2019 Subaru BRZ Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byJason KavanaghSenior Vehicle Test Engineer

　　Jason joined zzdcar' testing team in 2006 as a vehicle testing engineer. Jason believes true appreciation of modern cars stems from owning really, really bad old ones.

　　

What's new

New limited-edition Series.Gray trim levelOver-the-air updates added to the navigation systemPart of the first BRZ generation introduced in 2013

　　When it was introduced in 2013, the Subaru BRZ was like a cool, refreshing drink of water in an arid wasteland. At the time, there were few sporting vehicles that weighed less than 3,000 pounds and drove their rear wheels. The BRZ's compact size, sharp dynamics and low price of entry were a revelation.

　　It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. The main target of criticism was its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine's characteristics in everyday driving. It was coarse-sounding and exhibited a dearth of torque right smack-dab in the middle of the rev range.

　　The 2019 Subaru BRZ is much the same car, despite running changes over the years. A significant engine overhaul in 2017 resulted in an almost unnoticeable uptick in power and remarkably similar power delivery to the previous engine. There have also been a few minor tweaks to the suspension tuning along the way but nothing that fundamentally alters the plot.

　　There are some great alternatives if you want more power, such as the Honda Civic and the Hyundai Veloster. Nevertheless, the BRZ remains what it has always been: a rewarding, lightweight and affordable sport coupe. We're just waiting for the turbo.

　　

What's it like to live with?

Get to know even more about the Subaru BRZ! Learn about day-to-day ownership from our editorial experts' long-term test of a 2013 Limited. We know it is fun and relatively affordable. How comfortable was the ride? How was the fuel economy? Was the cargo room big enough for everyday use? Learn this and more from our test. Note that the 2019 BRZ differs slightly from the 2013 model we tested — the manual-transmission version gained more power in 2017 — but our coverage is otherwise applicable.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

7.4 / 10

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Subaru BRZ (2.0L flat-4 | 6-speed manual | RWD).

　　NOTE: Since this test was conducted in 2017, the current BRZ has received some revisions, including a revised infotainment system in 2018. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's BRZ, however.

　　

Scorecard

Overall	7.4 / 10
Driving	8.0
Comfort	7.5
Interior	7.5
Utility	7.5
Technology	5.5

　　

Driving

8.0

　　When it comes to feel, precision and handling, the BRZ is near the top of the class. It's an absolute blast to drive this car around turns. But the BRZ's weakest link is the engine. Its performance and thrashy sound are disappointing and knock the score down a notch.

　　

Acceleration

6.0

　　The manual-equipped BRZ is tricky to launch aggressively because of its quick clutch engagement. Our best run yielded a 0-60 mph time of 6.9 seconds, which is underwhelming for a sport coupe. The engine suffers from a lack of midrange torque, too, which makes for sluggish roll-on highway passes and the like.

　　

Braking

7.5

　　Initial impressions are very good, with a firm but easy-to-modulate pedal feel around town. And there's fairly impressive stopping power and grip from the relatively humble tires. But during aggressive driving, the pedal becomes harder to modulate.

　　

Steering

9.0

　　As it should be for a car like this, steering is very direct and nearly telepathic. The steering's quick nature rewards smooth driving and minimal inputs.

　　

Handling

8.5

　　The BRZ is wonderfully playful, and it's refreshing to drive a car that doesn't demand triple-digit speeds to return triple-digit heart rates. It's rear-wheel-drive, though, and can get darty if you're too reactive or lose focus. Managing rear-end grip is the key.

　　

Drivability

7.0

　　The shifter requires some effort in order to change gears, but throws are short and shift gates are well-defined. It's down to the flat-four engine here. It's responsive below 3,000 rpm but falls flat on its face when you need it most. Longer highway grades can't be pulled in sixth gear.

　　

Comfort

7.5

　　There's nothing to complain about if performance and sheer driving pleasure are what you're all about. To the more casual driver, though, the Subaru might seem a little noisy, rough riding and confining.

　　

Seat comfort

7.5

　　Other than the upper part of the seats looking like wetsuits (Katzkin, anyone?), they offer great lateral torso support. But leg support is lacking, and your back will get hot very quickly because these seats do not breathe well.

　　

Ride comfort

7.5

　　It doesn't crash over bumps, but you'll feel every little imperfection. Overall, the BRZ's suspension does a good job of maintaining body control, but it might be too stiff for those who aren't committed to putting exciting handling over a comfortable ride.

　　

Noise & vibration

6.0

　　These tires bring the noise on coarse surfaces. Sound deadening is kept to a minimum, so the BRZ is definitely on the loud side. Wind noise becomes quite noticeable at higher speeds. It's never too much for the enthusiast, but passengers might disagree. The engine can sound thrashy at high rpm, too.

　　

Climate control

7.5

　　With a small cabin and big vents, this dual-zone system works well enough to cool things down quickly. The controls seem needlessly ornate, don't match the rest of the cabin, and can be blocked by the shifter when in the odd-numbered gears.

