Can someone provide review of AT FR-S?
 

Hi guys.

Can anyone link me to either videos or written reviews of the FR-S in auto trim? Almost every review I have seen had the MT FR-S. I want to see what reviewers are saying about the AT one. Thanks

The auto sucks up some energy. It is a joy to drive. I love my automatic despite being slower than the mt. When I drive it hard I always use it in manual mode where I control the gears. The auto does not drive very well in "D" mode in mountains, probably because low torque. That is my opinion.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6485

That's all you need to read to decide.

paging @whataboutbob. Bob autox's his with good results. Came in first last time out competing. Not too bad for flappy paddles. :respekt:

Bought the AT. It's awesome. I can hold hands in the car. Drive in bumper to bumper traffic without going crazy. Shift (faster) in manual mode when I want to.

After learning to drive a manual with the intent of buying a manual FRS/BRZ, I realized how over-rated a clutch and manually shifting all the time is.

^Seriously this!

I have the auto and I think I can best describe it like this...

For the last 24 years, I have only bought, built and raced manual transmission sports cars and muscle cars. After test driving both the manual and automatic FRSs, I bought the auto. The transmission is THAT GOOD!

I also autocross my FRS in STX class and last weekend I took first.
http://teamtac.org/archive/2013/autox/slalom4_fin.htm

One final note.
if you like doing burnouts, drifting or drag racing is your thing, get the manual. Period. While the auto has slightly taller gearing than the manual cars, the biggest drawback from having the auto is not being able to launch it at 4500RPMs and its acceleration suffers for it.

Scott

What these guys said. The Motor-P thread is the most worthwhile reads if you are considering an AT.

Every article that I have read or seen in the media pretty much dismisses the AT as an also ran. They talk about the rev-matching downshifts and its fuel economy and quickly turn their attention to the manual. After having owned an AT since August last year, I don't regret the decision at all.

My recommendation would be that if you can drive stick, try them both out and make up your own mind. If you suck at stick, know that this is one of the best automatics out there. I had an auto in my Corolla XRS and this transmission is light years ahead.

The reality is that the auto is slightly slower than the manual based on gearing and weighing more, but, it will accurately and consistently shift decently fast and you will never stall.

I had my MT for a year. I'm going to do some track events and see if I want to trade for an auto. I probably will. After driving it I really like it but I think I will never have enough time to properly learn to drive it fast. Like being in the right gear at the right time, rev matching perfectly, etc.

I'd say for pure fun on a DD manual is awesome and for most low cost cars a better choice. If you want to hit that apex and accelerate out every time on that favorite windy road and not a pro MT driver, the auto probably is better. Also pretty much can ignore that straight line speed tests because I don't know about you but I never dump my clutch/race in a straight line.

Yikes... Another 6AT vs 6MT thread. Oh well, i'll play :)

The AT is a joy to live with. It's much better at gear management than most of the manual stick-shift drivers I know (including myself). It shifts very fast and allows the engine to stay in it's power band longer... It almost feels like a CVT sometimes. This is for a DD.

At the track where you're always in higher rpms you'll get more out of the manual. I've driven both MT and AT. The AT will probably get you 85% there so for the novice wknd track guy it's a stress free "cruise" around the track which often times = FUN. If you're good enough to drive the car 10/10ths the 6AT will probably be holding you back. I have no problem drifting my 6AT at the track.

With that said... the 6AT at the track is awesome when you realized it never messes up a shift - it holds a gear when you want it to - it predicts and rev matches downshifts better etc... this is until your skills as a driver out grow it. Then perhaps you should buy a more serious track car anyway. The 6AT could use a shorter final drive if someone wants to get the most out of it on the track. It's fine for me as a DD.

There's one annoyance I have with the 6AT... when you're sitting in the slow lane (not in Sport mode) and you mash on the gas pedal because you want to squeeze in front of a faster car in the lane over... it takes it's good old time to downshift. I've since learned I need to downshift with the paddles to lock in the low gear prior to mashing on the pedal. It's easy just needed to retrain my brain how to drive it.

$0.02.

The AT is very smooth and stays in the torque band really well.

Another vote for this ^^. It helped me decide to go AT. My previous car was an MT and I couldn't stand sitting in traffic. For a DD its great. The paddles are the best I've ever experienced and the "Sport" mode really does a good job. If I had to choose again I'd make the same choice.

Moto-p's post/thread nails the explanation. I love my AT. A shorter final drive is an interesting upgrade. I don't feel that the AT is a hindrance for me in AutoXing. We'll see how it works this weekend in Vegas.

Hi everyone, I'm new here. Have owned two MT in the past, and have been driving a Toyota Matrix AT for the past 10 years. Getting a FR-S soon.

I'm opting for AT because indeed the technology seems "good enough", and because of the paddle shifters....those paddle shifters are going to make me feel like I'm playing Gran Turismo 5 on my PS3. :) So it offsets any loss of the occasional fun of a MT since this will be my DD too.

The additional gas mileage is also attractive.