[Deslock]

I admire these cars. All three have excellent handling, road feel, chassis, balance, shifter, throttle response, etc and are great deals for what you get.

DYNAMICS

Having owned an RX8 and BRZ and driven many S2000s, my ranking just for dynamics is:

1. S2000 - best chassis (as a convertible too!), shifter, steering, engine output, engine response, suspension, wheelbase... an all-around incredible drive, and I don't know why anyone would expect the others to beat it
2. BRZ - almost MX5 nimble, lacks high-end punch, a bit unhappy at high RPM, shifter good but not as effortless, wheelbase a tad long, but otherwise almost as good as the S2000 in every way
3. RX8 - smoothest and most willing-to-rev engine, wheelbase too long, shifter almost as awesome as the S2000's, very balanced and neutral, a bit heavy, most comfortable (my 2004 was a lot softer than the R3)

But then we get to the other factors of car ownership...

EFFICIENCY

My BRZ consumes a whopping 40% less fuel than my RX8 did, and is also more efficient than the S2000. Though the RX8's oil consumption was an overblown complaint, it's nice to not have to dump a quart into the BRZ every 2000 miles.

PRACTICALITY

As a two seater, the S2000 offers limited utility, and owning a soft top can mean other drawbacks (noise, security, safety). The RX8 has the most passenger room, but its trunk is small and the rear seats don't fold down.

The FT86 has the best cargo room, and its rear seats are useful for kids or a 3rd adult in a pinch. My kids loved riding in the RX8, and they love riding in the BRZ.

RELIABILITY

The S2000 is proven. The RX8's 13B-MSP is hit and miss. The FT86 is unproven, but expected to be fine.

PRICE

I paid $24k for my base 6MT RX8 in 2004 (~$2k under MSRP). Adjusted for inflation, that was $29k in 2012, which is undercut by what I paid for my BRZ limited (never mind the cheaper BRZ Premium or FRS).

The 2009 S2000 started at $35k, which was $37k in 2012 dollars.

SUMMARY

I agree with much of what they said, and my driving dynamics ranking even matches Todd Deeken's (the long-haired reviewer).

However, though I haven't driven an S2000 or RX8 since getting my BRZ, I have driven a 400 hp STI recently. It didn't make me feel like the BRZ needed more power.

And when we factor in efficiency, practicality, and price, to me the FT86 is the clear winner as a daily driver.

This was a pretty good video review, though I would've liked to have seen the MX5 included (which I enjoy driving just as much as the S2000).