Subaru BRZ (2012-2026)
VerifiedAlso referred to as: Subaru BRZ 2025 and Subaru BRZ 2027.14 reviews
- +8
Updated in all the right ways – This new BRZ has more power, new styling and other mechanical updates that make it appealing on paper for those looking for an upgrade from their old BRZ. It’s a rare beast too. There’s no turbocharger, it's rear-wheel drive, and it's a two-door sports car, all for a reasonable asking price. The BRZ was never known for being built like a… Read more
luxury vehicle. It’s an affordable sports car that puts it’s R&D budget towards driving dynamics first, followed by everything else in this car.
The second generation BRZ has seen a big step up in quality in the form of additional padding, leather/cloth seats, new screens and even more stitching.
The new BRZ starts from $40,290 for the entry-level manual transmission model through to this model. This is the BRZ S - it’s the automatic, and it tops the range at $45,390 before on-road costs.
Despite recent price increases, the BRZ is a sharply priced product. There’s a suite of safety features added to the new car and there are meaningful mechanical upgrades thrown in there too.
I wouldn’t recommend buying this specific model, unless you really want the few safety features the automatic transmission brings to the BRZ.
All Subarus come with a 5 year/unlimited kilometre warranty and a capped price service program. Surprisingly, Subaru’s sports car has better coverage over its capped price service program than the Forester. You’re covered for 5 years or 75,000km (whichever comes first) and the total cost of servicing during this period is $2,474.70.
The speaker system in the new BRZ is a fine way to enjoy phone calls, music or podcasts. It’s not going to create a sense of total immersion, but at least these speakers resist rattling or distorting the sound they produce.
Something you need to be acutely aware of is that road noise is very apparent on the highway. There aren’t many cars that I make a point to inform potential buyers about excessive road noise, but the BRZ is one of them.
If you’re looking for a shouty exhaust note, you’ll need to go aftermarket. There’s an artificial engine sound that can only be disabled at a Subaru dealership. This is all done to compensate for that extremely quiet exhaust sound, despite there being two very real exhaust exits.
Braking is a little more important in a car like this. I’m pleased to say that although these brakes look basic, they perform with few flaws.
The set up and initial bite is a smooth transition, allowing for steady control without upsetting the car's chassis, even at high speeds. For day-to-day use, and even track use, the BRZ’s brakes are extremely in tune with what this car is trying to achieve.
The stereo cameras behind the rear vision mirror - known as Subaru’s ‘EyeSight’ camera system - also offer a safety net in the form of autonomous emergency braking. Initially this system will be only offered in cars fitted with the automatic transmission and omitted from manual transmission cars.
Power and acceleration have always been a controversial point in Subaru’s sports cars. The original 2.0L flat four motor produced a mediocre amount of power, and struggled to put power to the ground with its skinny economical tyres.
The big news with the new BRZ is its new motor. We now have 2.5L on hand, 174kW and 249Nm of power! It’s not just power that’s good about this motor, it’s the fact that Subaru flattened the torque dip around 4,000rpm to avoid any unnecessary impact to performance. That torque dipped has been flattened and raised so that its trough is higher than the peak torque produced by the previous engine.
Acceleration is quoted at 6.3 seconds for the manual, and 6.8 seconds for the automatic - yet another reason to buy the manual.
The automatic 6-speed transmission isn’t the most engaging option you can pick to complement the BRZ.
It’s easy to use day to day, and it’s a comfortable drive. There’s even a set of paddle shifters on the steering wheel to add a little more engagement. Yet, this is still the dull transmission option for this car. It’s slow to change gears, semi-responsive on downshifts and doesn’t even have a sequential shifting pattern for manual mode.
Regardless of how improved the automatic transmission feels, I'd only be opting for the manual if I was buying a new BRZ.
The underlying reason why anyone would buy a BRZ over any sports car below $100,000 would be its chassis’ design and construction.
There’s been a rework in rigidity - so much so that the new BRZ is 50% more stiff than the previous generation. Add in the fact this has one of the lowest centres of gravity in any front-engined sports car and you have a recipe for handling success.
