I was eventually going to post my impressions in a separate thread, but this will do just fine. I went to the NYAS with some of my car enthusiast friends and put some time around both the FR-S and BRZ.

I personally didn't like the seating, simply because I'm 6'2" 225lbs. I couldn't adjust the seat properly enough to seat myself the way I like to sit when tracking a car when wearing a helmet. There either wasn't a good enough view out of it, or there wasn't enough headroom for a helmet.

Seats were nice. Not the best seats by any stretch of the imagination, but the BRZ's seats were nice overall. Steering wheel was well shaped too.

Shifter was surprisingly tight for anything "stock" with a Subaru badge on it, very impressive. Throws were good enough for me, I'd just upgrade the bushings to make it super-solid. The clutch pedal is ultra-light, but it maybe that I'm used to heavier performance and twin-plate clutches. I did not like the pedal layout actually. Heel-Toe was tough for me to simulate.

Car looks good from any angle. Stereo doesn't cut it, at all, typical Subaru low-end stuff here. The tires were laughable, and should be the first mod anyone does to the car, even before the exhaust or shifter bushings.

Between the two, the BRZ is the better choice as it's interior is so much nicer all around. The gauges in the FR-S were yuck. I thought the orange looked horrible, the grey was ok, the white was very nice, and the BP was sexy.

Here's some quick pics:
http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/a...407_143430.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/a...407_142424.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/a...40764990_o.jpg

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/a...23081090_o.jpg

My girl has a 02 rsx type s. Recently we put function and form type 2 coils overs on it but its not bad ride. Stock it is alittle stiff because the type s rates are just slightly under those of the type r..a stock rsx has softer springs but I haven't been in one.the rsx is also heavier by about 200 lb

@JohnnyR, have you seen any possible replaceable bushings in this shifter system? I know for rwd is generally direct shifting, my s14 has no bushings in the shifter assembly. And yea the tires are from a prius, they put them there because they can slide but have firm sidewalls for response.

I haven't noticed sorry, I'm sure they wouldn't be happy with me tearing the boot/console apart. I was curious on this as well, if there were a full system, direct, or if there was a "shifter cage" (which would hold 4 bushings). And since the person there only knew to throw out hip-catch phrases tied to the words Boxer, Low CG, and "pure driving pleasure" they weren't much help with anything at all. But they certainly made sure to tell me to run to my dealer on Monday, because these things are going to fly off the lot. :)

I have a similar small coupe and the back seats are just meant for easily throwing stuff back there or if you need to have 3 people with you, you can push the passenger seat up to give the rear passenger enough room. Nobody should ever have to sit behind the driver unless it's a child seat. So yeah, back seats are mainly useless but definitely nice on the rare occassion you need them. So I'm glad they have back seats regardless of the space.

lmao @ "hip catch phrases @Bristecom yea 3rd person actually will lay across my rear seats even tho i dont have any seat belts back there. stubborn people i hang with.

With this car forget backseats for those rare occasions. They arent functional even for kids. Sitting behind the driver is impossible. Sitting behind the passenger will almost require the seat to be pushed all the way up for the most part so both the rear and front passenger will be uncomfortable.

Well on that "rare occasion" he/she will just have to bloody well put up with it! :bonk:

One trick for carrying one extra person that works on some cars with 2+2 seating - have them sit obliquely behind the driver with their legs behind the passenger seat - gives them much more leg room.

If i remember correctly there's something (like a hump) blocking the middle of the rear floor so its not flat. They might as well just lay in the back seat lol. But when i receive this car the rear seats will just be folded down at all times.

I really really like the Whiteout/SWP color, after seeing it in person. It's less beige/cream than SWP on other Subaru's and more like a white with crystal flake, or at least it looked that way in the auto show lighting. Asphalt/DGM is really nice too. Not too crazy on the brand exclusive colors (Hot Lava and Subaru WR Blue).

Goes without saying that the BRZ interior is much nicer than the FR-S. The seats and gauges really do it. Oh and also, the faux carbon fiber dash piece looks tacky in the FR-S and I wouldn't consider replacing the BRZ's silver piece with it as some potential owners plan to.

I like the throw and the feel of the shifter, its S2000-ish. Clutch is light but that's expected for stock.
Pedal placement and seat height is nice too.

I fit in the back okay with my friend in the driver seat set to how he likes it.
But then again neither I nor my friend are tall dudes (5'7 and 5'8 respectively).

Funny thing, sitting in the GenCoupe and FR-S back to back the FR-S has more rear headroom, not that it really matters.

Overall, after seeing the white color and the interior of the BRZ Limited I'm happy about my choice. Now to wait for a test drive...

Did you try tilting the steering wheel? I was able to tilt it in the BRZ.

Nothing could look tackier than that fake aluminum dash slab, totally silly in a sports car, this is not some faux-Lexus like the Genesis sedan. There is even an option in the JDM BRZ accessories catalog to upgrade to the black carbon-fiber look.

I initially preferred the black tach, and still do, but am getting more comfortable with the white one now. As to the seats, sure the Alcantara ones look better but that is only on the limited. Not crazy about the color of the premium's cloth seats.

Can everyone please stop bitching about the back seat? The car is the size of a Miata; did you honestly expect people would be able to fit in the back? The only reason the back seat is there is so you can pay a lower insurance premium, and to convince your significant other that the car has some measure of practicality. Other than that, it's not really meant for putting people in!

not to mention that it really only applies to the 6 footers.
Shorter drivers could squeeze people in the back seat in a pinch.
And the real short people (think asian women size) could easily fit 4.

+1