Long story ahead...
Last year, I spent countless hours, days, weeks, and months agonizing over my first new car purchase since my '09 Scion xB. I'm a technician at a Toyota dealer, but was set on a "fun" car...250+hp, MT, and preferably a hatchback. Toyota offered nothing in that segment. I looked at the Focus ST and the GTI, but I questioned the reliability of Ford and VW. I plan on keeping my car well beyond payoff. I also thought I needed AWD so Subaru was the frontrunner from the beginning. I looked at the '14 hatch, but when the '15 came out with the FA20, 6-speed, and updated interior, I figured I could live without the hatch.
I placed the order with Heuberger and waited 2 months, and had the car shipped to me, Nov. 20 2015...'16 WRX Limited 6MT CBS w/o HK/Nav Package, STi STS. I really loved it at first. I had the windows tinted and installed RCE Yellows in the first month I owned it. The car handled like a dream...the best I've owned, and definitely the fastest car I've owned. I really loved it at first, but the honeymoon faded quickly.
After making my daily 30-minute(one way) commute for a couple months, and a couple road trips, I found out just how uncomfortable this car was. The clutch, seats, and seating position constantly irritated me. I found myself constantly adjusting the seats. While the engine was strong, the power delivery was excessively peaky which made it tedious to drive in traffic. I thought about getting it tuned, but I already worried about reliability beyond 100k miles.
The stock stereo was terrible for a car with an msrp of $32k. Bluetooth connection was unreliable, and would often not connect automatically. Aftermarket is such a pain in new cars, and I couldn't justify spending $35k for the upgraded HK audio because that's STi money, and $30k was my budget(discount through Heuberger). I wish I had, though. I also blew off many of the reviews complaining about rattles and cabin noise because I figured after owning a Scion, it couldn't be that bad. I was wrong.
All this was compounded by left knee and foot issues. I was ready to get rid of it during the summer, but a ladder fell on the hood while I was at work. It took a few months to get that sorted out with the body shop having to redo it for me. I kept trying to love the WRX, but this just soured the experience even more.
I had decided I wanted a Camry XSE V6, but they're so hard to find used because most V6 buyers are older and opt for the Avalon. I had seen a new one at my dealership a while ago, but it was out of my price range. Thanks to the current Toyota rebates, it's now mine.
Aside from the auto vs manual and FWD vs AWD debates...the 2GR V6 is a beast and a pleasure to drive. It has all the power of the WRX, but it's much more refined and smooth. The WRX had trouble starting on the steep hills in my area because it has no torque below 2000rpm. No offense, but with the same HP and torque ratings, NA V6 > turbo 4.
I've driven and worked on thousands of Camrys, and this XSE isn't your typical Camry. I'm comparing it to a WRX with RCE springs and performance alignment so it's not fair. It doesn't have the steering response or feel of the WRX (more caster would be nice), but it handles surprisingly well. It's a considerably bigger car with 225/45R18 V-rated, all-season Michelins, vs the smaller WRX with 245/40ZR18 Dunlop summer tires. With lowering springs, swaybars, and more sticky rubber, I won't miss the WRXs handling and grip.
Aside from the perfmance, the interior on the '17 XSE is much nicer. The leather seats are much more comfortable, with Ultrasuede accents and lumbar support. The JBL premium audio sounds much clearer. The head unit may not have Apple CarPlay or some of the nicer features from Ford, VW, etc., but it does what I need and it actually works! The V6 models also have an "acoustic noise-reducing front windshield." The car sounds like a Mercedes compared to the Subaru. Added features like Smart Key, LED low and high beam headlights, power passenger seat, adaptive cruise, lane departure, blind spot monitoring and pre collision are icing on the cake. My guitar cases fit in the trunk better, too.
I thought the WRX was a great value, but they really cut a lot of corners and cheap out in the interior and amenities, regardless of trim level. The new XSE V6 is just a nicer car, overall, and still less than my budget of $30k with the rebates.
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