Subaru BRZ ZD8
Twin-of-the-86, with a quieter personality.
61 reviewers · 249 videos · 52 hours watched · 40 press articles
Reviewers strongly agree on its performance and handling, but split on daily drivability and value.
across 61 reviewers
"practicality in here it completely outshines that in the MX-5"
CarSauce · ▶ 7:00"The BRZ probably doesn't want to go up a mountain pass in the middle of winter."
Automotive Anonymous · ▶ 18:18"it's so hard to beat the value proposition from these cars consumables are cheap"
TheTopher · ▶ 2:33"It's very, very hard to justify. Five grand is a lot of money for a slightly more polished ride."
Drive.com.au · ▶ 20:50Performance
4.0/561 of 61 reviewersstrong consensus“it doesn't feel underpowered like a stock first gen does just a joy to drive”
positive · Zygrene · ▶ 14:05“the power difference is huge... the lack of a torque dip, the punchiness of the clutch, the power difference is huge”
positive · TheTopher · ▶ 28:24“the pesky torque dip in the first generation is more or less gone... that's pretty huge”
positive · Jubbal & Cars · ▶ 4:42Handling
4.5/560 of 61 reviewersstrong consensus“the chassis is tuned better the suspension is better... there's more grip here there's more chassis refinement”
positive · TheTopher · ▶ 42:28“this car has the best suspension out of all three of these”
positive · Zygrene · ▶ 30:41“the suspension is definitely much more compliant it's softer it is in my opinion better sorted”
positive · Jubbal & Cars · ▶ 3:01Fun to drive
4.5/561 of 61 reviewersstrong consensus“if you can't have fun in a brz with stock power you're doing something wrong”
positive · ShootingCars · ▶ 3:37“the BRZ out of these three cars is the easiest to drive really hard”
positive · Zygrene · ▶ 33:42“This car is so much fun. Whether you are just going to the shops or you're going for an awesome big fun Sunday drive, this car will make you smile.”
positive · The Right Car? · ▶ 25:06Daily drivability
3.5/559 of 61 reviewerssplit“practicality in here it completely outshines that in the MX-5”
positive · CarSauce · ▶ 7:00“the new brz and gr86 is a far superior daily driver it's so much quieter than an s2000”
positive · Zygrene · ▶ 4:58“immediately the first thing I noticed once I installed this pedal Commander is that it is so much easier to start smoothly from a stop in this BRZ”
positive · TheTopher · ▶ 5:23Value
4.0/560 of 61 reviewerssplit“it's so hard to beat the value proposition from these cars consumables are cheap”
positive · TheTopher · ▶ 2:33“this is a true drivers car and the fact that you can get it for low thirty thousand dollars here in the us makes it a no-brainer”
positive · Zygrene · ▶ 9:52“For sub $40,000, this is the best enthusiast vehicle that you can buy new.”
positive · ShootingCars · ▶ 18:31Hear it in the reviewer’s words
- Road & Track
Tested: 2026 Subaru BRZ tS Makes the Most of Not Much
◆Worth itThe 2026 BRZ tS is the most mature and capable version of the platform, offering exceptional chassis tuning that makes it a standout for enthusiasts, despite a lackluster engine.
- Best for
- Enthusiasts seeking a track-capable, daily-drivable sports car with a fixed roof and manual transmission.
- Watch out
- Lack of engine character · Cramped cabin · Useless rear seats
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