2024 Subaru BRZ Coupe

　　

2024 Subaru BRZ Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　, rating written byMark TakahashiSenior Vehicle Test Editor

　　Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of zzdcar' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.

　　In recent years, the selection of sports cars has dwindled as carmakers chase after more lucrative SUV models and pave the way for an electric transition. If you're looking for an affordable sports car, there are even fewer to choose from. That's why we're glad the Subaru BRZ still carries the torch for having fun behind the wheel at an accessible price. Simplicity is the key to the 2024 BRZ, as it focuses on driver engagement over more typical shopper concerns of practicality, comfort and technology. It's not particularly powerful, but the engine output is well matched to the BRZ's spritely curb weight.

　　Subaru has also introduced a new BRZ variant, the tS, which raises the coupe's performance envelope. The suspension has been retuned by STI (Subaru's performance division), and there are also upgraded Brembo brakes and dark gray metallic finished 18-inch alloy wheels.

　　The BRZ is joined by its corporate twin, the Toyota GR86. The two differ mainly in styling and suspension tuning. Of the two cars, we slightly prefer the Subaru, though checking out the GR86 is a good idea as well. Other options include the Mazda MX-5 Miata or the redesigned 2024 Ford Mustang. Overall, the 2024 Subaru BRZ remains a great choice for budget performance and we cover everything you need to know in our Expert Rating.

　　

What’s it like to live with?

zzdcar added a 2022 Subaru BRZ to its long-term test fleet to get a more complete ownership experience. Over a year and 20,000 miles, we cover everything we like as well as a few points where the BRZ could use some improvement.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Great

　　8.3

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

9.0/10

　　How does the BRZ drive? The BRZ's steering and handling are sublime. The quick and highly accurate steering allows you to place the car exactly where you want it through a turn, and the well-tuned suspension and overall balance are great for any kind of driving. Feeling brave and want a little playful tail-out behavior? The BRZ is happy to do it. Or what if you want to carry a mild drift all the way through a corner on a racetrack? No problem here either. The BRZ is light, but not overly so, and fun and grippy when you want it to be.

　　The brakes would likely benefit from more aggressive pads for prolonged hard use — like at a track day event — but otherwise they provide solid stopping power. Our BRZ Limited test car with high-performance summer tires stopped from 60 mph in 106 feet, which is a respectably short distance. The brakes are easy to use around town too, stopping smoothly in day-to-day traffic.

　　The larger engine in this generation BRZ pays dividends from idle all the way to redline. There's no slump of power at midrange rpm like there was in the previous-generation car. At our test track, our manual-equipped BRZ Limited sprinted to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds. That's almost a second quicker than the previous version and similar to the acceleration of the latest Golf GTI (5.9 seconds) and Mazda Miata (6.0 seconds).

　　The six-speed manual transmission's shifter feels positive and precise in your hand as you move through the gates. Opting for the automatic transmission results in slower acceleration (6.9 seconds) but it's easier to live with in heavy traffic. It also comes with paddle shifters and provides quick downshifts when you select Track mode.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the BRZ? The BRZ has a somewhat firm ride but with good compliance and it's able to soak up most road imperfections, especially at higher speeds. This is a car built for the back road and the open highway. Simple manually adjustable seats feature improve bolstering for your upper back and manage to hold you in place without being restrictive. Dual-zone climate control for such a small car seems like overkill, but it does the job.

　　Unfortunately, the BRZ is a bit on the noisy side. Road and tire noise is near constant and very loud. And engine noise, never a strength for the BRZ, is more annoying than evocative.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below