The verdict: Despite a distinct lack of forced induction, the new 2024 Subaru BRZ tS proves the second generation of Subaru’s and Toyota’s collaboration remains one of the greatest affordable sports cars of the past decade.
Versus the competition: Regretfully, there isn’t much competition to be found in the affordable-sports-car class, but most shoppers cross-shop the BRZ’s platform mate, the Toyota GR86, as well as the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Choosing between the Subaru and the mechanically identical Toyota is a matter of preference, but the Miata is for those seeking a droptop over a coupe.
All right, I’ve had enough.Â
New rule: If you’ve yet to drive the second generation of either the Subaru BRZ or Toyota GR86, you’re not allowed to scream for a “turbo!”Â
“It just needs a turbo, man. That’s all. Then it’s perfect. A turbo wou—”
Stop. Unless you’ve tossed a second-gen Toyobaru down your favorite road, you’re not allowed to play armchair racer here. Sorry! Chances are, if you had driven one, you’d know after one redline merge that 228 horsepower and 184 pounds-feet of torque is just fine for this application. Now, the first-gen car? Forget it — that one hustled with as much urgency as the Rock of Gibraltar.
Related: 2024 Subaru BRZ: Performance tS Trim Returns, Starts at $31,315
The second gen, however, has an extra 23 hp and 30-ish extra torques that are merely window dressing for the real changes implemented behind the block. The (admittedly lighter) 181-hp Mazda Miata suggests the previous BRZ’s 205 hp should have been enough for some cheeky activities, but that 2.0-liter flat-four lump flat-lined on fun; it just wasn’t happy performing in any scenario. It wasn’t so much the power as it was the delivery; acceptable low-end grunt disappeared almost immediately through the mid-range, then emerged again right at the top of the tach — just in time to grab another gear.
Lovely Linearity
Extra power is great, but you know what’s better? Linear power delivery. Since its 2022 redesign, the BRZ’s torque now peaks at 3,700 rpm compared with the last gen’s 6,400 rpm, filling the gap neatly as horsepower swells to its still-high 7,000-rpm peak. In practice, this means you can merge at supra-legal speeds and genuinely (somewhat) power-out of corners — both of which complement the BRZ’s exceptional chassis better than any wine pairing. That being the case, those looking for a light, revvy, rear-wheel-drive sports car with an available manual transmission and a factory warranty have no excuse now — especially because Subaru’s already gone to the trouble of upgrading the suspension, brakes and tires for you.
tSk, tSk, tSk
You’ll enjoy it if you’re able to get your mitts on the new tS edition, which in Subaru parlance translates to “Tuned by STI.” While the automaker’s erstwhile performance brand is closely associated with big ol’ turbochargers, the BRZ’s 2.4-liter flat-four engine is left entirely untouched, with the aforementioned triumvirate of dynamic focal points being the tS’ only mechanical differences over an entry-level BRZ Premium.
The tS is based on the mid-level Limited trim, and both models get gummy Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer tires, which deliver more stick than slide. The four-piston front and two-piston rear Brembos are new, as are the STI-tuned Hitachi shocks, all backed by a subtle set of “tS” badges on the grille and trunk lid.
I’d have to compare the tS back to back with a Michelin-fitted Limited to get a full sense of the upgrades, but I will say the Brembo binders are incredibly well suited for this application, with reassuringly firm pedal feel and impressive stopping power and fade resistance.
A Sorely Missed Segment
This buzziest BRZ has to be one of the best motoring experiences accessible for less than $40,000, especially if the road is right. There’s so much joy when you’re flying in a small, taut sports car, perhaps driven entirely by choking nostalgia for when we had more choices in the two-door, RWD arena. Even then, I highly doubt you could have come up with a car of similar stature, price and packaging that felt this holistically well developed.
I haven’t been to my favorite road in California in some time. Certain roads — or regions — of the best SoCal tarmac serve different purposes and benefit distinctly different types and classes of performance cars. Smaller fare, like Boxsters, hot hatches and Miatas, are best launched into Malibu canyons, where tight, technical corners and narrow lanes make big boys like Vipers, Vettes and Vanquishes feel like vans. Bring the powder kegs to Angeles Crest Highway, where fast, predictable sweepers bleed into long straights for maximum attack and naughty speedo readouts.
Thirty-odd miles to the east of Angeles Crest, Glendora Mountain Highway slithers through the same San Gabriel Mountains and is, in my opinion, one of the greatest roads in the world. Fast and at times treacherous, it’s an impeccable blend of Malibu’s technicality and Angeles Crest’s wide-open speed. This is where Mustang meets M2; it’s a workout, but it’s a perfect performance laboratory, and a venue on which I hoped to flog the tS.
Road Rumble
I arrived at the base of Glendora Mountain Highway to find it closed up tight by CalTrans, presumably due to a wildfire. With sunlight dwindling and the BRZ’s return looming in the morning, Angeles Crest was my only recourse, as I’d arrive in Malibu more than an hour after sunset.Â
I squawked quite a bit about how much better the torque curve is on the new Toyobaru twins, but stretches of Angeles Crest Highway fall just short of 8,000 feet in elevation — enough to lobotomize the free-breathin’ BRZ beyond its generational roots. I rumbled through Angeles Crest’s base turns stymied by sluggish traffic, apprehensive at the wheezy climb ahead.
What a worrywart. Though it’s hardly a Hellcat, the BRZ sliced through the road’s various segments, carrying impressive momentum and poise, balanced by the Michelins’ gluey grip. Alongside the Miata, this is driving elementalism at its finest: sub-3,000-pound weight, notchy six-speed manual transmission, buzzy four-cylinder. Compared with the legions of 5,000-pound electric crossovers that cycle through my rotating press fleet, the BRZ’s reactive inputs are unbelievable — a sore reminder that the zappy side of things has yet to offer even a remote replacement.
More From Cars.com:Â
- 2025 Subaru BRZ Gets Standard Sport Mode for Manuals, Priced From $32,265
- Which New Cars Have Manual Transmissions?
- 2025 Subaru WRX tS Review: Top of the Food Chain
- Research the Subaru BRZ
- Shop for a 2024 Subaru BRZ
Dying Breed
Even with the engine gasping for air, keeping the revs a thousand or two from redline kept straight-line pace high and challenged my bravery for over-crest acceleration into corners that dove and twisted away from a sustained grade. Scared? Lean on those stiff Brembos to soak up that speed, and don’t be alarmed if the rear slips — you’ll catch it like a pop-fly.Â
What a special experience. Not for materials or performance, but for the genuine novelty of driving an affordable sports car in an age when the species of Crossovera SUVicus reigns supreme. Get the 2024 Subaru BRZ tS while stock lasts, or maybe just add some Brembos to your Limited — you’ll be more than halfway there.
Related Video:Â
We cannot generate a video preview.
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
