Long(er) term impressions

[eculley]

My thoughts tossed into a thread. Not formatted perfectly and there will be typos.

Most of us posted in the demo impressions thread with our personal opinions, but I am looking to start a discussion focusing on everyones thoughts after owning the ITS a bit longer.

I just rolled over 700 miles and have drive my car in varying circumstances, including some spirited driving and daily commutes.

Let me preface my opinions with where I come from. With exception to the MK8 GTI I drove briefly before the ITS, I don't have a lot of RECENT experience driving FWD cars. Before the GTI, I owned a Giulia QV, SS1LE, M2 Comp, M340, PP2 Mustang and a few trucks / SUVs. None of these were super long term as I was buying / selling since the market was in my favor to do so. So take some of this with a grain of salt as I am not 100 percent comfortable with the car in the most extreme circumstances. (Just haven't pushed it to that point, yet.)

Firstly, I'll address my biggest point and that is in fact the FWD nature of the ITS. You've likely seen YouTube channels say things like "It doesn't feel like a FWD car" or "it doesn't torque steer", or even "it feels like a RWD car".. well.. not true. It absolutely feels like a FWD car (because it is one) and it absolutely torque steers. Maybe not as bad as something like a Focus ST or a MazdaSpeed3, but it does do it. With that being said, the car handles like a dream. The LSD does a great job in pulling you through corners. If you're coming from something RWD, you just need to adjust how you approach power when cornering and the car will do the rest.

Second, let me talk about the shifter. It's not the second coming of Jesus, y'all. It's good, but it's not the best I've used. With a little work adding some rigidity to the setup (ie: PRL or Acuity shifter and base bushings as a start), it can definitely improve the slight slop on the left and right side of the gearbox. While it's leaps and bounds above the MT-82 in the Mustang or the BMW setup in the M2, it's not quite as good as the Tremec in the 1LE or GT350. The clutch is INSANELY light and I like it. I didn't think I would, but I do. I can shift quickly and the revs drop right away. Just need to improve the shifter feel a little bit and I will be a happy camper.

So all in all, I am really happy with the dynamics of the car. I am still very much a noob with FWD at the limits, but I have confidence the car is not holding me back, I am.



Now onto the rest.

Holy hell, I have never ever heard so many rattles in a new car in my life. I totally understand this is likely not the case for everyone, but it is for me. I'll link some videos shortly showcasing a few that I am trying to get rid of now. I already took the seatbelt shoulder sliders a part on both driver and passenger side to reduce some of the buzzing In my ears, but it's like wack-a-mole in this car with rattles. You find one and three more show up. This is, by far, my biggest gripe with the car overall. If I wasn't battling these rattles, I would be so much happier with my purchase. But when I hear them, I am immediately reminded that I paid $54k for this car and I don't feel awesome about it.

The seats are OK. I talked about this in my demo impressions. I like that they are firm, but wish there was a little more bolstering. The seating position is just a tad higher than I would prefer but it's minor. Something as simple as adding adjustable bolsters could have been a great middle ground.

Wish the steering wheel was flat bottom and for some reason I found the leather on the stock wheel to be oddly smooth (this might sound crazy, lol). It just felt like my hands were slipping off of the wheel mores than other leather wheels I was used to. Installing the alcantara wheel was the right move for me. The reason I prefer flat bottoms is because I am on the taller side.. my knees are an inch away from the bottom of the wheel so I am limited with the amount of room available to toss the wheel around.

Love the audio system! I'll leave it at that. I am not an audiophile, but this system sounds great to me.

PS4S tires are loud. This is my first time using them and I think they are louder than other performance tires I've used. Not sure if others can comment on this. Also don't really care, just something to note.

This car desperately needs new wheels or spacers. The more I look at it, the more it bothers me (especially the rears). They are sunken into the wheel and with the fender flares, it just looks odd at certain angles. Looking forward to dropping to an 18 inch wheel with different tires.

