2024 Subaru BRZ tS track test and review

Even if the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GR86 twins weren’t as good as they are–and they are, indeed, exactly as good as they are–they’d still be popular cars in our orbit. They’re some of the last of a dying breed of rear-drive, performance-oriented, stick-shifted sports cars that still manage to be relatively affordable and accessible to a large segment of our market. …

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JG’s words upon handing this one over to me: I predict you’re going to drive straight to the dealership and buy one.

We didn’t that evening, but my wife and I discussed it. Maybe one day. :) 

David S. Wallens said:

JG’s words upon handing this one over to me: I predict you’re going to drive straight to the dealership and buy one.

We didn’t that evening, but my wife and I discussed it. Maybe one day. :) 

Yeah it's one of the better glow-ups on the market at the moment. 

The seats were also particularly impressive. I couldn't find any documentation that they'd been changed, but this car definitely had the best seating position of any stock twin I'd ever sat in. I've always felt like the seats in these cars were just slightly too high off the deck for proper track use. While this one still isn't perfect, it's so much better than previous ones. I'm not sure whether they altered the seat geometry or just added some additional movement to the height adjuster or whoever had it before us just broke it in real nice, but it's a huge upgrade.

Could you guys add the turn numbers to your track map above?

BA5 said:

Could you guys add the turn numbers to your track map above?

Duh. We should have done this ages ago. 

Yeah we can get this map updated.

Thanks!

It's a great article and I really enjoy your lap analyses. I only noticed because I was reading the article SO closely and was having a little trouble corresponding words to the location on the track.

Good article, I've been interested in the revised BRZ ever since they came out. In your opinion, which would be the better car for playing around with on track days and time trials. This car or a 60,000 mile C5 Z06 or a 10 to 15 year old Cayman S, both of which could be had for $10,000 or so less than the BRZ? I am not talking something that you convert to a hard core TT car, just something you could drive to the track, have fun with, be reasonably competitive and drive home. BTW, you should road trip to the Ozarks International Raceway sometime. There you can hammer up an uphill set of Ss flat out in 3rd or 4th gear, hammering the curbs, like you described.

The number of "affordable" performance cars may be dropping, but from your numbers at the FIRM, the ones still around are better than ever and are no joke (Honda, Toyota, Subaru, Hyundai, and VW).

Thanks for doing these articles/videos and providing the data the way you do.  And thanks to the FIRM for providing the venue.

Dang, I want one of these.   Good looking car.  Good handling. 

But I just got my first Miata last year.  And before anyone else jumps in...

In reply to Coniglio Rampante :

We're glad you all like these, and yeah, a big thank you to the FIRM for letting us play with cars there.

Minor correction: only the front dampers are Hitachi, the rears are the same; the spring rates were adjusted all around, though (credit to Road & Track for that fun fact). Also, even stock BRZ's will have oil pressure issues when running high-grip tires. I'm surprised (and grateful) that we got a second generation for this car, but I hope that Toyota finds a new development partner for a successor.

Maybe they can help Mazda out by co-developing the next Miata?

guiltyspark348 said:

Minor correction: only the front dampers are Hitachi, the rears are the same; the spring rates were adjusted all around, though (credit to Road & Track for that fun fact). Also, even stock BRZ's will have oil pressure issues when running high-grip tires. I'm surprised (and grateful) that we got a second generation for this car, but I hope that Toyota finds a new development partner for a successor.

Maybe they can help Mazda out by co-developing the next Miata?

the idea of "we will take the hard top, you take the convertible" worked well for BMW/Toyota for the Z4/Supra.  

JG Pasterjak said:

David S. Wallens said:

JG’s words upon handing this one over to me: I predict you’re going to drive straight to the dealership and buy one.

We didn’t that evening, but my wife and I discussed it. Maybe one day. :) 

Yeah it's one of the better glow-ups on the market at the moment. 

The seats were also particularly impressive. I couldn't find any documentation that they'd been changed, but this car definitely had the best seating position of any stock twin I'd ever sat in. I've always felt like the seats in these cars were just slightly too high off the deck for proper track use. While this one still isn't perfect, it's so much better than previous ones. I'm not sure whether they altered the seat geometry or just added some additional movement to the height adjuster or whoever had it before us just broke it in real nice, but it's a huge upgrade.

Are the ts seats from the regular 2nd gen seats? Because my 2nd gen definitely feels more like I'm sitting "on" the car vs "in" the car like my 1st gen. It's my only real complaint. 

z31maniac said:

JG Pasterjak said:

David S. Wallens said:

JG’s words upon handing this one over to me: I predict you’re going to drive straight to the dealership and buy one.

We didn’t that evening, but my wife and I discussed it. Maybe one day. :) 

Yeah it's one of the better glow-ups on the market at the moment. 

The seats were also particularly impressive. I couldn't find any documentation that they'd been changed, but this car definitely had the best seating position of any stock twin I'd ever sat in. I've always felt like the seats in these cars were just slightly too high off the deck for proper track use. While this one still isn't perfect, it's so much better than previous ones. I'm not sure whether they altered the seat geometry or just added some additional movement to the height adjuster or whoever had it before us just broke it in real nice, but it's a huge upgrade.

Are the ts seats from the regular 2nd gen seats? Because my 2nd gen definitely feels more like I'm sitting "on" the car vs "in" the car like my 1st gen. It's my only real complaint. 

Frustratingly, I've not been able to fully confirm anything about the seats. But I've heard from multiple sources that the tS seats are the regular 2nd gen shells with a different foam package, and this definitely squares with what my butt is telling me.

Very curious to see if Toyota announces an in-house factory turbo motor for the next gen. Will likely tank values of the 2nd gen and make the tS even more of a bargain