Took a bunch of cars out for a test-drive to look for possible replacement for my Protege5 ( http://www.600riders.com/forum/bar/51523-theres-your-problem.html#post567058 )
My thoughts on each:
Accord:
I drove the 4-cyl 6sp. Possibly the easiest manual transmission of any I've ever tried. Soft progressive clutch and silky smooth gear box, with (as expected) relatively long throws.
Great, comfortable seat. Beautiful dashboard / gauges. Plenty of power, without complaining even at low RPM. Smooth over bumps without being overly soft.
Do I want one? Nope. Too much body roll and it's just dull. Great point A to point B automobile, but there's nothing it can do to make you giggle.
WRX:
This is the car I was pretty sure would be the replacement for my Mazda, mainly because I love hatchbacks and all else looks really good on paper (besides bad fuel eco).
Interior.. wow.. my 2003 Protege looks more up to date than this car! I'm guessing no changes have been made since 2002, when original bug eyes version came out? I can overlook dull interior if it feels perfect on the road, so off I go.
This car is MENTAL! NOTHING happens till 4k rpm and then EVERYTHING happens! Like a rocket goes off and you better know where you're pointing the wheels! There appears to be no immediate power ever, if you're full off the throttle. Even at high RPM (5k), if you fully lift your foot and get back on, there is noticeable lag.
Thousands of people find this car very fun to drive. I, unfortunately, am not one of them.
Civic Si:
LOVE the motor. Quick revving, high redline, peppy 4-banger! 201hp in a very light car with FWD and standard LSD is plenty to put a smile on my face every time I step on the gas. Gearbox is perfectly precise and clutch requires just the right amount of pressure to operate. Absolute pleasure to drive and exactly what I'm looking for in a fun car. Price is very reasonable too.
Very interesting interior with split gauge cluster, showing your speed way up at the top.. giving it spaceship-like feel. Here is the big issue (at least for me). Terrible seat! It's got way way too much lumber support and it's not adjustable. Feels like there's a big pillow jammed in your lower back. I really don't get this.. unless you're a girl unnaturally arching your back in order for your *features* to stand out, no one has a back shaped like that! I've found loads of complaints about this issue, but Honda doesn't seem to be listening.
If I were set on this car, I'd start by calling up local interior specialists and asking if it was possible for them to reshape the seat foam in a modern car (airbags could be an issue :don'tknow
.
The only other reason I'm putting this car in my *maybe* list, instead of *definitely* is the fact that it's not available as hatch. Can't beat functionality of hatch when you want to transport large bulky items.
BRZ:
I wish I had never driven this car!! OMG do I love it! Perfect, heavily bolstered seats. Perfect short-throw, precise gear box with medium effort clutch. Relatively heavy steering, as it should be in a sporty car. 200hp in a very light package. Not *fast* but plenty fast with fantastic growl as the RPMs climb. The best of it all: Front engine + RWD with LSD. Car enthusiasts know this combination is THE recipe for fun! Add the low-grip OEM tires to the mix and the tail absolutely begs to step out at any given opportunity! I started grinning the moment I drove it off the lot and my grin did not fade until well after the test drive!
Dash is very nice too, in a retro-ish kind of way. Wish it didn't come with standard navigation. I'd rather pay a bit less for the vehicle instead of that particular feature.
This is the sort of car that just might make me throw all logic out the window and just get one.
Things that make no sense (or simply stuff I dislike) about this car: NO elbow rest (immediately forgotten once you start driving). Unusable rear seats.. not even sure why they're there. A child would not be able to fit behind me and I'm only 5' 10". Somewhat small trunk (though the rear seat folds flat and provides a full-sized pass through, making it quite usable). Frameless windows.. loads of cars have them and they're OK most of the time, but I've had issues with Subaru before when it comes to this. One of the windows literally fell out
On the bright side, my Protege is currently performing better than it has in a looong time (following replacement of air intake hose). The car which I still think would make the most sense for me would be Mazda3 hatch, BUT.. the more powerful 2.5L version currently only comes with 6sp auto. Supposedly, 2.5 will be available with manual for next model year. For now, I can test-drive 2.5 manual Mazda6 to see if it's got enough *go* to make me smile. If it does, the smart thing would be to wait till next year.
