2024 Subaru BRZ tS Review: Pure, Distilled Essence of Driving

Ever since the Subaru BRZ first launched alongside the Toyota GT86/Scion FR-S (remember Scion?!), fans have been asking for an STI version. Unfortunately for those fans, the 2024 Subaru BRZ tS isn’t quite the STI version they were hoping for, even if “tS” stands for “tuned by STI.” However, forget the name or what it stands for—the BRZ tS is among the most fun you can have on four wheels for less than six figures. 

Despite its claims of being tuned by STI, the Subaru BRZ tS does not have a turbocharger like fans wanted. In fact, it doesn’t even have any extra power to speak of. Instead, the BRZ tS gets upgraded Hitachi dampers (I didn’t know they made suspension, either), upgraded Brembo brakes, and some mildly tweaked visuals. 

Fret not, however, because the BRZ tS is more than the sum of its upgraded parts, as they combine to create a genuinely outstanding little driver’s car. I’d previously driven the Toyota GR86, the BRZ’s mechanical twin, and loved it. But the BRZ tS’ upgrades are significant enough to warrant the additional cost. 

The Basics

At face value, the BRZ tS feels like Subaru throwing its fans a bone. They’ve long wanted an STI version that they clearly aren’t going to get. So it may look as though Subaru slapped a barely related badge on the back, gave it a few tweaks, and threw it to the feeding frenzy to keep them calm. However, in reality, it’s more than that. 

OK, I’ll admit, it doesn’t look like much more than that from the outside. The only real visual differences between the BRZ tS and the regular version are black wheels—which are indeed the same as the normal BRZ wheels, just painted black—black mirror caps, and “tS” badges. So don’t expect to stand out among your fellow BRZ owners on the road because you won’t. It looks good, though. The BRZ has always been a simple, no-nonsense looking sports car and that doesn’t change for tS duty. 

The same can be said about the interior, where you get what might be the simplest no-frills interior I’ve ever experienced in a modern car. It has some modern amenities but ultimately feels spartan. Every surface and material is made from scratchy plastics and the climate controls look like they could have been plucked from a 1998 WRX. But that’s actually a big part of its charm.

You don’t buy a BRZ for comfort or cabin technology. The BRZ tS is meant for people who love to drive more than anything else, so its cabin is driver-focused and completely free of distraction. Its seats are pretty good, its steering wheel is near-perfect, and its tall windows provide surprisingly good visibility. If I had a complaint it’s that it could be quieter inside, as it drones at anything above 40 mph and you hear every squeak, creek, and rattle possible. But I guess that’s part of the no-frills driving experience.

Driving the Subaru BRZ tS

In a world where four-cylinder Camrys have 225 horsepower, a 228-hp sports car doesn’t sound particularly exciting. Especially when the BRZ tS’ 2.4-liter naturally aspirated boxer-four only makes 184 lb-ft of torque to go with it. However, for the 2,846-pound featherweight BRZ tS, it’s actually plenty. Especially when it’s paired to a delightful six-speed manual. The clutch is a bit twitchy, which took me some time to get used to, but the shifts are excellent: tight, short throws with great feel. It’s a delight to row through the BRZ’s six forward gears, even if I could never quite learn to match its revs as well as I’d like. Maybe that’s just user error, though. 

By now, you’ve probably heard all about the BRZ’s ability to drift around slow-speed corners, making its driver look like a budget Rhys Millen. And, normally, that’s true. The BRZ’s wonderfully balanced chassis, ability to be steered with its throttle, and superb steering feel typically make it an easy drift weapon. But that’s the standard BRZ with its intentionally low-grip tires. The tS I tested had Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires that were just too competent to be easily overwhelmed by 184 lb-ft of torque. Instead, the BRZ tS is a little grip machine, thanks to its sticky rubber and low curb weight.

That creates a new sense of fun, though. You can point the BRZ tS into obnoxiously tight corners at speeds you’d never dream of in anything else and it just points and shoots. No slip, no lack of control—just pure confidence. It’s a shockingly sharp little car and that creates a sense of fun all of its own. It isn’t as silly as the usually-sideways standard BRZ but it has its own flavor, which is a good thing.

