Got some insight today...
 

I bought a 2016 BRZ Limited AT because I was tired of the CVT on my Crosstrek. That thing drove me nuts. I commute about 35 miles each way 4 days a week with about 50% in stop and go traffic. Shifting constantly in this, along with crawling along up a mountain highway drives me nuts. My MT GTI drove me nuts creeping up the hill behind an accident. That was the reason for the AT.

I couldn't believe how slow and vague the car felt. Handles good, but just kind of vague in the performance arena. Dang AT hunts for the right gear and RPM all the way up the mountain, so I finally started using the paddles. Wow, the car really comes alive when you actually drive it correctly. This car must be an absolute blast as a pure manual. To all the MT drivers out there, I get it. Nice car.

Ok?
Cool story bro.

yeah, that's it. Just in a sharing mood. Bourbon does that to me.

Sounds like you are now, finally happy with your BRZ, having now learned how best to use it's auto trans. Glad you are enjoying it more.

Somewhat, yet not similar personal experience:

I drove a new Crosstrek last weekend. It had the manual 5-speed, surely it's best combination. I need a vehicle which is higher off the ground for potholed back roads, dirt roads around here...for weekend fun. I had read rave reviews about the Crosstrek, and how it has considerable storage space, gets very good mileage, at a cheap price.

My current daily driver is a 2015 FRS with manual 6-speed trans.

Driving the Crosstrek, even with manual trans really turned me off to the car. I can't get the tilt-telescoping steering wheel in the Crosstrek to go almost vertical as I can in the FRS. There is very little power off the line in the Crosstrek despite having same engine as FRS/BRZ, (though I'm aware it has about 50 less hp). The Crosstrek is very boring to drive I found.

I liked very much my FRS before driving the Crosstrek. After driving the Crosstrek I now love my FRS. Totally spoiled I am having owned an FRS for two years and 36,000 miles.

Moral: Think you're getting bored with your FRS/BRZ ?, well try driving something else.

The Crosstrek made a decent commuter, comfortable and stable, and I should have used the paddles on it as well, but I rarely did. It was that CVT on a daily basis that drove me away. I always wondered if it felt better as a MT, now I have an idea.

I was so thoroughly bored with my Crosstrek w/CVT that I had to walk away from it after two years. I was doing 750 miles a week commuting and weekend family duty, used the paddles frequently to keep myself entertained but, it was such a slug and the drivers seat was so horrible I had to take the loss. I looked at BRZs for about a week and when my regular dealer showed two on the website I went in, test drove the 6MT and went home with it the next day. My wife and kids still don't understand...

I liked everything about the Crosstrek but the power and the CVT. I'll say the usual "if it had 25HP more, it would have been fine". It would have needed a manual for me, but with the gridlock, I hate sitting and slipping the clutch about a thousand times a day.

Suck the Crosstrek is so boring. I was looking to getting one in a year or two. I will probably get a Forester XT instead.

More like 75-100 more hp. It's not a heavy car but it's not light either and with the awd power suck it really needs a lot more oomph. Even with the extra ride height it could still handle better and the tranny programming needs to be a lot more aggressive. It also wouldn't hurt to add an inch to the brake rotor sizes too. I don't think I would want it with a manual, I just don't see the need with a mini family truckster.

They made Crosstreks in manual you know.


Although I prefer the forester in manual, it looks like you can't get those anymore :( I've been looking at new crosstreks as a beater to replace my current forester for a couple months now.

If the car is an old skool 4 to 5 speed auto, by all means drive it in "D" as it was designed for.

If the car comes with an automatic that is meant for you to shift, of course driving in manual mode would be best.

I've never driven my DSG GTI in "D" as it was a dog to drive that way.

That being said, how did you guys manage in traffic with old skool stick shifts with the super stiff clutch pedal. This stick shift BRZ is crazy easy on my arthritis foot in bumper to bumper traffic.

Completely agree, D mode in the GTI is awkward. It's always one gear too high loafing along <2000 RPM (probably to eek out that last MPG in the fuel estimate). You give more throttle, nothing. More throttle, nothing. Squeeze a little more throttle and suddenly wham you get a double-downshift and way more power than you wanted. By that time the opening in traffic you were aiming for is gone and you're just rocketing pointlessly toward the bumper of the slow car in front of you.

You quickly learn to just tap the downshift paddle lol.

I have a 16 BRZ in AT as well for my commuter. Great car. Agree it's slow, but just put your foot down. This car likes 4-6k rpm. You have to drive it differently. My 04 WRX is much faster and no need to go over 4K for normal driving. I think the BRZ is a blast to drive though.