FR-S Vs. Lancer Ralliart
 

My dad owns a 2009 Lancer Ralliart and we just got back from our vacation where i autocrossed, roadcoursed, and dragged our stock Ralliart. The car is a blast and it performs well. I also just test drove an FR-S yesterday and fell in love with it.

Both cars are in the same price range and both have pluses and minuses. FR-S is somewhat slower but is more fun to drive and has much better gas mileage while the Ralliart has 4 doors, turbo'd, and all wheel drive.

Opinions?

I was torn between the frs and wrx wagon.

wrx- turbo, 4 doors, extra cargo space, bigger car
frs-less power, 2 doors, smaller car, more agile

The wrx was exacly 1k more than the frs.

At first when I got the frs, I felt like i got ripped off just because with a $1000 more I would of gotten 65 more boosted horsepower, and extra cargo space.

I looked at it this way(to make me feel better), I drive 70 miles round trip 5 days a week, so the gas with the wrx is a no no. Maintenance wise in the long run, I think the wrx would of been more just being turbo and 4 wheel drive.

Also keep in mind that I've owned an miata for the past 6 years. Before that I have also owned 3 240sx' since 1999. The frs being rwd, I was already comfortable with how it drove and the agility of the car was something I was already used to and I couldn't live without. It is the closest you can get to a roadster driving experience without buying a roadster.

In the end, it's your car and choice. I'm sure either way, you will be happy

thanks. :)

I traded in my 09 ralliart for a 13 brz.. overall I enjoyed the ralliart (sturdy, fast) but I couldn't take the cheapo interior anymore or the rattles and cabin noise.. feels like a 15k car inside... I had it tuned with turboback , intake, etc... so it was heavily modded.. still doesn't compare to my brz IMO.. get the brz!!!! (also the ralliart is on it's last legs and aftermarket support has died down on it)

If your dad already owns a ralliart, why buy a 2nd one? Get an FR-S and trade out whenever you please.

True that. :)

You're paying $1k extra for a masterfully designed, purpose-built RWD sports car from the ground up. It might not have the power or cargo space but it has that obsessive engineering that, if you can appreciate the details, makes the purschase worth it. A similarly equipped 86 in Japan is closer to the $27-$29k range and the stripper version starts around $25-$26k; the FR-S is a bargain.


The chief engineer got a tattoo to express his passion. This must be some indication of how special this car really is.
https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos...72266184_n.jpg

I was thinking the same way. FR-s price wise competes against alot of other very nice cars.

What made me stick with getting an FR-S is the fact that I'm a Toyota fanboy. Love the Supra, MR2, the celica, the AE86, the XRS. You look in my families drive way and you'll see 4 Corollas Sport ED. Each a different generation.

That's called dedication.

I'm just waiting for 2014 FR-S. I'm not in that much of a hurry. Gonna get me the GTS Aero with White.

I can't fathom cross-shopping the FR-S with a FWD grocery getter... The Lancer RA is a great car, but it's totally different in just about every aspect compared to the 86.

I'd go w/ the 86 if you're young and single. If you think you'll be having a child within the next 5 yrs, go for the Lancer. That's the only thing that would make me choose the Lancer over the FR-S.

The Ralliart is Turbo AWD, not FWD, with front and rear LSD.

Jeff

Lancer if you're in an area that gets a lot of snow, you need more than 2 seats, and if you don't mind the 15-20MPG.

FR-S for anything else.

miss my ralliart... no lies

But absolutely love my 86. Even less lies

The FR-S/BRZ interior will start to creak/squeak soon enough. It's only a matter of time. It's a 25k car, but most of that money goes into the chassis, suspension, dynamics, etc. The interior is cost cutting at it's best.

if the money goes to the chassis then there wouldn't be creaks