I didn't think the lack of rear vents would bother me but I took some coworkers to lunch the other day and they were complaining the whole time. It's rare I have rear passengers so this is a small issue but living in Texas, this could be a problem for some people. I will say that tinting the windows (and the windshield), helped a lot.

Would love to see physical buttons for rev match and safety features. Would love if the car could start in individual or sport+ modes.

I think the infotainment is great. The UI is easy to navigate and wireless CarPlay is always nice to have. The gauge cluster could have been handled better... just wish there was more customization with it. Look at the Mk8 Golf (just a tac / speedo right in the middle with everything else removed).

Gas mileage is not as good as I thought it'd be and the tank is SO SMALL. empty to full, I think it takes 12gal. During the break in period (really easy driving) I was averaging 20ish. Not great, not terrible.

Can we not turn off hill assist anywhere? ARG!
Can we not fully turn off lane assist? ARG! Turned it off but I still get yelled at for touching the lanes line.

Summary - I love driving my ITS but the interior fit and finish makes me question the asking price.

What do you all think now that you've had more time with it?

Sponsored

 

[PicklesTheCat]

Did you turn off lane keep assist on the dashboard via the steering wheel? I turned it off on the first first day of having the car and it never happened again in 500 miles. Also, make sure to turn off the Road Departure Mitigation system too, that might be the thing that is yelling at you.

Are you sure what you're feeling is torque steer? there's no doubt that the car has FWD dynamics but my previous experience of torque steer, 2 Mini JCW and a modded Audi A3, is that with heavy acceleration in a streight line, the car will to the side and jerk the steering wheel. I haven't observed that in the ITS yet.


I must have gotten really lucky, no rattle in my car yet at all. But the electronic wastegate noise is really annoying though.

 

[PedalMore]

eculley: Thank you so much for taking the time to give your impressions so far! Very helpful.

I had been lurking as I won’t be in the market until first quarter of ‘24 but just signed up as member so I could respond to your post.

check idlestopper.com for a solution to the drive mode issue. $95 gets you a plug and play solution which will electronically select Individual mode within 2-3 secs after start up(pushes the button for you). There is a short thread about it here. When I checked the site it had the ‘23 Integra listed(it also solves their engine start/stop issue) so I contacted them. They promptly replied and said they thought it would work for the ‘24 Type S but give me time to look it up at work(it was the weekend). Sure enough, Monday morning I got a second reply, that yes, their product would put the car in individual mode on every start. Oh, and when I rechecked their site a day or two later, they had amended the listing to include both the ‘23 and ‘24 Integras. They seem to be on their game.

 

[eculley]

eculley: Thank you so much for taking the time to give your impressions so far! Very helpful.

I had been lurking as I won’t be in the market until first quarter of ‘24 but just signed up as member so I could respond to your post.

check idlestopper.com for a solution to the drive mode issue. $95 gets you a plug and play solution which will electronically select Individual mode within 2-3 secs after start up(pushes the button for you). There is a short thread about it here. When I checked the site it had the ‘23 Integra listed(it also solves their engine start/stop issue) so I contacted them. They promptly replied and said they thought it would work for the ‘24 Type S but give me time to look it up at work(it was the weekend). Sure enough, Monday morning I got a second reply, that yes, their product would put the car in individual mode on every start. Oh, and when I rechecked their site a day or two later, they had amended the listing to include both the ‘23 and ‘24 Integras. They seem to be on their game.

nice! I’ll check it out!

 

[ZeroGSR]

eculley: Thank you so much for taking the time to give your impressions so far! Very helpful.

I had been lurking as I won’t be in the market until first quarter of ‘24 but just signed up as member so I could respond to your post.

check idlestopper.com for a solution to the drive mode issue. $95 gets you a plug and play solution which will electronically select Individual mode within 2-3 secs after start up(pushes the button for you). There is a short thread about it here. When I checked the site it had the ‘23 Integra listed(it also solves their engine start/stop issue) so I contacted them. They promptly replied and said they thought it would work for the ‘24 Type S but give me time to look it up at work(it was the weekend). Sure enough, Monday morning I got a second reply, that yes, their product would put the car in individual mode on every start. Oh, and when I rechecked their site a day or two later, they had amended the listing to include both the ‘23 and ‘24 Integras. They seem to be on their game.

