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The all-new Subaru BRZ sports car is faster, stronger, and still manages to maintain its charismatic and classically proportioned size.
What’s New for the 2022 Subaru BRZ
Subaru is quietly becoming a powerhouse in the automotive world and their latest offering, the 2022 Subaru BRZ, is shaping up to be another smash hit. Marking the introduction of the first all-new generation since the car’s inception, Subaru seems to have improved the pain points of the previous car and built more muscle where it already had strengths. New styling emphasizes the sporting nature of this small coupe and harkens back to 60’s coupes and roadsters from both Britain and Japan.
Subaru says that the new 2022 BRZ is “all-new” from the track up, and that means that there’s a lot to cover. The biggest news is that the lethargic 2.0-liter engine from the original generation is gone in favor of a 2.4-liter FA platform engine that makes 23 more horsepower and 28 lb-ft of torque. Dig a bit deeper and you’ll find that Subaru widened the rear track of the sports car and then added stiffness throughout the chassis to provide a better on-road feel. A new digital gauge cluster will be included as will an updated 8-inch infotainment system.
2022 Subaru BRZ – media.subaru.com | Shop 2022 Subaru BRZ on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
Excellent styling
No torque dip
Five drive modes
Still no turbo
Back seats aren’t useful
2022 Subaru BRZ Specs
- 228 horsepower from base engine
- 184 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 2 available trims
- 7.2 cu-ft. of cargo capacity
- New digital driver info center is great
- Subaru EyeSight available on automatic models
- Warranty coverage is industry standard
2022 Subaru BRZ Powertrain
The new FA24 engine going into this 2022 Subaru BRZ is a new creation from Subaru that we haven’t seen in anything else. If stats and short driving experiences are anything to go on though, we’re very excited. While we hoped it would have a turbocharger, we did accurately predict the final horsepower target all the way back in November of 2020. That big bump in power without adding forced induction is actually a big bonus, because it means that not only will it smooth out the big torque dip that’s currently plagued the outgoing car, but it won’t have any turbo lag whatsoever.
Subaru claims that peak torque is achieved at just 3,700 rpm. That’s just over half of the revs it took to find the limit in the old car. For the first time, Subaru is including a short-throw shifter as a part of its standard manual transmission, and even the automatic sounds like a good bet with automatic rev-matching downshifts.
Finally, consider that Subaru says this new sports car is 50% more rigid when it comes to torsional rigidity. That should make for even quicker directional changes and better overall agility.
2022 Subaru BRZ Fuel Economy & MPG
While Subaru hasn’t released any information on efficiency directly, the EPA might have spilled the beans. They currently list the 2022 Subaru BRZ as achieving 25 mpg combined with the automatic and 22 mpg with the manual transmission. Keep in mind that, as of this writing, they’re using the WRX as the corresponding photo so maybe there’s a mistake, but those numbers are in line with our expectations. It’s also important to note that they’re not the same as the 2020 version, so it’s not just a carried-over mistake in that respect.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
At its heart, this is still a no-frills sports car, but Subaru has done a nice job of making this new coupe a more pleasurable place to be. The 2022 Subaru BRZ has still got the grippy seats that are heavily bolstered and provide great outward visibility, but there’s even more to like. The cabin looks much more modern and features a simpler design language with fewer buttons and knobs.
Expect the cabin to be noisy but hopefully a bit better than the outgoing car. Ride comfort isn’t a major focus of the BRZ, but we’ve never found it to be lacking refinement so we doubt things will change for the worse in that respect. One highlight will be that with the rear seats folded flat, the BRZ can handle a full set of wheels and tires as cargo for those weekend track days.
Entertainment & Technology
Another major upgrade over the outgoing car is the technology found inside the 2022 Subaru BRZ. First, the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system is bigger and better than any previous BRZ offered. Starlink is one of the more underrated user interfaces and offers snappy responses and a well-laid-out feature set. The all-new digital gauge cluster is another welcome addition and offers drivers the chance to configure it to their liking. 5 drive modes also provide maximum versatility and will automatically make slight adjustments to the driver information screen depending on the mode selected.
Safety Features
The 2022 Subaru BRZ hasn’t had crash test ratings or scores released from the NHTSA or the IIHS, but we expect it to fall in line with its previous positive results. Manually equipped BRZs will be limited to safety features like blind-spot monitoring, but automatics can be had with Subaru’s EyeSight safety system that includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and more.
2022 Subaru BRZ Trims & Pricing
Premium – $28,995
Both trim levels of the 2022 Subaru BRZ will come with the same 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine and direct that power to the rear wheels only via a six-speed short-throw manual transmission. They’ll also both get an 8-inch infotainment system with Subaru’s StarLink multimedia system equipped with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. They’ll both get a limited-slip differential too, but after that, the paths diverge. Expect the Premium trim to come with cloth seats, 17-inch wheels with all-season tires, and no advanced safety features. An automatic transmission with rev-matching downshifts can be had for $1,600.
Limited – $31,455
At the Limited level we expect the interior to be clad in leather or simulated leather upholstery. We know that it will have 18-inch wheels wrapped with Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4 tires. It’ll also get blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive headlights that turn as drivers turn the wheel.
Warranties
While the Toyota GR86 will likely come with two years or 24,000 miles of complimentary maintenance, it’s unlikely that Subaru will follow that lead. Buyers will likely only get the limited warranty that covers three years or 36,000 miles and the powertrain warranty that covers the vehicle up to five years or 60,000 miles.
What we think
2022 Subaru BRZ – media.subaru.com | Shop 2022 Subaru BRZ on Carsforsale.com
Inexpensive, fun, and capable sports cars are incredibly rare today, but the 2022 Subaru BRZ proves that they can still be successful. Sure, some folks will slap a turbocharger on their new BRZ as soon as they get it, but this car transcends simple power numbers. It’s about driving engagement and pleasure and it achieves that balance brilliantly.
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