Car driven: 2023 Subaru BRZ Premium
Driven on 10/31/2023 and 11/3/2023
Background: I was thinking about selling my S2000 to get the BRZ/GR86
Review style: incoherent rambling
PART 1 (I drove it twice)
I needed to burn some vacation time (I'm constantly in use-or-lose territory), so I left work, drove out west and took a spin in a used 2023 Subaru BRZ Premium:

Someone just traded this car in- it has a bit over 8000 miles on the clock; which I was happy about, as the car is well past it's break-in period, so I was able to open it up a bit. Disclaimers:
-It was a cooler day today (around 40 degrees F) and the weekend snow is still melting. As a result, I didn't really pitch it around corners much.
-I understand that the BRZ is actually supposed to feel ever-so-slightly softer than the GR86- although for my purposes, it doesn't really matter.
-The exterior of the car is dirty- they literally just wiped the snow off of it while I was on my way. The interior was very clean.
The sales lady was very accommodating. I called before I drove out there and when I got there she just handed me the keys, a dealer plate and sent me on my way. I spent about ~30 minutes driving solo and learned a good amount. My thoughts:
-It's a good car! I can see why everyone loves this thing so much!
-There is a massive difference in this new 2.4L motor vs the old 2.0L motor. It's not even close. At my elevation (5200 ft), the old car felt absolutely gutless- I could never get over how slow it felt. Objectively I think it was quicker than it felt, but the mid-range torque dip really killed it for me. The new 2.4L now pulls pretty strongly across the rev range. Even though it revs to around 7500rpm, it never feels like an old school Honda motor- it feels more like a bigger Miata motor- very linear. I now have no problems with the power it makes- it's fairly quick. I think it's probably just a touch quicker than the S2000, but due to the shorter wheelbase and open roof, the S2000 feels a lot quicker when revving it out; in truth, the S2000 feels much quicker than it actually is. Around town, the BRZ's 2.4L motor has a good bit more torque than the S2000 and doesn't feel nearly as gutless as the S2000 does down low.
They definitely piped a bit of extra sound into the cabin... like, quite a bit of extra noise. I didn't mind it, but if I'm being honest, this engine doesn't exactly sound good. It's okay. Not the worst sound I've ever heard, but I could take it or leave it. With that said, although the car has good power/torque, I don't feel like the engine has much character. I never felt rewarded for wringing the motor out, but it does feel good/strong throughout the rev range. Subaru has done a great job for what is otherwise a tarted up Forester engine.
-I didn't really push the car hard through corners due to the cold and melting snow all over. I have a feeling it's very good, based on the inputs I did receive. The steering is very light and the car seems to be very eager to change direction. It feels very light on its toes. The steering feels a good bit lighter than the steering in my S2000 and a LOT lighter than the steering in my 128i. I think the feel of the steering is maybe a bit better than the S2000's, but it can't hold a candle to my Integra or BMW that both have hydraulic racks.
Body motions are very well controlled. The car is certainly firm, but it's not what I would call stiff. Honestly, it's pretty reasonable for a sporty street car. I would have no qualms with taking this car on a longer road trip.
At freeway speeds, the BRZ certainly isn't as darty as my S2000... but it is noticeably dartier than my 128i. The door sill on the driver's door is a bit low, not leaving me with a place to rest my left arm while cruising. Not a deal breaker, but the car certainly doesn't cruise as well as the BMW- which really shouldn't shock anyone.
I would have preferred a bit more weight to the steering- while the car felt eager to rotate, it does feel very much like a fingertips kind of car. It's not bad at all, but I've certainly been spoiled by my 128i's steering which is nicely weighted, making the car feel more planted.
-The clutch was super easy to use! Not heavy in the least and very easy to drive smoothly. I know is has a spring on it that some people remove, but for driving in traffic, I would leave the stock spring in there.
The shifter was also pretty good. Much better than the 1st gen cars I drove. Very easy to find gears, solid throws, overall very intuitive. It feels more mechanical than the more rubbery throws in my BMW and had no difficulty even while cold (she might have warmed up the car before I got there?), which is something I can't say about my Honda's that need a bit of heat, but it still doesn't feel as good/mechanical as either of my old Honda's. Honestly, I've driven just about everything under the sun and no manual shifter feels as good as golden age Honda's. I like the BRZ's shifter just fine- in the absence of other cars (namely old Honda's), I would probably be pretty impressed.
-The seats are a mixed bag. The seating position is GREAT! Forward visibility is GREAT! I thought the overall ergonomics are pretty good for my frame- I had no issues reaching for the steering wheel or shifter. I thought the back bolsters were very comfortable... but the seat bottom bolsters pinch me a bit too much for my liking. I'm a bigger guy and I usually like to splay my legs out a bit while driving... which, I can technically do, but in doing so, my right leg ends up sitting on TOP of the seat bolster and feels pinched/awkward. If I ever got one of these cars, I would likely remove the seat and see if I could bend the heck out of the seat bottom bolsters so it would stop pinching my leg.
