Subaru’s BRZ sports coupe is back with more power, better cornering ability and a sharper design, ideal for a mid-life crisis or the cash-strapped enthusiast.
Here are five things to know about the 2022 Subaru BRZ.
It’s a purist’s delight with driver-engagement bags.
Rear-wheel drive, naturally aspirated engine, manual gearbox, and at a cost of $45,000, affordable to many. Such funky purebreds are rare breeds today. No turbo means instant throttle response from a 174kW/250Nm 2.4-litre boxer four-cylinder. That’s 22kW and 38Nm over the previous car – not huge gains, but it’s more powerful and quicker than the old one. You can buy one with an automatic gearbox, but that would be a mistake. The six-speed manual transmission is a short-throw delight unmatched on this side of a Porsche 911. Grip from the Michelin PS4 tires is excellent, and the handling is an exuberant combination of fun and confidence-inspiring roadholding. Precise steering and ample brakes complete the package.
It’s not exactly fast, but who cares?
In a world where supercars and hypercars hit 100km/h in under three seconds, the BRZ’s roughly six-second sprint isn’t fast. But that is not the point. You can explore BRZ’s abilities almost to their limits on a decent winding road. Try it out in a hypercar and you’ll risk jail time or an accident to compete with a plane crash. Subaru got it ringing right and you enjoy a pure, smiley driving experience without the supercar anxiety. Its clean and subtle styling blends in much better than a Lamborghini too.
Practicality is not a strong
The BRZ is short, so it pays to have healthy knees, back, and leg muscles. If not, it’s a sloppy entry and exit. There’s reasonable space for driver and passenger, and the low driving position is a delight. If you have two children, like me, they will not be happy. The rear seats are deep buckets to help headroom, but it’s claustrophobic and the climber needs Ninja Warrior skills. Leg room? Eh no. Simply cross your legs over the seat base. The trunk is a tickle of 201 litres,
But in this age of repair kits, it’s surprising to find a full-size replacement. It’s a shame that it takes up most of the trunk, but it still fits a couple of shopping bags.
The cabin is not the best.
Subaru spent money on perfecting the driving experience rather than interior delights. There’s too much hard plastic for the center console, door covers, dash and switch, while the “floating” touchscreen looks glued on and isn’t very easy to operate. But there is quality where it counts. Suede seats with leather sides bolster and support well, and there’s bouncy suede on the doors and above the instrument binnacle. Heated front seats, a digital instrument cluster, and satellite navigation are welcome comforts, but only car-equipped models get comprehensive driver-assist tech. Manuals get a blind-spot monitor, lane change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert, but worryingly no automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, or lane departure warning. Subaru did not submit the car for ANCAP testing.
There are rivals to take into account
The twin Toyota GR86 under the skin of the BRZ is coming in the next few months – it sold out in 90 minutes in the UK and should do the same here. The old but still sublime Mazda MX-5 RF Hardtop starts at $47,000 drive-thru, making the BRZ look cheap. There’s not much to compete with a BRZ for fun versus dollars, but it’s not cheap to drive. Consumption is 9.5 l/100 km and requires expensive premium fuel of 98 RON. It costs $2,390 for service over five years, while a new
The Michelin set costs $1,300. However, there are worse ways to spend your money.
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