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Our long-term 2022 Subaru BRZ — which we added to our test fleet in June 2022 with close to 5,300 miles already on the odometer — just passed the 10,000-miles marker. Adding another 5,000 miles wasn’t hard, even though we primarily drove it locally and for the occasional driver training session (though a couple of recent road trips helped). So how do we feel about this quick little runabout?
Thoughts from afar
Outside of the more spacious front cabin area and those surprisingly comfortable and supportive bucket seats, the new Subaru BRZ’s interior left a little to be desired. As with the last model, practicality suffers, and at no point did we dare to put another adult in the claustrophobic rear seats. We primarily used this space for extra luggage room on road trips, or as storage for sets of golf clubs when our adventures were more local. The cabin also exhibits intrusive road noise — not much of a shocker since the BRZ is a budget-friendly sports car. And what’s with the persistent “BONG” of the reminder chime to put on your seat belt? From the second you start your car, there’s a loud, constant alert that quickly becomes grating. It’s like a bad song that you can’t get out of your head!
However, the fun and driver engagement the BRZ delivers are unanimously praised. Comments abound about how nimble and grippy the BRZ is around corners. It’s an absolute blast to wring the naturally aspirated four-cylinder to its 7,500-rpm redline.
Personally, I’m a huge fan. From all the cars in our long-term fleet, I often choose the BRZ for the weekend. It brings a smile to my face when I have open road, and it’s wonderful to drive on Angeles Crest. It’s even easy to drive even in stop-and-go traffic, and that says a lot since it’s a manual in LA.
Aside from those, here’s a welcome surprise: Our overall fuel economy is outperforming the EPA’s combined estimate. Didn’t see that coming with this lead-footed staff. Woohoo!
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