Cars you loved... until you test drove them

For the past few months, I've been enamored with Miatas and BRZs. Partly because of Reddit, partly because I drive a FWD hot hatch, partly because they seem like affordable drivers' cars. I tested a 2016 Miata Club a week ago, and immediately understood the appeal. Roof down, room for two and two only, fantastic engine response, aggressive, unique styling. I loved everything about it except the price.

So that left the BRZ. On paper, it had some things going for it too. It's nearly as fast as the Miata, it could actually seat four, albeit uncomfortably, and though subjective, I like the look. And so on my way home from work today, I spotted one at the Acura dealership. It was a 2014 Limited in World Rally Blue with 42k miles. From the outside, it looked great, but I already knew that. The inside, however, left a lot to be desired. The gauges were cramped and the dimly-lit red reminded me of my Accords and Integras from the 90s. There was cheap, hollow plastic everywhere. The back seats were so small as to be useless. Once we were on the road, things got worse. The clutch lacked feeling and took forever to grab. The throws seemed longer, which made the car feel slower. The interior felt cramped owing to the meager visibility and thus, the larger blind spots. Worst of all, the interior rattled and the car shook aggressively, despite the smooth roads in the area. I know that's what makes a Subaru... a Subaru, but I would hate to sit in this car in LA traffic on a daily basis. And I can't imagine how much I'd hate it at 100k miles if it was like this at 42.

It was a good lesson, though. It's so easy to be impressed by cars on paper that I overlooked the experience of driving one in person. And I'm sure there are drivers out there for whom the BRZ is the embodiment of perfection, but it just wasn't for me.