LOVE:
Appearance, it looks like it belongs on a track. ENDLESS compliments/thumbs up. Sometimes I have to walk to my car slowly at parking lots to give people the chance to look at it before I return to my car and not make them feel like a creeper.
Handling. Street go kart. Tail happy when pushed. All within the speed limit. Stock suspension is firm, high but firm. And not uncomfortable for long journeys. I have coilovers just to lower the height with the dampening set to roughly the same as factory, have made several 400 to 900 mile round trips over the course of a few days and always arrive comfortable.
Simplicity, the only luxury's are cruise, AC, traction control, and iPod/aux in. That's all I want out of a car. Some people might argue that. But with expensive gadgets come expensive repair bills down the line as the vehicle gets older. It's a raw drivers car.
Aftermarket. Is getting bigger by the day, and will be growing for years to come.
Power. I like it, it fun to drive a slower car balls to the wall, than it is to constantly modulate a higher power car and keep from getting in trouble. (I had a 400whp saabaru wagon with an sti v7 ej207 swap and rotated gt3076r. Fun, but always instantly breaking the law)
Did I say appearance? Gorgeous
Gas mileage. I'm not easy on the car, but I don't beat the living crap out of it daily. I have almost 23,000 miles on it now, and I've averaged 30.5 mpg combined the whole time I've had it. Long high way trips I see 33/34 mpg. City I get about 27/28.
Safety. It's a Subaru. 8 airbags and their legendary high strength pillars. It's tiny but I feel safe in it.
Not so great things:
Space. If you're 6'1" like me, kiss the back seat good bye. But it's a sports car, did I buy it to be practical? No.
Trunk space is hit or miss. While I can fit a full grocery shop in there with ease, somethings just have to go in the back seat - like my cooler. Again, sports car. I can't move house in it, nor pick up large furniture. But I can fit a set of wheels and tires in the back with the seats down to go to the track. & I can throw luggage in the trunk for a week away with the lady friend. Yes I said it can fit a weeks work of a woman's clothes in it. We all know that means 3 weeks worth in reality (no offense lady's)
Crickets. Crickets. Crickets.
Appearance, yep it's a downside too. Mine is firestorm with gold wheels. I have to remember to be considerate on the road. I stand out like a sore thumb. Every cop I drive by stares me down. Every Honduh/Mustang/idiot I approach wants to race me. It's hard to be inconspicuous. In my case anyway.
Your local "car enthusiasts" are going to tell you, you wasted your money. The BRZ STI is going to be turbo next year - No it's not. You should have bought a Genesis it has more power for the same price. Or just a straight up "it lacks power". Purely because they look at one set of numbers across the board. HP/TQ figures. They forget it weighs in at 2750lbs. I've had mine on the scales with a few weight reduction mods and she sits at 2650 with a full tank of gas. 0-60 in 6 seconds is not a slow car.
It's very low, even stock ride height. It can be unpractical on shitty roads if you just want to drive it like an A to B car. I'm lowered and live in a town with awful roads. My front bumper chin is lacking some of it's paint on the under side, and I've managed to hit the skid plate once or twice driving a couple streets that I hadn't before. But if you're conscious and care about the car, it can be lived with.
Cup holders? I've had passengers complain about them. I drink mainly water and my camelbak bottle fits perfectly in the door card. As do most water bottles I buy. #aintcare
I really can't think of a whole lot of negatives. Yes I own the car and I'm slightly biased. But I'm trying to give an honest opinion.
While I do enjoy the power of the car, yes I wish it had more stock. Not "OMG WTF BBQ 300WHP TURBO POWER". -More like: the power that I have with full exhaust, open flash tablet and open flash header. Of course, I have that power now thanks to the after market. And it makes the car my own. I also like modding cars. So at the same time it's nice to know my car isn't as "slow" as everyone really thinks it is because I've put work into it myself.
Hope this helps!
Complimentary picture:
