[Wellington]

Hi

I got a FRS last year after 5 years in a 2007 NC MX-5 (base model). I really loved the Mazda, it was my daily drive even in the worst of winters (Quebec) and it never failed me. I changed because I was afraid that the daily use would catch me sooner than later (I did not rust-proofed it), because it had a bad tendency to become inundated at Spring and after heavy rains (it is really annoying to think that the car would rust on both side of the frame at the same time...), and because getting another MX-5 would be more expensive too.

The MX-5 was a base model, so I just had 5 speeds (manual), no LSD, no electronic assistance apart from ABS. It always felt like a sports car, maybe even a racing car, especially in country roads. The feeling behind the wheel was so great, it was tight and tidy, wrapping and forgiving. I had a lot of fun in the snow and never felt like the car could put me in any bad situation. It has a great balance and translates the road perfectly well. It was my first new car and my first sports car, so the emotional attachment may still be in there somewhere. In fact I felt sad when I left the key of the Mazda to the car seller, even though I was quite enthusiastic about the Scion.

My first road test with the FRS confirmed to me that it would be a nice replacement. The first torque peak (at around 2500 rpm) feels exactly like the top torque of the Mazda. The second one is clearly higher and makes a nice difference. But the torque come more evenly in the Mazda. On the paper the Scion is 25% more powerful but I really did not feel it. Maybe it is because of the greater weight, maybe because I am not sensitive enough for it. The driving position is quite similar, I think that the FRS feels a tad lower than the MX-5. The smaller steering wheel adds to the racing feeling but the wider seat wraps the body a bit less. I am quite a short guy at 5'1" so I did not see any difference in the outside visibility.

Both cars are very similar and very different at the same time. My biggest disappointment is about the back seats. I loved the 2-seater configuration to death. I had once the opportunity to seat in a convertible Corvette and it did not feel better at all (a road test would probably have changed that perception, but ergonomics-wise there was no difference to me). I also miss the bulky transmission tunnel: it is high and puts the driver and his passenger in two separate buckets. I hope that the armrest can change that. However, the gear stick falls right into the hand in the same manner. Gear change is similar: grumpy (at times) 2nd gear in both cars, but sometimes I hit the H-guide when downshifting from 5th to 4th in the FRS. Not a real bother but different nonetheless. Ease of gear change was an easy trap for the FRS but engineering did a great job. It feels spot on and it would be very picky from me to pretend that I feel any difference. Heel-and-toe requires to get used to the new pedal position, but the foot is ideally placed for blipping the throttle under sustained braking in both cars. Then there is the console (or the lack of it) which spoils the inside of the FRS. It is obviously a matter of taste but the one in the Mazda was designed for it and gave it more identity.

One year after getting the FRS I still have mixed feelings. I still think that the Mazda is a sexier car on the outside. Even with the top up it looks wider and lower. As a two-seater, the bonnet looks longer too. The FRS looks meaner but my fear is that it becomes the new Tiburon if sales go up. One thing that I could never have done with the MX-5 was going on holidays with a load of beach accessories and coming back with crates of wine bottles. That is where the foldable rear seats became very handy. Other than that, they just catch dust and create a void behind my back. My kingdom for a bulkhead! I initially wondered whether the greater power would bring any significant change to the balance of the car and to my way of driving, so I was quite over-cautious at first. Finally, it appears that the FRS is not more tail-happy than the MX-5 under normal conditions and is a very safe and pleasant car. It is also my daily car, so we spent our first winter together. I did not like the intrusion of the VCS which brought me close to a halt where the MX-5 mightily drifted its way out of snow-encumbered intersections. I did not dare to remove the electronic assistance while I was in traffic but I had the overal feeling that the FRS is somehow less agile and shows it greater weight through inertia. I had the same tyres on both cars, I bought 16" winter rims for the FR-S.

Novelty has worn off for good now, but I never really felt that the FRS was a better car than the MX-5. Apart from obvious differences (soft top and rear seats), the feeling behind the wheel is gratifying in both cars. They seem to be what is called driver's cars because they both still have something to give once the limits are crossed. The FRS is a bit more practical and pays for it with its style. The MX-5 looks more like a toy, but is a joy to drive all year long. So, to the give-and-take game the FRS may get the upper hand. Compared to the base MX-5, it is a bit less expensive, has more electronics, loses the great radio and cruise control commands on the wheel, gains air-con, weights a bit more but is more powerful, "gains" rear seats which improve on the cargo capacity, loses its soft top but saves me nasty sunburns, has a center console and transmission tunnel with questionable designs but comes with a 6-speed gearbox.

I cannot / would not afford both and that is perfect as such. There is not enough difference (purely from a driver's point of view) between them to create a void. I love both cars, they feel great to drive and bring a kind of experience, day after day, that other cars in the same price range lack.