Anyone seen install instructions for the IDS module? I only found it for idle stop or for the TLX. I assume it just goes inline with the mode selector switch in the center console?

 

[eculley]

Did you turn off lane keep assist on the dashboard via the steering wheel? I turned it off on the first first day of having the car and it never happened again in 500 miles. Also, make sure to turn off the Road Departure Mitigation system too, that might be the thing that is yelling at you.

Are you sure what you're feeling is torque steer? there's no doubt that the car has FWD dynamics but my previous experience of torque steer, 2 Mini JCW and a modded Audi A3, is that with heavy acceleration in a streight line, the car will to the side and jerk the steering wheel. I haven't observed that in the ITS yet.


I must have gotten really lucky, no rattle in my car yet at all. But the electronic wastegate noise is really annoying though.

im Finally taking it to Acura to help remedy the few rattles I have left. Crossing my fingers!

I do get some minor torque steer when driving it hard.. but I guess it could be some tramlining..

while I mentioned torque steer specifically, the other fwd dynamics are what I’m really eluding to in that fyi (like under steer correction not working with more power like it does in a rwd car).. kinda just arguing against the “feels like a rwd car” comment I’ve seen on some YouTube videos. Coming from my m2, I was really excited to drive this and see what magic they came up with.. it just feels like a really good car with fwd dynamics, and that’s ok. And again, I’m not even close to a professional driver so take it for what it is.

also can I just say using these message boards on iOS / safari is really challenging lol!

 

[PicklesTheCat]

im Finally taking it to Acura to help remedy the few rattles I have left. Crossing my fingers!

I do get some minor torque steer when driving it hard.. but I guess it could be some tramlining..

while I mentioned torque steer specifically, the other fwd dynamics are what I’m really eluding to in that fyi (like under steer correction not working with more power like it does in a rwd car).. kinda just arguing against the “feels like a rwd car” comment I’ve seen on some YouTube videos. Coming from my m2, I was really excited to drive this and see what magic they came up with.. it just feels like a really good car with fwd dynamics, and that’s ok. And again, I’m not even close to a professional driver so take it for what it is.

also can I just say using these message boards on iOS / safari is really challenging lol!

It took me an embarassing amount of time to figure out how to quote!

I don't think I've seen anyone credible claim this car drive like a RWD car, maybe it's more the feeling that the car is very well balanced, and the steering feels unencumbered by other mechanical bits. Which are the usual pitfalls of other FWD cars.

Speaking of BMWs, their sporty cars have very exaggerated "RWD Driving characteristics" baked into their suspension geometry so that might also skew your reference point as well.

 

[eculley]

It took me an embarassing amount of time to figure out how to quote!

I don't think I've seen anyone credible claim this car drive like a RWD car, maybe it's more the feeling that the car is very well balanced, and the steering feels unencumbered by other mechanical bits. Which are the usual pitfalls of other FWD cars.

Speaking of BMWs, their sporty cars have very exaggerated "RWD Driving characteristics" baked into their suspension geometry so that might also skew your reference point as well.

Quite true.

 

[optronix]

Threads like this are important. I'll chime in with my 3 days worth of ownership, I'll sure I'll be able to add to this as the weeks go on. My driving has consisted of getting it out every chance I can but I'm still only at about 120 miles. But most of those miles have been on decent windy roads, very few highway miles so far. I've put the car through what it can take up to ~4k rpm. I'm getting to know it more and more each day.

