I went from this (2005 WRX):
To this for about 11 months (2013 FR-S):
To this, which I've had for about 10 or 11 months now (2013 STi):
Probably the greatest conclusion I can draw is this:
The WRX and STi are essentially tuned versions of Subaru's economy platform. It's evolved over the years, but it is still just a souped up Impreza. Indeed that is part of the WRX's and STi's charm. An economy car with over 300HP, AWD, 4pot brembos, tight suspension, front, rear, and central diffs... it's almost a car that shouldn't even exist. In a lot of ways the STi is an absurdity, but here it is. A platform that's proved incredibly popular for over 15 years at this point.
The 86 was designed from the ground up to be a sports car, and you will notice this all over the place. Simple things like the seating position is a huge nod to this design. It's a cheap sports car, and I have my issues with some build quality concerns (minor gripes colored by my own experiences), but it's designed as a sports car from the ground up. Going from a WRX/STi, you may or may not notice those design subtleties, but once you go back you do notice their absence.
Thankfully, 15lbs of factory boost and a 3rd gear scream onto the 202 through a wide and lengthy onramp help make up for those absences
I love my STi, I preferred driving my FR-S. If just barely.
Both are fantastic.