War of Sedans: Audi and Subaru go head to head

Although in technical terms these two cars are very similar on the surface, both are sedans, both run their power through all four wheels for extra grip and assurance, they are actually very different when it comes to power delivery and on road feel.

In fact I would go so far to say that they most certainly attract very different buyers even though their base pricing is not massively different. It is substantial enough apart though to separate them in the pecking order of motoring life. The Subaru WRX comes in at R449 000 and the Audi S3 Sedan at R529 500. The Subaru people will be at pains to tell you that they don’t want to play in the snobby premium sedan segment and the Audi people will look down at the snappy WRX in disgust and dismiss it with a wave of a hand.

Audi S3 Sedan

But under the bonnet it is a very equal war. The Audi makes 206kW at 5 500rpm and 380Nm from 1 800rpm to 5 500rpm from its 2.0 litre turbocharged powerplant. The Subaru makes 197kW at 5 600rpm and 350Nm from 2 400rpm to 5 200rpm from its 2.0 litre turbocharged boxer engine.

Where it gets interesting though is when it comes to putting this power onto the tar and into tested performance data. The Audi believe it or not weighs in at only 1395kg, some 100kg lighter than the 1494kg Subaru. So the WRX starts a little on the back foot.

The S3 Sedan also makes use of the uber good S tronic double clutch automatic transmission that is not only great for everyday driving, it also has launch control and gets off the line in a rapid fuss free fashion. Making use of this system the Audi gets to 100km/h in just 5.11 seconds, the quarter mile in 13.4 seconds, crosses the 1km at 214.97 km/h while only being electronically stopped at a true 259.25km/h. Impressive numbers all round.

Subaru’s AWD WRX

The WRX on the other hand is a hard launching six-speed manual (you do get an option of an auto, but initial reports on this derivative have not been good and no CVT I have driven has ever come close to a dual clutch auto) and all it takes to get going is a handful of revs and the dropping of the clutch.

You would think the Subaru would smoke the Audi off the line, but the seriously aggressive start is somewhat of a start stop affair as the car seems to bog down, think about things for a fraction of a second and then jumps aggressively into the next gear and starts the think about things for a fraction of a second process all over again and continues this right through all the gear changes.

Not only does this make for an unpleasant, if you not used to the way Subaru WRXs get off the line, jerky type launch, it slows things down quite a lot. I recorded a relatively slow, in this company, 6.44 second 0-100km/h sprint, a 14.61 second quarter mile, a 198.09km/h 1km speed and a very disappointing and confusing electronically limited 216.42km/h top speed.

Audi S3 Sedan

I say disappointing because it is hardly fast and confusing because Subaru SA claims a 240 km/h top speed on their website and in their press release. I have to say that surely a manufacturer would check these types of figures before publically posting them, especially on a high performance car.

There are going to be some very unhappy WRX owners out there who have bought these cars only to find out they are not able to go near the claimed numbers.

Staying with the numbers, Subaru claim an almost realistic 9.2 litres per 100km for their average fuel consumption and I returned 10.2 litres per 100km for most of the test period and even saw 8.8 litres after a at the national speed limit type drive to the office. It is Audi that falls far short in this department, they will try and have you believe that their S3 Sedan will consume just 6.9 litres per 100km on average but reality is a number that came in at 10.1 litres per 100km. I never came close to their claimed number no matter where I went or how I drove. So don’t you count on getting close either.

Audi S3 Sedan

It is clear that the Audi makes far better use of the power and torque that it has at its disposal and is the far smoother of the two cars to drive fast off the line. That said, the WRX has improved substantially over its predecessor and is a far smoother better car to drive in a civilised fashion now on the open road and here it would hold its own against the Audi.

Staying on the positive side, the interior of the WRX is very well appointed and offers everything you could want from a sedan that costs over R400k. Full leather upholstery, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and soft-touch surfaces abound just like they do in the Audi.

You also get a bunch of stuff that is standard fitment and would cost you as options in the Audi from electric sunroof, to electrically adjustable seats to rear view camera etc. I really enjoyed my time in the Subaru and would have no problem doing a long family journey with the car. Just as I would have no problem in the Audi. It is just that it is more expected that the Audi satisfies you in this way as a German premium sedan.

Subaru’s AWD WRX

Safety is well taken care of in both cars with the likes of ABS with EBD and BAS, VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control), ESP or ESC (Electronic Stability Control), TCS with LSD (Traction Control System with Limited Slip Device), airbags and ISOFIX child seat anchors etc.

On the Audi you get the very generous five-year / 100 000km Audi Freeway and 1 year / unlimited mileage factory warranty and with the Subaru you get a full three-year / 100 000km factory warranty and slightly lesser three-year / 75 000km maintenance plan, both of which can be optionally extended at your cost.

The Audi S3 Sedan is the pick of the compact premium sedans for me this year so far. I like love the styling and quality on board and I really enjoy the smooth but fuss free fast ride it offers. My wife agrees here with me and she too would have the S3 parked in the garage.

On the other hand she did not enjoy the jerky clutch action or notchy gearshift when forced to drive the Subaru WRX, I think her love for the car died right after I scared her by launching the car to demonstrate what a Scooby can do off the line. I don’t think the WRX is a ladies car anyway and as such it was condemned to the dog box by her.

Like I said though, I also enjoyed my time in the Subaru WRX. You have to understand these cars in order to fully appreciate what they offer. There was a downside though and that was the performance that didn’t quite live up to the claims but it is still the car I would choose if I wanted to hit the track or tear up the suburbs more often than not.