FRS Test Drive

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LeadFootLiam

LeadFootLiam

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liampage123
Just test drove an FR-S! Lovely little car and the paddle shifters are much quicker than I expected.

I plan to get the BRZ, for the better interior quality. I have driven with the 6 speed manual, so I can't make a choice over which one I'm going to get. My gut tells me to get the manual.

Opening up a savings account and gonna start saving!
 
No video, no pictures?

I mean I sat in both the FRS And BRZ.

When do you plan on purchasing?
 
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The FRS is cheaper, but the BRZ is better value for all the added content.
 
I test drove the Toyota last year and I wasn't inmpressed. The lack of torque in the lower RPM was a serious let down (personal opinion).
 
Thatman
No video, no pictures?

I mean I sat in both the FRS And BRZ.


When do you plane on purchasing?
Click to expand...

In a couple of years, I want to pay it all in full so I dont have to deal with debts.

phil bell
The FRS is cheaper, but the BRZ is better value for all the added content.
Click to expand...

I will most likely get the BRZ.

kikie
I test drove the Toyota last year and I wasn't inmpressed. The lack of torque in the lower RPM was a serious let down (personal opinion).
Click to expand...

Thats funny, I was surprised how much torque it had in the low end.
 
phil bell
The FRS is cheaper, but the BRZ is better value for all the added content.
Click to expand...

And will hold its value much better than the frs. On the same line, a used manual will be more expensive than the paddle shifter version.
 
I really want to test drive one of these cars. I keep hearing how fun they are.
 
Good point. I'm going to a dealer tomorrow to pick up some parts, I'll give it a shot!
 
I have test driven the FR-S. It was made available at the Greater Kansas City International Car Show.
Granted I only had the car out for about 7 minutes, and i never got above 3rd gear.
I love this car. I love a great many cars, but this is one that I keep drifting back to. (No Pun Intended).
As for the BRZ, the only options that I see different are Heated Seats, and the NAV. These are standard in the Subie, The Nav is optional in the FR-S and Heated seats are not offered.

The Nav is part of the Bespoke head unit which is $850 and IMHO not really worth it. (Not compatible with iPhone5 just for starters)
The "standard" unit has everything you'll want including 8 speakers.
The Bespoke unit does let you stream from Pandora, etc. But then you get hit with data charges...

I did find one Lava Orange FR-S that was in the $28,800 range of the Subie, but it had $3500 aftermarket rims, that I'd have had removed in favor of the stock rims.
My thought process being, that the aftermarket wheels in question with the tires have the "stretched" look going, and they would get kerbed inside a month.
They are also 18in, verses the 17in stockers, and as I have no plans to upgrade the brakes, or add power, the extra rolling mass would be harder to get in motion, and harder to stop.

I do find it odd that Toyota/Scion is letting them out the door below the MSRP, and Subaru is raping folks for $3,000+

I love heated seats, but I don't love them $3,000 worth. I have a Nav on my iPhone. One that updates automatically.

I'm older (nearing 50) and the demographic that Subaru is probably going after. I'm also thrifty.
If I can convince my wife that I NEED this car, I'll be plunking my hard earned cash down at the Scion dealer, and using that three grand to get my wife something nice.
 
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Gil
I do find it odd that Toyota/Scion is letting them out the door below the MSRP, and Subaru is raping folks for $3,000+
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I believe this is due to a limited amount being offered per year for the BRZ in the states, whilst the FR-S will be widely available.

My local Subaru dealer only received a 3-4 last year. I don't know if it's changed this year.
 
In my search of the greater Kansas City metro...
I found about 20 of these cars. (18 Scions spread over 4 dealers, and 3 Subies)
Guess how many had automatic transmissions?
There was one.
They are gonna sell a few automatics, but that is NOT the demographic they are actually after.
And the Manual is a great little car to drive. The clutch is one of the best I've ever felt.
The shifter has short throws, and is just a tiny bit notchy.
However, the one I drove. I was the first driver of the day, and I had a cold car with a cold transmission. I imagine that once warmed up it is even more precise and easy to use.
 
If I buy one it'll probably be the BRZ for the heated seats even though I'm a bit of a Toyota fanboy.
 
Check if there's Subaru VIP program available in Canada. In the states you can join several groups which, after 6 months of membership, gets you a new BRZ 2% under invoice no haggling.
 
Gil
I have test driven the FR-S. It was made available at the Greater Kansas City International Car Show.
Granted I only had the car out for about 7 minutes, and i never got above 3rd gear.
I love this car. I love a great many cars, but this is one that I keep drifting back to. (No Pun Intended).
As for the BRZ, the only options that I see different are Heated Seats, and the NAV. These are standard in the Subie, The Nav is optional in the FR-S and Heated seats are not offered.