Sending power solely to the rear wheels allows the front wheels to focus on steering, and encourages the driver to exit corners at a higher rate of speed.
The BRZ is able to translate what’s happening with the car and how it’s interacting with the road through to your seat and steering wheel. It’s a sensation that’s so rare to find in cars these days, as more and more cars become disconnected from the actual drive and focus more on comfort.
I was especially fond of the suspension setup in its ability to keep the car flat through hard corners, while also being softly sprung enough to not feel like a weekly trip to the chiropractor was needed.
This is an addictive car to drive, and you’ll want to find roads with plenty of turns to exploit what makes the new BRZ so great.
When you combine the added power, a naturally aspirated motor, a rigid chassis and rear-wheel drive, you end up with a recipe no other car can match at this price point. That is, unless you want two fewer seats and a soft top convertible.
With a claimed consumption of 9.5L per 100km, the BRZ is relatively fuel efficient if you’re not heavy on the throttle.
With no turbocharger on hand, fuel consumption might look a little high on occasion. However, we achieved figures around 9-10L per 100km of driving during our week with the BRZ.
What’s not so appealing is the fact this motor only accepts 98 octane fuel, so you’re going to be buying top shelf fuel. It’s a little strange considering higher output engines from other brands can accept lower octane and cheaper fuels.
The interior design of the new BRZ is sparse, but not without meaningful changes.
A digital driver’s instrument cluster in the shape of a boxer engine design starts the experience with a unique starting animation. There’s a centre touchscreen that looks like it came straight from 2008, however it sports Subaru’s infotainment software, which is wildly useful.
I especially appreciate how you can turn off the screen to focus solely on the drive.
Seat design up front is excellent for a stock seat. There’s plenty of lateral support, and adjustability to get comfortable for a range of conditions.
Add in the fact that you have Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, heated seats and radar cruise control, and you can see why the BRZ appeals to such a broad range of owners.
Fold the rear seats down, and you have one of the best features of the BRZ. The car is designed to house another set of wheels and tyres with the space the boot and folded seats provide. Although, I really wish there was a cover for the spare tyre that’s bolted and exposed in the rear boot.
I’m certain that this is the pure benchmark for driver engagement and enjoyment for under $100,000. There’s only one other car doing the same thing, and that’s the Mazda MX-5. Amongst a plethora of turbocharged hot hatches, the BRZ is the driver's choice, as you’re able to feel connected to it in all the right ways.
I hope just as many buyers order the new one as they did with the previous generation, as we need to send a message to automotive manufacturers to continue to make affordable sports cars just like this - just make sure you order it as a manual.
*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.
Best value for buck sports car on planet? – My daily driver and weekend fun toy. My full felt review here: https://youtu.be/wAteD7YT0Ek In this YouTube video review I drive the car and explain how I feel while driving it which completely immerses me in the fun factor and engagement offered by this little sports car that has re-enlivened my passion for Subaru that I had when the first WRXs… Read more · 1
came out. Since then I’ve had two WRXs ( one was STI) and a Liberty by STI. I have owned a mustang, Volkswagen sirocco golf GTI , Boxster. Hard to get but get in line!
Old school sports car sensations in modern package, but not for everyone – My frank appraisal, 8000km in to ownership. I've been mildly obsessed with the Toyo-baru twins since their 2012 launch after having read widely on them, seen them collect numerous international awards, and having briefly driven a 2012 86. I thought it wise to delay my purchase until the car reached the latter part of its life cycle, bringing… Read more · 1
with it the usual range of updates and changes, and sometimes limited edition models with extra goodies:
As soon as the Performance Pack was released with the 2017MY upgrade, I knew this was the car to go for.
It is my wife's daily driver, and she is fond of it. She considers it as easy to drive as a Fiesta, a doddle to drive around town, she thinks it looks fabulous in crystal pearl without looking pretentious or too bling and its accurate and precise to drive. The bluetooth has been at times problematic, not detecting a pre-paired phone. Irritating.
Bluetooth, cruise-control and reverse camera are welcome essentials however.
Exterior - This is a fine looking car, excellent proportions and crisp, athletic lines; crystal pearl highlights these aspects. This car doesn't have a bad angle visually. The low rake of the bonnet and low roof look athletic. The dark multispoke alloys unique to this model are the best in the whole lineup imo, and work superbly with the red Brembo brake calipers. The black exterior highlights include the side mirrors and small boot-lid wing. Bonnet is so low, thanks to horizontal layout of engine.
Interior Pos - Rear seats for occasional use (ideally not adults!) Alcantara and mock leather, and red stitching on the seats lift the ambiance. Boot is fine for gear for 2 people for a weekend away. Will also swallow 4 wheels with rear seats folded flat (cue track day) Headrests can be removed and re-inserted backwards to accommodate helmets (think about that- engineered with circuit use in mind). Bravo. Seats are low with supportive bolstering along thighs, hips and back.
Neg - Cheap hard plastics in some areas. - Tiny rear seats - Piano black chrome around infotainment system and embossed BRZ on seats are a bit too bling for our tastes.
Driving - Pos -First thing that strikes you is the driving position - it is just spot on. You sit low with legs extended out in front of you, not beneath you like in most cars. The steering wheel is small, with lovely texture and sits nice and square in front of you. It's 911 good. Getting in and out seems to be a common complaint, but to have one of the lowest driving positions and centre of gravity on the market is key to making it a communicative driver's car, and those for whom it is too difficult could consider something like a Golf GTI or Clio RS, with higher centres of gravity and more upright driving positions, reasons why they are not sports cars.
Touch points all fall to hand naturally, the pedals a well spaced for heel and towing on downshifts. Steering has decent weight to it, and is very precise; the car feels very alert and responsive to inputs. . Gearbox is precise, well weighted, very accurate action, short throw, love it. Performance Pack gets a shorter final drive ratio which creates the feeling or rapid progress when really on it. Gears come and go very quickly and the shortened FD keeps the engine on the boil and imparts a sense of sportiness. Brake pedal has excellent modulation, good feel, not bitey or over-assisted (hello Audi). They are a tad squeaky first thing at times. They work beautifully on circuit too, excellent modulation, powerful and don't fade over a 20min session. That the brake package comes from the Impreza STi, which is 300kg heavier and has 50% more power means this is a big spec brake package for this little car. Dampers on this car are German Sachs units, with revised roll bars and spring rates. The car is firm but not uncomfortable; it seems to have a pliancy over smaller lumps and bumps which may be down to its low weight also. Suspension composure is excellent at speed.
The chassis is brilliant. There is a clear sense of the rear axle rotating just behind your hips, with drive going to the rear, front axle is left alone to steer, throw in low centre of gravity, low weight, zero slop in all touch points, and you have an outstanding driver's car.
Neg - Ingress/egress could be a challenge. - Brakes a tad squeaky when cold. - Brembo package should have been offered on the car from its release in 2012.
Engine- The Subaru FA20 is not going to win International Engine on the Year award. Still, it manages 200hp from an atmospheric 2.0L. The flat-4 potters along on a light throttle at normal engine speeds (2-3000rpm) and is unobtrusive and responsive to small inputs, perfectly adequate for daily commuting. Heavier throttle elicits a snarly intake noise but slightly gruff note which won't please everyone, and sounds a bit industrial and uninspiring and nothing like a RenaultSport atmo 4 or Honda VTEC etc. On heavy throttle the infamous 'flat-spot' in power delivery exists between 3-5000rpm. It doesn't lose power, it just feels to be mapped for good throttle response down low and up high. In isolation I don't think it's a biggie, but will be for some, particularly those accustomed to modern mainstream turbo engines which give everything they have low down, leaving little up top. Above 5000rpm when really on it, the engine develops a hardened intensity, is pretty noisy in the cabin and is pretty pleasing. Averaging 7.6L/100km mainly urban driving.
