Motor Trend's $28K Bang for the Buck (spoiler alert!)

[chulooz]

Who sets up a bang for the buck challenge and doesnt include the WRX(~$25k)? It would certainly out place many of those cars.

[cassidy0998]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Who sets up a bang for the buck challenge and doesnt include the WRX(~$25k)? It would certainly out place many of those cars.

I completely agree.

[Guff]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Who sets up a bang for the buck challenge and doesnt include the WRX(~$25k)? It would certainly out place many of those cars.

It was a cheap RWD challenge.

[chulooz]

Originally Posted by Guff

It was a cheap RWD challenge.

Ill believe that right after you explain the GTI.

[bneale]

Am I the only one who gets pissed off everytime I read "faux carbon fiber dashboard" in the FR-S??

In the article these guys said they choose the BRZ as number 1 over the FR-S for 3 reasons. 1, they like the face of the BRZ more. 2, they liked the BRZ suspension setup more. 3, they prefer the silver dashboard to the fake carbon fiber!!!

I mean come on guys! You're supposded to be professional. How about a little more attention to detail here? If they had spent any longer then 30 seconds looking at the dashboard, they would have noticed it doesn't look like carbon fiber at all!! It's actually a bunch of little black "T" logos for Toyota!!

It's like they just saw something black with a texture and said "ah-ha!!.... fake carbon fiber!"

Before anyone defends them, they are press reviewers. They should have asked Scion/Toyota if they didn't know what it was. You know they have access to this if they wanted it.

bneale

[SUB-FT86]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Who sets up a bang for the buck challenge and doesnt include the WRX(~$25k)? It would certainly out place many of those cars.

It probably would be 3rd place around that track after the GC and Stang. So by saying many you are correct.

[86design]

just picked this up great mag

[djdnz]

At the end of the day, T's or not it still looks like fake carbon fiber :P

[dsgerbc]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Ill believe that right after you explain the GTI.

It has <4 doors

[Guff]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Ill believe that right after you explain the GTI.

You got me there!

Your point stands!

[SUB-FT86]

I think the GTI was the oddest because of FWD. And it seems like the things I never got to experience with the GC(2.0T/Manual) is the negative things wrong with it still. I much rather the ZF 6 speed auto and the 3.8L engine instead. If you look at Randy's comments he was quoted saying the 3.8 R-spec is much better which isn't surprising.

[tripjammer]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Who sets up a bang for the buck challenge and doesnt include the WRX(~$25k)? It would certainly out place many of those cars.

The wrx is a 4 or 5 door awd car (cuv). Not a rwd coupe/hatch (well the Gti was fwd), roadster (mx5) like the rest of the cars in the test...

Now is Subaru ever makes a wrx coupe....

You know Honda needs to step up their game, they were totally excluded from this test. Same thing for Nissan.

Yeah they should have included the wrx and the civic si, if they were gonna include the GTI.

[tripjammer]

Originally Posted by bneale

Am I the only one who gets pissed off everytime I read "faux carbon fiber dashboard" in the FR-S??

In the article these guys said they choose the BRZ as number 1 over the FR-S for 3 reasons. 1, they like the face of the BRZ more. 2, they liked the BRZ suspension setup more. 3, they prefer the silver dashboard to the fake carbon fiber!!!

I mean come on guys! You're supposded to be professional. How about a little more attention to detail here? If they had spent any longer then 30 seconds looking at the dashboard, they would have noticed it doesn't look like carbon fiber at all!! It's actually a bunch of little black "T" logos for Toyota!!

It's like they just saw something black with a texture and said "ah-ha!!.... fake carbon fiber!"

Before anyone defends them, they are press reviewers. They should have asked Scion/Toyota if they didn't know what it was. You know they have access to this if they wanted it.

bneale

Still looks like fake carbon fibre! Haha! Toyota could have used some real stuff in there. Maybe in the release series. The fake carbon fibre is actually the best part on the trim in the frs besides the white tach.

[Grateful Dave]

Originally Posted by bazguitarman

I picked this issue of Motor Trend a couple of days ago. It was a great read as I want to absorb everything I can about the FR-S/BRZ platform.

One thing I did find interesting though. I was a little suprised that Randy Pobst prefered the more buttoned down handling of the BRZ. Especially after seeing the driving segment he did for episode 14 of the Ignition youtube magazine. Which is probably my fave of the youtube FR-S videos. Randy appeared to be having a blast in the FR-S. He had a big smile on his face the entire drive. He even laughed out loud a few times while commenting on how lively a car it is. He had nothing but praise for the FR-S. Including the shifter, suspension and fun factor.

I honestly don't see the one/two finish as a win or loss for either car. They are just a little different as far as the suspension setups. Just go with the car you personally prefer. The oversteer of the FR-S could easily be fixed with a little stickier tire. Remember Toyota set this car up for a little oversteer on purpose.

Eric

I saw that video and he was having a blast driving the FRS.
My thoughts exactly about just put on some stickier tires and you have corrected the oversteer. Toyota wanted to show off FRS to the drifting crowd. I just test drove the FRS and I liked the way it cornered and it didn't seem loose. I'm buying the FRS and when the tires wear out, and if I feel I need better tires for better handling, so be it. But if I still don't like the set up then a slight suspension adjustment. I still prefer the FRS front end to the BRZ front end.