I agree with most of your assessment. There's no denying it feels like a front-wheel drive car, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing in the case of the ITS. Every other front-drive car I've driven has led me to conclude that it's just not for me, but I was willing to give this car a try and so far I'm very glad I did. It will take some adjustment, but that's fine. The inputs and handling characteristics are all still S tier. Even under 4k rpm, I can tell the power is going to be perfectly adequate on the street. I too am still thrilled with the driving dynamics.

I still think the shifter is ace. Maybe it's not the "life-changing experience" some reviewers kind of set expectations at, but it is fantastic and I can't imagine it getting much better. Any more clickity-snickity would be annoying for me personally. It's fine, and it's wonderful... and truth be told it's part of the reason I bought the car. I was so impressed with my son's 2012 Civic Si that I figured the Type R/ITS would have be even better, and it is. Also agree with all aspects of shifting gears. Personally I love the rev-matching because I've always sucked at heel-toe due to my size 12s, and I like how it varies in intensity among the drive modes. I don't see myself every turning it off TBH. Clutch is great. It's an easy car to drive, and also easy to drive fast. *caveat- I've never driven a modern Mustang/Camaro so have no context for comparison- but (I guess it'll be a theme in this "review" lol), I have driven a few Porsches and BMWs.

I am however unfortunately beginning to experience some unwanted rattles. Coming from what I think it likely the seatbelt area. I don't think this will be a huge issue for me, as all of my Porsches exhibited similar behaviors; omg especially the Boxsters. I'll get over it, or turn the sound system up.

Sound system is actually not as great as I was expecting, but I won't call it a disappointment. My ears are ridiculously spoiled by the Burmester in my wife's Macan. The ELS is really good, but definitely not as great as the Burmester- and that's fine. The Burmester is a $5k option.

The seats so far are not an issue, and are actually better than I expected. I wouldn't mind if they were cooled, but the grip and bolstering are adequate for my 5'11" 180lb *humblebrag* athletic frame.

I sort of agree on the wheels. It does look odd from certain angles. But it's not a bad stance for OEM. There are plenty of ways to fix this, and it's not exclusive to Acura/Honda- pretty much every car has some room for improvement in this department. Personally I can't see myself going down to 18s but I think this will finally be the car I get spacers on. I don't hate it, but it could be better.

I got the heated steering wheel, and I actually agree that the leather is quite smooth and almost slippery. But it's also brand spanking new. I'm sure it will feel differently in a few hundred miles, just like the Porsche did. If you like Alcantara, definitely recommend going that route. The grip from alcantara is unmatched, and adds to the experience. My wife hates it though, but I may re-assess in a few months. Maybe keep alcantara on in the summer and swap to heated in the winter along with the tires? Who knows.

More on weather- ANYONE would complain about rear seat ventilation in July heat, ESPECIALLY IN TEXAS!!!!! Not a valid complaint IMHO, not this month. Try again in September.

I'm pretty sure you can turn off hill assist with a button on the lower right corner next to the shifter... and I'll echo my sentiments on the "can't it just start in individual mode" complaint- it's one friggin button, man. Not a big deal lol. I had to turn off auto-start and/or switch to sport mode in every Porsche I've owned EXCEPT the Macan. In the Macan I still need to turn a knob counter-clockwise to put it in Individual, yes, every time I get in the car. NOT A BIG DEAL.

You do have to go through the steering wheel menus (on the right) to turn off lane assist. In the "safety features" menu or something like that. I think I'm going to turn all of them off. I also turned off auto-high beam. It's great if you live in BFE, but in my neighborhood that shit is annoying.

Overall I'm still completely enamored with this car, and I actively look for opportunities throughout the day to go drive it. I actually pulled something in my neck and am literally typing this with an ice pack over it waiting for the acetaminophen to kick in so I can go drive it again this evening. It seems to look better every time I see it- I can't believe I'm loving the Performance Red as much as I am! But it looks great in every color. Today was the first day I noticed the noises, and I do hope they go away in time (it is a brand new car after all, noises may come and go), but overall I'm pretty confident they won't lead to buyer's remorse- especially since I know that far more "premium brands" are still susceptible to this. Sports cars make noises... maybe the isolation of the cabin amplifies the rattles and buzzing? Possibly... but you can always just turn the radio up, or roll the windows down! I'm pretty sure that will drown out any squeaks or rattles.

