I'd forgotten about the HVAC controls. I will say that I *love* the simplicity of the controls in the FR-S. AC on? Hit one button. AC off? Hit same button again. Exhaust coming in from car in front? Hit one button. Need more air, turn one dial. Does the fan go to high randomly or the AC go on for some unknown reason? No.

The one thing about my Prius that pisses me off is that it takes hitting five separate buttons to setup HVAC as I want. And then 30 seconds later the system decides to ramp up the fan or change something else.

Totally agree. I hate digital climate control. Totally overrated.

I disagree. I love the auto climate in my car. Works like a charm! I don't have to eff around with fan speed and zone all the time. Pick a temp, it sets the cabin to that temp. Perfect!

It's up to you where you want that $3k to go. In the case of the BRZ, the $3k buys you a lot of nice amenities. In the case of the FR-S, the extra $3k can be spent on go-fast parts. It all depends on your wants and needs. Personally, I know I can add speed later. It's a lot harder to add HID's, keyless access, heated leather/alcantara seats and auto climate control later.

If you asked me two years ago I would've said "FR-S all day long!"

Then I got an Audi... FML
I'm so spoiled with my heated leather/alcantara seats, nav, bluetooth, auto-dimming mirrors, auto climate etc. etc. etc. I went from a car with no A/C, roll-down windows and manual steering to this!

I also like the auto climate control. Have one in our Honda Odyssey and it actually works very good.

My first car was a loaded 96 Maxima that my dad gave me with 160,000 miles on it (some gift, it needed about $3000 of work on day 1 and it never got any better from there). It had all the auto climate control, heated seats, bose radio, all that crap. After 200,000 miles not a single one of those things was still working. I buy my cars to last a long time so I prefer simple mechanical features over electronic gizmos. It's just more stuff that can break if you ask me. On the other hand I got my WRX with 40,000 miles on it and now it has 140,000 and everything is working perfectly. It has a basic functional interior and I have never missed all those things the Maxima had.

The headlights in my 2012 Impreza are a big improvement over my 1997 Camaro, so I figure the FR-S will likely be at least adequate. I know the internet sentiment is that HIDs are cool, but the following link suggests that they may not necessarily be superior in all respects.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...dvantages.html


Since I don't care to modify my car's suspension, and because I question if the suspension is part of why the Impreza handles so poorly in crosswind, personally I'm leaning toward the FR-S merely for the reportedly minor suspension changes by Toyota.

For me with the BRZ, I just can't get passed that big black front bumper/lip/thing above the front intake. It looks like they decided to enlarge the grill opening to differentiate the BRZ from the other 86 cars and forgot there was some structure there that had to be covered. So at the last minute they added a "big fat piece of tape" over it. It looks like one of those bumper parts that will go from black to body color in a year or two.

I thought the same thing when I saw the press photos, but it looks great in person

I couldnt care less.:happy0180:

Same here. I'm interested in this car for the simplistic design, not luxury items

Only thing I want from the 86 or BRZ is the headlights but not for 3k.

i guess im more of a performance orientated guy... FRS is the less expensive way to get a nearly identical platform as the BRZ... so i guess i could do without those "extra comforts" the BRZ comes with; I would rather spend the cash on some proven performace parts. Stock FRS = better deal fun factor, BRZ= more expensive comfort fun factor (+dealer mark up???)... Thank you Subaru for making this machine, thank you Toyota for making it more reasonably affordable. who cares if it has a scion badge on it??? its still a toyobaru in my book...

All the frs needs is the Hids! The stock frs headlights are ugly. Everything else is perfect! Push start with proximity should have been standard across the board but that can be easily added aftermarket.

Hids baby hids! Scion r u listening? Add them to the release series 1.0 frs along with the push start and the trd body kit and springs for $27k.

I'm going as inexpensive as possible. It will be a 3rd car serving no purpose other than fun, so there isn't a ton of value in those items for my situation. If I were still a DINK and the wife had something other than a MINI, I'd probably do the BRZ limited.

i think the BRZ premium is a no brainer vs the FR-S. For $1,200 more you get HIDs, navigation, and mildly better seats.