Subaru BRZ 2.0 Review: Old school fun

What we like:

Superb steering

faultless driving position

well-balanced chassis

limitless tuning possibilities and options

smooth revving engine

What we dislike:

Doesn’t look very different from its Toyota 86 counterpart

engine needs more torque

induction drone can be tiring to listen to

not as affordab;le as we’d want it to be

slow witted auto box

86 moniker sounds more evocative

One of the most notable characteristics of the BRZ’s interior is its low and well-judged driving position, which is perfect for fast and sporty driving. Details like the compact steering wheel and instrument binnacle with the rev counter taking centre stage like in Ferrari and Porsche models are also delightful details for the keen driver.

Up front, the dashboard features a simple and clean design that is very typical of Japanese performance cars while the switchgear is a mix of Toyota and Subaru items – which makes it a pretty fun exercise for you and your mates to play a game of “Spot if it’s a Toyota or Subaru switchgear”. The standard sports seats feature ergonomically optimised bolsters to hold the driver and passenger securely and comfortably. Their low placement might be ideal for spirited driving but it does making getting in and out of a challenge, especially for those who aren’t that flexible or athletic.

Ingress and egrees to the two seats at the rear can also be a painful exercise for many as the front seats do not slide and tilt forward enough for easy access to the rear compartment. Moreover, the front seats don’t return to their original position when they are pushed back after letting a passenger in and out of the rear, not that one will do this often though as the rear isn’t exactly spacious and accommodating when it comes to both leg and headroom. The boot isn’t exactly accommodating too. The demonstrator that we tested didn’t even have a floor to cover the spare wheel in the wheel well. Thankfully though, the rear seatback can be folded down to extend the boot area further if needed.

As the BRZ is meant to be an accessible and affordable driver’s sports coupe, most of the materials and exposed surfaces used on the interior look and feel just average in quality, especially for those who are more used to the cabins of their Sciroccos or Golf GTIs.

Due to the ridiculous Cat B COE prices, a Subaru BRZ is hardly affordable or accessible for those who seek driving fun on a budget here in Singapore, which in turn contradicts the original essence of the BRZ in the first place. Despite its shortcomings though, the BRZ is nevertheless a rewarding and engaging car to drive that has certainly brought fun back to the Subaru nameplate, after having disappeared from more recent WRXs and Legacy GTs.

Credits: Story and photos by Raymond Lai