2012 Subaru BRZ Reviews

Subaru BRZ is a small rear-drive Japanese sports coupe selling for a pretty reasonable price, particularly when compared with the cost of the typical European equivalents.

It’s not often that the entire Australian motoring media agrees on the merits of a particular vehicle but such has been the case with the new Subaru BRZ. This exciting and affordable two-door coupe has gained rave reviews from just about everyone who’s driven it, although sadly very few members of the public, and so potential buyers, have had that opportunity and won’t have for some time.VALUEHigh global demand meant that barely BRZ 200 models made it to Australia. Of these around 50 were allocated to dealers as demonstrators meaning that demand was always going to heavily outweigh supply and all available cars were sold in just over three hours when they went on sale in July this year.BRZ is built at Subaru’s Ota plant in Japan as a joint venture with the company’s part-owner, Toyota, and it competes directly against its identical twin, the Toyota 86.The division of labour between the two companies makes a lot of sense with Toyota looking after the product planning and styling while Subaru in charge of its engineering development and production.With so few cars available Subaru adopted the unusual strategy of selling the BRZ exclusively over the internet and with national driveaway pricing – $37,150 for the manual and $39,730 for the automatic. While the entry-level Toyota 86 GT manual is priced at $29,990 that’s before on-road costs and with lower equipment levels than the Subaru so an apples-with-apples comparison brings the two models closer together in price.Standard equipment includes cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear lever, push-button start and stop, sports seats, front and rear foglights and power folding side mirrors.Those that were lucky enough to purchase a BRZ will soon be able to dress it up with a range of performance parts and accessories that were shown with an STI concept car at the Sydney motor show and which will be on sale progressively from November.These parts include front, side and boot lip spoilers, 17-inch alloy wheels, sports muffler, push start switch, instrument panel trim, black wheel nuts, rear under diffuser and flexible tower bar.TECHNOLOGYThe BRZ breaks new ground for Subaru in that it has rear-wheel drive – all its other Australian models have all-wheel drive.Power for the BRZ comes from an all-new 2.0-litre horizontally-opposed petrol engine that generates 147 kW of power at 7000 rpm and 205 Nm of torque at 6600 revs. We’ve always loved the throaty sound of the Subaru ‘boxer’ engine and so were quite happy to sit and enjoy this aural prelude before setting out on our test drive.SAFETYEquipment levels are high with standard safety equipment that includes dual front, side and curtain airbags, ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist, Vehicle Stability Control and a retractor brake pedal. It comes with a five-star ANCAP rating.DESIGNThe Subaru coupe certainly looks the part with its low-slung styling and short overhangs. The front is dominated by a large, hexagonal grille with sweeping headlights and the rear is tall and square with an additional brake light positioned between twin large tail pipes.Too often otherwise enjoyable driving cars are spoilt by cramped interior space but although it’s necessary to hunker down into the driver’s seat, once settled in the seat is firm but comfortable and there’s plenty of leg and headroom.Although there are four seats the rear pair are basically there for emergency use rather than for long-distance travel. The boot is quite small although the rear seatbacks do fold flat for extra storage space. Surprisingly for a car where space is at a premium BRZ comes with a full-size spare wheel.Weight minimisation is paramount with performance cars and the BRZ’s combination of high tensile steel in the body and aluminium bonnet and wheels has kept its weight down to 1256 kg (manual) and 1278 kg (automatic).DRIVINGAs expected in a car of this type, the ride is firm with plenty of feel for the road yet comfortable enough for an extended trip. Steering is precise and direct with excellent driver feedback.Both the six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions were specifically developed for the BRZ. Our test car had the manual, a delightful short-throw unit which is fast and smooth and just asks to be used frequently.VERDICTWe’ve left the bad news until last because, despite ongoing pleading with Subaru’s head office decision makers, the worldwide popularity of the BRZ means that there could be a wait for up to a year before the next shipload arrives in Australia.Subaru BRZPrice: from $37,150 (manual) to $39,730 (automatic)Warranty: 3 yearsEngine: 2.0-litre horizontal four-cylinder petrol, 147kW/205NmTransmission: six-speed manual or automatic, rear-wheel driveThirst: 7.8L/100Km, 181 g/km CO2

