Did you test drive the FR-S also, did handling actually feel different?
 

Much has been made in the enthusiast press about the twins' handling differences, namely BRZ=understeer and FR-S= neutral/oversteer. Those of you who have driven both, could you tell the difference and at what speeds? Is it and at the limit-only thing or do they feel different in regular driving, turning, etc?

I drove both, and in regular driving (especially the very limiteed situation I was able to drive during the FR-S test) I couldn't feel a difference.

You may notice it on quick twisty roads, on/off-ramps, and maybe in the wet, but mostly it will be pretty unnoticeable under normal road conditions, IMO. Maybe how it goes over bumps will feel a bit different.

The nice thing about this car is you can get pretty close to those limits on the road without worrying about ending up in a ditch or jail cell, so it's not to say you can't feel the difference on the road, but normally wont.

The FRS spring rate is stupid, IMO. On AutoX and track, the BRZ always pulls ahead because it can grip a bit more. Just look at RCE spring rates...they increased the front rate more than the rear. The twins need more spring rate up front than they get from the factory in BRZ-spec, in FR-S spec it's even worse.

I would saw in my experience driving both cars in autocross stock, the BRZ is neutral, the FR-S is more prone to oversteer. Mainly due to the soft front spring rates, the rears aren't too much different. The FR-S works a little better in longer sweepers, the rear end comes around a little better but you have to wait a little longer to get back on the gas. In constant transition like a slalom, the BRZ is more stable and you'd be chasing the tail end at some point in the FR-S.

It's not hard to get the rear end to come around in either car.

In daily driving you'll never notice the difference.

Yes and yes.

FR-S test drive was with a salesman and the car had 3k miles on it already. My wife had to cram behind me in the back set (6ft+ salesman rode shotgun). I felt the car had a looser feel in the turns, and I wasn't at all impressed with the lack of basic tech features (HIDs, NAV) and the weird pattern on the dash and non-matching e-brake boot, also I hated the white gauges and red seat inserts. The test drive was your run of the mill around the block and back to the dealership.

BRZ test drive was just the wife and I. The BRZ feels stiffer when you corner, it was just easier to flick your wrist and slide to FR-S, even with the lame salesman in the car. I was happier with the added features of the BRZ once I saw them in person. Car had 2 tenths of a mile and 16 miles when we brought it back for purchase.