I'll post more thoughts once I get past the break-in a few weeks from now, see if the honeymoon continues.

 

[eculley]

Threads like this are important. I'll chime in with my 3 days worth of ownership, I'll sure I'll be able to add to this as the weeks go on. My driving has consisted of getting it out every chance I can but I'm still only at about 120 miles. But most of those miles have been on decent windy roads, very few highway miles so far. I've put the car through what it can take up to ~4k rpm. I'm getting to know it more and more each day.

I agree with most of your assessment. There's no denying it feels like a front-wheel drive car, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing in the case of the ITS. Every other front-drive car I've had has led me to conclude that it's just not for me, but I was willing to give this car a try and so far I'm very glad I did. It will take some adjustment, but that's fine. The inputs and handling characteristics are all still S tier. Even under 4k rpm, I can tell the power is going to be perfectly adequate on the street. I too am still thrilled with the driving dynamics.

I still think the shifter is ace. Maybe it's not the "life-changing experience" some reviewers kind of set expectations at, but it is fantastic and I can't imagine it getting much better. Any more clickity-snickity would be annoying for me personally. It's fine, and it's wonderful... and truth be told it's part of the reason I bought the car. I was so impressed with my son's 2012 Civic Si that I figured the Type R/ITS would have be even better, and it is. Also agree with all aspects of shifting gears. Personally I love the rev-matching because I've always sucked at heel-toe due to my size 12s, and I like how it varies in intensity among the drive modes. I don't see myself every turning it off TBH. Clutch is great. It's an easy car to drive, and also easy to drive fast. *caveat- I've never driven a modern Mustang/Camaro so have no context for comparison- but (I guess it'll be a theme in this "review" lol), I have driven a few Porsches and BMWs.

I am however unfortunately beginning to experience some unwanted rattles. Coming from what I think it likely the seatbelt area. I don't think this will be a huge issue for me, as all of my Porsches exhibited similar behaviors; omg especially the Boxsters. I'll get over it, or turn the sound system up.

Sound system is actually not as great as I was expecting, but I won't call it a disappointment. My ears are ridiculously spoiled by the Burmester in my wife's Macan. The ELS is really good, but definitely not as great as the Burmester- and that's fine. The Burmester is a $5k option.

The seats so far are not an issue, and are actually better than I expected. I wouldn't mind if they were cooled, but the grip and bolstering are adequate for my 5'11" 180lb *humblebrag* athletic frame.

I sort of agree on the wheels. It does look odd from certain angles. But it's not a bad stance for OEM. There are plenty of ways to fix this, and it's not exclusive to Acura/Honda- pretty much every car has some room for improvement in this department. Personally I can't see myself going down to 18s but I think this will finally be the car I get spacers on. I don't hate it, but it could be better.

I got the heated steering wheel, and I actually agree that the leather is quite smooth and almost slippery. But it's also brand spanking new. I'm sure it will feel differently in a few hundred miles, just like the Porsche did. If you like Alcantara, definitely recommend going that route. The grip from alcantara is unmatched, and adds to the experience. My wife hates it though, but I may re-assess in a few months. Maybe keep alcantara on in the summer and swap to heated in the winter along with the tires? Who knows.

More on weather- ANYONE would complain about rear seat ventilation in July heat, ESPECIALLY IN TEXAS!!!!! Not a valid complaint IMHO, not this month. Try again in September.

I'm pretty sure you can turn off hill assist with a button on the lower right corner next to the shifter... and I'll echo my sentiments on the "can't it just start in individual mode" complaint- it's one friggin button, man. Not a big deal lol. I had to turn off auto-start and/or switch to sport mode in every Porsche I've owned EXCEPT the Macan. In the Macan I still need to turn a knob counter-clockwise to put it in Individual, yes, every time I get in the car. NOT A BIG DEAL.

