Autocar review

[LeftFootBrake]

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-video/t...-video-review/
The on road review of the BRZ is also now available: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-video/s...-video-review/

[OrbitalEllipses]

Cons: transmission "a bit heavy" and is not "click-click precise" like the MX-5, "not a highlight" of this car; and engine noise is "just a little bit rough...as if it's trying quite hard to deliver not that much", but overall a minor complaint.

Conclusion: Love the car to bits. "Overall it's a fantastic sports car."

I wonder if replacing bushings will give this car a more positive shifting feel. I don't doubt the transmission feels years ahead of any Subaru offering, but I was really hoping for something that felt like an NA Miata of yesteryear. Regarding the engine sound, an exhaust should fix some of that, though I'm thinking that the intake tube feeding into the cabin is a part of the equation. We'll see what aftermarket intake solutions look like.

[IceCreamMan]

I get more and more excited with every review that I watch/read. Coming from an SRT4 Neon, I will have no such complaints about the engine noise and transmission feel. I might miss the straight line speed a little but I bet the fun I will have auto x-ing it will more than make up for it.

[86'd]

Originally Posted by OrbitalEllipses

Cons: transmission "a bit heavy" and is not "click-click precise" like the MX-5, "not a highlight" of this car; and engine noise is "just a little bit rough...as if it's trying quite hard to deliver not that much", but overall a minor complaint.

Conclusion: Love the car to bits. "Overall it's a fantastic sports car."

I wonder if replacing bushings will give this car a more positive shifting feel. I don't doubt the transmission feels years ahead of any Subaru offering, but I was really hoping for something that felt like an NA Miata of yesteryear. Regarding the engine sound, an exhaust should fix some of that, though I'm thinking that the intake tube feeding into the cabin is a part of the equation. We'll see what aftermarket intake solutions look like.

This is the first I've heard of this car having a less than stellar transmission.

I wonder if the BRZ has different components? Or if it's just another subjective review...

Also the sound sounds fine to me, but again, I've never heard it in person.

I'm almost 95% positive I'd get rid of the sound tube to the cabin (which might make the engine sound worse) and put an intake or exhaust on and see how that sounds...

[Crashoverride]

I like it, and read into the tranny comment or the gear gates not the tranny itself.

[LeftFootBrake]

Originally Posted by 86'd

This is the first I've heard of this car having a less than stellar transmission. I wonder if the BRZ has different components? Or if it's just another subjective review...

A subjective opinion, no doubt, but probably one worth listening to. Just don't get hung up on the negatives. He's driven a vast array of cars, so it's not surprising to learn that the first version of this thing is not best-at-everything.

Anyway, he loves the thing. Just look at this quote from his follow up blog post:

"From the way its steers to the way it stops, and even more so the way it slices so cleanly into and out of corners, the GT86 is every inch as much fun to drive as a Porsche costing four times as much. You emerge from its neatly designed cabin wearing just as big a smile as you would do having just driven a Maserati."

[86design]

by george i think he likes it!! lol great review

[Grateful Dave]

If a Brit gives it a thumbs up, then it must be good because of their rich history of real sports cars. They would never give a thumbs up to a japanese sports car unless it was real good.

[zoomzoomers]

Originally Posted by Grateful Dave

If a Brit gives it a thumbs up, then it must be good because of their rich history of real sports cars. They would never give a thumbs up to a japanese sports car unless it was real good.

Don't know about them Brits and the Japanese cars, but I'll take a good review of the car any day!

[poormans_LFA]

Originally Posted by Grateful Dave

If a Brit gives it a thumbs up, then it must be good because of their rich history of real sports cars. They would never give a thumbs up to a japanese sports car unless it was real good.

I'm not sure I'd qualify his nationality as a validation of whether or not this is in fact a good sports car. check the background of the journalist and how familiar they are with performance cars. Chris Harris is a prime example of a trust worthy auto journalist if you're considering whether or not a review is valid on a cars merits/drawbacks, IMO. of course this is all still very subjective stuff.