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    2022 Subaru BRZ review: A little more grown up, but just a little

    Hit the highway — and preserve hitting itBefore its debut, many corners of the web have been hoping that Subaru would give the BRZ the identical 2.4-liter turbo flat-four discovered within the bigger Outback and Ascent. And it did, type of. There is a 2.4-liter H4 beneath the BRZ’s hood, but it surely sports activities pure aspiration as an alternative of a turbo, and I discover zero points with this.With 228 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque on faucet, output is greater than the first-gen BRZ, but it surely’s not so excessive as to alter the automobile’s character, as it could be with mentioned turbocharger. This little man likes to rev, and it sounds nice, with the amount rising dramatically because the needle passes 5,000 rpm. The BRZ is now not a gutless surprise on the freeway, as peak torque arrives at 3,700 rpm. True story: You can truly speed up in sixth gear now.The six-speed guide transmission in my BRZ Limited tester is a peach, with simply the correct amount of notchy lever motion and a clutch pedal with a excessive, however predictable chew level. The throttle can really feel slightly soupy when taking off, as if the pc is purposefully making an attempt to easy out my enter, however as soon as I’m shifting at velocity, it is easy to modulate the best pedal as wanted. That soupiness comes again sometimes when blipping the throttle for a downshift, however most of my flicks put the revs proper the place I would like them.On the tree-lined asphalt ribbons of rural Michigan, it is exhausting to not adore the 2022 BRZ’s newfound dealing with prowess. Subaru improved the chassis rigidity and entrance spring stiffness whereas softening the rear a tad, and the result’s beautiful. A touch of physique roll communicates a restrict that is straightforward to strategy with out overdoing the BRZ, just like the Mazda Miata. And regardless of a diminutive wheelbase, any slides that do happen are straightforward to catch and play with earlier than the electro-nannies rein issues in robotically. Throw in my tester’s 215/40R18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer season tires, and you will not be eager for grip. It’s nothing however G-forces and good occasions — oh, and highway noise, as a result of there is a hell of quite a lot of that, too.Not each sports activities automobile wants to pull you into poverty with every journey to the gasoline station. The feds price the 2022 BRZ at 20 mpg metropolis and 27 mpg freeway with the six-speed guide (rising to 21 and 30, respectively, with the six-speed automated), however these figures really feel fairly low to me. I’m seeing nearer to 35 mpg on Michigan’s 70-mph freeways, the place the stream of visitors normally runs about 10 mph greater than that.
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    The 2.4-liter beneath the BRZ’s hood has a way more approachable torque curve, which feels much better throughout each regular and spirited driving. Andrew Krok/RoadshowExpressive inside and outI like the way in which the first-generation Subaru BRZ appears to be like, however I recognize the modifications to the second-generation coupe’s styling. The 2022 BRZ’s silhouette remains to be good and wedgy, however smoother edges on the headlights and a barely shrunken grille makes issues a bit extra grownup. The rear finish is a smidge much less aggressive, too — and the styling appears to be like higher on this utility than it does on the 2022 WRX, that is for positive. The Limited trim’s bigger 18-inch wheels match the wells properly.The BRZ’s inside additionally grows up for 2022. The dashboard has just a few extra angles so it now not feels such as you’re inches from the firewall. Most of the switchgear has been tweaked, too, with some premium-looking local weather management dials and new toggles slightly below. More importantly, the middle armrest sports activities a brand new clamshell cowl that hides two cup holders and a pair of two.1-amp USB-A ports. The entrance seats have simply the correct amount of bolstering, feeling supportive however not hug-from-Grandma tight. The rear seats are seats in identify solely, however for a automobile this small, the entrance buckets are sufficiently roomy.At 6.3 cubic toes, the trunk will deal with every week’s price of groceries for 2 or three, and it’s miles extra capacious than the 4.6 cubes Mazda provides within the Miata.
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    Look at this smiley little man. Andrew Krok/RoadshowMore tech than beforeNo matter the trim, the 2022 BRZ has an 8-inch touchscreen operating a fundamental model of Subaru’s Starlink infotainment system. It’s not probably the most engaging system, and a few screens could be a little info-dense, however the pages are sufficiently responsive, and I can all the time plug in my cellphone for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Putting the USB ports within the middle armrest means I haven’t got cables flapping in every single place, both, which is good.The outgoing BRZ’s bodily gauges have been eschewed in favor of a brand new 7-inch digital show. The graphics are fairly rudimentary as soon as once more, however they’re straightforward to learn at any velocity, and the steering wheel switches let me bounce between related data factors like particular person tire pressures and distance to empty. The central tachometer has a user-adjustable yellow zone, in case I need to act slightly extra grownup in my every day driving, and I can have the cluster beep when it is time to shift if I need to preserve my eyes on the highway full-time.Subaru goes exhausting within the paint with security programs, so it is no shock that this mantra applies to the 2022 BRZ, as nicely. Automatic fashions get the EyeSight suite of driver aids, together with automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise management and lane-departure warning. My guide tester has a extra restricted complement, providing simply blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, however the programs are nonetheless welcome, and so they’re customary on the Limited.
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    The inside feels roomier and extra premium than it did within the first-generation BRZ. Andrew Krok/RoadshowDown to brass tacksBest of all, the 2022 Subaru BRZ stays very reasonably priced. A base mannequin will set you again $28,995 (together with the $960 vacation spot cost), whereas the upmarket Limited trim bumps that value to only $31,455. And the Limited can be my trim of alternative, due to upgrades like heated entrance seats and the aforementioned security tech. Competition is slim today, being restricted to the also-new Toyota GR 86 and, should you fancy a droptop as an alternative, the Mazda MX-5 Miata.But that is advantageous, as a result of the 2022 Subaru BRZ provides nearly all the pieces an individual would possibly need in a small sports activities coupe. It’s nice to drive, it does not appear like a Gundam and it is not going to damage your pockets on the dealership or the gasoline pump. 

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