Subaru launches new BRZ Coupe range Down Under

BY MIKE FOURIE

MODEST power and torque gains from a larger-capacity (but still naturally aspirated) engine, a new, slightly longer platform with a wider rear track and the addition of more standard features… If that’s the sum of the improvements a car manufacturer has implemented on the replacement product for its 10-year-old sportscar… that’s not really progress, is it? 

Okay, whoa. Although the new BRZ may seem impossibly narrow in focus and singular in purpose, Subaru has simply kept strictly to the brief with its second-gen model. Like before, it has a light, compact package with a non-turbocharged motor that drives the rear wheels via a limited-slip diff.

The newest BRZ is bigger and more powerful than its predecessor.

Underpinned by the Japanese marque’s modular global platform, the new BRZ’s wheelbase and overall length has increased by 5mm and 25mm respectively, while its height has been reduced by 15mm. The newcomer’s body offers about 60 per cent more front lateral bending rigidity and 50 per cent more torsional stiffness and the rear track has notably been widened by 10mm.

 As expected, the new BRZ offers a lot more standard spec than before, yet it weighs only 3kg and 8kg more (the manual and automatic versions, respectively) than its predecessor, because aluminium has been used extensively for the newcomer’s bonnet, front fenders and roof skin.

Note the subtle aero treatment on the BRZ’s rear valance.

Under the bonnet, a new 2.4-litre flat four-cylinder petrol motor develops 174kW at 7000rpm and 250Nm at 3700rpm and is paired with a either a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission (the latter augmented with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles).

Although its exterior styling is evolutionary, the second-gen BRZ still cuts a fine figure, replete with a sharper, more distinctive front-end treatment, still-quite-superb proportions and subtle aerodynamic adornments in its bumpers, front fenders, flanks and rear valance. 

The cabin of the BRZ is sporty enough, but obviously made to a price.

Inside, the BRZ offers an engaging driving position that suits even slightly taller-than-average drivers. The newcomer’s modernised cabin still has a rather utilitarian feel to it, but includes sporty touches such as red contrast stitching, a leather-gripped steering wheel and metal-finished pedals. Coupe S versions additionally have Ultrasuede and leather accented trim, plus heated front seats. 

From the urgent, rorty soundtrack of the FA-generation 2.4-litre flat-four engine to the pleasingly notchy short-throw six-speed manual ‘box, the new BRZ still feels every bit a driver’s car. When you engage a snap shift and release the clutch pedal abruptly, the powertrain shunts through with a reassuring thud as the growly motor dishes its torque, which peaks at 3700rpm, uninterruptedly.

The cabin of the BRZ is sporty enough, but obviously made to a price.

Whereas 250Nm of torque isn’t copious, the Subaru’s entirely predictable, instantly responsive throttle response is worth savouring; mid-range punch seemed a trifle elusive in the first-gen BRZ, but its successor seems to dish it up with garnish at the mere flex of the accelerator pedal.

There is nothing woolly or slack about the way the newcomer’s grippy little steering wheel twirls in your hands; it makes the BRZ dart into corners determinedly, with negligible body roll.

Whereas the first BRZ was deliberately set up to have a loose rear-end or “playful rear-wheel-drive dynamics” (to evoke manufacturer-speak), even by virtue of the type of tyres the brand fitted to the back of the car, the new model now feels significantly more composed – it communicates that the limit of adhesion is approaching with a wiggle or a squirm, as opposed to a sudden, lurid slide.

The BRZ’s most-used switches are easily accessible to enthusiast drivers.

For those who wish to use the coupe on the daily commute, automatic versions come equipped with EyeSight, which was not offered on the first-gen model. EyeSight ramps up the BRZ’s safety suite with a pre-collision braking system with brake assist and throttle management, adaptive cruise control, lead-vehicle start alert, lane departure warning and lane-sway warning functions. 

And, on suburban roads, the BRZ feels more of an everyday car than ever before – at least within reason. Although the newcomer’s general ride quality is rather firm, the revised suspension is not concerningly fidgety or crashy when traversing larger bumps and ruts. The only real drawback is somewhat boomy tyre noise that becomes apparent when the Subaru traverses coarser surfaces.

Subaru’s latest BRZ retains the “mongrel edge” of the first-gen model.

Overall, the second-gen Subaru BRZ performs exactly as one would expect it to – only, it’s better. For those who seek elemental driving thrills from a brand-new car, but don’t have the wherewithal to acquire exotic machinery, the BRZ still readily fits the bill.

For those hardcore gearheads who miss the “mongrel edge” of the first-gen BRZ, its successor still offers plenty of dynamism, but it’s also a notably easier-to-live-with proposition. It’s old school, but feels fresh.

The 2022 Subaru BRZ Coupe is priced from $38,990 plus on-road costs.

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