2024 Subaru BRZ tS Review

If you listen to my radio show, you know I really like Subarus, and for good reason!  I usually talk about the great Subaru lineup of SUVs, but they make some pretty amazing cars, too.  This week I have had one of Subaru’s performance cars, the hot BRZ tS coupe, the top-of-the-line in the BRZ trims.  If you are not aware, the BRZ was developed by Subaru in a joint venture with Toyota and this is the sister car to the Toyota GR86 which Amy Plemons has reviewed several times. 

Much like the Subaru WRX I’ve had the privilege to review numerous times, the BRZ tS is made for driving enthusiasts. It is not the fastest car I’ve driven by any stretch, but it is one of the most balanced.  I am super surprised by how Subaru could get so much engineering into a car for this price.  Although this is the only Subaru that does not feature the famous Symmetrical all-wheel drive system that has made this car company famous, it does have the fantastic EyeSight safety system that I rave about.

EyeSight monitors traffic movement from cameras mounted high on the windshield.  It optimizes cruise control, and if you stray out of your lane it will center the vehicle back into the lane. The pre-collision braking feature can even apply full braking force in emergency situations.  It works incredibly well. Many automatic emergency braking systems just slow you down to minimize the impact.   

Exterior 

The exterior looks are terrific with 18” alloys and Michelin Pilot Sport tires. In a first for yours truly the Brembo brake calipers are painted gold, and they look amazing! There is LED lighting in front, and the grill is vented for aerodynamics. 

Finishing out the rear is a not-too-large color-matched spoiler and quad exhaust. I am also a big fan of this Blue Pearl color that comes as no charge.

Powertrain 

Under the hood is a 2.4-liter flat 4-cylinder Boxer engine, that provides 228-horses, but it feels like a lot more. It also puts out 184 pound-feet of torque, which is impressive without a turbocharger. The BRZ only comes with a short-throw 6-speed manual transmission that will carry you to 140-miles per hour. I realize the horsepower number doesn’t sound like much, but Subaru has always done an amazing job of getting peak performance out of its engines.  Remember, too, this rear-wheel drive car weighs less than 3,000 pounds.

Interior

The interior is nicely done with Ultrasuede and leather-trimmed performance seats that are bolstered for increased support in performance driving. Both front seats are manually operated and stitched in blue, with a blue stripe on the top and bottom.   The door panels also feature Ultrasuede with soft-touch materials.

The analog gauges are easy to see, and there is a driver info center between the tach and speedometer that operates from the steering wheel.  The gauges change when you hit the Track Mode button.  There is a soft center console that your arm rests on. Aluminum pedals, including a dead pedal, look terrific. One thing that is missing are reachable cup holders.  There are two in the center console where your elbow rests, but you’d have to contort your arms to reach them.  It is not the end of the world considering that trying to drink something while shifting a 6-speed is pretty much not in the cards anyway. 

High on the dash is an 8” touchscreen that houses the Subaru Starlink System.  From there, you operate the sound system, Bluetooth, apps, voice activation, wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto, and the vehicle settings.  This system works great, and it’s easy to figure out, and I always love knobs for volume and tuning.  There are handy apps for live info like fuel prices, sports scores, and evens stock prices.  The screen looks a little antiquated and the backup camera doesn’t have the best resolution I’ve ever seen, but it is acceptable.   

By the way, if you are not familiar with Starlink, available subscription packages offer emergency services and features include Automatic Collision Notification, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Stolen Vehicle Recovery, Vehicle Diagnostic Alerts, Remote Engine Start with Climate Control and more. A Wi-Fi hotspot is available with subscription.

On the center console you have to push the Track Mode button.  Track Mode allows the car to slide more easily and hold a drift longer. It does this by loosening the electronic controls that would normally prevent the car from spinning out. Track mode also allows the rear tires to break free and slide for longer before the electronic controls engage. It’s a ton of fun.  For you chronic drifters, there is an old school emergency brake lever that is easy to access.

Moving to the back, if you have a puppy, it’ll be really comfortable in the back seat, but anything larger than that probably won’t be.  It is tiny with no legroom.  Just consider this a two-seater car with a place for a purse or briefcase.  Cargo area was a nice surprise with room for three pretty good-sized pieces of luggage and that is before you fold the back seats down, which frankly, I would leave down all the time anyway.

Standard Features and Safety

Important standard features include: heated seats, tilt steering wheel, power windows and door locks, automatic headlights, LED fog lights, dual zone automatic climate controlled air conditioning.

On the safety front, you get EyeSight, Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Prevention, Pre-Collision Brake Assist, rear camera, blind spot monitoring, vehicle stability control, and cross-traffic alert. 

My tester does not have a single option on it, so everything I have talked about comes on the tS.

Ride and Drive   

Fuel economy is good for a little speed rocket at 20 in town, and 27 on the highway, for a 20 MPG rating combined.   

If you want to feel as one with a car, this is a great example of what to get.  The low center of gravity, the feel of the six-speed, how it stays flat in hard curves, and the performance of the Hitachi shocks and Subaru’s precise steering adds to the experience.   You’ll get smooth downshifts and the BRZ pulls hard when running through the gears.  You’ll get a beep when you redline the RPMs, which is nice so you can watch the road instead of the tachometer.  You’ll also learn quickly that there is a real sweet spot in 3^rd gear under heavy acceleration.  Words just don’t do this car justice, it is one of those that the more you drive it, the more you love it.

Verdict

MSRP is a more-than-reasonable $36,465. If you need more room and a couple of extra doors, check out the wonderful WRX.