Does it hurt me knee to drive? Maybe. It was hard to tell, honestly. So, not nearly as bad as the GR Corolla which caused me pain within minutes... but maybe. I could feel a bit of discomfort. I suspect that it had something to do with the lower seat bottom bolster putting my right leg in an odd position. I had a similar problem with an aftermarket seat in the past- I bent the hell out of it with a pry bar and it was fine. Maybe bending it would do the trick here? I'll be honest, it does make me a bit wary of spending $30k+ on something I feel like I would need to modify to drive comfortably. I don't remember having this issue with the 1st gen cars.
-There is quite a bit of wind/road noise within the car. I've read all the reviews of Subaru/Toyota cutting costs by not using sound deadening.... the rumors are true. It's not convertible noisy, but it seems to be just as noisy (maybe noisier?) than my 1996 Integra. Again, not a deal breaker, I don't need a completely isolated cabin, but it was pretty loud.
-The brakes felt pretty weak. I know that's easily fixed with a set of more aggressive pads, but compared to my S2000 (aftermarket pads), Integra (track pads) and BMW, they required a good bit of extra pedal to slow the car down.
-I know everyone says the BRZ is easy to heel-toe, but I was wearing dress shoes (just came from work), so I can't comment. I tried a couple of times but my shoe keep slipping off of the pedals. That might not be the car's fault.
-The car feels very light/tossable. Honestly, it feels a lot like a hardtop coupe Miata. That's about the nicest thing I can say about it.
Overall, it was a positive driving experience. I liked it. I don't know if I love it, but I certainly like it. I suspect I might have enjoyed it a lot more on a warm, sunny day where I could treat it like a sports car.
How does it compare to the S2000? The BRZ is a good bit more relaxing than the S2000, without feeling like it's dull. I can see the BRZ being more fun in most circumstances. With the S2000, you really have to grab that car by the scruff and pitch it around like you mean it, otherwise you'll never enjoy it. You need to be pushing the S2000 hard to have fun- that's seemingly not true with the BRZ. The BRZ feels like it would be more forgiving and likely more fun day to day. I would rather drive the BRZ daily, by a pretty substantial margin. On the perfect road, on the perfect day? That's a tough one that I couldn't answer without really putting the BRZ through its paces. I found the BRZ to be a suitable S2000 replacement for someone that wants to drive more often.
How does it compare to the 128i? That's a tough one. Full disclosure: my 128i isn't 100% stock, it does have a set of front and rear M3/1M control arms (stiffer and they added an extra degree of negative camber up front). I came back and drove my 128i around for a bit to compare... I think I might prefer my 128i.
The seats in my 128i are better- the lower leg extension (I have fairly long legs), the adjustable bolsters and the lack of an overly pinchy seat bottom make for a more comfortable seat. To be fair, my car does have the Sport Package- I wouldn't feel that away about the base 128i seats.
The steering in my 128i is phenomenal. Great weighting, great steering feel, very confidence inspiring. The BRZ is pretty good for an EPS rack, but at the end of the day, it's still an EPS rack and I wish it had more weight to it.
The 128i's smooth inline-6 makes a much better noise. I've removed the intake resonator on mine, so it's just a tad bit louder than stock- I get it, that's not fair, but I would take an I6 noise over a flat-4 noise any day of the week.
I'm pretty sure the BRZ is quicker than the 128i, but numbers don't tell the full story. Lower in the rev range, the BMW definitely feels torquier. The BRZ pulls harder up top, but I still prefer the mid-range of the BMW 3.0L I6. I have a 3-stage DISA intake manifold that I pulled off of an X5 in a junkyard a few weeks ago for $100 that's just sitting in my garage. That manifold from the factory bumps power from 230hp to 255hp, with a solid gain across the rev range. I'm curious if the BRZ would feel faster if the BMW had the DISA manifold on it. I really need to get around to swapping it in and reflashing the DME. While the BRZ is the faster car, I think I prefer the BMW's motor.
Handling is a mixed bag... the BRZ feels lighter and more eager to rotate... but the BMW feels more planted and confidence inspiring.
I figured that I would prefer the BRZ... but the 128i is very good. The BRZ would mean a warranty and no real repairs for years... but the BMW is such a joy to drive! If they were both brand new and priced the same, I think I would pick the BMW.
I guess I have a lot to think about.
My wife and I are supposed to go back and drive the BRZ again on Friday (assuming it doesn't sell before then), when temps are supposed to be in the 60's. Maybe I'll have a different impression driving it when it's warmer outside and there isn't as much snow melting on the road.
PART 2 on 11/3/2023:
Well, my wife and I went back to the dealership today to take a 2nd spin in the BRZ (she wasn't with me the first time). This time I drove my 128i there so I could literally drive them both back to back. There's no getting around it: I prefer driving my 128i and my wife also prefers my 128i.
