Quick Test Drive: Subaru BRZ

Photo: Joel Stocksdale

Finally! Just a couple days ago, I finally, FINALLY, got behind the wheel of one of the 86 twins, the Subaru BRZ. Since the introduction of the Toyota GT86/Scion FR-S and the Subaru BRZ, I have been desperate to actually get a chance to drive one. The reason being that there has not been a small rear drive sports car to generate this much excitement since the Mazda Miata debuted in 1989, or arguably the Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky twins in 2006. It’s no surprise either since it checks all the right boxes: lightweight, rear wheel drive, naturally aspirated four cylinder, two doors, and a reasonable price. The only real differences seem to be two more seats, a solid roof, and a different company. And, as a current Miata owner and enthusiast, I knew that at some point, I had to drive one of these cars, and that day came last week.

Now I need to preface this test drive with the fact that I probably took my first drive of a BRZ in about the worst possible place: Kansas. Nothing against Kansas, but it’s quite flat here, and as a result, there are very few turns. This wouldn’t be much of a problem in something like an old school muscle car that’s built to go fast in a straight line, but that’s not what a BRZ is made for. The BRZ is, like the Miata, a car for turns. With a lack of turns, it was hard to get a really good feel for the car in the handling department, and so there’s only so much I can say about it.

Photo: Joel Stocksdale

But before we get to handling and performance, let’s start from the top, or rather, the outside. The BRZ that I test drove was painted Sterling Silver Metallic, and I have to say that it looked quite good. I’ve seen a number of FR-Ss and BRZs in a variety of colors, but I think this was the first BRZ I’ve seen in silver. It’s not a color I probably would’ve considered at first. I probably would’ve leaned toward the BRZ-exclusive WR Blue Mica, but I think the silver won me over. It complemented the distinct curves of the rather short body quite nicely. I think it also improved the look of the front end. The front bumper is one of the few actual distinctions between the BRZ and its twin the FR-S. I’ve typically felt that the FR-S front bumper seems to tie in with the rest of the car better than the BRZ’s, but I think that the high contrast between the black grill and the silver paint really worked well, and has me second guessing myself.

Photo: Joel Stocksdale
(Photo of BRZ interior at Indianapolis Auto Show)

 

Inside the BRZ is a very nice place to be as well. The seating position is nice and low. The dashboard is short and the windshield is upright. The two combined offer a very sporty driving position with good visibility. The seats are quite superb as well. The BRZ I drove was a base model Premium car, with the standard cloth seats. I The bolstering is excellent and overall they’re quite attractive. The BRZ is also slightly better equipped from the start than the FR-S, mainly in the form of a touch screen stereo and navigation system and HID headlights, though the base price comes in at $1000 more than the base price of the FR-S. The higher level BRZ Limited also has a couple other more luxurious features unavailable on the FR-S such as automatic climate control, and heated leather seats with Alcantara inserts. Of course these amenities come at a higher price than the regular BRZ Premium.

Photo: Joel Stocksdale

But let’s face it, the most important part of the BRZ is how it drives. So, how does it drive? In a word: great! Despite a lack of twisty roads, I still could tell that the BRZ could be an all around blast. In fact, it’s the only car I’ve driven that seems to match my Miata. Everything about it is made to make driving fun. The shifter is well placed and has very nice short throws. The pedals are very well placed and feedback from all three is very good. The tachometer is right where it should be, in the middle, and as I already mentioned, the driving position is excellent. The 200hp flat four engine revs smoothly and has nice, progressive, naturally aspirated power delivery, without being too peaky. The gearbox complements it very well with closely spaced ratios that make it easy to stay in the power band. And while I wasn’t driving hard enough to take advantage of it, the BRZ has a standard Torsen limited-slip differential. With that being said, I can understand how people might prefer more power. I recently test drove a Ford Focus ST, and in comparison with the torquey turbo four cylinder in that, the BRZ did feel a tad sluggish. The BRZ is also in need of a little more growl and snarl from the powertrain. It’s simply too quiet and understated for a car as fun as it is. As far as the handling is concerned, from the few corners and highway merging I could muster, it felt excellent. The steering genuinely felt telepathic. Changing lanes took virtually no effort with the car responding to the slightest beck and call from the steering wheel. The car corners quite flat and it felt reasonably grippy, even with the standard tires that the BRZ and FR-S share with the Prius. The steering was also light and easy to work with. I would almost prefer a little more weight, but then I drive a car with no power steering. It’s also worth noting that the ride is good. It’s firm, but absorbs bumps without much fuss.

Overall, I was very impressed. The BRZ and its Toyota siblings are excellent cars. They absolutely deliver on the promise of being fun, affordable, simple cars that really get at the heart at what makes a car really enjoyable to drive. Most amazing to me, was just how close it felt to driving my beloved Miata. It does everything that mine does, but with a little more refinement, quite a bit more power, and in a more practical package. And any shortcomings that these cars may have, are going to be quickly rectified. The aftermarket is already booming for these cars, as I saw in Tokyo this year, and increasing power is one of the first things being addressed. I also expect factory forced induction options to be available soon. Subaru has a turbo four cylinder based on the BRZ engine in the new Forester, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Toyota offered a supercharger kit through TRD like they’ve done in the past on cars like the Scion tC.

My only regret is that I didn’t get to drive this car where I could get a real feel for it’s capabilities in corners. And I doubt the dealer would let me take it to an autocross. But either way, the BRZ is brilliant, and I think Mazda will have to seriously up their game with the next Miata if they want to stay competitive. And if anyone happens to know someone with a BRZ or FR-S that would be willing to let me drive it on a twistier road or an autocross, feel free to let me know. I promise I’ll be gentle.