2023 Subaru BRZ
Overview
The BRZ sports car is one of today’s most exciting affordable automobiles. Like its Toyota GR86 mechanical twin it puts an emphasis on driving fun. It’s small, light, and nimble. That and ingredients like vivid steering feedback, a standard six-speed manual transmission, and a low seating position cook up entertainment the way only a well-honed compact rear-drive coupe can. The BRZ is motivated by Subaru’s 2.4-liter, 228-hp flat-four engine, which has plenty of power to move this small two-plus-two briskly. Inside, the BRZ makes an excellent case for the manual transmission with a confident-feeling, low-effort shifter. The BRZ’s responsive handling and impressive cornering grip practically beg you to take it to an autocross weekend. But the BRZ is also surprisingly practical, with plenty of useful interior storage cubbies and a rear jump seat—much like the one in the Porsche 911—that’s capable of hauling small fry or bags of groceries. In fact, if you fold down the rear seat there should even be enough room to fit a second set of sticky tires, should that autocross weekend beckon.
What’s New for 2023?
Subaru doesn’t make any significant changes to the BRZ for this year.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
Subaru offers the 2023 BRZ in two trim levels: Premium and Limited. We’d spring for the Limited, as it adds desirable features such as 18-inch aluminum wheels, summer tires, and blind-spot monitoring. A six-speed manual is standard and is the transmission best suited for Subaru’s sports car, but those who prefer an automatic can get one for $1500.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Under the hood of the BRZ is a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter flat-four-cylinder engine with 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Power is routed to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or an optional six-speed automatic transmission. The 2.4-liter feels more responsive than the previous model’s 2.0-liter engine, even if it’s not enough to make the BRZ the quickest car in town. But it does improve acceleration times significantly: the six-speed manual BRZ Limited we tested sprang to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds and reached the quarter-mile in 13.9 seconds at 101 mph. That’s nearly a full second quicker to 60 mph than the previous-gen BRZ tS. Our test car tipped the scales at 2843 pounds which is a little heavier than the last BRZ, but still quite svelte by today’s sports-car standards. Our driving impressions revealed tons of steering feedback, sure-footed cornering composure, and the ability to swing the tail out. Its ride quality is on the firm side, but it contributes to the car’s playfulness. While every model comes standard with a limited-slip rear differential, the Premium model rolls on a set of 17-inch wheels while the higher-performance Limited wears 18-inchers.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
According to EPA estimates, the most fuel-efficient BRZ is the automatic with 25 mpg combined, 21 mpg in the city, and 30 mpg on the highway. Those estimates dip slightly for models with the six-speed manual to 22 mpg combined, 20 mpg in the city, and 27 mpg for highway travel. Once we have the chance to run one on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen, we can evaluate its real-world mpg. For more information about the BRZ’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Inside, the BRZ uses a driver-centric design and 2+2 seating configuration, and the cabin boasts a sporty aesthetic with modern technology. Facing the driver is a 7.0-inch fully digital gauge cluster that makes the tachometer the main attraction, with the circular readout even switching to a linear graph in the Track drive mode. A pair of heavily bolstered front seats look to keep passengers securely in place during hard cornering, and they’re dressed up with red accents to promote the coupe’s racy intentions. In addition to the low seating position, Subaru says the BRZ has excellent forward visibility thanks to thin front roof pillars. A sizable cargo area that can hold four tires (for track days, of course) with the rear seats folded remains a pillar of the coupe’s practical nature.
The Car and Driver Difference
Infotainment and Connectivity
Every BRZ features an 8.0-inch touchscreen mounted in the center of the dashboard that acts as the hub for its infotainment system. Thankfully, the display doesn’t rely solely on touch inputs, with physical knobs for volume and tuning functions as well as several hard buttons. The system comes standard with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and access to SiriusXM satellite radio.
How to Buy and Maintain a Car
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
When it comes to driver-assistance technology, Subaru offers its EyeSight system on automatic-equipped models. For more information about the BRZ’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
Available forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking Available lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist Available adaptive cruise control
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Subaru provides a competitive, albeit unspectacular, limited and powertrain warranty. Unlike the Toyota 86, the BRZ doesn’t come with complimentary scheduled maintenance.
Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles No complimentary scheduled maintenance
Specifications
Specifications
2022 Subaru BRZ Limited
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $31,455/$31,455
Options: none
ENGINE
DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection
Displacement: 146 in3, 2387 cm3
Power: 228 hp @ 7000 rpm
Torque: 184 lb-ft @ 3700 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 11.6-in vented disc/11.4-in vented disc
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4
215/40R-18 85Y
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 101.4 in
Length: 167.9 in
Width: 69.9 in
Height: 51.6 in
Passenger Volume: 78 ft3
Cargo Volume: 6 ft3
Curb Weight: 2843 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.4 sec
100 mph: 13.6 sec
1/4-Mile: 13.9 sec @ 101 mph
130 mph: 26.7 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.5 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 9.1 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 8.2 sec
Top Speed (C/D est): 140 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 152 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 316 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.99 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 23 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 22/20/27 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
More Features and Specs
