Quote:
Originally Posted by Havsie
I've driven both and while the AT is quite nice for a automatic, it really feels like it drains some of the life out of the car. As others have stated, it sucks a bit of power out of the car and in a car that has just adequate power, it really makes it feel a bit less fun overall. I think in a car that's lightweight and low on power such as this, a manual transmission helps significantly due to the driver engagement that it offers.
On another note...when I was shopping for my FR-S there was only one automatic on the lot. They had 11 other manual transmission cars with various options/colors, but only one automatic. I really wonder if that's just my dealership catering to average enthusiast who would typically buy a FR-S or if significantly less automatics are made compared to manuals.
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Definitely not just your dealer. My dealer told me that 70-80% of the allocation so far has been manual transmissions, and that they tend to sell faster than the autos. Between two Subaru dealerships that me dealer owns within 10 miles there were only 2 autos available (1 premium, 1 limited) out of about 12+ cars they had available to buy. Two other dealers near me only had manual Limited's available as well. I thought the auto (bought a manual) drove pretty well. It was a little down on power vs the manual, but not significantly. If you watch the Everyday Driver comparison video between the FR-S (manual) and BRZ (auto) one of the two drivers was faster around the track with the auto BRZ vs the manual FR-S (the other guy was faster with the manual FR-S). I think has more to do with the suspension setup than the transmission (the guy that was faster with the BRZ felt the FR-S moved around more than he would like in the backend and I am guessing he drove it more conservatively to compensate vs the other guy who preferred the suspension setup of the FR-S).
I have to say that this is a one of the smoothest manuals I have ever driven. If anyone is on the fence about getting a manual because they are worried about the learning curve, don't be. With a little practice and experience you will be a pro in no time. The transmission practically shifts itself
