Will there be a 2023 BRZ?

The 2023 Subaru BRZ compact coupe is a real sports car with rear-wheel drive and a suspension that inspires enthusiastic driving. The 2023 BRZ starts at $28,595.

The 2023 Subaru BRZ is not especially powerful, but not every boxer has to be a heavyweight. And it’s way more affordable than a Porsche.

This second generation of BRZ debuted last year with a bigger engine and a firmer suspension than its predecessor. As before, this is a joint project between Subaru and Toyota, the Toyota GR86 being the other side of this special coin.

As long as buyers’ wishes are in sync with the particular attributes the BRZ offers, this car can either ignite the flame of driving thrills, or keep it burning bright.

2023 Subaru BRZ Pricing

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for the 2023 BRZ coupe in Premium trim is $28,595, plus a destination charge. The higher Limited trim starts at $31,095.

Adding an automatic transmission to the Premium model is another $1,500. The Limited requires another $200 on top of that, but includes reverse automatic braking.

Small, rear-drive affordable fun machines are scarce these days. The perennially wonderful Mazda MX-5 Miata starts in the same region as the BRZ coupe. So does the Ford Mustang. The Chevrolet Camaro starts a couple of grand below that. The Toyota GR86, the BRZ’s mechanically similar sibling, also begins around the same price.

If small, front-drive fun machines are acceptable, there’s the 189-horsepower Mini Cooper S from around $27K. The Volkswagen Golf GTI is in a similar fiscal ballpark.

Before buying a new BRZ sports car, check the KBB.com Fair Purchase Price to see what others in your area paid for theirs. This is still a fresh generation of BRZ, but resale values should be strong.

Driving the 2023 Subaru BRZ

Available solely as a coupe, Subaru’s intention has been to keep the 2023 BRZ small. If it was bigger, it would weigh more, and that’s not what this car is about. The portliest 2023 BRZ is only 2,881 pounds.

A nimble, rear-drive car doesn’t need a lot of muscle. So although the chassis can deal with more than the 228 horsepower available, it all feels controllable.

Peak power comes in at a high 7,000 rpm, which is a good thing, allowing for fine throttle modulations through fast corners (preferably on a track). It wouldn’t be so easy if there was a turbocharger on board. The 184 lb-ft of maximum torque, meanwhile, makes its presence felt in low-end punch.

Every new BRZ comes with a mechanical Torsen (torque-sensing) limited-slip differential for optimum traction. And there’s plenty of information coming up through the steering wheel. As perhaps someone’s first car with rear-wheel drive, the BRZ is ideal.

It also works as an affordable track-day toy. One cool little feature is that the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) can recognize two sets of wheels. Owners can drive to the track on their normal wheels and tires, swap those for a racing set, and trundle back home on the originals. Folding down the rear seats creates enough space for that other wheel/tire set, plus a few tools.

A front strut tower brace enhances the current BRZ’s firmer ride. Enthusiasts will be happy because it feels so precise, passengers not so much. At least the front seats are well-shaped, supportive, and comfortable over a long trip.

Interior Comfort

The cabin works well for two people, even though the seating is known euphemistically as 2+2. It never equals four. Two adults and two hobbits, maybe. Rear legroom is tight at 29.9 inches, and the coupe’s roofline leaves little headroom. This is all fine, though. The 2023 BRZ isn’t trying to be a Toyota Corolla.

A set of sporty aluminum pedals in the driver’s footwell provides a better indication of the BRZ’s character. So does the digital instrument cluster, with a design inspired by the flat-4 engine configuration.

Exterior Styling

Weight is kept in check by using aluminum for the roof, hood, and front fenders. The 2023 BRZ also stays nice and low, all the better to feel what’s going on.

The shape is classic coupe, with the long hood, small cabin, and short tail, completed here by a cool little rear spoiler. Overall, the BRZ looks more expensive than it really is.

Premium trim comes with 17-inch alloy wheels in dark gray. Limited trim’s 18-inch alloy wheels have a matte gray finish.

Favorite Features

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
If ever there was a car crying out for a manual transmission, it’s the 2023 BRZ sports car. And it’s a great 6-speed unit, with a nice shift action. We wouldn’t deter anyone from going down this route. But the optional 6-speed automatic transmission does make life easier and potentially safer when driving on public roads. And it has shift paddles, so drivers can still choose when to change gears if they want, plus it has automatic rev-matching.