... Stupid BRZ!!! ...
My thoughts on each:
Accord:
I drove the 4-cyl 6sp. Possibly the easiest manual transmission of any I've ever tried. Soft progressive clutch and silky smooth gear box, with (as expected) relatively long throws.
Great, comfortable seat. Beautiful dashboard / gauges. Plenty of power, without complaining even at low RPM. Smooth over bumps without being overly soft.
Do I want one? Nope. Too much body roll and it's just dull. Great point A to point B automobile, but there's nothing it can do to make you giggle.
WRX:
This is the car I was pretty sure would be the replacement for my Mazda, mainly because I love hatchbacks and all else looks really good on paper (besides bad fuel eco).
Interior.. wow.. my 2003 Protege looks more up to date than this car! I'm guessing no changes have been made since 2002, when original bug eyes version came out? I can overlook dull interior if it feels perfect on the road, so off I go.
This car is MENTAL! NOTHING happens till 4k rpm and then EVERYTHING happens! Like a rocket goes off and you better know where you're pointing the wheels! There appears to be no immediate power ever, if you're full off the throttle. Even at high RPM (5k), if you fully lift your foot and get back on, there is noticeable lag.
Thousands of people find this car very fun to drive. I, unfortunately, am not one of them.
Civic Si:
LOVE the motor. Quick revving, high redline, peppy 4-banger! 201hp in a very light car with FWD and standard LSD is plenty to put a smile on my face every time I step on the gas. Gearbox is perfectly precise and clutch requires just the right amount of pressure to operate. Absolute pleasure to drive and exactly what I'm looking for in a fun car. Price is very reasonable too.
Very interesting interior with split gauge cluster, showing your speed way up at the top.. giving it spaceship-like feel. Here is the big issue (at least for me). Terrible seat! It's got way way too much lumber support and it's not adjustable. Feels like there's a big pillow jammed in your lower back. I really don't get this.. unless you're a girl unnaturally arching your back in order for your *features* to stand out, no one has a back shaped like that! I've found loads of complaints about this issue, but Honda doesn't seem to be listening.
If I were set on this car, I'd start by calling up local interior specialists and asking if it was possible for them to reshape the seat foam in a modern car (airbags could be an issue :don'tknow
. The only other reason I'm putting this car in my *maybe* list, instead of *definitely* is the fact that it's not available as hatch. Can't beat functionality of hatch when you want to transport large bulky items.
BRZ:
I wish I had never driven this car!! OMG do I love it! Perfect, heavily bolstered seats. Perfect short-throw, precise gear box with medium effort clutch. Relatively heavy steering, as it should be in a sporty car. 200hp in a very light package. Not *fast* but plenty fast with fantastic growl as the RPMs climb. The best of it all: Front engine + RWD with LSD. Car enthusiasts know this combination is THE recipe for fun! Add the low-grip OEM tires to the mix and the tail absolutely begs to step out at any given opportunity! I started grinning the moment I drove it off the lot and my grin did not fade until well after the test drive!
Dash is very nice too, in a retro-ish kind of way. Wish it didn't come with standard navigation. I'd rather pay a bit less for the vehicle instead of that particular feature.
This is the sort of car that just might make me throw all logic out the window and just get one.
Things that make no sense (or simply stuff I dislike) about this car: NO elbow rest (immediately forgotten once you start driving). Unusable rear seats.. not even sure why they're there. A child would not be able to fit behind me and I'm only 5' 10". Somewhat small trunk (though the rear seat folds flat and provides a full-sized pass through, making it quite usable). Frameless windows.. loads of cars have them and they're OK most of the time, but I've had issues with Subaru before when it comes to this. One of the windows literally fell out
On the bright side, my Protege is currently performing better than it has in a looong time (following replacement of air intake hose). The car which I still think would make the most sense for me would be Mazda3 hatch, BUT.. the more powerful 2.5L version currently only comes with 6sp auto. Supposedly, 2.5 will be available with manual for next model year. For now, I can test-drive 2.5 manual Mazda6 to see if it's got enough *go* to make me smile. If it does, the smart thing would be to wait till next year.
... Stupid BRZ!!! ...