Neg - I'm guessing that the drive by wire throttle system appears to contribute to a brief moment of pre-combustion/pinging when going from closed back to a partially open throttle, at times. I've never experienced this problem in any car with cable throttle wire. Perhaps the ECU just takes too long to read and send messages to throttle body, fuel injectors etc. Disappointing this.
Summary It's brilliant, but it's certainly not for everyone. As common a sight as these are on the roads, I wouldn't recommend this as a car to mainstream buyers. It is a focused, simple car with the classic traits of sports cars of years gone. The revvy, but torque-lite engine alone will be too much for many modern consumers to tolerate. However it has enough creature comforts for owners without back/hip/knee health problems to live with daily. It is efficient to run. It is beautiful. It is very refreshing in this era of turbo'd, FWD, auto trans layouts.
Name another series production car which you can use daily, and will actually work on circuit without chucking in the towel after 3 laps, at this price-point, that looks this good, and is this much fun to drive.
Perfect for the younger crowd – Currently I use this car to get to work and cruise it on the weekends. Great for national parks. I drive almost every day. Needs to be serviced every 9 months or when it hits a certain amount of ks (can’t remember how much because the 9 months always comes first for me). never any issues with the car, is certainly a beast of a thing. Hard for older members of life to get in and out. Show details
It seemed like a good idea at the time but – When it came time to replace my beloved 2007 Alfa GT I test-drove several new cars including the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, Honda Civic RS, Hyundai Elantra Sport, Holden Insignia and Subaru BRZ. I opted for the BRZ because I didn't need a large car or one with a lot of power and it was the closest match to the Alfa GT in layout. My BRZ came with… Read more
the upgraded 152 kW motor and a very welcome 5 year warranty period but apart from that and the excellent driving position, sleek bodywork and beautiful white pearl paintwork the rest of the car was a total disappointment.
Problem 1: The 2.0 litre flat four engine is simply awful. It idles "like a diesel", pings unexpectedly whenever the throttle is opened and has been given a deliberately mapped flat spot right in the middle of the power and torque bands!
Who designs and then builds a motor with an "engineered built-in" flat spot. Subaru - that's who.
Problem 2: The engine, gearbox, tail shaft and differential mountings are completely inadequate for the work they have to do. Whether its accelerating from rest, decelerating to standstill or changing gears up or down, the harmonic motion set-up through the drive train is enough to make the driver and unfortunate passengers nauseous, dizzy and on long trips "seasick".
Problem 3: Simply put - the brakes are completely inadequate given the car's power to weight ratio. The upgrade to 4 piston calipers in the tS model would be a huge help but only if the rest of the car was better and you didn't have to pay extra for something that should be standard.
Problem 4: The 17 inch wheels with 215 x 45 tyres are also completely inadequate given the car's power to weight ratio. Compounding this is the limited slip differential's torque vectoring characteristics which creates unnecessary slippage when cornering. The upgrade to 18 inch wheels and rubber would be a huge help but only if the rest of the car was better and you didn't have to pay extra for something that should be standard.
Problem 5: The ECU, throttle body and accelerator pedal must have come straight out of a parts bin containing left over bits and pieces from the 1990s! It takes so long for the drive-by-wire signal from the throttle pedal to reach the throttle body, injectors and spark plugs, that you'd be forgiven in thinking it actually travelled back in time to 1990 before returning and reminding each component to do something.
Problem 6: The suspension is firm and this is understandable given that it's supposed to be a "sports" car but the suspension components are not suited to Australian conditions. The car is unsettled too easily by even the most benign surface undulations and the damper and spring rate settings are so ill matched that the car is not able to resolve the majority of urban and inter-urban road conditions.
