself that know what they're talking about and they know who they are. The rest of you need to dislodge your head from your ass and go out and get some real hard facts before coming in here. You’re a bunch of morons that don't know anything about the SRT-4 or the WRX.

One of my friends bought a SRT-4 , But it didnt touch my 64 Polara, duh :O

Its a quick little car, i must have my beer googles on.. but the WRX looks More ugly to me =[

Ok there idiot, i was talking about an upgrade to the WRX and not the whole company's upgrade. And if your gonna tell me that its a 10000$ upgrade then your not too informed on the pricing of the viper. If your backing up the neon vs a wrx, then you must be a complete idiot. neons suck period, you would have to put in millions of dollars into mods just so it can keep up. I have an old ass 93 talon with like no mods and it wipes its ass clean against a 98 neon sport with about 10 g's worth of mods. Thats just to show you the power of DSM against shit Neon.


...If anyone out there is looking for the only good domestic car from dodge, it would be the stealth...i give props to them about that car, but everything else can suck my b@!!$

I don't believe that Raz Kaz really knows what cars we are discussing, nor does he know the specifications of the SRT-4. Raz, just for your information, THIS neon is FAST! I've read some things on other forums that back up TatII, thast its putting down 240-some odd horsepower to the wheel at the dynos. Impressive, I must say. Now, we have to incorporate the fact that the neon is priced at $20,000 or around there, and the WRX is around $27,000 (correct me if I'm wrong). That extra $7,000 or so goes somewhere, and thats how the WRX gets my vote. I'm a sucker for good interiors and fit and finish (awd doesn't hurt either), something Dodge just can't offer me in a vehicle of that price range. What the SRT-4 does do is offer great value...as far as how much money you spend for how much GO you get.

my $.02

Ok there idiot, i was talking about an upgrade to the WRX and not the whole company's upgrade. And if your gonna tell me that its a 10000$ upgrade then your not too informed on the pricing of the viper. If your backing up the neon vs a wrx, then you must be a complete idiot. neons suck period, you would have to put in millions of dollars into mods just so it can keep up. I have an old ass 93 talon with like no mods and it wipes its ass clean against a 98 neon sport with about 10 g's worth of mods. Thats just to show you the power of DSM against shit Neon.


...If anyone out there is looking for the only good domestic car from dodge, it would be the stealth...i give props to them about that car, but everything else can suck my b@!!$

Its replies such as this that reassures everybody time after time of what little some people actually know. But if they want to go off and make a joke of themselves then go ahead and be my guest. Like some people say.....you learn more from your mistakes than you will from anything else.

Its either that or he is simply talking about a different car.

I do agree with Stu considering the trade-off of "Go" vs. amenities between the two. But, considering its 20k tag, you cannot expect the world.

The SRT-4 (in my opinion) is going to make a very positive impact for Dodge in the years to come: Quite possibly the best thing since the introduction of the Viper.

ok well heres my break down of the entire argument so far. I have a 2002 wrx, its pretty damn fast, i havnt raced any srt4's yet. Honestly im not completely turned off to the car, i would never own one due to the history of the name of the "neon" but we all have to give it credit that it is pretty fast.... in a .. straight line that is. I personally, this wrx being my second Sub, im sticking with japanese cars for the rest of my life. There are many different factors between the cars, like for instance the wrx has awd which is heavy as hell and isnt so great for drags, but i guarenty that in a track the wrx would own. But then again the wrx is a rally car, not a friday night strip cruiser for all the "home dawgs" to chill in. Their are both in their different eliments. On top of that, the SRT4 has a mitsubishi engine... not a dodge engine... the engine is completely crafted by mitsubishi, which in my opinion is a good thing, but joke to the rest of the world because since when do neons merrit a mitsubishi engine, its like putting a maclaren engine in a oldmobile, you just shouldnt do it! i personally dont consider it "dodge" because so much of it (everything beside the basic body, or aka everything that counts) is not made by dode. All in all i like the way the wrx looks better , why else would i own one, so if you want to buy a srt4, go right ahead and if anyone says anything, then put it to the test and if its as good as everyone says than itll prove itself but ohwell another stupid american car for all of the idiots out there.

This thread is over a year old, please don't drag up old threads.