just back from my testdrive

[7thgear]

and i love it

two cons:
didn't get a chance to drive the manual
the steering wheel blocks the top of the RPM display when positioned the way i want it to be positioned

everything else is awesome

won't comment on all the amenities because i didn't even bother turning them on, i assume the AC and Stereo work like they do in any other car.

seats were comfortable


awesome car, glad i put a deposit down.

[ChristosG]

I drove the manual and found it to be very excellent. The clutch feels more like an on/off switch than what I'm used to in my RSX. The take up point is very easy to find and the clutch pedal has a relatively short travel. I don't have to ride the clutch starting in 1st from a standing start as I do with the Acura.

Overall the car has plenty of power. I'm used to much weaker engines than some of the other people here (previous cars are 1996 Honda civic ex and 2006 Acura rsx). Also, I was surprised just how easily and quickly the RPM's climb! It was a fun car to drive for sure, it just felt so well put together.

I can't imagine how great it will feel if it gets a TRD supercharger. The rep from scion (forget his name, but he is only 2 or 3 titles removed from the top dog of Scion Canada) told us that the supercharger was very likely to become a reality.

[Ad8707]

Totally agree with that rsx frs clutch comparison. I love how short the clutch on the frs was ....another member going from rsx to frs..got love for 4 bangers lol

[diddy]

Hey I'm driving an RSX Type S right now, so you guys can feel a power difference between the 2? I was a bit worried it would be the same power but just better handling, which is ok too.

[SCIONMONTREAL]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

and i love it

two cons:
didn't get a chance to drive the manual
the steering wheel blocks the top of the RPM display when positioned the way i want it to be positioned

everything else is awesome

won't comment on all the amenities because i didn't even bother turning them on, i assume the AC and Stereo work like they do in any other car.

seats were comfortable


awesome car, glad i put a deposit down.

[Jehuty77]

I test drove it over the weekend,

My one complaint would be the short gear throws, I personally love the longer gear throws but i guess most ppl prefer short throws.

[Sport-Tech]

Nice to meet 7thgear at the dealership. I went out after him for about 20 minutes of fun. The auto is absolutely top-notch when driven as a manual, very rapid shifting even when moving down 2 gears at a time, great blipping. But I still want a manual. I think it's just going to be a more involving experience and less of a video-game feel with the manual. Plus there will be the challenge of learning to heel-toe.

The floor shifter action is incorrect in its direction when used in manual mode, pushing it forward shifts up a gear - bad mistake there, it should work like a sequential tranny in race/rally cars- pull back for upshift.

Took it into a big empty parking lot and threw it around a few imaginary corners - great traction, a little rear breakout even with TC/VSC fully on if you stomped the go pedal after the apex.

The engine/exhaust sound was not as good as in the MT I drove last week - there was a bit of a tinny quality at the top rev levels while blipping. And I did hear a few minor squeaks from the back area going over some railway tracks.

I test drove a base 2013 GC 2.0t manual about an hour before this drive, and what a world of difference. I have more fun driving my current 1st-gen Tiburon than I did driving that land yacht. Very little road feel, and the clutch is the worst I have ever used, it is like an on-off switch with no transitional area - I stalled twice. And because you are sitting higher up, its acceleration while objectively better than the FR-S's does not feel any quicker. Engine sounds good accelerating but at a steady speed around 60-70 kmph it has a nasty drone which I would soon tire of.

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by Jehuty77

I test drove it over the weekend,

My one complaint would be the short gear throws, I personally love the longer gear throws but i guess most ppl prefer short throws.

One of our GTA forum members intends to get the TRD short-throw shifter as he found the lever too high. I found it to be short-throw enough already - reducing your gear-changing leverage by using a shorter shifter would make it feel even notchier.

[Ad8707]

My rsx gearbox was pretty notchy to say the least..hated that second gear pop out and third gear wall. So the frs can't get any worse than that right..from my test drive, I found it smooth and short .. Don't plan to change anything cept maybe a heavier shift knob?

[ChristosG]

Originally Posted by diddy

Hey I'm driving an RSX Type S right now, so you guys can feel a power difference between the 2? I was a bit worried it would be the same power but just better handling, which is ok too.

I've never driven a Type S, mine is the base engine. I definitely feel a big difference since my car only has 155 HP (at least it did when new, probably has less now).

The biggest difference I noticed was in torque though, I know 151 lb-ft doesn't sound like a lot, but considering the RSX only gets 139 @ 6500 (too little torque, too late) it's a world of difference. You'll definitely notice it on the low end, top end is probably going to be similar to your Type S.

The guy who drove it after me currently drives a BMW 335 and he found the FR-S underwhelming, so it's all subject to what you're used to.

[peazs]

Originally Posted by ChristosG

I drove the manual and found it to be very excellent. The clutch feels more like an on/off switch than what I'm used to in my RSX. The take up point is very easy to find and the clutch pedal has a relatively short travel. I don't have to ride the clutch starting in 1st from a standing start as I do with the Acura.

Originally Posted by Ad8707

Totally agree with that rsx frs clutch comparison. I love how short the clutch on the frs was ....another member going from rsx to frs..got love for 4 bangers lol

Originally Posted by diddy

Hey I'm driving an RSX Type S right now, so you guys can feel a power difference between the 2? I was a bit worried it would be the same power but just better handling, which is ok too.

Fellow RSX owners! For those who tried out the car, was wondering if the car jerks a tad like the RSX when releasing pressure off the throttle. I noticed this on the RSX (had a 2003) and was quite annoying.

[Blue FRS]

I had a chance to drive the auto one on the weekend. Loved it, cant wait to drive the stick. My car history is a bit different than most of you guys on this. 2 80s mustangs, 76 Charger and a 95 trans am. Well the FRS... not as mush grunt but i knew it wouldnt, also so felt strange reving an engine pass 6000rpm. the handling was amazing, i had a green as i was geting off the highway and just wiped it around the corner. The seating position is perfect, seats not as good as the trans ams but very close. My only problem with the interior is that fake crabon fiber dash bit, i hope someone an after market piece to replace it.I am glad that i have bought the FRS over the Genesis.

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

the steering wheel blocks the top of the RPM display when positioned the way i want it to be positioned

Just turn on the shifting beep and you're good to go! Nice thing is you can set the changeup beep/flasher to a lower rev level for the break-in period.

didn't get a chance to drive the manual

The white demonstrator currently making the dealer rounds is a manual, you could test it elsewhere. The manual is up to the standard of the rest of the car, feels great (although it is considerably notchier-feeling in its actions than cable-linked FWD car shifters).

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by ChristosG

The rep from scion (forget his name, but he is only 2 or 3 titles removed from the top dog of Scion Canada) told us that the supercharger was very likely to become a reality.

Was that the huge tall guy (~250 lbs)? He told me that a s/c was not going to be a simple bolt-on though because due to the high compression the pistons would have to be swapped.