Yahoo Autos A 2023 Subaru BRZ Limited Manual Joins Our Long-Term Fleet
Introduction
This was a given. Redesigned for the 2022 model year and already carrying around a 10Best trophy, the new Subaru BRZ was a shoo-in for a long-term visit, especially now that it's imbued with more power and refinement than the 2013 BRZ we last subjected to a 40,000-mile test. This is 2839 pounds of affordable rear-wheel-drive fun. Meat-and-potatoes driving enjoyment. Why'd we pick the BRZ over its also-fresh Toyota GR86 counterpart? That's a tougher call, but this platform is still the Subaru engineering team's baby. That the BRZ also rides better on crappy Midwestern roads than the Toyota and is slightly less tail-happy in corners should make it that much easier for us to enjoy over the next year or so.
Subaru makes it simple for drivers to configure their BRZ. All versions feature a considerably stiffer chassis and a 2.4-liter flat-four good for 228 horsepower—a 23-hp increase over the previous 2.0-liter mill. More importantly, the new engine's meatier 184 pound-feet of torque now peaks at a lower 3700 rpm, resulting in smoother power delivery. A Torsen limited-slip differential is standard, as is one of the most satisfying six-speed manual setups available. Fine by us.
The BRZ's Premium trim level starts at $29,615, underscoring this car's budget-conscious positioning. An intuitive 8.0-inch touchscreen, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry, a push-button ignition, and other niceties are all included. But we would've been foolish not to step up to the $32,115 Limited, if only for the 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer tires that replace the base car's 17-inch Michelin Primacy HP rubber. The heated front seats, blind-spot monitoring, and microsuede upholstery with red contrast stitching that the Limited also adds are a welcome bonus. The BRZ's optional six-speed automatic transmission, which comes with a suite of Subaru EyeSight driver aids, was never considered, though we did decide to tempt fate with roadside tax collectors by opting for bright Ignition Red paint (at no cost).
An early road trip from Michigan to Virginia International Raceway (VIR) in support of our Lightning Lap event knocked out our car's 1000-mile break-in period and helped establish its current 26-mpg average fuel economy—4 mpg better than its EPA combined estimate. We also ran it on our 75-mph highway route, where its 31-mpg result topped its federal rating by a similar amount.
