Subaru BRZ Puts Performance Driving In Reach Of The Masses

Whereas the Mazda MX-5 has become a car that is now ubiquitous on our roads, the BRZ is yet to have a significant impact. Relative few are made and sold in Western countries, which is surprising, given how similar they are to Mazda’s offering.

Subaru, though, appears to have worked a similar magic with the BRZ as Mazda have with the MX-5. Here we have a budget performance car that has enough “oomph” to thrill drivers, without breaking the bank.

When it comes to performance, the BRZ isn’t bad. The 2.0-liter version of the car comes with a four-cylinder boxer engine that will deliver over 205 BHP. That’s more power than a standard MX-5, but not quite as much as a Chevrolet Camaro. What’s more, the controls on the car feel responsive, immediately giving the car a “driver’s feel.” Owners could feel quite confident taking the BRZ to the test track, and even the Nurburgring.

Subaru BRZ Price

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But the main feature of the car is the price. According to www.reynellasubaru.com.au, it’s possible to pick up a brand new BRZ for a little over $20,000. Given that some hatchbacks are more expensive than that as standard, Subaru has achieved something remarkable.

Of course, the company has been rather clever in pushing the price of the BRZ down. By sharing a platform with Toyota, they’ve managed to get their costs to a minimum, producing the BRZ in high volumes alongside its sister car, the GT 85. Although the two cars have minor differences, Subaru has managed to benefit from all of the usual manufacturing economies of scale without having to take a loss on each unit sold according to an analysis by io.co.za.

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You can, of course, up the price quite easily by choosing special trims and extra features. Currently, the car comes with a couple of different high-quality interiors: limited and premium. A brand new BRZ with “Limited” trim will set you back more than $27,645, about $3,500 more than the base version of the car. But given the performance of the vehicle, this still represents good value. Compared to a similar Nissan 370Z, owners of top-of-the-line BRZs pay over $2,000 less.

Other Concerns

Price, however, isn’t everything. How does the BRZ stack up against the competition on things like reliability and driving performance?

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One of the great things about the BRZ is the mileage. You could choose a Camaro with an extra 70 BHP, but you’d also have to put up with a much lower MPG. The BRZ, according to the EPA, will do more than 29 miles to the gallon on the open highway – that’s more than the average car in its segment. By comparison, the Camaro does more like 22, although it can go higher on the open road. The MX-5 performs better than the BRZ, perhaps because of the fact that the models tested have slightly smaller engines.

In conclusion, the BRZ brings performance to the masses in an aggressive package. It’s fast and relatively reliable, especially compared to other cars in its class.