　　

Interior

7.5

　　The Subaru isn't going to win any interior design awards. But with plenty of space, good visibility and most every control at your fingertips, the BRZ is a comfortable companion through spirited driving.

　　

Ease of use

6.0

　　Subaru has packed a lot of redundancy into this small space. The control layout is cluttered, though. And while it's not unusable, you can get confused over which interface you're supposed to use.

　　

Getting in/getting out

7.5

　　As expected, the BRZ sits low to the ground. But a wide door opening and unobtrusive seat cushion help make it relatively easy to get in. Rear-seat access is nearly a joke; it's a tiny step-through. And the front seats do not return to the way you had them configured after sliding them forward.

　　

Driving position

8.5

　　For as low as you sit, the preferred driving position is surprisingly upright. It does take a bit of getting used to, but the seat adjustments and distance from the seat to the wheel and pedals should be agreeable to most drivers.

　　

Roominess

7.5

　　There's ample room for the front passengers. Nothing with feelings can sit in the back. But for this class of car, rear-seat space isn't typically a priority.

　　

Visibility

8.0

　　With a tall, wide windshield and a low hood, forward visibility is pretty good. The view out the back is a little compromised, but the rear-quarter windows do help when changing lanes. A fairly high-resolution backup camera aids in the tightest of quarters, but we wish the displayed images were larger.

　　

Quality

7.5

　　With such a firm ride and a rigid chassis, it'll be interesting to see how the BRZ holds up over time, but we didn't notice any squeaks or rattles in our test car. The hollow-sounding doors are reminders of the car's light weight, but nothing feels on the cheap side.

　　

Utility

7.5

　　A small coupe like the BRZ certainly has its storage space disadvantages, but with folding rear seats and a real-world usable trunk the BRZ shouldn't be reserved to weekend duty.

　　

Small-item storage

7.0

　　Small, hard plastic door pockets and a center console tray with removable cupholders are about all you get in the BRZ. It's not great, but at least the items stored are truly out of your way while driving vigorously.

　　

Cargo space

8.0

　　While the trunk opening isn't particularly generous, it can hold a decent amount of smaller-size items. With the back seat folded, the BRZ will swallow a set of tires. The narrowing of the trunk into the back seat can make it difficult to slide wider items through.

　　

Technology

5.5

　　The BRZ's technology is dated. Even though it's new for Subaru, the touchscreen's mismatched appearances, lack of features and cluttered operation leave you wishing you could buy a BRZ without any of it at all.

　　

Audio & navigation

5.0

　　The interface in the BRZ is a real disappointment. The 6.2-inch touchscreen interface lacks speed and features and is not intuitive to use. For this reason, getting the Limited with its upgraded infotainment system is a good idea.

　　

Driver aids

7.5

　　The BRZ lacks most of today's advanced driver safety aids. The stability control system works well and can be adjusted to allow the driver to have a little more tail-out fun. The advanced driver will still prefer to defeat the system entirely, which can be done easily.

　　

Voice control

6.5

　　Voice recognition is commendable, never missing a word, but the voice that speaks back is unnatural and dated. The system is a bit slow to access music and playlists, and even with the clumsy manual interface, it's simply faster to do it yourself.

　　

Which BRZ does zzdcar recommend?

　　For those looking for the most features, the Limited trim is the one to get. It's replete with creature comforts and offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are entirely absent from the BRZ's twin, the Toyota 86. We also recommend the Limited's Performance package for buyers who seek better stopping power and more grip. No matter which version suits your fancy, we recommend getting the manual gearbox.

　　

2019 Subaru BRZ models

　　The 2019 Subaru BRZ is a two-door sport coupe available in three trim levels: Premium, Limited and the limited-production Series.Gray. All of them come with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive. With the standard six-speed manual, the engine produces 205 horsepower and 156 pound-feet of torque. Those figures dip to 200 hp and 151 lb-ft with the optional six-speed automatic transmission.

　　Standard equipment on the BRZ Premium includes 17-inch wheels, summer performance tires, LED headlights, a trunk spoiler, heated mirrors, a height-adjustable driver's seat, cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, a folding rear seatback, a 6.2-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, a variety of smartphone-streaming audio apps, dual USB ports, and an eight-speaker sound system with a media player interface, an auxiliary audio jack, a CD player and satellite radio.

　　Stepping up to the BRZ Limited adds LED foglights, keyless ignition and entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, simulated-suede upholstery with outer seat portions in black leather, heated front seats, an enhanced trip computer display, and a 7-inch touchscreen that brings with it integrated TomTom navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

　　Only the Limited can be fitted with the optional automatic transmission. Its optional Performance package adds Sachs performance dampers, Brembo high-performance brakes and gray-painted alloy wheels.

　　The limited-edition Series.Gray trim comes with unique wheels, cabin trim and badges, a frameless rearview mirror, and the Performance package.

　　

2019 BRZ Highlights

Trim: PremiumLimitedSeries.GrayPremium

　　

Base MSRP	$25,795
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	24 MPG
Cost to Drive	$192/month
Seating	4 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	6.9 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles