Subaru WRX vs. Subaru BRZ Edmunds U-Drags: A Crazy Close Family Battle

• Our latest Edmunds U-Drags pits Subaru's two performance cars against each other.
• The BRZ is down on power compared to the WRX but weighs nearly 600 pounds less.
• Less than half a second separated the pairing at the finish line in both races.

Here's a quick stats rundown. Our BRZ is enthusiast-approved with a manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. It has a naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine making 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. The WRX is also manual-equipped in this case and has a turbocharged four-cylinder making 271 hp and 258 lb-ft. And just like it always has, this WRX sends power to all four wheels.

More power is always better, but weight and grip also come into play for Edmunds U-Drags. The WRX weighs nearly 600 pounds more than the BRZ, which will no doubt hurt it. But with all-wheel drive, it should be able to put power down off the line.

Edmunds U-Drags overview

A traditional drag race is all about straight-line speed, but true performance is about so much more. That’s why we invented U-Drags, a short head-to-head race format that tests acceleration, braking and handling. The two cars sprint from a standing start to the quarter-mile mark, brake hard into a U-turn, then hustle back to the start-finish line. After that, we switch drivers and lanes and run a second race to make sure both cars get a fair shot at glory.

The graphic below gives you a visual representation of how it all works. Check it out, then keep scrolling for all the details.

Edmunds says

You'd think that the more powerful WRX would walk away from the BRZ, but that's not the case here. Still, in a matchup this close, everyone's a winner.