One important note is the suspension: it’s sensational. For the tS, Subaru swapped out the standard BRZ dampers for Hitachi ones and the ride/handling balance they provide is perfection. Every other aspect of the BRZ tS is uncouth: it’s loud, you hear and feel every single clink and clank of the drivetrain, and the engine sounds like it’s gargling gravel. But the suspension is so beautifully damped that it sticks to the road while smoothing out every bump. It might have the best ride-to-dollar ratio of any sports car I’ve ever driven. 

If you peek through the black wheel spokes, you’ll notice gold Brembo brake calipers. These upgraded four-piston front and dual-piston rear calipers are part of the BRZ tS’ upgraded goodies and they’re strong. They bite right at the top of the pedal and, with such big clampers on such a light car, they’re almost too strong. You have to recalibrate your foot to compensate for just how quickly this Subie stops, otherwise, your passengers will quickly be acquainted with their seatbelt tensioners. 

The Highs and Lows

Without question, the best part of the BRZ tS is its suspension. Those Hitachi dampers are why you buy it over the standard car. Everything else roughly feels the same as the normal BRZ, which is already a great driver’s car. 

However, when a car this cheap is this focused on being great to drive, there are going to be some other issues. Namely, the refinement, or lack thereof. It’s loud and borderline unhinged inside, due to the cacophony of mechanical noises. Highway cruising at anything above 65 mph is annoying, due to a short-ish sixth gear and the engine drone that comes with it. Every shift is accompanied by drivetrain noise and you will hear every little pebble that kisses the underside. Also, and this is a small thing, but the hand brake lever is obnoxiously long and tall. 

Subaru BRZ tS Features, Options, and Competition

Being the tippy-top of the BRZ lineup, the tS is pretty loaded from the jump. In addition to the upgraded dampers and brakes, it gets better leather and “Ultrasuede” seats, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Subaru’s EyeSight suite of safety features. 

In fact, there aren’t really any extra options to choose from, aside from exterior color. A word of advice, my car’s Crystal White Pearl was boring and I’d recommend literally any other color. However, there’s only one interior option, which is black with blue trim and stitching, so you might want to choose a body color that works well with blue. The only notable accessories you can choose from are footwell lighting, an LED upgrade that switches all interior bulbs to LEDs, and an “STI Flexible V-Bar” under the hood to improve front-end rigidity and steering response. 

The BRZ tS really only has one real rival—the Mazda MX-5. Even though the Mazda is a convertible, they have the same ethos: driving fun above all else at an affordable price. They’re also both small, rear-wheel-drive coupes with naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines and sub-3,000-pound curb weights. It’s been ages since I’ve driven the current MX-5. However, I remember it feeling slower but ultimately just as fun as the BRZ, while being a little bit more refined. If you don’t want a convertible, there really is only one rear-wheel-drive game in town at this price—well, two if you count the Subaru’s Toyota GR86 twin. However, if you’re just looking for a fun, manual sports car in the same price range, the Honda Civic Si is a good front-wheel-drive alternative. It’s slower but also far more practical and more comfortable, while arguably having an even better manual shifter.

Fuel Economy

The EPA claims that the Subaru BRZ with a six-speed manual gets 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined. I did a lot of highway driving, so I actually averaged around 23 mpg, which is pretty good all things considered. I certainly wasn’t easy on the right pedal, either. When compared to its main rival, the Mazda MX-5, the Subie does fall short, though. 

Value and Verdict

At just over $36,000 out the door, the 2024 Subaru BRZ tS represents a good value, despite being kinda rickety inside. It’s genuinely a world-class sports car, one that would put a grin on the face of even the snobbiest sports car owners, and you’d have to spend nearly double to have more fun. 

The BRZ tS isn’t for everyone, though. It’s unrefined and immature in a way that its rivals aren’t but that’s because it throws away everything that doesn’t contribute to the driver’s enjoyment. It’s the pure, distilled essence of driving, for better and worse. And, even though I personally don’t think it’s for me at this point in my life, I’m so happy it exists. 

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