2017 Subaru BRZ

Pros: Lithe, agile handling; true sports-car personality; nice selection of standard equipment; good fuel economy for a sports car; relatively affordable pricing

Cons: Some enthusiast drivers will wish for more power; low-slung body and long doors make for tricky entry and exit; barely usable back seat; no options available

CG Says: The 2017 Subaru BRZ has been revised. The suspension has been tweaked for improved handling and Incline Start Assist, that prevents rollback on hills, is standard on all models. Engine modifications raise horsepower from 200 to 205 in cars with manual transmissions. A Performance Package with Brembo brakes and performance shock absorbers is newly available on Limited with manual transmission. A limited edition Series.Yellow model replaces last year’s Series.HyperBlue and includes the Performance Package. Like its near twin, the Toyota 86 (formerly Scion FR-S), the Subaru BRZ attempts to blend the pure enthusiast appeal of a finely honed rear-wheel-drive sports car with the accessibility and everyday practicality of a compact economy car. It succeeds on most counts. The typical sporty-coupe demerits–most notably a somewhat stiff ride and a tiny back-seat area–are here, but they’re tempered by the BRZ’s respectable fuel-economy numbers and sprightly all-around performance. A BRZ costs more than an 86, but the price difference is offset by a higher level of standard equipment–and the top-line BRZ Limited model offers desirable comfort and convenience features that can’t be had on an 86.

ROAD TESTS AND ADDITIONAL INFO

Test Drive: 2017 Subaru BRZ Limited

2018 Chicago Auto Show: 2018 Subaru 50th Anniversary Models

2018 Subaru BRZ Review

2016 Subaru BRZ Review

Current Toyota 86 Review

Future Collectible: Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