2013 Subaru BRZ Premium

2013 Subaru BRZ Premium 2013 Subaru BRZ Premium
Long-Term Road Test Wrap-Up From the May 2014 Issue of Car and Driver

The Subaru BRZ, along with its Scion FR-S twin, is a car of enormous significance to enthusiasts. Not since Mazda’s Miata two-seater made its debut 25 years ago has a new rear-drive sports car been so attainable yet so dedicated to the art of driving. But while we are able to concede some refinements in the name of the Subieyota’s appealing base price and handling prowess, its overall polish remains a bit, shall we say, rough.

Given the BRZ’s specs—rear-drive, 200 horsepower, manual gearbox, less than 30 grand—we began our 40,000 miles of study long before it and the Scion formally secured 10Best trophies for 2013. The Subaru was always our first choice, as the company handled the bulk of the engineering, including the fitment of one of its emblematic flat-four engines.

Our long-term 2013 Premium model in WR Blue Pearl was a fine cake that needed no frosting; even the base car comes well equipped with an excellent six-speed manual, body-hugging cloth seats, touch-screen navigation, and a cocoon of six airbags.

Standard, too, is the way the BRZ’s stellar dynamics obliterate a driver’s impulse control. Aided by an ultra-low center of gravity (18.1 inches), the 2757-pound Subaru can shimmy down twisty roads with poise. The superquick, electrically assisted steering’s effort rises in a natural, linear fashion as cornering forces build. Closely spaced pedals allow for easy heel-and-toe action, while the short-throw shifter is nice and close to the steering wheel, even if it felt notchy at times. “The most fun you can have this side of a Porsche,” proclaimed one Boxster S–owning editor.

The BRZ’s front-strut/rear-multilink suspension is loosely based on the Impreza’s and is tuned for a slight push in corners. However, a standard Torsen limited-slip differential ensures that the rear of the chassis is as lively as the car’s helm. Combined with modest grip from the 215/45R-17 Michelin Primacy HP rubber, good for 0.89 g on the skidpad, the Subie is an accomplished drifter when its stability ­control is deactivated.

While the BRZ’s chassis can easily handle more power than the current 2.0-liter flat-four provides, our drivers were impressed with the boxer’s 100 hp/liter output, attributable in part to Toyota’s D-4S fueling system with both port and direct injectors. Maintaining speed in the BRZ requires smooth inputs and quick shifting to keep the revs above the torque curve’s 3000-to-4500-rpm valley [see chassis dyno plot]. This can be educational for novices and rewarding for experts. “Can be” are the operative words in that last sentence; some folks found its lack of linearity frustrating.

The engine propelled our long-termer to 60 mph in a respectable 6.4 seconds when new, and through the quarter-mile in 15.0 seconds at 94 mph, making it slightly quicker than the current MX-5 Miata. Despite our car’s so-so initial stopping ­performance from 70 mph (172 feet), and the pedal losing some of its initial bite over time, the brakes remained easy to modulate throughout the car’s stint. A harsh Michigan winter prevented us from fully retesting the BRZ at 40,000 miles, but a truncated excursion to a warmer location yielded slightly slower zero-to-60 (6.7 seconds) and quarter-mile (15.1 at 95 mph) times, likely due to worn-out tires and a lower-friction surface at our second test venue. Lateral grip on the skidpad dropped to 0.83 g. But given the car’s slightly improved acceleration to 100 mph (16.7 ­seconds versus 16.9 when new) and its stronger rolling-start performance, we’d expect our broken-in test car to be quicker out of the hole with a fresh set of rubber.

Our primary issue with the BRZ’s powerplant is noise. The boxer-four sends out a coarse, agricultural thrashing with only a hint of the throaty growl you’ll hear in other sporty Subarus. “The good news is that it revs to 7400 rpm,” observed one commenter. “The bad news is that you only want to hear it rev to 4000.” The platform’s minimal insulation channels road and drivetrain noises straight into the cabin.

The BRZ's driving tools are first-rate. Secondary entertainment controls, i.e. the radio head unit, are not.

The tin-shed acoustics—along with the choppy ride—meant that we rarely chose the BRZ for long-distance travel. Only on occasion did our test car venture beyond the Midwest, with six-foot-seven senior editor Jared Gall the first to stretch the car’s legs on a mid-winter vacation to New York with his wife. Aided by a set of Michelin X-Ice Xi2 winter tires ($604 plus installation), the Subaru returned unscathed but with Gall saying he’d require something more refined for his next voyage.