You do have to go through the steering wheel menus (on the right) to turn off lane assist. In the "safety features" menu or something like that. I think I'm going to turn all of them off. I also turned off auto-high beam. It's great if you live in BFE, but in my neighborhood that shit is annoying.

Overall I'm still completely enamored with this car, and I actively look for opportunities throughout the day to go drive it. I actually pulled something in my neck and am literally typing this with an ice pack over it waiting for the acetaminophen to kick in so I can go drive it again this evening. It seems to look better every time I see it- I can't believe I'm loving the Performance Red as much as I am! But it looks great in every color. Today was the first day I noticed the noises, and I do hope they go away in time (it is a brand new car after all, noises may come and go), but overall I'm pretty confident they won't lead to buyer's remorse- especially since I know that far more "premium brands" are still susceptible to this. Sports cars make noises... maybe the isolation of the cabin amplifies the rattles and buzzing? Possibly... but you can always just turn the radio up, or roll the windows down! I'm pretty sure that will drown out any squeaks or rattles.

I'll post more thoughts once I get past the break-in a few weeks from now, see if the honeymoon continues.

I really appreciate the thoughtful response! Much appreciated!

To this point:

"I am however unfortunately beginning to experience some unwanted rattles. Coming from what I think it likely the seatbelt area. I don't think this will be a huge issue for me, as all of my Porsches exhibited similar behaviors; omg especially the Boxsters. I'll get over it, or turn the sound system up. "

Lord knows I've had some rattles in my cars. What frustrates me is that we should not in THIS car. If I buy a CTR, the car targeting a more "hardcore" customer base, I would accept buzzes here and there. Less money spent on it. Stiffer suspension. Less focus on "luxury" features and more on track times. This is the Acura. There should be a process that Q/As this stuff. And also, let me really iterate that it has been really bad in my car. I wish I was exaggerating. Honestly wouldn't care if it was a slight buzz here and there.

 

[eculley]

But at the same time, it doesn’t really matter. We all know the dealer is going to find them all immediately and fix them without damaging my trim.

 

[optronix]

I really appreciate the thoughtful response! Much appreciated!

To this point:

"I am however unfortunately beginning to experience some unwanted rattles. Coming from what I think it likely the seatbelt area. I don't think this will be a huge issue for me, as all of my Porsches exhibited similar behaviors; omg especially the Boxsters. I'll get over it, or turn the sound system up. "

Lord knows I've had some rattles in my cars. What frustrates me is that we should not in THIS car. If I buy a CTR, the car targeting a more "hardcore" customer base, I would accept buzzes here and there. Less money spent on it. Stiffer suspension. Less focus on "luxury" features and more on track times. This is the Acura. There should be a process that Q/As this stuff. And also, let me really iterate that it has been really bad in my car. I wish I was exaggerating. Honestly wouldn't care if it was a slight buzz here and there.

No, I get it. It is annoying... but I've also come to just accept it. As cliche and probably irritating as it sounds, it only bothers you if you let it. I had a horrific dash rattle in the first Boxster I owned, and it trained my mind to just let it go, because everything else about the car was magnificent. Passenger seat belt rattles persisted through every other Porsche sports car I owned, which (embarrassingly) consisted of two more Boxsters and a 911. And you want to talk tire noise- that 911 sound like a jet taking off on bad pavement. Mine was an S, so had the full assortment of sound deadening so the only explanation I had was just the sheer size of those rear tires (305s).

I do think there's something about the Acura though, where it is aside from the (mild, relative to other sports cars) tire noise a pretty quiet cabin. Any squeaks or rattles are going to stand out. And yeah- I think at this point it's kind of a theme. Enough of us have noticed to where it's a trend.

All this to say, I didn't intend to undermine your complaint. More to commiserate, and offer my suggestion of what works for me- which is, quite simply, to not let myself get too bothered by it.