Temps were in the 60's today, so a good bit warmer. I did take it to a twisty road (the car is in Golden, which borders the mountains) to get a better feel for it. My mind didn't really change on pretty much anything from last time. A few notes:
-The steering is a bit too light for my tastes.
-The car seems like it wants to be tail happy, almost on turn-in, which is something I'm likely not used to. On a track or at an autoX, I'm sure it would be fun. On a mountain road that I'm not familiar with in a car I'm not used to driving, it didn't inspire a lot of confidence in driving it a bit harder.
-The traction control is not obtrusive at all. I imagine that was done intentionally for the purpose of allowing the driver to get the tail out at will.
-Unfortunately, the little BRZ makes my wife car-sick.
-My knee feels some kind of way after driving it- not pain per se, but definitely some odd discomfort.
-The blindspot in the BRZ is more obtrusive than in the 128i or even my Integra. The more closed in feeling likely contributed to my wife getting car sick- the same thing happened a year or 2 ago when we drove a new Supra.
-Other than those things, this just reaffirmed my previous thoughts about preferring my 128i over the BRZ.
When we hopped back into the 128i, we both preferred driving/riding in it. My wife swore up and down that the 128i feels quicker than the BRZ. Which, the 128i is pretty close to stock, with just a removed resonator and removed charcoal filter. Maybe our elevation has something to do with it? Or maybe it just feels that way because the low and mid-range of the 128i feels substantially stronger? I think the BRZ likely pulls a bit harder above 6000rpm, but the 128i seems to pull harder everywhere below 6000rpm. I honestly preferred just about everything in the 128i over the BRZ- engine, seats, noise, steering (that's the biggest one!), pedal placement (easier to heel/toe), you name it.
I think the only things I prefer about the BRZ over the 128i is the aesthetics (they're good looking cars!), the lack of leather seats (I've never been a big fan of leather), Carplay/more modern amenities and that fact that it's still under warranty/likely won't require much maintenance for years to come.
When I got back to the house, temps were in the mid 60's, the sun came out and it was perfect for driving a roadster. So, I took the S2000 out for a spin with the thoughts of the BRZ fresh in my mind. My thoughts:
-The BRZ is definitely more usable than the S2000, but the S2000 is more fun. While pitching the BRZ around, my wife randomly said "the S2000 is more fun than this". She's right.
-I think the BRZ has a bit more low/mid-range torque, but honestly, the S2000 feels faster. I know by the numbers, they're comparable with the edge going to the BRZ, but the shorter wheelbase of the S2000 combined with having the top down make it feel substantially faster.
-The S2000 is substantially sharper. The BRZ is no slouch, but the S2000 feels much more eager to change direction. Granted, I don't know how fair that is- the S2000 is on a set of older summer tires (Michelin Pilot Super Sports), whereas the BRZ had the primacy tires on it (I'm pretty sure they're all-seasons?).
-The S2000 is more confidence inspiring in the corners. The BRZ feels like it wants to party with the tail out- whereas the S2000 tightens its line if you ease into the throttle. If you lift in the S2000 or come in too hot, the rear will toe-out and the car will quickly rotate- which can be fairly unnerving if you're not used to it. Otherwise, the S2000 definitely feels more serious about attacking corners.
-They both have EPS racks. I know the BRZ is supposed to have more feel, and maybe it does- I'm not sure if the Primacy tires are playing a role there? All I know is I've always enjoyed the weight of the S2000's steering and wished the BRZ had more weight to it.
This sounds like a very harsh review for the BRZ, which, I actually like the little BRZ, but I definitely didn't fall in love with it. My wife commented about how much quicker the new 2.4L is vs the old 2.0L. We both agreed this is the motor it should have gotten from the start. But even with the newfound torque of the 2.4L, the motor lacks character. My VTEC machines feel manic and more exciting to rev out. My 128i sounds much better, feels smoother and has a powerband that is more street-friendly. The BRZ's new motor gets the job done, but it's not a whole lot of fun.
I will admit, I've never been into drifting. When I used to autoX my S2000 (and track the one before it), I set it up to be more neutral/less over-steer prone (giant front sway bar and extra camber in the rear). Same with my old Miata's. So, maybe my lack of comfort with hanging the tail out is part of the issue here? I can get the tail on the BMW to come out for a split second, but when it does, it feels very easy to control. I think I would have to become more adept at driving with the tail out, or get used to what the BRZ wants before I would feel more comfortable driving it as hard as any of the other cars in my fleet.
I like the BRZ. I respect the BRZ. I can't believe how much value this car has brand new for $30k! I have to remind myself that the S2000's MSRP in 2008 was $34,935, which, with inflation would be over $47,000 today! The fact that you get SOOO much car for so little money with the BRZ is impressive. If all I wanted was a brand new sports car that I could use as a daily, it would be tough to beat the BRZ. But unfortunately, I already own a car that I prefer to drive over the BRZ in almost every way: my old E36 M3box E82 128i. So, I think I'm going to pass on the little Toyobaru.