It may be a bit manic for day-to-day use, but the 2024 Subaru BRZ sure knows how to entertain. Brilliant handling, crisp steering, reasonable power (yes, really), and overall polish earn it an easy 9 on the TCC scale. You can’t call yourself a car enthusiast without considering the BRZ to be a proper sports car.
No. These are rear-wheel-drive cars and they’re proud of it.
How fast is the Subaru BRZ?
It’s plenty quick. The 2.4-liter flat-4 pushes 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels via either 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions. Either way, look for a sprint to 60 mph in around six seconds, which makes the BRZ as peppy as it needs to be. Sure, a turbo would be fun, but it wouldn’t be as balanced. This is the kind of car you can drive at 9-10ths without attracting attention from Johnny Law, after all. Try that in a WRX.
The manual is our clear favorite thanks to its slippery gear shift, and it’s better for extracting power from the flat-4. That said, the 6-speed manual gearbox’s shifts are well-coordinated, and it has paddles for those times when you want to row it yourself.
Base versions ride on 17-inch wheels, while other models are dressed in 18s. There’s a distinct driving difference. Opt for the base version and it’ll give up grip quicker, but not without plenty of warning. It’s a drifter of the highest order. The bigger and wider 18s are fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires that grip and grip all day long, but even they will eventually let go. They do so with less warning, which means these cars are better suited for autocross driving where drifting is less critical and you’re less likely to test the rubber’s limits.
Ride quality is fine, all things considered. The suspension absorbs the road well, though tire profiles are short. The result is a firm but compliant ride that can be tolerated on a day-to-day basis.
Precise, communicative steering works in the BRZ’s favor at any speed. Its brakes are fine in Premium and Limited trims, but not necessarily suited for repeated on-track use. For that, look at the new tS with its Brembos. Its brakes should resist fade far better.