In what may be a first, the Subaru BRZ sportscar can only be ordered online. Residents in the classiest suburbs of Toronto, Canada, got an unusual postcard recently. It featured their house with a new Porsche 911 in the drive.Not a dodgy bit of Photoshop, but a real picture taken by an advertising team that immediately turned it into a piece of highly personalised direct mail. The world's first instant direct mail, according to the agency.Although the operation was conducted from the back of a suspicious-looking white van and risked an encounter with over-zealous security, it was clearly a success.One-third of recipients booked themselves in for a 911 test drive with Pfaff Auto and the whole exercise was made into a video. Now this idea clearly has limitations but it's surprising no one has done it before. SOLD OUT ONLINEIt's not as though the technology is new. It's the same with the internet. Turns out ordering online works for books and all that stuff we used to buy from Gerry Harvey, but we're still reticent when it comes to new cars.Instead, we scour the web for reviews and specifications, and play with configurators. Then we head into showrooms to scare salespeople senseless by knowing more than they do. Examples of car-makers moving the entire transaction online are rare.So Subaru Australia, with its new BRZ sportscar, is a pioneer. When it went on sale in July, everything was handled via a special web program. All you needed was a credit card. Spokesman Dave Rowley believes it may be unique. “We did a search and the only place we found anything remotely similar was a dealer group in the UK selling one Ford model online,'' he says.Subaru decided to try it out when it realised that supply of the BRZ would be limited to just 201 for the rest of the year. That's fewer than two cars for each of its dealers, an impossible equation. Toyota, which launched its version here in June, has been bowled over by demand. The problem is even more acute for Subaru, with the Japanese factory making just one BRZ for every seven 86s.“We knew we were going to be extremely limited by supply because of worldwide demand for the car,” Rowley says. “Everywhere it's been launched it's been a huge hit. We knew we weren't going to have enough cars. We thought, how can we be fair to the entire network and customers? That's where the idea came from.”Subaru commissioned a local firm to write the online software. Rowley says Subaru was happy with the way it worked, although when it went live the site was overloaded. “There were some glitches because website traffic peaked at 50 times normal. But within a few hours it was working very smoothly. The average time to complete the contract process was 20 minutes.”Feedback has been positive, he says, and age was no bar to using the technology with at least one septuagenarian elbowing aside the gen Ys. Dealers are excluded from the order process but clip the ticket if nominated as the delivery venue. Some have even been lucky enough to get demonstrators, but the car has sold on its reputation.“It went absolutely through the roof and they have been steadily selling since,” Rowley says. The order bank now extends to March and the locals are sending begging letters to Japan.VALUESubaru kept it simple with limited options and one national driveaway price from $37,150, ironing out the state tax and insurance regimes. Three-years scheduled servicing is included, there's a facility for valuing trade-ins and an estimated delivery date.The options are limited: apart from a spare wheel cover you can add carpets, satnav and boot spoiler. Tick everything and you'll spend about $44k. And you'll need to buy a cover, for $175.TECHNOLOGYThe BRZ is an unusual Subaru because unlike every other Subaru sold here it lacks all-wheel drive, which has been a key point of difference for the brand. In traditional sportscar fashion it's rear-drive and the result of a joint development project with Toyota, which owns a stake in Subaru.The Toyota is called 86 and the two are virtually identical. They share compact dimensions, a Subaru flat four-cylinder engine with direct injection, modest mass and a reputation as a they-don't-build-'em-like-that-any-more enthusiast's sportscar.DESIGNIf you're in the queue, then I hardly need to spell out the BRZ's vital statistics. For everyone else, it's every bit as good as the 86. In fact, it's hard to tell them apart. From the outside little separates the twins, although the BRZ has different front and rear clips and the one I drove had terrific 17-inch alloys.Inside, some of the plastics are dud and buttons old-school. But the worst bit is the bodgy Bluetooth gizmo, a bit like the old number pad security systems fitted to WRXs. At least it works.However, the seats are good -- although even with the leather option there's more contrast stitching than leather -- and the rears fold for boot access. Cargo space is compromised by a full-size spare. So like the 86, the cabin is rudimentary but liveable.DRIVINGSome ingredients impressed differently. It was especially pleasing that the engine sounds better than I remember from the 86 -- looser and with a more appealing note. Which is odd since they're the same. It's also just as well because judging by the tyre roar, the cabin seems to lack soundproofing.The engine is more flexible than you expect, especially through the mid-range, and although it needs a few revs it's not as peaky as the