2025 Subaru BRZ

When you think of a rear-wheel-drive sports car, it’s common for a handful of very expensive machines to spring to mind. The Subaru BRZ is proof that this doesn’t need to be the case. It’s affordable, approachable, and still extremely entertaining.

Subaru provides the BRZ with a chassis that’s willing to party, yet the power on tap never overwhelms. It’s a wonderfully balanced vehicle that can reward newbies and seasoned pros, alike. The steering feel is top notch, the throttle response is great, and the traction control will allow you to play around a bit.

This type of car seems to be a dying breed, so grab one while you can. The 2025 Subaru BRZ is a perfect example of how to deliver an old-school experience in a modern way.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of sports cars, including the Subaru BRZ.

Subaru rolls out a new “Sport” mode that’s standard on all models fitted with the manual gearbox. It sharpens up the throttle response for those times you want to push the car a bit harder.

The BRZ Limited’s seats are made of black Ultrasuede. They’re paired with red leather bolsters, and the contrasting stitching now has greater contrast thanks to the use of a deeper hue.

Every BRZ trim comes standard with a 6-speed manual gearbox. For an extra $850 on the BRZ’s most popular Limited trim, however, you can spec it with a 6-speed automatic instead.

Compared to the Toyota GR86, you’re basically staring at the same car. That includes pricing, design, and engineering. The Toyota has a slightly different face, while the BRZ gets a better-looking rear ducktail spoiler. Inside, the BRZ feels every so slightly nicer but only by the faintest of perceived margins.

Stepping away from the Subaru siblings, the other main competitor is the Mazda MX-5 Miata. The convertible models start just under the price of the BRZ, but for the retractable hardtop Miata RF, you’re at the top of the BRZ price ladder. In fact, if you step up to the RF Club model, you’re at $40,000. Meanwhile, the BRZ has more power under the hood.

Before buying the Subaru BRZ, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. To date, the BRZ has a better-than-average track record for retaining its value; however, the Toyota GR86 has a tiny edge on it. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

Will the relatively affordable rear-wheel-drive compact sports car someday be a thing of the past? There’s a good chance of that. So it’s refreshing to drive something lightweight, low-slung, and as hilariously entertaining as the Subaru BRZ. The power delivery is smooth, while the steering feel is great. It’s not a ton of power, but it’s more than enough to serve up easily controllable oversteer shenanigans. After all, each version of the BRZ is fitted with a Torsen limited-slip differential as part of the standard kit.

If you prefer to keep the action in line, the BRZ responds just as well to the back and forth of your favorite canyon road or local race track. But when it’s time to slow down and sit through a commute to work or if you’re out running errands, the BRZ remains a pleasant place to spend your time. You’ve got Apple CarPlay and Android Auto at the ready to deliver your tunes, and a surprisingly sizable trunk space to swallow your gear or groceries.

The ride is firm but never crushing. But if you’re looking to push things a bit further, you’ll need to step up to the tS. Those letters signify that the car is Tuned by STI, and Subaru throws a bit more at it. A set of STI-tuned Hitachi dampers are fitted front and rear. You’ll find gold-painted Brembo brakes with four-piston front calipers and two-piston rears. Then Subaru adds tS badging and a set of Dark Gray Metallic 18-inch wheels to further set it apart. With all of that and its Michelin Pilot 4 tires, the BRZ tS is the most focused of the bunch.

They’re all good fun, but the tS takes things just a notch more seriously.

Fuel Economy

While it might light up a corner, the BRZ (and the Toyota GR86) are not great on gas. With the manual transmission, the BRZ delivers a government-estimated 22 mpg in combined (20 city/27 highway) driving. This is the same as the GR86. With the automatic transmission, the number improves to 25 mpg (21 city/30 highway). The GR86 gets 24 mpg. For a little more context, the Mazda MX-5 gets a combined 29 mpg with either its manual or automatic transmission.

Subaru says there’s room for four inside, but you should consider those rear seats as extra storage. Back-seat legroom is minimal, at best. Still, you can fit a car seat back there as long as you don’t have a passenger in the front seat. Speaking of the front seats, those thrones are actually quite comfortable, offering ample side bolstering and plenty of legroom.

Front and center, you’ll find the 8-inch touchscreen display, which is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Premium trim has a fairly basic sound system, but both the Limited and tS step things up with two more speakers and a 2-channel amplifier.

Finally, the gauge cluster displays a big, easily viewable circular tachometer. But if you put the BRZ into Track mode it switches to a more dramatic linear display.

A long hood, a cozy cabin, and a short rear overhang are the ingredients of proper sports car styling. The BRZ wears this look well. That front fender vent flows down into a sharp lower character line while the rear duckbill spoiler completes the package. Each trim gets a solid wheel option that fills out the looks. Premium models get 17-inch wheels, while the Limited and tS each get their own 18-inch wheel design.

Sport Mode
The new Sport mode, standard on all manual gearbox models, increases the throttle response. This can make for a more engaging driving experience when necessary.

Smart Tire Pressure Monitoring
When you fold down the seats, the BRZ can fit a second set of wheels and tires in the rear. The idea is that you’d use your normal set to drive to the track, swap to stickier tires at the track, and then swap to the normal set for the drive home. So, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) can recognize up to two different sets of wheels and tires. Or if you’re not using a track set of tires, perhaps you live somewhere where it snows. You could use this system to recognize your summer tires and your winter tires.

Friendly Traction Control Limits
Put the car into its Track mode, and you’ll find you have a bit more leeway with respect to letting the rear end hang out. Or simply turn it off, and have at it.

Subaru Starlink
This is Subaru’s easy-to-use multimedia interface, this system is overseen by an 8-inch touchscreen and includes smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and more.

Digital Cluster
A customizable digital instrument panel, it includes a clock, odometer, vehicle info, and more.

Keyless Entry
A feature we find ourselves missing when, well, it’s missing. It allows a driver to unlock the BRZ without removing the key fob from pocket or purse. In most cases, and the BRZ is one of them, it includes push-button start.

Subaru employs a 2.4-liter boxer 4-cylinder engine for power production. The boxer designation signifies a flat engine layout where the horizontally opposed pistons move in a mirror image of each other. Output is rated at 228 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque, which isn’t much, but the BRZ puts it to good use. Sure, more oomph would be nice, especially with the help of a turbocharger. However, having a naturally aspirated setup means you have predictable and smooth power delivery.

All three trims come standard with a 6-speed manual transmission. The Limited trim, however, is also available with a six-speed automatic gearbox. The automatic transmission saps the fun a bit, but even with that transmission, the car is still a hoot.