BRZ First Impressions

[Doug&Julie]

So on Friday I got to (finally) see a BRZ up close and in person. I didn't get to drive it, but was able to sit in it, start it up, etc. I thought I'd share my impressions of what I think so far. Fellow BRZ-Club.com member andycapp also showed up, so I hope he chimes in with his impressions as well.

Exterior....the car was a Premium / AT in Galaxy Blue. I have to say it was gorgeous. So much so that, if I go ahead with the order, I'm going to change my Black order to Galaxy Blue. Really looked good. My favorite view was the back, sans spoiler...I just like the clean looks of the car w/o "attachments". I also like the look of the car w/o fog lights for the same reason. Because there are lights there, it doesn't look "empty", but isn't cluttered with multiple lights like it does if you get the Limited.

I'm sad to say the interior was a bit...underwhelming. Now I freely admit, as the car I drove to the dealership was my '06 Cayman S, that comparisons were hard to avoid and, in that sense, the BRZ flat loses across the board. Were it parked next to a Miata or other similarly priced car, I can't say it would have looked so...I don't want to say bad...I'll stick with underwhelming. And I do have to say, I feel like my Legacy 3.6R has a better interior, and maybe even the latest Impreza. It also doesn't help that the car was the regional manager's car, and it wasn't clean. It had clearly been driven a lot, complete with kick scrapes at the bottoms of the doors and sills, and slightly muddy / dirty carpets, etc. In other words, it wasn't really set up to show. But that also told me something about how it might look to me as a daily driver. Overall I wasn't impressed.

One other note...the seats are heavily bolstered, and were perfectly comfortable for my 5'-11" / 225lb / 38" waist frame except for the side bolsters, which dug into my lower back a bit. I think it might have been ok for short drives, but as we'd be using this as a travel car, I don't think they'd be comfortable for very long. Other than that, I felt I had plenty of room around me and everything was in easy reach. So from a functional / spacial standpoint, the interior scores high with me. Just wish I wasn't so fat...

My dealer said they could install heated seats for about $400, so if I go ahead with the order, I'm going to ditch the Limited idea and go with the Premium and just have them put in heated seats. I'll get the Galaxy Blue with the AT. But I told my sales rep I can't buy without a thorough test drive, so he's going to try to arange something before too long. I'll post here if I get to. If they can't, I'll be cancelling my order and waiting until they have more "on the lot" so that I can drive one.

So now let me see if I can upload some pics...all exterior, sorry. Maybe the BRZ / Cayman side-by-side pics will make up for the lack of interior shots.

[Doug&Julie]

I'm not a fan of this thread's attachment methods!

Side by side shots...

[andycap]

I have to agree that the exterior was gorgeous with the Galaxy Blue Silica paint. I would have liked to see the Limited interior with the leather/Alcantara seats but coming from a dull Dodge pickup as a daily driver and having a 07 Subaru Forester LL Bean, I didn't find the interior a disappointment. I have a few lbs on Doug but otherwise have about the same personal stats and found the seats comfortable. The bolsters on my back did provide a little pressure that may become an irritation on long drives unless I lose a few lbs. The steering wheel and position of the shift seemed well placed. Visibility was excellent, especially compared to the mustang all the BRZ nay-sayers say is a better value.

One concern I have living in a region where heavy snow and ice is a possibility, the windows open a crack automatically upon opening the door to allow clearance for the door seals on the frame-less windows. I've had the windows freeze on my cars where it takes several minutes before the car is warm enough to open the windows so that could be a problem if I can't get into the car to start it. I ride the bus to my job and if a freezing rain happens during the day I could be in trouble.

I guess the real test will be when we can actually take it for a spin, but so far I like it a lot!

[S2KBOBBY]

the windows open a crack automatically upon opening the door to allow clearance for the door seals on the frame-less windows.

Frame-less windows! Another bonus!

Wow I didn't notice that in the limited information I have been able to garner. I guess I really wasn't paying attention.

[TrueToForm]

Looks awesome next to the Cayman. Definitely a big fan of the dark blue!

