2016 Subaru BRZ review
Subaru BRZ highlights
Customer rating
Pros
- Excellent handling
- Good value
- Comfortable front seats
Cons
- Cramped rear seat
- Tiny trunk
- Modest acceleration
Mileage (EPA estimate)
22 city, 30 highway, 25 combined
Pricing for current inventory
(no current inventory)
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The 2016 Subaru BRZ is a sporty two-door coupe with excellent driving characteristics
While Subaru is well known for building practical all-wheel-drive models, the Japanese automaker has a background in performance as well. It may be the only model in the lineup without all-wheel drive, but the BRZ still fits nicely under the Subaru brand, delivering excellent driving characteristics in a comfortable, stylish sport coupe. For the 2016 model year, the BRZ gets a new infotainment touchscreen display, a standard rearview camera, and a limited-edition HyperBlue variant.
Developed in partnership with Toyota, the BRZ is a virtual twin to the Scion FR-S (which became the Toyota 86 a year later). The fun-to-drive coupe is available in three trim levels, including the limited-edition Series.HyperBlue BRZ. This exclusive model is painted in Hyper Blue with the same color carried through the cabin, accented in black. The market for small sport coupes is small, but there is some strong competition in this space with the Ford Focus ST, Volkswagen GTI, and Mazda MX-5 Miata.
All Subaru BRZ years
What is new for the 2016 Subaru BRZ?
- The BRZ is available in a new trim called the Series.Hyperblue.
- The Series.Blue trim has been discontinued for 2016.
- BRZ trims have been upgraded with Rear View Camera and Bluetooth Technology as standard equipment this year.
- Kicker Speaker System features are now available as options on select trims.
5 reasons to buy the 2016 Subaru BRZ
What We Like
Driving: It may not be particularly quick, but the Subaru BRZ more than makes up for it with its excellent driving characteristics. The steering response is instant with great feedback, and the chassis remains composed even when you're pushing this sporty car on less-than-smooth pavement. The manual gearbox delivers smooth operation for a satisfying drive, although the automatic works well too. The BRZ delivers a confident ride whether on a twisty mountain road or cruising down the freeway.
Interior: The BRZ features a stylish, clean interior design that fits well with the idea that this is, first and foremost, a driver's car. While basic, it doesn't feel cheap, as materials and switchgear have a premium appearance. The front seats are well designed, providing good support during aggressive driving while remaining comfortable for a long road trip. Just note the rear seats are better suited to extra cargo space than people.
Technology: Subaru equips the BRZ with a healthy dose of high-tech features across the board. All trims come standard with GPS navigation, rearview camera, HD radio, and Bluetooth® connectivity for hands-free phone use as well as music streaming. A 6.2-inch touchscreen display is also standard, featuring a new and more responsive infotainment system.
What Needs Improvement
Power: While the Subaru BRZ excels when it comes to driving and handling, it could use a bit more power. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine puts out 200 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque—enough to get to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds in Edmunds' performance testing with the manual gearbox. But that's relatively slow for a dedicated sports car.
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Ratings & reliability
RepairPal gave the Subaru BRZ an overall reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as Above Average. This rating ranks Subaru BRZ 24th out of 27 among Subcompact Cars.
View RepairPal's full rating of the Subaru BRZSubaru BRZ features and specs
Premium 2WD 2D Coupe
Standard Features
- ABS Brakes
- Air Conditioning
- Alloy Wheels
- AM/FM Stereo
- Auxiliary Audio Input
- Bluetooth Technology
- CD Audio
- Cloth Seats
- Cruise Control
- Manual Transmission
- Overhead Airbags
- Power Locks
- Power Mirrors
- Power Windows
- Rear Defroster
- Rear View Camera
- Side Airbags
- Traction Control
- Kicker Speaker System
- Rear Spoiler
Drive Wheels
Rear Wheel Drive (2WD)
Engine size
2.0L
Horsepower
200
Torque (ft-lbs)
151
Engine type
Gas
Fuel capacity
13.2
Wheelbase
101.2"
Overall length
166.7"
Width
69.9"
Height
50.6"
Leg room
F 41.9"/R 29.9"
Head room
F 37.1"/R 35"
Front tires
P215/45WR17
Rear tires
P215/45WR17
Seating capacity
4
Transmission
Manual 6
2016 Subaru BRZ FAQ
The 2016 Subaru BRZ is available in multiple trims, each with its own estimated fuel economy, here are the EPA estimates for each trim:
- Premium: 22 MPG City and 30 MPG Highway
- Limited: 25 MPG City and 34 MPG Highway
- Series.Hyperblue: 22 MPG City and 30 MPG Highway
The Subaru BRZ received a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars from RepairPal, which RepairPal describes as Above Average. This rating ranks the Subaru BRZ as 23 out of 27 among Subcompact Car
The 2016 Subaru BRZ has received an average 4.5 out of 5 stars from our customers. If you're in the market for a 2016 Subaru BRZ, check out reviews from customers just like you. 2016 Subaru BRZ Reviews.
Here is what's new for the 2016 Subaru BRZ:
- Series.Hyperblue
- Rear View Camera
- Bluetooth Technology
- Kicker Speaker System
- ABS Brakes
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