Is the BRZ interesting to drive when the roads aren't twisty?
 

Long time lurker, first time poster (sort of). I have lusted after the BRZ since it was first announced and I'm finally in a position to purchase one. Unfortunately, I'm starting to second-guess my decision based on a sore subject - power.

I live in Omaha, NE... not exactly the Nurburgring in terms of driving excitement. Most of our roads are laid out in a grid and "twisty mountain passes" are not common. Therefore, 85% of my driving is going to be on normal roads with not much more than a long on ramp or occasional hairpin to stretch the BRZ's muscle. At that point, I'm driving a 200-hp coupe with not much torque more than a perfectly-balanced instrument of corner-carving.

For those of you who live in the middle of the country, is this still a fun car to drive day-after-day? Or do you wish you had gone with something more powerful and less handling-focused?

(I'm now cross-shopping the BRZ with a '11-12 Mustang GT and an oddball choice, a Z3 Coupe, for reference)

Pretty straight roads here in s florida, but I still love my brz. Take an frs out for a test drive to see if the torque would satisfy your lust. Some guys love neckbreaking torque while some don't care much for it. A test drive is the only way to see. Good luck

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I suppose I should clarify - I have test driven both the FRS and BRZ and didn't find them particularly under-powered... UNTIL I drove the Mustang GT. I haven't driven a twin since but I understood at that point why people claim the BRZ is 40-50hp short.

I guess I'm wondering what it's like to live with the car long term. Does it remain fun and interesting, or does it lose its excitement when there aren't many roads to let the car do what it was designed to do?

I'm interested in getting more into auto-x but I fear that isn't a good enough reason to buy a car built primarily for handling in a place that is best suited for straight-line power.

Have you test driven it yet? That's your best bet. Sure, everybody has their opinions, but you'll be the last judge! Happy shopping!

Edit:
Whoops, I didn't read further than your first post.
I'd say if you're really looking for that straight line killer torque, get that mustang. But you'll be missing out on everything else that makes cars fun. It isn't always about the straight line!

Had zero issues driving it from Colorado to California, 70% of which was flat boring road.

Had zero issues driving it from Los Angeles to Jackson WY (and back), 99% of which was flat boring road.

The 99% flat boring road is perfectly okay with me, as long as I get that 1% sweet curvy goodness. It's like a bong hit but perfectly legal.*

-alex

*under perfectly sunny conditions with good visibility, under the safe speed limits imposed by the state and/or governing body in that area of the world.

Aside from handling, the other area where the Twins excel is feel. Steering feel, shift feel, brake feel, and throttle response are all very good. The response and feedback from the car, combined with the small size and lightweight, make it feel like an extension of you, as opposed to driving a larger and heavier car like a Mustang, where you feel less connected.

Then there's the great seating position and outward visibility.

Only you can decide whether you value those things more than the (admittedly awesome) straight line speed of a Mustang GT.

Interesting to drive? Yes. As fun as it could be? No!

I drive all over the mid-west for work, Iowa, southern Illinois, etc. I still love the car and find it really comfortable for long distance driving. I think that most cars will end up being somewhat boring if you only have boring roads.

You still get "dat feel" of sitting in a nice sports car, even if you are parked.

You just aren't looking in the right places in Omaha :)

I drive mostly freeway on my way to work. Not exactly twisty.

But yes the BRZ is still fun to drive compared to other vehicles. Just throttle up and enjoy the thrill of accelerating while so low to the ground ;-)

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You might also consider a Camaro SS, as another option. It's a bit different than the Mustang, but still has the high power output. It won't handle like the BRZ, but it's probably worth test driving.

I went from a truck with a 7" lift to this car. I don't have the twisting roads. Well not that I know of around here. It's still a fun a car and I love every minute of it. Even in the annoying stop and go traffic from tourists.

The guy above mentioned a Camaro SS. Fun car. I test drove three. V6 and V8 models and a convertible out of curiosity. It was fun because it was quick, but I still chose this car over the Camaro.

All things I loved on my test drive of the BRZ. It was the only car (of a half-dozen I've driven) that truly did feel like an extension of me. Every input was immediate and sharp; the '11+ Mustang definitely lacks in that area despite being one of the best Mustangs ever built. The feeling of 420+ hp under your foot is addictive too, though.

Great points!

I'm open to suggestions, I'm not a Nebraskan originally. :thumbsup:

Between the Mustang and the Camaro, I just prefer the Ford. Camaro doesn't do much for me in the looks department.