The Nav is part of the Bespoke head unit which is $850 and IMHO not really worth it. (Not compatible with iPhone5 just for starters)
The "standard" unit has everything you'll want including 8 speakers.
The Bespoke unit does let you stream from Pandora, etc. But then you get hit with data charges...

I did find one Lava Orange FR-S that was in the $28,800 range of the Subie, but it had $3500 aftermarket rims, that I'd have had removed in favor of the stock rims.
My thought process being, that the aftermarket wheels in question with the tires have the "stretched" look going, and they would get kerbed inside a month.
They are also 18in, verses the 17in stockers, and as I have no plans to upgrade the brakes, or add power, the extra rolling mass would be harder to get in motion, and harder to stop.

I do find it odd that Toyota/Scion is letting them out the door below the MSRP, and Subaru is raping folks for $3,000+

I love heated seats, but I don't love them $3,000 worth. I have a Nav on my iPhone. One that updates automatically.

I'm older (nearing 50) and the demographic that Subaru is probably going after. I'm also thrifty.
If I can convince my wife that I NEED this car, I'll be plunking my hard earned cash down at the Scion dealer, and using that three grand to get my wife something nice.
Click to expand...

Sound like a good plan! I hope you make the right decision for your wife and yourself. 👍:)
 
The car I test drove last year is up for sale. Mmmmm, should I ....... ?
 
Okay, I went back and looked again.
Every last one of the Subarus (all 6 of them spread over 4 dealers in a 50 mile radius) are the high end Limited version. The lowest price on one was $28,800. The two autos were $29,900. (That's $30 grand folks). Oh, the six cars in this area...five of them are asphalt grey. The other one is red.
For your money you get the high-end stereo head unit with voice activated GPS, Leather seats, that are heated.
I personally believe that anyone that buys a car with a built in GPS has more money than sense. As the price of a Nav is somewhere in the vicinity of 10 Garmin's.
I must admit to a fondness for good heated leather seats...


On the flip side, the most expensive Scion was mid $26K.
Though I have found one for $24,930.
However the average is $25,535.

For the "target" audience---The Scion is the car of choice. Good luck finding one with an auto. As I said earlier of the nearly 2 dozen FR-S cars in inventory...ONE has an auto.
I do believe that they will be as rare as hen's teeth when this model year is all said and done.
Strange thing, it that I've not seen one on the road yet.....
I'd love to be the one to change that....
 
Gil
For your money you get the high-end stereo head unit with voice activated GPS, Leather seats, that are heated.
Click to expand...
Also on a Limited BRZ relative to FRS you get pushbutton start with keyless access, dual-zone climate, heated mirrors, HIDs, fogs.

All of these + nicer seats are enough for me to chose Subaru.

Navigation/audio is not high-end, and is not the reason to get the BRZ.
 
I'd go for the BRZ... looks like there's been plenty of research done on this thread as far as options go. The BRZ will hold its value better, as there are less sold than the FRS. I've driven both a couple times, other than resale value, it'd be hard for me to decide between the two.
 
dsgerbc
Also on a Limited BRZ relative to FRS you get pushbutton start with keyless access, dual-zone climate, heated mirrors, HIDs, fogs.

All of these + nicer seats are enough for me to chose Subaru.

Navigation/audio is not high-end, and is not the reason to get the BRZ.
Click to expand...

Don't get me wrong. I like both cars. And if money was no object for me, the Heated seats alone would win me over. I live in Kansas. When it's hot it's really hot. When it's cold, it's freaking cold! My old body loves heated seats.
I've lived without the rest of that stuff. I've been starting cars by turning keys since the late '70's. Pushbutton start is no biggie to me. I also like that when I pull the key, the steering wheel locks....

As for GPS...My traveling GPS is quaintly referred to as an Atlas.
Though my wife has a Garmin, and an iPhone.

The group they are marketing the "twins" to is the younger, less affluent male, that might do a track day here and there.
For that crowd, the FR-S is simply a better bargain.

The Subie is going to attract some car guys, but in the end, when the numbers break down, It will likely turn out that the Subie, which seems more easy to obtain with an auto trans, will be a "mid-life crisis" car for older guys, and a toy bought for wives that want sporty cars.
In five years time, it will be those cars that are hitting the used market. And they will be snapped up buy enthusiasts, because the auto is pretty good by all reports. And those will be the cars that will tend to be mostly "unmolested" with "go-fast goodies".
I'm betting that they will also have led lives that didn't see them getting driven too hard.

In the same five years, an unmolested Scion will be a rare find. Sort of like an unmolested five year old Civic coupe.
 
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^ I hope you're right, my only chance to nab a BRZ will be on the used market in a few years time. A manual Premium in Galaxy Blue with none of the silly bells and whistles, if I'm lucky.
 
This is merely a prediction.
But note that in the Kansas City area EVERY Subie has been the Limited edition, with all the bells and whistles.

I'm poor at the moment. I cannot afford a $25K car.
If I win the lottery, I'll buy one of each....
 
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