Those who did embark on longish drives appreciated the Subaru’s 28-mpg-average fuel economy and its range of more than 380 miles. Although the rear seats are laughable for adults and the trunk offers just seven cubic feet of storage, folding the rear seatbacks down does net enough space for a driver and a full set of track tires.

No feature was more widely panned than the Subaru’s touch-screen infotainment system. A chintzy, convoluted afterthought with tiny controls, slow responses, and a poorly lit display, it was all but impossible to operate safely while driving, and it generated expletive-laden tirades from nearly every driver. The logbook also told tales of difficulties connecting Bluetooth devices and errors in the navigation system’s guidance. The unit’s GPS receiver failed completely around 10,000 miles. Subaru has issued a service bulletin for the problem; that trip to the dealer was one of many our car made during its 19 months in our care.

The BRZ has a 7500-mile service interval, and four of our five scheduled stops cost less than $100 each. They covered an oil-and-filter change, tire rotation, and inspection. The lengthier 30,000-mile service ran a substantial $367 for the same, along with new air filters (engine and cabin), a brake-fluid flush, and more.

Subaru's (and Toyota's) commitment to car enthusiasts is not in doubt. Its commitment to NVH suppression is much less obvious.

Our unscheduled visits began at 3600 miles when we had to replace a drip-rail molding ($47) that came off in a car wash. Other problems were not so easily addressed, including power windows that occasionally froze in icy weather. The aforementioned cabin noise was exacerbated by a litany of rattles from the manual shifter, dash, and center console. The dealer installed a new shift knob and applied lots of foam tape to quell the squeaks and buzzes, but all eventually returned. One editor asked, “Did someone leave a beehive in here?”

Other issues included a loose hood latch and taillights that filled with condensation, the latter issue also known to Subaru and covered by the warranty. Around 21,000 miles, the clutch pedal developed a squeak that proved particularly difficult to eradicate. It was temporarily fixed by separating the transmission from the engine and fitting a new throw-out bearing, plus lubing the various components, but the squeak returned at 34,000 miles. This time the dealer installed a new master cylinder and additional lubrication to make it go away, all under warranty.

Our largest expenditure was $2987 in front-end repairs (fascia, radiator and supports, A/C condenser, skid plate, etc.) because one of our drivers, displaying a critical lack of judgment in wintry conditions, put the BRZ’s nose into a ditch.

At the end of our 40,000-mile test, the fact that most of us still wanted to blast off in the BRZ down a winding road validates Subaru’s engineering talent and its commitment to enthusiasts. The BRZ is “100 pounds of sound-deadening material away from greatness,” noted one test driver, to which we’ll also add: a new audio system and a stonkier engine note. With a new Miata looming, and affordable rear-drive cars from Nissan and Kia potentially in the offing, how Subaru realizes the BRZ’s full potential will determine how fondly we’ll look back on it in a couple of decades. For now, though, pack your bee suit.

Rants and Raves RON SESSIONS: I love this car for its visceral appeal. Steering response and turn-in are right now, but it would be great if the car would settle down on the interstate. ALEX STOKLOSA: More and more rattles have presented themselves, likely because the firm suspension attacks the body and everything attached to it like a honey badger. K.C. COLWELL: I would rather have an aftermarket Alpine stereo than this garbage pile of a head unit. CAROLYN PAVIA-RAUCHMAN: All-in-all, a noisy little guy these days. But what a head turner! RUSS FERGUSON: Man, oh man, I wish I lived in the mountains and had this car. At first, I wished for more motor, but I soon came to realize that, like a Miata, this is just about right. JARED GALL: This car defines great driving position. AUSTIN LINDBERG: I found the BRZ to be a surprisingly good freeway companion; neither my back nor my knees were sore after a seven-hour trip to Missouri. JOHN PHILLIPS: At 70 mph there's not enough illumination to avoid roadkill; worst headlights in the past 10 years. JULI BURKE: It's okay for an in-town car, but feels lightweight and cheap at highway speeds. KIRK SEAMAN: I applaud Subaru and Toyota for having the balls to make this car. It would have been so easy not to.