 

[eculley]

No, I get it. It is annoying... but I've also come to just accept it. As cliche and probably irritating as it sounds, it only bothers you if you let it. I had a horrific dash rattle in the first Boxster I owned, and it trained my mind to just let it go, because everything else about the car was magnificent. Passenger seat belt rattles persisted through every other Porsche sports car I owned, which (embarrassingly) consisted of two more Boxsters and a 911. And you want to talk tire noise- that 911 sound like a jet taking off on bad pavement. Mine was an S, so had the full assortment of sound deadening so the only explanation I had was just the sheer size of those rear tires (305s).

I do think there's something about the Acura though, where it is aside from the (mild, relative to other sports cars) tire noise a pretty quiet cabin. Any squeaks or rattles are going to stand out. And yeah- I think at this point it's kind of a theme. Enough of us have noticed to where it's a trend.

All this to say, I didn't intend to undermine your complaint. More to commiserate, and offer my suggestion of what works for me- which is, quite simply, to not let myself get too bothered by it.

After this thread dies I’ll suffer in silence. I love the car.

 

[ABPDE5]

I've had mine a month now, and I've put just under 1200 miles on it in that time.

The first two weeks I couldn't stop driving it. I'd wake up and just want to be done with my day so I could go for a drive, and while I'm no longer fiending quite so hard, I still look for opportunities to take it for a spin.

I'd agree there's a little bit of torque steer -- just right when you get on it at 100% throttle in 2nd (and less so in 3rd) when the tires are first struggling for grip. It's gone in an instant, though. It's certainly not like the torque steer I'm used to in other FWD cars. And, I'm actually glad that tiny bit is there; it's fun, and it gives the car some character. I quite like this version of FWD. If I was looking for a track day star, I wouldn't take it over RWD, but I think I actually prefer this for the street. The limit on this car is very high; it never feels incapable / uncomposed (granted it will start to understeer if you really push it), and the way it pulls you through corners and hills / valleys is addicting.

I still think the shifter is ace. Maybe it's not the "life-changing experience" some reviewers kind of set expectations at, but it is fantastic and I can't imagine it getting much better. Any more clickity-snickity would be annoying for me personally.

I think this is probably why we disagreed on the 6MT in the 981... I prefer that clickity-snickity, and I do wish the shifter in the ITS was a little more firm. (Not to say it isn't great.) I've got a set of Acuity cable and base bushings, and I'm planning on their rocker arm once it's available. I think that should "tighten the screws" just enough for me.

The car has excellent inputs and feedback; it's as entertaining as any modern offering on back roads, and it's more than comfortable in traffic or on the highway (certainly compromised in a straight line from a stop and not the most luxurious, but well beyond adequate in both the power / torque and creature comfort categories, imo). Luckily, I've managed to dodge the rattles, etc. so far. Best of luck hunting those down...

 

[Lflouie]

My thoughts tossed into a thread. Not formatted perfectly and there will be typos.

Most of us posted in the demo impressions thread with our personal opinions, but I am looking to start a discussion focusing on everyones thoughts after owning the ITS a bit longer.

I just rolled over 700 miles and have drive my car in varying circumstances, including some spirited driving and daily commutes.

Let me preface my opinions with where I come from. With exception to the MK8 GTI I drove briefly before the ITS, I don't have a lot of RECENT experience driving FWD cars. Before the GTI, I owned a Giulia QV, SS1LE, M2 Comp, M340, PP2 Mustang and a few trucks / SUVs. None of these were super long term as I was buying / selling since the market was in my favor to do so. So take some of this with a grain of salt as I am not 100 percent comfortable with the car in the most extreme circumstances. (Just haven't pushed it to that point, yet.)

Firstly, I'll address my biggest point and that is in fact the FWD nature of the ITS. You've likely seen YouTube channels say things like "It doesn't feel like a FWD car" or "it doesn't torque steer", or even "it feels like a RWD car".. well.. not true. It absolutely feels like a FWD car (because it is one) and it absolutely torque steers. Maybe not as bad as something like a Focus ST or a MazdaSpeed3, but it does do it. With that being said, the car handles like a dream. The LSD does a great job in pulling you through corners. If you're coming from something RWD, you just need to adjust how you approach power when cornering and the car will do the rest.