output numbers suggest. As with the 86, the BRZ likes to be driven precisely and responds quickly to inputs.The slightest adjustment to the steering wheel or pedals and you feel the weight transfer slightly, as the chassis adjusts. It's light on its feet and has poise.But not all the ride comfort has been traded away. Over rough roads the bump absorption and damping would not disgrace something much more expensive. Subaru won't say if it will try online selling again. But it might. However, it would never do for Porsche.In the unlikely event that I find a postcard among the junk mail from a Porsche dealer, and the even more unlikely event I have the money to spend, I'll want to touch and feel and spend a long time poring over the lengthy options catalogue. And I'm sure Porsche would not want to discourage me from that.Subaru BRZPrice: from $37,150 (manual) to $39,730 (automatic)Warranty: 3 yearsEngine: 2.0-litre horizontal four-cylinder petrol, 147kW/205NmTransmission: six-speed manual or automatic, rear-wheel driveThirst: 7.8L/100Km, 181 g/km CO2

Rarely have we seen such keen anticipation for the arrival of a new car in Australia as we have for the Toyota-Subaru joint venture sports car, the Subaru BRZ / Toyota 86.We were one of a small number of motoring journalists that were given a sneak preview of the BRZ during a trip to Japan last year and, along with many keen Australian drivers, we’ve been counting the days till it arrived here.Well that day has now come...and gone. Because of high global demand, and an 8:1 ratio of supply in favour of Toyota, only 201 models made it here.Of these around 50 were allocated to dealers as demonstrators meaning that demand was always going to heavily outweigh supply and the remaining models were never going to be on the (virtual) showroom floor - all were sold via the internet - for very long. Even allowing for a system crash caused by the unprecedented demand it took just three hours and two minutes for all to be sold.The obvious alternative for those who missed out would normally be to switch over and buy a Toyota 86 – the two cars are virtually identical. However all 1500 of them allocated to Toyota Australia have also been sold with at least another 500 on back order.VALUESubaru opted for national driveaway pricing for the BRZ with the manual selling for $37,150 and the automatic for $39,730. While the entry-level Toyota 86 GT manual is priced at $29,990 that’s before on-road costs and with lower equipment levels than the Subaru so an apples-with-apples comparison brings the two models closer together in price.We suspect that price will not be a major issue for potential buyers as they anxiously await new stock of this outstanding little car to arrive. Standard features are cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear lever, push-button start and stop, sports seats, front and rear foglights and power folding side mirrors.TECHNOLOGYBoth the six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions were specifically developed for the BRW. Our test car had the manual, a delightful short-throw unit which is fast and smooth and just asks to be used frequently. The BRZ’s engine is also new, a 2.0-litre boxer with 147 kW of power at 7000 rpm and 205 Nm of torque at 6600 revs.DESIGNWhen the car was unveiled to us in Japan its styling brought universal approval and nothing has changed now that we’ve been able to view it on the open road. The front is dominated by a large, hexagonal grille with sweeping headlights trimmed with daytime running lights while the rear is tall and square with an additional brake light positioned between twin large tail pipes. Everything about it looks the part. Inside the BRZ there are four seats although rear seat legroom is very cramped, indeed it’s non-existent when the front seats are all the way back, but that’s to be expected in a car like this and is not a criticism.Boot space is reasonable although Subaru have gone with a full-size spare wheel which juts through the boot floor meaning that luggage has to sit on top of the wheel. If ever a car needed a space saver wheel this is it.SAFETYStandard safety equipment includes ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist, seven airbags, Vehicle Stability Control, ring-shaped reinforced passenger cabin, side intrusion bars and retractor brake pedal, and a five-star ANCAP rating.DRIVINGWith so few cars available there wasn’t the usual test drive component at Subaru’s recent BRZ launch in Sydney, however we were fortunate enough to have been one of a handful of journalists who were given a car to drive for a couple of days prior to the launch. And didn’t we make the most of it?You don’t need to wait for the BRZ’s 17-inch alloy wheels to start turning to enjoy this car. The enjoyment begins as soon as you turn on the ignition and hear the delightful throaty burble that’s characteristic of the Subaru ‘boxer’ engine. It’s not so loud as to disturb the neighbours but just enough to whet the appetite of the driving enthusiast.On the road the fun continues. This is a superb car to drive with almost perfect chassis balance thanks to its low centre of gravity and rear-wheel drive (Subaru had to bite the bullet there). The combination of high tensile steel in the body and aluminum bonnet and wheels has kept its weight down to 1256 kg (manual) and 1278 kg (automatic) adding to its agility. Steering is precise and direct with excellent driver feedback.VERDICTToo often in the past we’ve been disappointed when the pre-release hype for a new car fails to match reality. Not so in this case - if anything the BRZ is even better than we expected.Subaru BRZPrice: $37,150 (man) $39,730 (auto) drivewayEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol 147kW/205NmTransmission: 6-speed man or auto; RWDSafety: 5 star ANCAPDimensions: 4.2m (l); 1.8 (w); 1.2 (h)Weight: 1216kg (man); 1238 (auto)Thirst: 6.4l/100km 181g/co2 km (man); 5.6l, 164g (auto)Spare: 17-inch

