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One Unique Quality Sets Subaru WRX Apart Making It The Best Sports Car Under $30K

Performance car shoppers have lots of choices, but which one is the best sports car under $30,000? The 2020 Subaru WRX brings one quality no other sports car offers and it's not all-wheel-drive.

When you buy a sports car you want the best power-to-weight ratio, stopping performance, and fast 0-60 times. There are lots of good choices for performance car buyers that offer all these things. But one sports car brings one quality no other brand offers. There are 10 other sports cars under $30,000 that are fun-to-drive, but the 2020 Subaru WRX brings something totally unique. It’s more than all-wheel-drive that sets it apart from all other models. It’s called balance.

The other 10 sports cars under $30,000 are great drivers' cars like the Dodge Challenger SXT ($29,490), Ford Mustang EcoBoost Coupe ($27,865), Honda Civic Si ($26,155), Hyundai Veloster N ($28,555), Kia Soul GT-Line Turbo ($28,610), Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport ($28,875), MINI Cooper S ($28,250), Volkswagen Golf GTI ($29,515), and Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ ($29,745-$28,395).

2020 Subaru WRX, best sports car, best sports car under $30,0002020 Subaru WRX brings a low center of gravity

The 2020 Subaru WRX ($28,395) brings a unique quality called balance that sets the sports car apart from all others. As with a professional athlete, it’s the most important thing and it’s the difference between being good and being great. Scientifically, balance is defined as the body’s ability to maintain its center of gravity above its base of support.

The WRX brings the flat-four Boxer engine and it’s not offered in any other sports car under $30,000. The horizontally-opposed design allows the engine to sit low in the chassis lowering the center of gravity giving the sport-tuned WRX optimal balance and the best driving dynamics. It’s what sets the brand apart from all other automakers.

2020 Subaru WRX, best sports car, best sports car under $30,000It starts with the 2.0-liter turbo Boxer

You don’t get this low center of gravity with an inline four-cylinder or a V6 engine design. If you make a mistake in the WRX you’ll still be ok and the car won’t hurt you. If you make a mistake in a front-drive or rear-drive sports car, with an inline or V6 engine that doesn’t have the best balance, you could get hurt. It’s also the only entry under $30,000 that brings all-wheel-drive. It works in concert with the car's overall balance that brings stability you won’t find in other sports cars.

The Hyundai Veloster N beats the Subaru WRX in power-to-weight ratio, but the WRX’s turbocharged 268 horsepower is just one part of its synergy that sets it apart. In professional sports, studies show that having greater balance leads to better performance. It’s the same with the 2020 Subaru WRX. With the WRX, it’s about synergy and how the car responds to driver inputs and its overall driving dynamics and stability. WRX brings the best balance of any sports car under $30,000.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. All of his reports are archived on our Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Subaru Report. Check back tomorrow for more Subaru news and updates at Torque News!

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Photo credit: Subaru

Comments

Tom Simpson (not verified)    May 12, 2020 - 4:47AM

Yeah, echoing HW - the BRZ has almost exactly the same engine. The BRZ D45 is basically a naturally aspirated 2L EJ2xx engine that you'd find in most non-STI WRX models.

Jonathan Mitchell (not verified)    May 12, 2020 - 10:34AM

Wow so a miata is not balanced. 50/50 weight distribution
That is a first time that any one has said that.

Rich Parr (not verified)    May 15, 2020 - 11:31AM

Jonathan.. 50/50 front to rear is not the same thing as a low center of gravity. The WRX sticks to the road much better than a Miata (having driven both for over 100k miles, I approve of this message).

Paul Richard Stabin (not verified)    May 24, 2020 - 3:08PM

You must not have driven the SI back to back. I drove the 2018 WRX before buying the SI, thinking I wanted an STI or at least a WRX. The SI has not only a better shifter and brakes, but actually handles brilliantly. Not as well as the Type R I just traded it in for, but as well as the WRX.If you know how to trail brake correctly. At least on anything but snow and ice. Which we don't have here in the AZ desert. And reliability is just better on the Honda. 52,000 miles on that '17 SI and no issues.

classic car parts NZ (not verified)    December 4, 2020 - 7:49AM

Here we get to know about the topic in detail. It helps us to decide that which one is best among its types. I enjoyed reading this article and would suggest others it as well. Thank you for this article! This is really very informative for us.