Second, let me talk about the shifter. It's not the second coming of Jesus, y'all. It's good, but it's not the best I've used. With a little work adding some rigidity to the setup (ie: PRL or Acuity shifter and base bushings as a start), it can definitely improve the slight slop on the left and right side of the gearbox. While it's leaps and bounds above the MT-82 in the Mustang or the BMW setup in the M2, it's not quite as good as the Tremec in the 1LE or GT350. The clutch is INSANELY light and I like it. I didn't think I would, but I do. I can shift quickly and the revs drop right away. Just need to improve the shifter feel a little bit and I will be a happy camper.

So all in all, I am really happy with the dynamics of the car. I am still very much a noob with FWD at the limits, but I have confidence the car is not holding me back, I am.



Now onto the rest.

Holy hell, I have never ever heard so many rattles in a new car in my life. I totally understand this is likely not the case for everyone, but it is for me. I'll link some videos shortly showcasing a few that I am trying to get rid of now. I already took the seatbelt shoulder sliders a part on both driver and passenger side to reduce some of the buzzing In my ears, but it's like wack-a-mole in this car with rattles. You find one and three more show up. This is, by far, my biggest gripe with the car overall. If I wasn't battling these rattles, I would be so much happier with my purchase. But when I hear them, I am immediately reminded that I paid $54k for this car and I don't feel awesome about it.

The seats are OK. I talked about this in my demo impressions. I like that they are firm, but wish there was a little more bolstering. The seating position is just a tad higher than I would prefer but it's minor. Something as simple as adding adjustable bolsters could have been a great middle ground.

Wish the steering wheel was flat bottom and for some reason I found the leather on the stock wheel to be oddly smooth (this might sound crazy, lol). It just felt like my hands were slipping off of the wheel mores than other leather wheels I was used to. Installing the alcantara wheel was the right move for me. The reason I prefer flat bottoms is because I am on the taller side.. my knees are an inch away from the bottom of the wheel so I am limited with the amount of room available to toss the wheel around.

Love the audio system! I'll leave it at that. I am not an audiophile, but this system sounds great to me.

PS4S tires are loud. This is my first time using them and I think they are louder than other performance tires I've used. Not sure if others can comment on this. Also don't really care, just something to note.

This car desperately needs new wheels or spacers. The more I look at it, the more it bothers me (especially the rears). They are sunken into the wheel and with the fender flares, it just looks odd at certain angles. Looking forward to dropping to an 18 inch wheel with different tires.

I didn't think the lack of rear vents would bother me but I took some coworkers to lunch the other day and they were complaining the whole time. It's rare I have rear passengers so this is a small issue but living in Texas, this could be a problem for some people. I will say that tinting the windows (and the windshield), helped a lot.

Would love to see physical buttons for rev match and safety features. Would love if the car could start in individual or sport+ modes.

I think the infotainment is great. The UI is easy to navigate and wireless CarPlay is always nice to have. The gauge cluster could have been handled better... just wish there was more customization with it. Look at the Mk8 Golf (just a tac / speedo right in the middle with everything else removed).

Gas mileage is not as good as I thought it'd be and the tank is SO SMALL. empty to full, I think it takes 12gal. During the break in period (really easy driving) I was averaging 20ish. Not great, not terrible.

Can we not turn off hill assist anywhere? ARG!
Can we not fully turn off lane assist? ARG! Turned it off but I still get yelled at for touching the lanes line.

Summary - I love driving my ITS but the interior fit and finish makes me question the asking price.

What do you all think now that you've had more time with it?

Great summary......this type of feedback is invaluable....thks.

As a current 2021 QV owner, I'd appreciate your feedback relative to your QV experience.

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