When Subaru's BRZ goes on sale Monday by novel online only means, it'll be tempting to say that you can now have the car of 2012 with its rightful badge.The auto parlor game of the year is arguing what bits belong to which  car maker. In either guise - Toyota 86 or Subaru BRZ - the sum remains the same: that's two thirds Subaru technical know how plus Toyota design (and an engine tweak) equals the best affordable sports cars in decades and currently the best under $100,000.Suffice that while Subaru supplied the heart and limbs, Toyota's provided the soul, the will and the financial way.  So let's call it a draw and crack on in the far smaller brand's version.VALUEJaws are even now being scraped off the floor at Toyota's stunning introductory pricing - $29,990 for the base model; $35,490 for the top spec GTS, plus $2500 on both for the why-on-earth-would-you optional automatic.Subaru, nettled by Toyota stealing the march on sales and supply (250 cars a month to Subaru's 201 for the rest of this year), has sharpened their pricing pencils to the point of pricking blood. Apart from the remarkable initiative of selling  these 201 online only, the price point thereby arrived at sits the Soob neatly between the entry and top spec 86. The BRZ is $37,150 for the manual, $39,730 for the auto.But these are driveway prices, plus a free three years or 60,000km free servicing deal to trump Toyota's capped plan. This for a car that anyone with the merest milligram of petrol in their veins would cheerfully pay double and think themselves possessed of a bargain. The only option is a $1500 leather/alcantara upholstery deal with heated front seats. Clearly a long stride over the base 86, it lacks the GTS's sat nav. But what matters this when the only direction in which you'll head is an open road with many, many curves?TECHNOLOGYThe heart is, as we say, pure Soob - a flat four 2.0-litre Boxer four, though enhanced by Toyota dual injection. Its modest outputs make for unremarkable 0-100km/h sprints (a fair 7.6 seconds in the manual, a cardigan wearing 8.2 in the auto) but this car is about speed off the mark in the same way as a Porsche 911 is about family transport.Revving raspingly but oh so cleanly to 7400rpm, maximum torque arrives barely  beforehand, but there's almost always enough  to prevent rowing - though this is no chore with that lovely short throw, close ratio Lexus IS-derived gear shifter.So far, so similar to the 86. In so far as there is substantive difference between the GTS and BRZ - which both wear low profile 17-inch shoes - it's in Soob's suspension settings. The cars share to the same struts at the front and double wishbones at the back with Torsen limited slip differential.The BRZ's stiffer springs make for what's claimed to be a quicker rear grip response (though you'd want a track to test that) and, more tangibly, even more fulsome steering. The bantam curb weight is anchored by a centre of gravity that's drawn comparisons with Ferrari's 458. And yes, it is the only two-wheel-drive Soob.DESIGNWell, it looks like a Toyota 86 GTS with a slightly changed air intake, a different badge and ... that's about it. It's the most photographed car of 2012 so you probably already get that the rear seats are for parcels not persons and that the cabin ambience isn't going to frighten Audi's TT - though in every other respect it renders that car embarrassingly obsolete. As it does any number of dearer devices, front-, rear- and all-wheel-drives alike.SAFETYThat there is an odd and not an even number of BRZs for sale is down to ANCAP crashing one. Maximum five stars duly won.DRIVINGWe drove the BRZ immediately after a top spec 86 auto, an entry manual and before the near perfect Porsche 911. The BRZ has the best electric steering set up to be had, ever so slightly meatier than the Toyota's and perceptibly more connected just off centre than the $230,000 Carrera. A bit special then.The BRZ is brilliant, addictive and deeply depressing. You need to drop six figures to find something comparable or better - Mazda's able but aging MX-5 is finally surpassed, but then so for sheer driving pleasure are cars with badges like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.Embracing an old formula - light weight, small and willing atmo engine, manual trans and rear wheel drive - it feels fresh and invigorating against a field of ever more sophisticated and heinously expensive sports cars, devices  that are technical tours de force but which can be emotionally bereft. No track day intro for the BRZ, so no lurid power sliding. But during a nocturnal fang on one of the nation's  best bits of sinuous blacktop, the Soob more than fulfills it's part of the two-brand partnership.Swarm into a tight bend, the note of that chuntering four rises to a wail,  the merest throttle input shifts to impetus from nose the tail.  