2013 Subaru BRZ User Reviews

Pros

Hugs the road, quick, nimble and outright fun to drive

Cons

Interior a little tight, needs more power

Purchased As New

In early November of last year I was sitting in my dentist's office reading car magazines while waiting for my appointment. I came upon an issue of Motor Trend that reviewed the new Subaru BRZ and Toyota Scion FR-S. I was immediatelly impressed by the appearance of these near identical twins and even more so by what I read.

I continued some online research and could barely find a negative comment or review of this new sports car. It had been nearly 20 years since I let go of my third generation Mazda RX-7. I enjoyed every driving minute and mile of those wonderfully engineered vehicles and vowed one day to have another sports car.

After reading all that I could find about the new BRZ and having respect for though little desire to own a Subaru, I embarked on a search to find these scarce cars. I eventually located a dark gray metallic Limited at a dealership in Scottsdale. Turns out it was a special order for a customer who wanted a second BRZ but ultimately decided against it .

As I drove up to the entrance of the dealership, I saw her parked smartly in the mid-day Phoenix sun and was immediately smitten by it's real time appearance. It reminded my of those RX-7's that brought so many hours and miles of enjoyable drives. When I sat in it for the first time, I was a goner . . . it even smelled reminiscent of my last Mazda. Once I fired it up and slowly left the dealer lot for the open road, I knew I had met my next sports car. I must have had a wide and satisfied grin of joy and disbelief upon my face because my wife could tell these was going to be my next car.

I won't bother to even try and repeat all that has been said in print about this car. Suffice it to say that I don't usually buy a first year model run of a car although I did so with my first RX-7, I never hesitated with the BRZ. It's a gas to drive, quick, nimble and agile on the highway. I've driven it a few times between Sedona and Flagstaff through Oak Creek Canyon which is a wonderful route albeit in dyer need of resurfacing. It performs with equal astonishing agility on curves or high speed stretches of freeway.

I'm 6'2" so getting in and out of this fun little go cart was somewhat challenging intitially but no longer an issue. It fits me like a snug glove with plenty of legroom and comfort even for lengthy freeway trips.

Another amazing thing about this car is the size of the trunk in comparision to the size of the car. It easily can handle bags upon bags of groceries as well as a couple of decent sized suitcases and assorted travel bags.

The car is small and low to the ground which is a little daunting at first but it's quickness and driveability outweighs any danger or feeling of insecurity.

I have nothing bad to say about the BRZ . . . although I would like a little more acceleration and power which presumably will come in later model runs. The car is very reminiscent of the classic British sports cars of the late 50's and early 60's . . . its simple, not flashy but with just enough creature comforts; The cockpit is intimate and close with easy access to all the controls and gauges.

The ride is somewhat rough given the low profile tires and tight suspension of the BRZ. You will feel pretty much every bumb and rise but the handling of this car is wel worth the trade off. This is one fun car to drive....read morehide

Pros

Exceptional handeling, great transmission, overall fun

Cons

n/a

Purchased As New

Anyone who states this car is underpowered is completely missing the character of the car. This car is amazingly balanced and handles beautifully. There is a reason why this vehicle is winning so many awards! The interior is simple and keeps you focused on driving which is all you are going to want to do anyway. As my daily driver i find myself smiling and loving it every time i get in the perfectly situated driving position....read morehide

Pros

Handles turns as if it were rotating on an axis, Fuel Economy, Looks

Cons

Top speed is not high compared to other sports cars

Purchased As New

I have always known Subaru as a superbly reliable car manufacturer with quirky designed cars. Standing out from a lineup of outdoor and travel oriented vehicles, the Subaru BRZ is the sports car that defines the talented engineering of Subaru.

I have taken this car to the track and have had a blast! It's low engine profile allows it to take tight turns without the slightest protest, and it handles like a high-end porche. This car has a relatively small engine that contributes to its amazing handling, so it is not quite as "fast" on a straight road than other sports cars. But add in twists and turns, and this car will lap its sub-30,000$ competition.

YES and Subaru actually has released a car with killer design!

Overall, a fantastic sports car that was actually within my budget!...read morehide

Pros

Great Looking Car, Head Turner, Fun to Drive

Cons

A little bumpy ride depending on road surface

Purchased As New

This is a great little car. It turns head everywhere I go and I have found people standing in the parking lot checking it out when I come out of a store and have had others follow me and ask me questions about it when I stop and get out of my car. In the 3 months I've had it, I have yet to encounter another one on the road since they're so rare.
It's fun to drive and has a great sound system - a lot of get up and go. I have approximately 2,500 miles on it and I'm up to 28 mph!...read morehide

Pros

Handling, Fun Factor, Fuel Economy

Cons

Low End Torque

Purchased As New

The BRZ defines fun to drive. I was looking for a great handling, quick, fun to drive car for track days and back road switch-back driving.....all without the cost and maintenance expense of Porche, Audi, etc (not that those aren't great cars....if you can afford them). The BRZ has more than filled that role. I, too, would like just a bit more low end torque, but once the engine gets above 4500 rpm, it's a kick in the pants. If you want to drag race, look elsewhere. If you want a daily commuter, I hope you don't carry much more than a briefcase. If you want to take 3 friends along, going to have to do it one at a time (rear seat legroom....none, literaly). But, if you want a car that turns heads, is a blast to drive, gets good fuel economy and turns like a rollercoaster on rails, get a BRZ. For what it was designed to do, Subaru hit a home run....read morehide

Pros

Very Fun to drive

Cons

Needs a little bit of torque and maybe extra hp, cricket sound issue

Purchased As New

This car is very fun to drive! It does need a little bit of torque or boost but out of factory parts will handle that.

Pros

Looks Great, Terrific Handling

Cons

Too Little HP

Purchased As Not Purchased

Very nice car, but wait a few more months for the Ford Focus ST. Its less expensive and has 252hp. The Mazda Mazdaspeed3 has 265hp for less money.

Pros

Looks, performance, fuel economy, tossable

Cons

lack of storage, shifter is notchy

Purchased As New

This is a car where the numbers lie. 200hp, and 151 lb ft of torque doesn't sound like very much. Driving the car, all of the numbers go away. Yeah, it's not that fast...but it feels fast, and you can toss this car around the corners as much or as little as you want. The steering is so precise, and since the car is so light, and balanced, it takes the turns at ridiculous speeds. The engine sounds fantastic, it has a low growl to it, and really screams when you're at high rpms. The exhaust on the other hand makes no noise at all.
Some minor problems are there is very little space to put things, like change, cd's etc. One bad thing about the car is the shift of the 6 speed manual. I find it very notchy, and hard to engage the gears. It's almost like the shifter is gated, but slightly off center.
Very surprising, the fuel economy is great. I'm averaging 28mpg.
Overall, it's an awesome car, prepare to have people staring a lot. I've only seen 1 other one on the road in the last month, so exclusivity is also a big plus. The end of the day, the car is so much fun to drive! Looks, and sounds fantastic, and flies around the corners....read morehide

Pros

RWD, Handling, Great Looking, Drivers Car

Purchased As New

I bought a black BRZ Limited with a 6 speed manual tranny and I love it! It is clearly a very good looking car that is an attention getter. It is such a good handling car which is refreshing to see in a world of cars that are more like computers. The leather/suede seats are surprisingly comfortable. My only complaint is that some of the buttons in the interior are not up to par with the rest of the car. It is truly a drivers car and I hope it is a success for Subaru/Toyota and it should lead the way for other manufacturers....read morehide