Hey, newbie to the site, right now i have an 05 cgm wrx and just wanted to see what you guys think about the two cars, good and bad. Might be getting a new job and im very interested in getting a g coupe.

Just a couple pics

 

I like the Subie's, nice rides. Just, IMHO, in a different playing field.

The G is more of a classy sports car, IMHO. More luxory, more refined, and well, just hotter sexier.

 

I drove both before I decided on the G. I droe an 06 if that makes adifference to you. WRX felt a little torqueier down low but that is the one and ONLY thing I could see as its advantage over the G35. It was a fun little car to drive but the G's look great and drive awesome.

 

My son has an 04 WRX, so I can give you a pretty well informed comparison. The WRX is a great little car. It has comfortable, grippy seats and well-laid out instruments and controls. It's light on its feet, very tossable in corners, and offers the driver a lot more steering feedback than the G. The combo of all-wheel drive and turbocharger makes for a lot of fun. (I've owned an Eclipse GSX for 14 years, so I'm a big fan of the AWD/turbo formula.) As another responder noted, it has better low end grunt than the G, although in stock trim the G is ultimately faster. And like many turbo-equipped vehicles, the WRX is very mod-friendly and responds extremely well and cost-effectively to aftermarket equipment such as high-flow exhaust, boost controllers, etc.

On the con side...the G is a much, much nicer car inside and out. Whereas IMHO the G is among the best looking cars on the road at any price, the WRX has a face that only a mother could love, and its interior is much more confining and nowhere nearly as attractive as the G's. And, as disappointing as the G's sound system may be, the system in the WRX is an order of magnitude worse.

I guess it all depends on what kind of car you're looking for. I ultimately chose the G over a WRX because 1) I wanted a higher level of luxury, refinement, and attractiveness, 2) I wanted a car that was satisfactorily powerful "out of the box" without the need for mods, and 3) I just couldn't overcome the Subie's homely exterior appearance.

 

Styling G > WRX
Performance WRX > G

 

Hey CGMWRX, nice WRX! I was a previous owner of a 2003 WRX myself, before I jumped ship to my G35 Coupe. Never looked back. Well, to be honest, I do miss AWD during the winters. The WRX can go where the G can't.. like back country/dirt roads, etc.

The mean reason why I upgraded was because the WRX's interior was too crappy and with the EJ20T, there was too much turbo lag. Anything under 3,000 rpm = no power. Plus at that time, a sunroof wasn't an option. Your model year has come a long way though.

No regrets. The G is such a more refined car.. it has everything I wanted at an affordable price (compared to its competitors) and looks so sexy!

 

I came from an 03 WRX to my G. Let me tell you nothing beats a turbo AWD!
The power control of my modded WRX was great (cobb 2.5 setup) but the G is much nicer and feels to me like more of a grown up car.

 

^ +1 to the "grown up car" part.

 

i have a 05 Sti and an 05 coupe.

the sti is FUN. it can out handle most cars with ease and has enough power to keep up. And is VERY mod-able.

Friend of mine with a 05 STi has an FPRED and full standalone... makes 500whp.

the G gets me to work. Easy to drive and great interior.

if you could only have one you have to pick.. fun or comfort.

 

G is faster than wrx stock, and performance wise around the track. (wrx is weak up top), and its a much nicer car... but dont expect the G to be mod friendly like the wrx. with very little money wrx can easily outperform the G, and the G is real expensive to get mass power out of... So if youre a tunner, you might not want to go this route. Otherwise G is just a better car, and its justified by its much higher price.


https://g35driver.com/forums/nationalgclub/90986-popular-request-bmi-g35-vs-rx8-vs-s2000-vs-wrx-vs-rsx-s.html

 

Its close but I think the manual G's are alittle slower than the WRX. The G is simply a bigger car. The auto G's are alot faster than the auto WRX's.

The first thing you will notice is the G is RWD. Since you live in Ohio you have to take into account this car is pretty miserable to drive in snow and not that great in the rain. You can invest in a good winter setup, but its still not the same as AWD. On a dry summer day the RWD is a dream to drive.

Otherwise its just a far more comfortable car with a comfortable luxury interior. You will also notice how quick the engine rev's up compared to having to deal with turbo lag on the WRX.

You will also get more "looks" and comments from strangers and friends. That has its plus's and minus's...

 

Manual G's are slower than Manual WRX's? .. are u serious ... maybe slower than the WRX STi... not just the WRX

 

I had a heavily-modded '97 Mitsu. GSX, so I also appreciate the turbo/AWD formula as well. At only 350HP, I never lost a challenge on the streets... ...much to the surprise of many a Corvette owner. This was before the EVO arrived on our shores. Now the AWD/Turbo formula is a dime a dozen with the EVO and STi everywhere.

As others have said, decide what's important to you. I like that the G is a respectable, well-rounded performer. I would love more power, but not at the expense of reliability. Been down that route.

I decided that ultimate performance was no longer my top priority with this car. I simply accept that I'm no longer the quickest in town and enjoy the other aspects of the car. Sure, there are those young kids that are in the same spot that I once was, where being fast was all that mattered. It's still hard some times, but I've resigned myself to the fact that there will be POS rides that have been built to run faster than me.

I really considered getting an EVO and modding the **** out of it, but as I said, been there. I wasn't anxious to have another highly-modded Mitsu. that had me concerned about long-term reliability and that cooked itself in our months of 100 degree weather.

FWIW, the old GSX was sold to a local, who upgraded to an even bigger turbo (from my 16G to a 20G) and front-mount. It's taken out the local Viper GTS in a 1/4 mile street run. The Viper clearly needed slicks if it wanted a chance from a standstill. LOL Made me feel like a proud father, even though it's no longer mine.

 

I also had an 03 WRX, and it was decently modded to Cobb stage 2+. After I completed the mods on the WRX, it felt like a completely different car. If you want a car thats cheaper, awd, reliable, and easy to mod - the WRX is what you need. I still miss that head snapping turbo punch my WRX had - although it was weak up top. The boxer sound w/ the right exhaust is incredible as well.
After saying all that, I still love my 05 G35 cpe - 6mt. It has more than enough power, decent suspension, , luxury w/ some sprt, and def a head-turner.

 

I had an 05 STi before my G. there is nothing like the STi off the line or from a light. I do miss the STi for that, but you get a more comfortable ride, better looking car, and less cramped interior. But, if you do get a Scooby-Stee (STi) or a G35 and turbo it later, just remember there will ALWAYS be someone faster that you. If you do performance mods, keep that in mind, as long as your come to grips with that, you will love whatever car you own.