The 2022 Subaru BRZ is an excellent entry-level sports car that offers plenty of fun for driving enthusiasts.
The 2022 Subaru BRZ marks the start of the second generation of the BRZ lineup, which came to the United States market back in 2012. This 2-door sports car has always been one of the best models of the segment if you want a capable and fun-to-drive coupe, and the value for money price tag made it even more enticing.
With the arrival of this new generation, Subaru has managed to tighten up all the loose ends of the outgoing model without altering the personality that's still adored by many gearheads. The precise handling, coupled with exquisite styling and the responsive powertrain, makes it a very compelling proposition. The interior and infotainment have seen many updates as well. Competing with the likes of the Mazda MX-5 Miata and the Toyota GR 86, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the 2022 Subaru BRZ.
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The 2022 Subaru BRZ is even better than the previous generation in terms of handling, and that is going to be one of the biggest factors to consider with this sports coupe. Take the corners a bit enthusiastically and the first thing that you'll notice is the sharp and direct steering, which offers excellent feel and feedback.
It feels very connected around the twisties and the well-engineered chassis coupled with the suspension setup that is tuned to the neutral side makes sure that you are always in control of the BRZ. There is a track mode on the 6-speed automatic, and that helps kick the tail out when driving at the limits around the corners, and the limited-slip differential does a wonderful job of controlling the oversteer.
The second generation of the Subaru BRZ comes with the 2.4-liter naturally aspirated flat-4 motor producing 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. It is superior in terms of performance numbers and displacement in comparison to the older motor and is punchier and more refined too. Both a 6-speed manual and the 6-speed automatic are available, and the power is put down through the rear wheels.
With a 0-60 mph time of 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph, the 2022 Subaru BRZ is not going to disappoint drivers in terms of performance and acceleration. This sports coupe does feel sprightly and revs cleanly all the way to the redline, marked at 7,500 RPM. The mid-range and top-end are where it shines the most, and the flat-4 motor sounds incredible. The 6-speed automatic is pretty fast and the 6-speed manual is notchy and precise, making it a joy to go through the gears.
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The long list of colors to choose from coupled with its broad shoulders and low ground clearance makes the 2022 Subaru BRZ stunning to look at. The overall dimensions are apt for a 2-seater sports coupe, and the sharp character lines on the hood and the side profile give it an even sportier character than the older 2021 model.
The distinctive front fascia with the functional corner air vents coupled with the blacked-out grille and lip spoiler gels well with the overall design, and the LED headlights and LED taillights are neatly integrated too. The 18" gunmetal gray wheels wrapped in Michelin tires, dual exhaust outlet, fender air vents, and the optional STI accents do help it to stand out, and we also loved the mature design of the rear end.
Even though the 2022 Subaru BRZ is a true driver's car, the suspension is also set up to conquer the highway and back roads with utmost comfort, and we enjoyed the plush ride quality it had to offer. Even with a slightly stiffer suspension setup, it doesn't turn out to be harsh when driving at slow speeds. All the bumps and potholes are absorbed well and only the biggest of them get filtered into the cabin.
Even then, the passengers aren't going to be jostled like some of the rivals. The ride quality is a tinge better than the Toyota GR 86 at slow speeds. When out on the open highway, the ride remains almost flat throughout. The body roll is on the lower side too.
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We have always been a fan of the braking performance of the older generation of the BRZ and GT 86, and the same sharp and progressive braking is offered with this all-new generation as well. The front end gets 11.6" rotors and the rear comes with 11.4" rotors. The other braking features included are ABS, ventilated rotors, hill hold control, and brake assist.
A slight tap on the brake is all that is needed for the excellent initial bite, which is very important for a sports coupe. The braking progression as you push harder on the brake pedal is perfect, and the car stops in a straight line with no hesitancy. The ABS works well, and the automatic transmission helps scrub off speed with aggressive downshifting. The 70-0 mph braking distance of 152 feet is one of the best of the segment, too.
Sliding into the Recaro seat, you'll be extremely happy with the amount of side bolstering and support. The Alcantara and leather-wrapped seats with red contrastive stitching feel plush, and the seats are well-padded. The seats are manually adjustable and there is plenty of headroom and legroom.
The interior is also very ergonomic, with everything placed perfectly where it should be. There are multiple cupholders and bottle holders, and the under-armrest storage and the glovebox are reasonably big. Even though there is a rear seat, it won't accommodate any adults, even kids would feel claustrophobic. The trunk offers 6.3 cu ft of space, and it is reasonably wide and deep for a weekend road trip.
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Even though the design of the cabin is very similar to the Toyota GR 86, there are some changes in terms of trims and colors, making the BRZ feel slightly different. We loved the Alcantara and leather inserts present in the dashboard and door cards, and the contrastive stitching helps in providing a sporty feel to the cabin pretty well. There are no major cheap and scratchy plastics anywhere either.
The simple design of the dashboard makes the cabin look elegant and sporty. The infotainment system is well integrated into the center of the dashboard, and the buttons and knobs surrounding it doesn't feel cheap like the older generation. The climate control knobs feel tactile, and the digital gauge display is sharp and bright, giving the car an air of sophistication.
The 8" touchscreen infotainment system is present in the center of the dashboard, and it is very easy to use and feature-packed. It also displays all the relevant information related to roadside assistance and service appointment booking, both of which are not very common on the cars at this price point.
The touch sensitivity was excellent, and the infotainment comes packed with features like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, NFC, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and navigation. The only issue we found is related to the display size, which is on the smaller side. The display quality could have been better, too, as it isn't the sharpest or the brightest display out there.
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If you get the manual trims of the 2022 Subaru BRZ, you would be disappointed with the lack of driver-assistance features. However, the basic safety features like ESC, airbags, side-impact beams, tire pressure monitoring system, ABS with EBD, and reverse camera with parking sensors are standard.
We would recommend you to get the top-of-the-line Limited trim with the automatic transmission, which is priced at an MSRP of $33,290, as it comes packed with all the required driver-assistance techs like lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and blind-spot monitoring. A few other driver-assistance features are part of the optional list too.
Coming with a motor that doesn't get any forced induction system coupled with no mild hybrid system onboard does translate into slightly lower fuel efficiency figures. The 2022 Subaru BRZ could do 20 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway when equipped with the 6-speed manual gearbox.
With a 13.2-gallon fuel tank capacity, the BRZ has a highway tank range of 356 miles. If you get the automatic variant, the BRZ returned a slightly better 21 MPG in the city and 30 MPG on the highway. The highway range of 396 miles is better than the manual variant as well. In comparison, the Mazda MX-5 Miata turned out to be the best in the segment, offering 29 MPG of combined gas mileage.