Let’s be real. The obituary for the affordable, lightweight, naturally aspirated sports car has been written a thousand times. We’re supposed to be in the era of silent, instantaneous EV torque and autonomous driving nannies. Yet, here we are, staring down the hood of the 2026 Subaru BRZ, a car that stubbornly, beautifully, refuses to get the memo.
For 2026, Subaru hasn’t reinvent the wheel. They haven’t slapped a turbo on it, they haven’t hybridized it, and they sure as hell haven’t made it a crossover. Instead, they’ve done something almost radical in its subtlety: they’ve refined it. In a world of Ford Mustang EcoBoosts and Toyota GR Supras, the BRZ remains a glorious, low-slung, analog anomaly. We took it for a spin to see if this throwback still deserves a spot in your garage.
2026 Updates: It’s the Little Things That Count
Don’t expect a revolution. The 2026 model is a light refresh, a nip and tuck to keep the faithful happy. The core recipe is untouched, and thank god for that.
Exterior: A Sharper Suit for the Same Old Swagger
The silhouette is unmistakably BRZ. For 2026, it gets a slightly more aggressive front bumper with new ducting, redesigned LED headlights, and new wheel designs. Out back, the signature ducktail spoiler remains, but the lighting elements have been tweaked. It’s a bit meaner, a bit more focused, but it won’t make a 2023 owner trade theirs in. And that’s okay. This isn’t a car about fashion; it’s about function.
Interior & Tech: Finally Entering This Decade?
The biggest gripe with the previous car was its interior tech, which felt borrowed from a 2012 Impreza. For 2026, Subaru has finally addressed it. The old, tiny infotainment screen is gone, replaced by a new, standard 8-inch touchscreen running the latest Subaru Starlink software. It’s not a massive Tesla-esque tablet, but it’s responsive, has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and finally feels modern.
The rest of the interior is classic BRZ: you sit low, the perfectly sized steering wheel feels great in your hands, and the analog tachometer still dominates the gauge cluster. The materials are a mix of soft-touch and hard plastic, but it feels purposeful, not cheap. This is a cockpit, not a lounge.
Powertrain & Chassis: The Heart of the Matter
This is where it counts, and Subaru left the best part alone. Under the hood lies the glorious 2.4-liter FA24 naturally aspirated flat-four boxer engine, singing its way to a 228 horsepower redline at 7,400 RPM. The 6-speed manual is still the transmission of choice for purists (as God intended), though a 6-speed automatic is available for those who hate fun.
The magic isn’t in the straight-line numbers—it’s in the balance. The low center of gravity provided by the boxer engine layout, the near-perfect 53/47 weight distribution, and the sublime chassis tuning make this car feel like an extension of your body. It’s not the fastest car in a drag race, but it might be the most rewarding car on a twisting back road.
The Competition: David Among Goliaths
| Feature | 2026 Subaru BRZ | Toyota GR86 (Cousin) | Ford Mustang EcoBoost | Mazda MX-5 Miata |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2.4L N/A Flat-4 (228 HP) | 2.4L N/A Flat-4 (228 HP) | 2.3L Turbo I-4 (315 HP) | 2.0L N/A I-4 (181 HP) |
| 0-60 mph | ~6.0 sec (manual) | ~6.0 sec (manual) | ~4.5 sec | ~6.0 sec |
| Driving Feel | Razor-Sharp, Balanced | Razor-Sharp, Slightly Edgier | Powerful, GT Muscle | Playful, Open-Air Joy |
| Starting Price (est.) | ~$31,000 | ~$30,000 | ~$32,000 |
The Verdict: The BRZ and its twin, the GR86, exist in their own universe. The Mustang is a straight-line powerhouse but feels heavy in comparison. The Miata is a pure, open-top joyride but lacks the practicality of the BRZ’s 2+2 seating and trunk. The BRZ is the Goldilocks “everyday” sports car for the purist.
Test Drive Reactions
The sentiment from those who’ve driven it is universally positive, with one common caveat.
TheTopher (YouTube: @TheTopher): “This is quite literally one of the best sports cars you can buy for under forty grand. The way it communicates, the way it rotates… it’s just perfect. The new screen is a welcome update, but you don’t buy this car for the screen. You buy it for the feeling.”
Throttle House (YouTube: @ThrottleHouse): “It’s still slow. Let’s just get that out of the way. But it doesn’t matter. The handling is so sublime, so telepathic, that you forget about numbers. It’s a momentum car that makes you feel like a hero. It’s the anti-GT car.”
Savagegeese (YouTube: @savagegeese): “The engineering focus on driver engagement over brute force is commendable. The chassis is brilliantly stiff, the steering is full of feel… it’s a masterclass in analog driving. But that torque dip in the mid-range is still there, and you have to work the engine to get the most out of it.”
So, Should You Buy the 2026 Subaru BRZ?
The Good:
✔ Pure, Unadulterated Driving Joy: The steering, the chassis, the shifter—it’s all perfectly tuned for driving enthusiasts.
✔ Naturally Aspirated Glory: The high-revving, linear power delivery is a dying art form.
✔ Practical(ish): It has a usable trunk and back seats you can throw a bag or a kid in, unlike a Miata.
✔ The Update It Needed: The new infotainment system fixes the car’s biggest flaw.
The Not-So-Good:
❌ Still Not Fast: If you live for stoplight drag races, look elsewhere.
❌ Torque Dip: The engine still has a flat spot in the mid-range you have to drive around.
❌ Ride Quality: It’s firm. This is not a comfortable grand tourer.
An Endangered Species Worth Protecting
The 2026 Subaru BRZ is not for everyone. It’s a car that demands participation. It rewards skill and punishes laziness. It’s loud, firm, and you have to wring its neck to go fast.
And that is precisely why it’s so brilliant.
In an automotive landscape increasingly dominated by numb steering, silent powertrains, and bloated curb weights, the BRZ is a defiant reminder of what driving used to be about: connection, balance, and sheer, mechanical joy. It’s not the fastest or the most comfortable car you can buy for the money. But it might just be the most honest.
Your turn. Is the BRZ’s purity worth the trade-offs, or is it a dinosaur in a world moving to electric? Would you take it over a more powerful Mustang or a more playful Miata? Sound off below.