Toyota GR Corolla, Subaru WRX and Honda Civic Type R meet at the Hot Hatch Drag Race

1 min read

The SUV segment may be a hot topic these days, but something is always there hotter in our minds – of course, this is the hot hatch segment. If you’re looking for a vehicle that has the performance of a sports car combined with the practicality of a good old hatchback, there are plenty of options on the market today. And a new video compares the three most popular names in the category.

Sam CarLegion on YouTube decided to put the Toyota GR Corolla, Subaru WRX, and Honda Civic Type R on the drag track and see which of these small but fast cars was the fastest in a different set of drag races. This is not a super scientific battle but in the name of objectivity all three cars have manual transmission and are the 2023 model year versions. The engines under the hood are very different.

Subaru WRX has the largest factory with a displacement of 2.4 liters. It’s a turbocharged flat-four that’s good for 271 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque sent to all four wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. The WRX tips the scales at 3,401 pounds.

The Honda Civic Type R, in turn, has a smaller turbocharged 2.0-liter unit. It produces 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque sent to the front wheels exclusively. This Japanese car weighs 3,190 lbs and has a six-speed manual transmission.

Last but not least, the Toyota GR Corolla has the smallest 1.6 liter turbocharged engine. It has a peak output of 300 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, sent to all four wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. In terms of weight, it sits between the other two competitors at 3,291 lbs.

This is just a dry mill number. As you know, many other factors affect a car’s performance in a drag race, including traction and reaction time.