The car is gone now - hopefully to someone who doesn't have to drive it everyday but my advice whenever asked is walk past the Subaru dealer, head straight into a VW showroom and buy a Golf Original instead!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR A BEAUTIFUL CAR – Bought this car from Furntree Gully Nissan. It was a fantastic service. Sales team was really good and cooperative to get the car on time. They even came to my place to take the car giving a loan car for our private use and bought the car following day. It is a fantastic little car and a very fun car to drive. Fuel economy is very good. Thank you very much. Show details
Great car at a good price point – Really enjoy this car, has a smooth sporty ride. It is fun but also economical and reliable. The handling is great, although it could do with a little more power. Dashboard is quite boring and basic - I have added my own aftermarket display unit. Great value for money as it is a lot cheaper than a lot of other sports cars Show details
Great perforamnce and handling for a cheap price – Look this is a sports car. This isnt something you get if you value practicality. That being said I daily drove this thing for 2 years with no issues. The rear seats are too small to seat adults they are very useful for storage. Great handling, rear wheel drive, slow acceleration but this thing is made for corners - not the 1/4 mile Show details
Better than a Go Kart ! – Bought this little car about 3 months ago now and have never been as happy to drive ! It is so fun and easy to drive even on the tiniest roads. It's incredibly low consumption as well which is surprising for a sports car. Only issue would be the lack of space at the back if you have passengers ! I fully recommended it if you like fun cars and don't want to spend too much money. Show details
Great Car albeit a little slow – Great handling, not too fast but quick enough around town Decent legroom, Not that great entertainment system for the money you pay but alright for me. Reliable from the day I purchase so I can't comment on that. Will I buy it again if I had the chance. Some qualms but I would. Show details
Perfect car for everyone – Nothing better than SuBaru BRZ, I have one and my other two friends have one each. All second hand but still great performance. Fully recommend for sport car people. All my friend love this BRZ. For me BRZ compare to 86, BRZ more reliable than 86 and way cooler sport car. My second hand 2014 BRZ very worth for $27k. I'm so happy to drive it. Show details
Fun to Drive – What a great car to drive on a twisty road. So far have done 10k kms and it has been excellent. Issues: Gear box oil needed replacing at first service - selling dealer refused to even look at the gearbox after my complaint about it so another local dealer stepped in thank fully. Paint: Very easy to scratch even with Opticoat applied. … Read more
Negatives:
A Little boring to drive around town and lack of power is noticeable especially in stop start traffic.
Positives:
An extremely fun and engaging car to drive once you get out of the city and onto some back twisty roads, i have taken mine onto gravel roads and its great. Once your up and going the engine in fine power wise as plenty on tap once your moving.
Would highly recommend if you enjoy driving.
Great Car – Fun to drive, great handling, i love twisty roads in this car, the steering feels fantastic, not as fast as a golf r good ride comfort for a sports car, could do with a grippy tyres, like toyo rir, don't bother with the satnav, the auto gearbox is excellent,from a lexus is.
Great car, well developed from Subaru and Toyota and very nice to drive – Bought a new brz in 2012, great car with good luxury equipment. Boxer Subaru 2litre naturally aspirated motor, Lexus 6 speed with Lexus LSD nice styling. Great car to drive, steering and handling very nice, power delivery adequate but more power would be welcome, drove up to Gosford in sixth gear along the f3 and didn't have to change gear! But my… Read more
other car ce lancer 1.5litre I would be swapping gears like crazy but didn't mind too much ..lol.. The brz was a replacement car for my old reliable 2001 lancer coupe. However lancer has more back seat space, simple electronics, bigger boot and very cheap to run. Push button start, transponder key, digital speedo, dual zone digital climate control is a huge upgrade in tech.
Leather seats are nice but sat nav was a rip off which I didn't take this option
I suppose people get used to faster cars, like the s2000, 370z, evo x, sti wrx, m3 and golf r which comes with a more expensive price tag but speeding in straight lines isn't everything, cornering requires more skill..
Definitely a car for best bang for buck which is; rwd, fun, sports car and won best performance car under $100k in car sales website back in 2012. It even beat the megane 265, evo x, wrk sti and sorroco r Nice styling, rwd, boxer motor with direct injection, digital speedo, free servicing for 3 years, aftermarket support, Premium petrol diet, Pirus tyres that can be changed anyway, expensive gps sat nav $2100, reverse camera $500
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