TRACK MODE
In its wisdom, Subaru gave the new BRZ sports car a track setting in the traction control system. It affords the driver some leeway to get the tail out and counter-steer into the slide before the system kicks in. In this mode, the driver information display turns the rev counter into a bar graph, like real race cars. You can also turn traction control off completely.

Standard Features

The 2023 BRZ coupe comes in Premium and Limited versions. Premium trim has 17-inch alloy wheels, full LED headlights, keyless entry/ignition, configurable digital driver information display, leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, sport front seats, and cloth upholstery.

The infotainment system includes an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, two USB ports, satellite radio, Bluetooth, and six speakers.

Safety features don’t go far beyond the mandatory, at least when the manual transmission is in the picture. But there are disc brakes at each wheel, so that’s good.

The Limited trim swaps in 18-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport tires, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, steering-responsive headlights, upgraded audio system, two more speakers, plus heated front seats covered with simulated suede and leather bolsters.

Factory Options

Both trim levels are eligible for a 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters mounted beneath the steering wheel. With the automatic, the 2023 BRZ also brings forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Reverse automatic braking is added to the Limited trim as well.

Limited trim also offers the Subaru Starlink connected services package. This includes emergency services and roadside assistance notification, stolen vehicle recovery, remote lock/unlock, remote start, remote climate settings, speed alert, curfew alert, concierge services, and Wi-Fi. A subscription is required.

Engine & Transmission

A flat-4 engine graces the space beneath the BRZ’s hood. The difference between a flat-4 and the vastly more common inline-4 is that the latter unit’s cylinders are all, um, in a line. The former has two pairs of cylinders opposed horizontally. It’s a Subaru specialty and helps keep the car’s center of gravity nice and low.

Displacement is 2.4 liters, with no turbochargers or the like. Output is 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, going solely to the rear wheels through a standard 6-speed manual transmission or an optional 6-speed automatic. Premium gasoline is recommended.

2.4-liter flat-4
228 horsepower @ 7,000 rpm
184 lb-ft of torque @ 3,700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/27 mpg (manual), 21/30 mpg (auto)

KBB Vehicle Review and Rating Methodology

Our Expert Ratings come from hours of both driving and number crunching to make sure that you choose the best car for you. We comprehensively experience and analyze every new SUV, car, truck, or minivan for sale in the U.S. and compare it to its competitors. When all that dust settles, we have our ratings.

We require new ratings every time an all-new vehicle or a new generation of an existing vehicle comes out. Additionally, we reassess those ratings when a new-generation vehicle receives a mid-cycle refresh — basically, sprucing up a car in the middle of its product cycle (typically, around the 2-3 years mark) with a minor facelift, often with updates to features and technology.

Rather than pulling random numbers out of the air or off some meaningless checklist, KBB’s editors rank a vehicle to where it belongs in its class. Before any car earns its KBB rating, it must prove itself to be better (or worse) than the other cars it’s competing against as it tries to get you to spend your money buying or leasing.

Our editors drive and live with a given vehicle. We ask all the right questions about the interior, the exterior, the engine and powertrain, the ride and handling, the features, the comfort, and of course, about the price. Does it serve the purpose for which it was built? (Whether that purpose is commuting efficiently to and from work in the city, keeping your family safe, making you feel like you’ve made it to the top — or that you’re on your way — or making you feel like you’ve finally found just the right partner for your lifestyle.)

We take each vehicle we test through the mundane — parking, lane-changing, backing up, cargo space and loading — as well as the essential — acceleration, braking, handling, interior quiet and comfort, build quality, materials quality, reliability.

More About How We Rate Vehicles

Will there be a 2024 Subaru BRZ?

Release date: we expect to see the first 2024 BRZ at Planet Subaru in the late summer of calendar year 2023. The 2022 model was all new, the first since 2013. Other than a small price increase, Subaru made published no changes on the 2023 model.

Is the 2023 BRZ AWD?

The 2023 Subaru BRZ is equipped with a 2.4-liter flat four-cylinder engine with 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive are standard; a six-speed automatic transmission is optional.

What engine is in the 2023 BRZ?

2.4 L 4-cylinder2023 Subaru BRZ / Enginenull

Will Subaru discontinue the BRZ?

As the Subaru spokesperson pointed out, while the automaker closed its order books for the 2022 BRZ, consumers can still head to a dealer and purchase a new model.