Hello Everyone
I used to own a R56 S, loved it, I think it was the perfect balance between power, sportiness and daily driving use, and of course it wasn't stock. When the BRZ came out I loved the looks of it, never got to drive it around but I was always interested in it. As the R56 started developing problems I decided to switch and got a Limited BRZ which has all the bells and whistles. Test drive was fun, but as time passed by I started noticing the shortcomings, Long car but really small inside, crappy interior, lack of useful power, sounds everywhere, very low so the front bumper takes a toll when it comes to road chips, mediocre gas mileage, and a lot of blind spots. Things I love about the BRZ are the seats, how planted it is in any situation, the RWD fun, the options(xenon, navigation, garage door opener and such) and of course the looks. When the F56 came out I was like now that's an ugly car, but as time passed by it grew on me. Now I know a test drive won't give me the shortcomings of it. So any of you that did the switch have any input? I know some of the options on the F56 can be bought, but now that is the end of the year I'm looking towards the possible discounts a '15 can have, and that means halogen head lights, stock radio, well plain cars.

 

I went with a CPO car that had 6K miles. With that I got a better warranty than new and still have the service until 3 years 36K miles. Warranty was extended to 5 years 75K miles. I found one in the color I liked that was nicely optioned. Managed to find one with the sport suspension which is not even available on the '16. Trust me, you want the HK sound system and the LED lights.

 

If you get the CPO , you get that extended warranty. If you go with the F56 you will know the interior quality has gone up.

" Trust me, you want the HK sound system and the LED lights " +1 on that.

 

F56 MINI exists in another universe of quality and refinement, compared with the Toyobaru. Honestly, the latter has NOTHING on the former.

 

As much as I love the look of the brz vs the f56, the f56 is a far superior car.

 

I feel like the MINI would be a riot (even more so) if it was rear drive...but at least all the F model cars have a have ample amounts of torque! You can shift from 2-2.5k all day long and keep up with traffic (or beat it) with no issues.

Makes for relaxed cruising, when you want it.

The LED headlights are a must, seriously. Worth every single cent.
And probably the updated radio interface, because the basic one looks horrid.

I know you said you're going to end up looking at plain cars...but I would stretch my search for those 2 options. You will not regret it.

 

What those above said----+1 on LED lighting and HK sound system -- very desirable.

 

I switched from a fully loaded GT86 to my F56 and didnt look back. For the same price my mini has tonnes more gadgets and although the same power the F56 feels so much faster due to the power delivery. The 86 has no torque.

 

If you want something that has a very narrow focus and excels beyond measure at it, keep the BRZ. I owned a 2013 Limited for 2.5 years, spent thousands of dollars modifying it (intake, headers, E85 reflash, exhaust, tint, suspension, wheels/tires, taillights, side markers, etc, etc) and it was the most amazing mountain road/track car. As a daily driver though? Rough ride, outdated electronics (the radio/NAV is AWFUL), physically taxing (driving 50-60 miles/day of heavy urban commuting with a stick shift is hell on one's clutch knee), and eventually the pain of using it as a daily driver outweighed the fun I could have on the weekends.

I traded it in for a '15 MCS w/sport auto, and it's an entirely different world. It has the power, it has handling (not nearly as sharp as the BRZ) but it also has all of the creature comforts that make for a solid and reliable daily driver. Ride is more comfortable, entertainment/nav is far superior, and when it's in manual/sport mode, it's all the fun of shifting your own gears without the physical wear/tear.

I miss the BRZ from a 'cool' factor, fully modded out it looked unlike anything else on the road, but the F56 is overall a more well-rounded everyday vehicle.

 

I traded a '13 FR-S for a '13 Mini. The FR-S was fun but the Mini is better in my opinion.