The Subaru BRZ is a lightweight sports car which puts driver involvement, excitement and performance at the top of its list of priorities.
The Subaru BRZ marked an exciting new chapter for the firm. Built in collaboration with Toyota, this lightweight performance car showcased a new direction for the brand, standing apart from its usual line-up of chunky off-roaders and SUVs.
A dedicated 2+2, the BRZ is hardly the most practical choice but, with its lightweight design and nimble handling, it soon turned into a cult favourite and is still sought-after on the used market.
Lightweight and great to driveCheaper to maintain than you might thinkRear seats help boost practicality - a touch
Not the most spacious Refinement isn’t the bestRear-driven layout means you need to be careful in poor conditions The Subaru BRZ comes equipped with a good level of safety equipment. There’s a full electronic stability control package to keep things on the straight and narrow, while seven airbags are installed throughout the cabin. Those two rear seats also get ISOFIX child seat mounting points, too, so they can be used for taking little ones about safely.
There’s just a single engine option on the BRZ. It’s a 2.0-litre unit with 197bhp and this is linked to a six-speed manual gearbox, while some versions were available with an automatic. The BRZ isn’t about outright power, but it’ll still manage the 0-60mph sprint in 7.4 seconds before heading on to a 130mph top speed.
All versions of the BRZ get alloy wheels as standard alongside dual-zone climate control and USB connectivity so you can charge devices on the move. Interestingly, Subaru equipped BRZs built after 2017 with a smaller steering wheel - so see which one you like the most SE Lux specification cars gain heated front seats and a satellite navigation system as standard.
The Subaru BRZ should be able to return up to 36.2mpg combined, though this figure was generated under older NEDC tests. Switch to an automatic version and you’ll find this economy improves slightly to 39.8mpg.
As a performance car, there’s a good chance that a used BRZ will have previously been driven quite hard. Make sure that the brakes operate well with plenty of ‘bite’ and look to see that the tyres have a decent amount of tread. Give the manual gearbox a full use, too, and ensure that it’s shifting smoothly. For a more in-depth picture of a BRZ you’re looking to buy, consider an AA Vehicle Inspection. A trained engineer will then provide a detailed report about the car and highlight any issues that they discover.
The Subaru BRZ has proven to be quite reliable and is helped by routine maintenance, so check that any car you’re looking at has a full-service history. This is another area where an AA Vehicle Inspection could help, too.
The Subaru BRZ is available with a single engine option - a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated boxer petrol engine.
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