Subaru BRZ test: the last dance

If they summon you to a circuit with the excuse of getting behind the wheel of a sports car, the answer is always yes, of course. In this case, there were certain conditions: the circuit was for go-karts and the car to drive was the only unit that exists in all of Europe, so you couldn’t play with fire… Despite everything, here is the first test of the Subaru BRZ 2023.

As you can guess, in this brief contact with the second generation Subaru BRZ I have not been able to draw very definitive conclusions about this jewel with wheels that Subaru has put on the market, but it has been more than enough to reveal the obvious: it is a toy that you should buy without hesitation.

As you probably already know, this Subaru BRZ is the same car as the Toyota GR86, the result of an agreement between the two brands, so go ahead because what I am going to tell you here coincides very much with what I already wrote at the time in the Toyota GR86 test. At the end I tell you if I would buy one or the other.

Of course, it is also fair to recognize that the person who manufactures the car in both cases is Subaru at its factory in Gunam (Japan).

This is the new Subaru BRZ inside and out

Its design is that of the classic coupé, low, wide and aggressive in appearance. And, despite this, it offers two testimonial rear seats.

The front bumper has large air intakes and on the sides there are muscular lines, prominent wheel arches and air vents to improve both aerodynamic response and the exhaust of hot air from the brakes.

And from the rear, what most attracts my attention is the spoiler integrated into the gate, which is a duck tail type.

The cabin is simple, very horizontal. It doesn’t dazzle with its design, but I like it, because it’s almost retro. Of course, there is no shortage of details that speak in its favor, such as the red embroidery, the aluminum bottom bracket or the red details of the upholstery.

It has a 7-inch TFT screen and digital instrument panel, although I must say that the graphics of the interface already shows something anchored in time. It is not that this is the key to dismissing your purchase, because it is not what you should worry about the most in a sports car, but it is.

Engine and features of the BRZ 2023

This Subaru BRZ mounts a new four-cylinder boxer engine (horizontally opposed cylinders), located in the front position with 2.4 liters of displacement. Before it was also a four-cylinder boxer, but 2.0 liters. Thus, the power goes from 200 to 234 CV.

But the most important fact is that the torque figure goes from 205 to 250 Nm. And before it reached that figure at 6,400 rpm and now, instead, it delivers 250 Nm at 3,700 rpm. And that means that the throttle response is more immediate. The car feels much more powerful.

This improvement is motivated not only by the increase in displacement, but because the intake and exhaust line have been thoroughly reinforced and have also managed to reduce engine friction.

The benefits are the ones that dictate the sentence, because before it went from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds and now it takes 6.3 seconds. It is not a huge difference, but above all there is a significant change in sensations.

The BRZ is rear-wheel drive, meaning power is sent via a six-speed manual gearbox to the rear axle. The feel of the change is precise and the routes quite short, although an even shorter group can be ordered as an option. Something that I don’t think is necessary, unless you are going to squeeze it to the limit in rally sections with linked curves.

Dynamic test of the Subaru BRZ 2023

Time to get behind the wheel on this twisty circuit. No, it’s not ideal for this car, but the conditions I had to abide by were these and that’s not why I stopped enjoying it.

The driving position is really low, but once you fall into the sports seats you feel very integrated with the car. They are not bacquet type, but the side petals hold your back well.

The engine sounds more understated than you’d like when it starts up, but under full throttle the dual exhaust, which is topped with tails that look like 2-pound cans of crushed tomatoes, intones a roar that makes it clear who’s boss in the car. current jungle of electrified cars.

As the new engine is positioned as low as possible, this means a lower center of gravity. In addition, being more compact in size, it is lighter. And all this helps you improve your dynamic response.

Using the Subaru Global Platform and new methods such as inner frame construction and the application of structural adhesives, the new body offers a 60% increase in front lateral flexural rigidity and a 50% increase in torsional rigidity.

All of this, so you know what I mean, translates into better steering response, which is really quick and direct, as well as more agile handling and better cornering traction.

Factors to decide the purchase of the Subaru BRZ

Subaru BRZ or Toyota GR86? Well, what do you want me to tell you, there are minimal aesthetic nuances and different color options that might tip the scales to one side or the other, according to your personal tastes, but I would tell you how much it mounts…

The price of this Subaru BRZ 2023 is 39,500 euros. Yes, more expensive than the GR86, but the BRZ comes standard with 18″ wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires, that is to say, as if you added the ‘Touring Pack’ in the Toyota, although in this case without improving the brakes, everything has to be said.

What you can add in the Subaru sports car are aerodynamic accessories that will be offered as an extra from the dealer. They are glossy black and are added under the front bumper, on the sides and as a diffuser (in gray in this case) and a spoiler. The price for these additions has not yet been set, but it will be around 2,000-3,000 euros.

And one last key piece of information: if you like it, don’t take long to decide, because only 50 units are going to arrive in Spain (at the moment) and production will stop in October, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to make the latter. dance with a sport like the ones that no longer remain…