2022 Subaru BRZ manual tested: cut-price performance

Car prices have soared in the past couple of years, so it’s refreshing to find a sports car that doesn’t cost the earth – and won’t cost you your licence.

Subaru’s sports coupe BRZ is back with more power, better cornering ability and sharper design – ideal for a mid-life crisis or cashed-up enthusiasts.

Here are five things you need to know about the 2022 Subaru BRZ.

It’s a purist’s delight with bags of driver involvement

Rear-wheel-drive, natural-aspirated engine, manual gearbox and, at $45k drive-away, affordable for many. Such pure funsters are rare breeds today. No turbo means instant throttle response from a revvy 174kW/250Nm 2.4-litre boxer four-cylinder. That’s 22kW and 38Nm over the previous car: not huge gains, but it’s punchier and racier than old. You can buy one with an auto gearbox, but that would be a mistake. The six-speed manual’s a short-throw delight unbettered this side of a Porsche 911. Grip from the Michelin PS4 tyres is mega and handling is a lush blend of playfulness and confidence-inspiring roadholding. Sharp steering and ample brakes complete the package.

Subaru’s new BRZ is a relative bargain for driving enthusiasts. Picture: Supplied.

It’s not exactly fast, but who cares?

In a world where supercars and hypercars crack 100km/h in less than three seconds, the BRZ’s roughly six-second sprint ain’t quick. But that’s not the point. You can explore the BRZ’s abilities close-ish to their limits on a decent twisty road. Try that in a hypercar and you’re risking jail time or an accident to rival a plane crash. Subaru’s made it sound properly rorty and you enjoy a pure, grin-giving driving experience without the supercar anxiety. Its clean, subtle styling flies under the radar far better than a Lamborghini too.

Styling is sporty without being too over-the-top. Picture: Supplied.

Practicality isn’t a strong suit

The BRZ is low, so it pays to have healthy knees, back and leg muscles. If not, it’s an ungainly entry and exit. There’s reasonable space for driver and passenger and the low set driving position’s a treat. If you’ve two kids, like me, they won’t be happy. Rear seats are deep buckets to help headroom, but it’s claustrophobic and the clamber in needs Ninja Warrior skills. Leg room? Er, no. Just cross your legs on the seat base. The boot’s a titchy 201 litres,

but in this era of repair kits, it’s amazing to find a full-size spare. Shame it takes up most of the boot, but you can still fit a couple of shopping bags.

The compact dimensions mean the BRZ is best suited to two passengers. Picture: Supplied.

The cabin isn’t the greatest

Subaru’s spent money honing the drive experience rather than interior delights. There’s too much hard plastic for the centre console, door tops, dash and switchgear, while the “floating” touchscreen’s looks stuck-on and it’s not the slickest to operate. But there’s quality where it counts. Leather-sided suede seats bolster and grip well, and there’s racy suede in the doors and atop the instrument binnacle. Heated front seats, a digital instrument cluster and satnav are welcome creature comforts, but only auto-equipped models score comprehensive driver assistance tech. Manuals get a blind-spot monitor, lane-change assist and rear cross-traffic alert, but worryingly no auto emergency braking, adaptive cruise or lane departure warning. Subaru’s not submitted the car for ANCAP testing.

The cabin is fairly basic but the suede-covered seats provide good support. Picture: Supplied.

There are rivals to consider

The BRZ’s twin-under-the-skin Toyota GR86 arrives in coming months – it sold out in 90 minutes in the UK, and should do likewise here. The ageing but still sublime Mazda MX-5 RF Hardtop costs from $47,000 drive-away, making the BRZ look cheap. Not much rivals a BRZ for fun versus dollars, but it’s not cheap to run. Consumption is 9.5L/100km and it demands pricey 98RON premium fuel. It’s $2390 to service over five years while a new

set of Michelins are $1300. There are worse ways to blow your cash, though.