[onbooSTi]

Great pics and personal input about the car! Jumping from a Cayman to a BRZ could be disheartening, but I think the points are valid. I just question your ability to change your order. I would think if you do switch then you would not get it anytime soon, but I don't know how many that dealer has on pre ordered. Also, switching the seats doesn't make a lot of sense for the dealer. They won't be able to just order seats for you, that means they will have to swap it from another car, then a limited would be out one of its key selling points. You sound like you are willing to wait awhile for exactly what you are looking for, am I right?

[Doug&Julie]

Great pics and personal input about the car! Jumping from a Cayman to a BRZ could be disheartening, but I think the points are valid.

I'm well aware I'm not making a fair comparison (a BRZ, while being compared to the Cayman in terms of handling, was never meant to be a competitor to it). And, if we go through with this, the point is to replace two cars with one. Just unlucky for the BRZ that I drove the Cayman S that day. Next time I'll drive the Legacy (or Julie's Mini!) and it won't be quite so obvious.

I just question your ability to change your order. I would think if you do switch then you would not get it anytime soon, but I don't know how many that dealer has on pre ordered.

The cars haven't been ordered properly yet. My deposit basically put me first in line to order. I was told, when all the pricing info was released and I was able to see / drive one, then a formal order would be placed. I just hope I can drive one soon!

Also, FWIW, he seemed to indicate that the cars would be built more "to color", i.e. the blue orders would be made first, then maybe the black, the gray, then the rest. Not sure what that means in terms of a timeline...

Also, switching the seats doesn't make a lot of sense for the dealer. They won't be able to just order seats for you, that means they will have to swap it from another car, then a limited would be out one of its key selling points.

Our dealer will put in "aftermarket" heat in the existing seats, so there will be no switching seats. I'm not thrilled about this, but it's better than paying a premium just to get heated seats, especially if it also means I'd have to get options I don't "want".

You sound like you are willing to wait awhile for exactly what you are looking for, am I right?

Definitely. But more so right now I just want to make sure I'm making the right decision. If it doesn't feel "right" in the slightest bit, I'm not going to do it. I was happy to put down the deposit to be "first in line", it's the official commitment I'm getting a little leery of at this point. I'd say I'm 50/50 right now, but I really need to drive one to know. I mean, that's the whole point of the car, right? ..the drive!

[Doug&Julie]

Andy, great to meet you! ..and good to hear your comments. Did you take any interior shots by any chance?

One concern I have living in a region where heavy snow and ice is a possibility, the windows open a crack automatically upon opening the door to allow clearance for the door seals on the frame-less windows. I've had the windows freeze on my cars where it takes several minutes before the car is warm enough to open the windows so that could be a problem if I can't get into the car to start it. I ride the bus to my job and if a freezing rain happens during the day I could be in trouble.

It seems more and more cars are doing this, so I'd think (hope!) manufacturers are figuring out how to make them work in winter. I've had three Boxsters previous to the Cayman S (two of which I actually drove all winter), all with the same window concern. I've never run into a freezing rain issue, but with one of my earlier Boxsters I had a small electrical issue that prevented one from dropping for a short time. I think it did have something to do with the cold, as it "fixed itself" eventually. Anywho...it doesn't look like the BRZ's windows need to come down as far as the Boxsters, so maybe that's a plus.

That said, maybe keep a good scraper in the trunk (which you should be able to get to w/o needing to open doors).

[andycap]

Thanks Doug, It was great to meet you too!

Unfortunately the salesman locked the doors by the time I got my phone out for pictures. I tried to take one through the window but the glare didn't look good so I deleted it. The other shots I took are basically the same angles you used so I figured I don't need to post redundant pictures.

Good point about keeping a good ice scraper in the trunk.

[onbooSTi]

Thanks for the reply Doug, I was more curious then anything else. You bring up good points and definitely show you are an intelligent buyer and not being sold on the "hype". It is interesting they would add aftermarket heated seats, seems more problematic then it would add to comfort, imo. Definitely keep us posted!

I am not a big fan of the window rolling down slightly for the door to open, it always bugged me on modern Porsches. 04 - 07 STI had frameless windows too, creates wind noise and usually doesn't seal completely. I wish they would have just put in frames, but that probably adds weight?