Yet there's acres of space and ample signals between control and untidiness. The BRZ is highly sensitive and entirely intuitive.VERDICTPlease don't drive this car. You won't be able to get one till at least next year and you'll really want it yesterday.Subaru BRZPrice: $37,150 (man) $39,730 (auto) drivewayEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol 147kW/205NmTransmission: 6-speed man or auto; RWDSafety: 5 star ANCAPDimensions: 4.2m (l); 1.8 (w); 1.2 (h)Weight: 1216kg (man); 1238 (auto)Thirst: 6.4l/100km 181g/co2 km (man); 5.6l, 164g (auto)Spare: 17-inch

Few mainstream cars have the same visual cut-through on the street as the Subaru BRZ. Other drivers see it and the rubber necking starts, or the chasing, or the phone camera comes out. It wears thin after a day or two.It's Subaru's version of the joint venture sports car developed with Toyota that was designed to cater for a specific market at a sharp price. Such is the appeal of this new, compact rear drive sports coupe that you will have to put your name on an order list before actually getting behind the wheel.THE PRICEToyota's near identical 86 starts at an incredible $29,990 plus on roads for the GT, rising $5500 for the better equipped GTS.Subaru's BRZ is available in one spec' only at $37,150 drive-away with a six-speed auto adding $2600. It will only be sold online and is specified to a similar standard as Toyota's GTS.Subaru offers the BRZ with three years free servicing along with the three year unlimited km warranty. It has a five star crash rating and plenty to make you feel good about your choice including auto on/off bi-xenon headlights, a full size alloy spare, alloy pedals, dual zone aircon, keyless start, Bluetooth, Datadots and power operated ancillaries.THE LOOKThe only external difference we could see between the two cars side by side is a small faux bumper at the front of the BRZ with attendant grille changes. Everything else looks the same except for minor body hardware and badges.Which one looks the best? Toss a coin. The same applies to the way the two drive — close your eyes and you couldn't pick it, open them...ditto.We really like the look of the BRZ (and the 86) inside and out. The Sooby has some minor interior differences and some additional metal look fascia finishes. But the instrumentation is relatively simple and uncluttered and other aspects of the package are impressive. Satnav and leather are optional.THE TECHNOLOGYLike the 86, the BRZ runs a horizontally opposed, naturally aspirated, four-cylinder with twin cams per bank and variable valve timing.The Atkinson cycle (delayed valve closing) engine is quite highly specified in component terms and spins to about 7300rpm. It passes Euro 5 emissions regulations with help from port and direct fuel injection —  yes, a dual, sequential fuel system.Power output is a handy 147kW with 205Nm of torque — both delivered at the upper rev limits. But it's good enough to propel the 1256kg BRZ from 0-100kmh in a reasonable 7.6 seconds.The six-speed manual version we drove offers short, sharp shifts with close intermediate ratios to keep you where the power is, adding a sporty feel at the same time. here's a clever engine pipe feeding a raspy note into the cabin for aural appreciation. But you'll need to feed it 98 octane only, due to the high 12.5:1 compression ratio.The rear suspension is a lift from Subaru's WRX STi as is the tail shaft design and other bits and pieces. Extra traction is provided by a Torsen diff' and there are two modes for the stability control system.THE DRIVEDynamics are firm and sporty aided by electric steering, stiff springs and dampers and the rigid chassis. Wheels are 17-inch with sporty rubber.On the road the BRZ delivers reasonable performance and sounds pretty good as long as you are prepared to rev it.Adequate torque is available in the mid-range for everyday driving. As suggested by the power and torque curves, everything happens above 6000rpm — great for sporty driving. The five mode stability control isn't too intrusive and all dynamic functions are calibrated to be sporty.THE VERDICTImpressive car. It is a viable everyday driver with seats for four at a pinch and a reasonable load space -- expandable with the rear seat back folded (flat). But where's the turbo?Subaru BRZPrice: $37,150 (man) $39,730 (auto) drivewayEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol 147kW/205NmTransmission: 6-speed man or auto; RWDSafety: 5 star ANCAPDimensions: 4.2m (l); 1.8 (w); 1.2 (h)Weight: 1216kg (man); 1238 (auto)Thirst: 6.4l/100km 181g/co2 km (man); 5.6l, 164g (auto)Spare: 17-inch

This is a game changer for Subaru. The company that built its reputation on symmetrical all-wheel drive has ditched the front driveshaft and rekindled memories of simpler times.