Only a handful of few new vehicles offer a naturally aspirated engine sending power to the rear wheels using an available manual transmission priced for under six figures. Yet, against all the marketing focus groups and SUV bean-counting statistics, the Subaru BRZ is still in production and looking better than ever as an alternative to the Mazda MX5 Miata and Ford Mustang.

The planets were aligned in my favor when I got the key fob to a blue Subaru BRZ tS the same weekend I needed to travel 500 miles to attend the second annual Wheels | Watches | Whiskey event. This motoring lifestyle event helps raise money for OnRamp, a non-profit organization that donates refurbished vehicles to families in need. However, the real test for the BRZ would come the following morning at the Round Top Rally.

A full weekend of automotive activates on the slower, curvier two-lane highways of central Texas. The planets had aligned themselves for me to give this sports car a road test worthy of its performance.

This road rally was an opportunity for like-minded car enthusiasts to take a Sunday morning drive through the maze of scenic country roads that litter the outskirts of every major city in Texas.

Bitterly strong cup of coffee in hand, I surveyed the other vehicles at the early morning meeting point. The Pearl Blue Japanese sports car stood out among the Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche, Cobra, and Mercedes-Benz emblems.

The little Subaru was by far the most affordable vehicle in the convoy, but I wasn’t outgunned. Subaru introduced the tS trim level to the 2024 BRZ lineup, which adds desirable go-fast goodies like 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels to house larger Brembo brake rotors with upgraded brake pads and Hitachi suspension dampers.

Add on an STI sport-tuned suspension, a limited-slip rear differential, and a set of Michelin Sport Pilot Sport 4 summer performance tires, and I had enough gear to keep up with these high-powered rollers.

Anytime you get a group of high-performance vehicles together on the road, there is a tendency to reach the posted speed limit as quickly as possible.

I raced the Subaru BRZ’s 228 horsepower Boxer four-cylinder engine up to 7,000 rpm before each gear change to keep pace with the herd of stampeding supercars through the twisty double-yellow line country roads while dodging small town speed traps and getting stuck behind a local riding John Deere tractor.

I was not alone in this rally. Riding shotgun was a 240-pound Texas A&M University student standing over six feet tall with shoulders large enough to qualify as a walk-on for the football team. He had no trouble fitting inside the compact Subaru sports car once the front seat was pushed back a few inches.

Usually, vehicles like this sacrifice interior comfort for the sake of speed and agility, but that was not the case in the BRZ. Not only was I able to keep up with supercars on challenging roads with added weight, but the interior’s ergonomics meant I wasn’t unintentionally brushing my passenger’s knee when I reached for a change gear.

The Subaru BRZ is a good sports car because it focuses on the bare necessities. Steering that lets you feel what the front wheels are doing through a smooth texture, well-sized steering wheel not wrapped up in a gimmicky material like Alcantara leather for the sake of visual aesthetics. Next, Subaru keeps the car light with a curb weight of under 3,000 pounds- a featherweight by today’s modern standards.

Lastly, the engine raises RPMs like it swallowed 13 nicotine pouches and washed them down with a can of Red Bull. It may only have 184 pound-feet of torque, but it gives it to you quickly in a punchy manner that is engaging and lively as you accelerate from zero to 60 in under six seconds.

The rear wheel drive lets you play fast and loose to easily slide around at low speeds. Or, use its sport-tuned suspension to hug the road with the security of knowing those large brakes will slow you down in a hurry.

Best of all, the BRZ gets good gas mileage. The EPA rates the BRZ at 20 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway, but I saw mpg averages as high as 33 miles per gallon on the highway and 25 mpg during the hard-accelerating rally. 

During a 600-mile road test, I averaged 28 mpg overall. However, the BRZ only consumes premium fuel, which is disappointing for a non-turbocharged engine in what is meant to be an affordable sports car.

But besides paying extra for good gasoline, the Subaru BRZ is a practical sports coupe. The rear seats may not be suitable for legs and kneecaps, but they fold down to create more room in the already spacious trunk. I’ve seen people carry a full set of wheels and some tools in the trunk with the seats folded down at track day events.

Each BRZ comes standard with an 8-inch center touchscreen offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, analog dials for the radio and climate controls and a 7-inch instrument screen with a big tachometer placed center stage. Even with the sports suspension, the BRZ was comfortable driving over hastily constructed interstate lanes with rough, lumpy surfaces.

My one negative comment about the car’s interior is the notable road noise, which rivals the same decibels as sitting on a commercial flight. But much like being on a flight, having access to your favorite audio can help drown it out.

Pricing on the 2025 Subaru BRZ starts at $30,000 (according to Subaru’s official website) for the base model dubbed as the Premium, and over $35,000 when you reach the TS trim level. A savvy shopper can walk out of a Subaru dealership with a well-optioned BRZ for under $40,000 if they resist the urge to add options like a trunk spoiler, BRZ mud flaps, and a $215 STI shift knob.

The BRZ is not a perfect sports car, but it checks enough boxes to be an instant classic and should be on every driving enthusiast’s radar when it comes time to shop for a new “fun” car.

Engine: 2.4L Boxer four-cylinder

Transmission: 6-speed manual

0 to 60: 5.5 seconds

Starting Price: $31,210

Price as Shown: $36,465