[Ritter]

I think I would be very happy with either trim. My motivation for the higher trim level was that I will be driving this car in the winter and heated seats will be welcome. I'm also a fan of the steering-responsive servo headlights. Again, in winter the morning and evening drivetimes occur in darkness, and I live in a rural area with a lot of curving roads and the potential for deer strikes. If the headlights can give me a split-second earlier warning, I'll take it.

I do agree that most of the other gadgets that come with the upper trim level aren't necessary and just add complexity and weight. Unfortunately we aren't able to just pick and choose from the complete feature menu a la carte.

 

[Ritter]

@Duchess I also don't think I like the look of Alcantara / Ultrasuede, and I agree that I don't understand the appeal of it as a "luxury" or "high end" material. If it becomes objectionable to maintain in my car, I will plan to remove it were feasible and replace with the base trim pieces. The one place I think it will be beneficial is the top of the instrument cluster pod, to hopefully prevent reflection onto the windshield.

 

[Ritter]

"Added lightness" at lower cost.

 

[Ritter]

I think if you don't want any of the features of the higher trim level, the base makes all kinds of sense and you're not really giving up anything truly essential.

 

[Ritter]

The BRZ\86 have zero sound deadening or isolation. The interior is loud and somewhat annoying.

Additional sound insolation / isolation would have been welcome in the upper trim level. I will definitely be adding sound deadening mat wherever I can easily access resonant panels.

 

[Ritter]

Correction: Toyota now calls it Ultrasuede.😂 Same thing

It is, lol. I remember the first time I heard "Alcantara" and thought, "Wow, sounds swanky!" Then I researched and found out it was Ultrasuede going by a different name. 😄

 

[Ritter]

I don't understand why the demographic for these cars would care about adaptive headlights instead.

I'm in the demographic that cares about this feature. Driving to & from work in the dark on twisty, deer-infested rural highways.

 

[Ritter]

I don't really see a huge debate between the two trim levels. To be honest, I like both quite a lot. I went for the higher trim on my BRZ due to heated seats and adaptive headlights, but if it only came with the standard trim I would still buy it. I would actually prefer no leisure-suit-era Ultrasuede for the interior. How about good ol' leather? Well, Subaru might be catering to a particular sensibility...

Regarding 17" vs. 18" wheels: there's a lot to be said for the 17" size. 0.2" smaller O.D. means lower effective gear ratio, although admittedly not a lot; +1.25 wheel revolutions in 1/4 mile. More sidewall = better pothole resilience. Lower total cost of ownership for tire replacement. More and cheaper winter tire options.

On the other hand, there's no difference in width, so I don't see support for a claim that the 17s are more nimble...that would mean narrower rubber. The 18s might in fact be more nimble / more planted with less sidewall to flex, and that's not even considering the better tires.