The affordable sports car lives on in the Subaru BRZ

Driver assistance. High automation. Full autonomous driving. Cars and trucks are literally driving themselves these days. That’s all great if you don’t like to drive or are into the high-tech driving experience. If, however, you are more old-school or are an enthusiast who enjoys being totally involved in every aspect of the driving experience, these self-driving (or near self-driving) vehicles are a letdown. But there are a few vehicles out there that are the exception – and still offer a true, hands-on driving feeling – and the Subaru BRZ is one of them.

The Subaru BRZ continues to be a car that is totally different from anything Subaru has ever made. There is no all-wheel drive system and unlike most Subarus, there is no turbocharger under the hood. And on snow-packed roads, the BRZ is probably the last car you want to be driving.

But put the BRZ on your favorite twisty, empty road and you’ll easily see its reason for its existence. Named for its boxer engine, rear-wheel drive layout and zenith (don’t ask), the BRZ is a sports-car built the way a sports car used to be built. It’s lightweight, looks great and has excellent handling abilities. Throw in the fact that the BRZ is rear-wheel drive and is reasonably priced, and the BRZ looks better by the minute.

About its looks, the handsome BRZ poses a long hood flanked by oversized fender flares. It’s stylish and very well proportioned and sits close to the ground giving it a low center of gravity. Tipping the scales at barely 2,900 pounds, the BRZ is one of the lightest coupes on the market today.

Under that low hood is about the only thing loyal Subaru owners will recognize in the BRZ. A 2.4 liter naturally aspirated boxer (flat) four-cylinder engine makes 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. But maybe even more important than the power it makes is the fact that being a boxer-style engine it sits low in the engine bay, contributing to the BRZ’s centralized weight mass. The BRZ can be fitted with either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic with manual gear changes by way of the steering-wheel mounted paddles.

For 2024, the BRZ is offered with a new performance package. STi, a division of Subaru that stands for Subaru Tecnica International and is associated with speed, precision engineering, and driving pleasure has added their touch to the BRZ. Called tS, for “tuned by STi”, it consists of better Brembo brakes, more performance-oriented tires, and some minor suspension upgrades. STi badges are sprinkled inside and out of the BRZ.

Inside the BRZ there is a simple, no-frills interior. Like the rest of the car, it looks good but most of all, serves a purpose. The deeply sculpted seats are firm and heavily bolstered yet are very comfortable. The dash sports all the vital gauges you need and the center stack houses the radio and climate control systems. The BRZ is listed as a 2+2 meaning there is a back seat, but it is more ornamental than functional. I know I wouldn’t want to spend any time back there.

But behind the small steering wheel, it’s a different story. The driving position and the view out over the flared fenders is artfully attractive. Start the car, rev the flat four and row the short shifter through its gears and you’ll swear the BRZ is athletic and poised as Tom Brady was in the pocket. The steering is race-car tight, and the body control is spot on. Its tight chassis and low, evenly distributed weight give the car amazing dynamics and superb reflexes. The engine is loud and not particularly powerful, allowing some to make the case that it needs a turbo. Not me. While the BRZ isn’t fast, it’s plenty brisk and it loves to rev all the way up to its redline. The amount of power the boxer engine makes seems to be in perfect tune with the geometry of the car.

Another advantage to the motor is its solid fuel economy – 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

You can probably tell I am a bit smitten over the Subaru BRZ. Really, it’s a car that proves that you don’t need loads of fancy technology or lots of cylinders to get it right when making a sports car. With the BRZ, Subaru has shown that keeping it simple, lightweight and well-balanced is the real key. And it doesn’t need to have a high price tag, either. The BRZ starts at just $31,500, with the tester, being a BRZ tS coming in at $36,465.

While a lot of people are looking forward to cars driving themselves, there are still others, myself included, that prefer to do the driving, and a car like the BRZ makes that driving experience extremely engaging which in itself is entertaining.
– Christopher A. Randazzo

By The Numbers:

2024 Subaru BRZ tS

Base Price: $35,345.00
Price as Tested: $36,495.00
Layout: front-engine / rear-wheel drive
Engine: 2.4 liter horizontally-opposed 4-cylinder
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Horsepower: 228 hp
Torque: 184 ft-lbs torque
Fuel economy: 20 mpg city / 27 mpg highway

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