Subaru BRZ STI Edition review: Driver-centric cabin with excellent ergonomics

When I told my friends that I am getting to drive the new Subaru BRZ, the response I got was "oh, you mean the 86?", in jest. Anyone that has the slightest interest in Japanese sports cars knows that the Toyota GR86 and the Subaru BRZ are the products of a collaboration between the two companies — these cars are even known as the Toyobaru twins.

Like two sides of the same coin, the two cars are built on the same platform and powered by the same drivetrain. Hence, it isn't surprising that many consider the GR86 and the BRZ to be the same car with a different badging. While many components are shared, each brand has added their own unique touches to differentiate their product.

So, having driven the GR86 not too long ago, I figured it would be an excellent opportunity to find out for myself if these are really just the same car with different badges and slight styling changes.

The cooler, more sophisticated twin with a killer fashion sense

Now in its second generation, the Subaru BRZ sports an updated design that has retained the original's pleasant proportions. The sharp front-end on the BRZ works with an elegantly curved body to meet a short but wide rear section, creating a truly sporty silhouette that hints at an engaging drive.

If you aren't sure which of the Toyobaru twins you are looking at, the front-end is where you'll be able to discern the BRZ from the GR86; both cars have their own front bumper design and unique head lights.

While the GR86 has a large, almost rectangular grille on the bumper, the BRZ has a sleeker, slimmer one flanked by pointed ends. The elaborately designed bumper also includes more complex lines and creases, lending the BRZ a more sophisticated visual presence.

While I was inclined towards the GR86's styling, the $18,000 STI kit on this BRZ STI Edition added enough aggression to tip the scales in its favour. The kit includes a front, side and rear under spoiler, side skirt lip, fender garnish, a rear diffuser and 18-inch STI rims (this review unit is equipped with the regular rims).

But the highlight of the kit has got to be the dry-carbon rear spoiler with swan-neck stands that looks like it was lifted right off the tail-end of a race car. It is clear that the BRZ STI Edition is the wildest and sportiest looking variant of the Toyobaru twins that you can get your hands on right out of the dealership.

Fuss-free and unpretentious

Hop on inside and you'll immediately sense the driver-focused ergonomics that these cars are reputed for. From the low seating position in the supportive sport seats, the inclusion of a manual handbrake lever (in the current climate of electronic handbrakes) to the no-nonsense interior, everything is designed with driving fun in mind — there isn't any fancy light show or gimmicks to be found here.

Equipped with an 8.0-inch infotainment display with physical buttons and knobs for the main functions, along with climate control knobs situated in an accessible spot right below, you won't have to fiddle with a finicky touchscreen while driving. While it does result in a centre console that looks relatively busy compared to the latest cars out there, the design of the cabin is in line with the car's driver-centric ethos.

And it's not like you won't get any modern amenities in it — the infotainment system supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, along with Bluetooth connectivity. The BRZ also gets Subaru's EyeSight Driver Assist technology that includes adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking and lane departure warning. Who says that a sporty driving machine can't be an enjoyable cruiser as well?

Takes a little bit to warm up, but once he gets going…

Under the bonnet of the BRZ STI Edition is the same 2.4-litre naturally aspirated flat-four boxer engine that you'll find in the GR86 as well. It produces 234bhp at 7,000rpm and 250Nm of torque at just 3,700rpm. This is a considerable increase in power and torque from the original BRZ's 2.0-litre engine; the infamous torque dip in the mid-rpm range has also been resolved to result in a perkier drive.

As this review unit is equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission, it has marginally slower acceleration, resulting in a century sprint timing of 6.8 seconds — 0.5 seconds longer than the manual GR86 takes. While I vividly remember the GR86's close gear ratios, which gave it a sprightly acceleration, the BRZ's automatic gearbox appears to have longer gear ratios — it feels like the second gear is still too tall even for low-mid speed corners.

After taking the car through its paces in the same curvy stretches of roads that I drove with the GR86, I can now confidently tell off anyone who assumes that the BRZ drives like a carbon copy of the former. Despite being mechanically similar, the BRZ's suspension settings differs from the GR86 with stiffer front suspension, lighter aluminium knuckles, and a softer rear suspension, along with softer rear anti-roll bars.

What this translates into is a more balanced drive. Make no mistake; the BRZ is a sharp and agile handling machine. However, unlike the GR86 that loves to rotate on throttle, the BRZ's handling is much calmer, and less excitable.

The increased rear-end grip also means that you'll have to push it even harder if you want to get the tail out — it is still possible and very controllable thanks to the Torsen limited slip differential. All this doesn't mean that either car is better than the other, but instead, the decision to go for the GR86 or the BRZ all boils down to personal preferences and driving styles.

It might take a little more effort to coax out the fun side of the BRZ as compared to the GR86, but make no mistake — it is still a fun driving machine. PHOTO: sgCarMart

The BRZ is an extroverted introvert

Combine the neutral handling characteristics with the relaxing automatic gearbox, and the automatic BRZ feels substantially different from the manual GR86. If the GR86 is the extroverted and easily excitable, fun-loving brother, the Subaru BRZ is clearly its calmer and more introverted twin.

The BRZ is a little more laid-back and easier to live with — drive it for a bit, and you might even start to wonder if the wild STI kit even matches the character of the car.

But you shouldn't assume that the BRZ is a shut-in that does not know how to have some fun in life. Spend a little more time with the car, push it a little harder and you might just be able to draw out the extroverted and wild side of the BRZ. And then, you'll realise just how fitting the aggressive styling of the STI kit can actually be.

What we like

• The STI kit looks amazing!
• Torquey and responsive engine
• Driver-centric cabin with excellent ergonomics
• Subaru EyeSight with adaptive cruise control makes it great for long drives
• Quick precise and neutral handling
• Automatic gearbox and its suspension tuning makes it a sports car that is easy to live with

What we dislike

• Automatic gearbox with its longer ratios makes the car a little muted
• The less entertaining one when pitted against the GR86

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This article was first published in sgCarMart.