I've had my 22 BRZ Ltd for a week now. I'm happy with the sound system and don't understand why so many people nit pick it. I've had some fun 4cyl cars (Scirocco, 200SX Turbo, Alpha Romeo Spyder, Celica GTS) in my life but this is a perfect salute to the 4cyl NA sports car. It turns like it's on rails that go wherever you tell it. Absolute joy to drive instead of go from point A to point B.
I like Matt's review and just wanted to add a few things: I got my 2023 Manual 6 speed BRZ yesterday! Ordered it in early January and so got it in about 4 months. Got it for MSRP, so happy about that as well. Really liking the car so far. Supposed to keep it under 4000 rpms for the first 1000 miles. That is going to be difficult. A few things I was a bit concerned with before I bought it, I found not to be a problem. Road noise inside the interior - not too bad. Once had a Nissan 350Z now that was noisy. The BRZ is fine in that regard! So not a problem, imo. Was worried the gear shift would be notchy - not bad at all especially compared to other cars I have owned. It's fine imo! Seats seem good! The seats in the Limited adjust vertically and so that can help a bit with the visibility. I like the little window in front of the side mirrors. Again, I have had other cars with worse visibility, so this seems fine. The Limited I got came with blind spot monitoring so that also helps. I haven't played with the radio too much yet - so I can't give a good opinion on that yet.
When I went out to go car shopping with the wife, I fully thought we would land on a miata, but then when she got in the car, she said she wanted a back seat so we could take the dog with us... this landed us on the BRZ, which I'm totally happy with. (And started a channel about)
enough power to drift and push it through turns, good mpg, Torque tip fixed and looks better. Seems damn good to me. Not overloaded with weird tech and infotainment units either
I've noticed the snap oversteer thing in my gr86 actually too. What's weird is that it took the traction control by surprise as well. It basically threw me onto the opposite side of the road trying to straighten the car. I was Lucky there was no oncoming traffic. That aside, I cannot stop driving this thing. I've basically put 5k miles on the car in 2.5 months. Well done toyobaru!
My brief GR86 drive was only in Track mode and I felt safe in this mode, even in traffic with snow falling. Happened a few times were I felt like I was floating in space when the rear end started to go back the other way after correcting for it. Really cool being at just the limits and not having any stupid technology intervening and throwing you out of control.
Threw mines sideways today. For the first time I actually felt sideways, unlike the various small drifts I’ve been doing, I must’ve hit a puddle because I felt all tires come loose 😂, but it immediately recovered; which is confidence-inspiring tbh. Seems the Prius tires (Supremacy 17s) don’t have much grip at all for the power; which makes it more fun. Though like he said the 18s are still 215s, yet I sometimes wonder how much faster those pilot sport 4S take off (on top of making the car look nicer with bigger rims, I’m not thrilled on making the car any lower [NorCal roads] -_-).
@@Rob165x Those Pilot 4S hook-up very nicely once on the power. Need reduced throttle while countering the spin and then gun it when it's still sideways. 4S hooks up very nicely in this extreme, even in the slick.
The snappy characteristics of the oversteer is definitely something that stems from some high performance tires, but can also be affected by suspension setup among other things. Keeps ya on your toes at the limit!
I have the 17 primacies and I haven’t felt this snap oversteer as some have suggested so I concur. Even as a new stick driver whose been trying to drift every other U-turn or wide turns I never felt I was on the edge of losing it. Though I also don’t think they can always put down all the torque well (215s are at the limit)…not that I’ve tried to slide in 3rd or higher :P
just got a 2022 brz limited. Love it! There are commuters that only use a car to go from point A to B....and there are cars lover like us who wants to enjoy every moment of the driving. This and the 86 is the one especially when there's a budget. The manual driving of this machine really makes it so much fun. thank you for the reviews Matt !!
I've got a 22 with the Primacys and its super progressive when sliding. I do agree with your comment about the traction control system- I wish there was a way to turn off traction control but leave stability control on.
I believe the 17s being more confidence inspiring to drift. As a new manual driver I haven’t had much panic even as I felt the whole car go sideways today. That snap steer is cuz of the stickier tires for sure. Thing is you know the car isn’t getting the grip it deserves. 🤷♂️ I’m gonna take my time to upgrade the tires so I can have some fun…when I do though, I’m grabbing some nice rims. :)
Traction control means the car decides things. No traction control (or ESP) means the driver has control. Which is as it should be. Let me guess - you have the flappy paddle version
I'm five months into owning my 2022 base level BRZ and concur with your points; except on the traction control. On the street I seldom disable it but when driving 100% during autocross use the disable to completely remove it. This is refreshing after years of having a GTI that didn't allow driving without some level of nannies being present. The three levels of ESC are great in my opinion. One nit that people miss is that the passenger seat doesn't raise, which is an issue if you have a shorter passenger and don't want something silly like a pillow for them to sit on.
I have a new 2022 BRZ (same spec as this one but in Silver with short shifter and STI gear knob). I previously had a Miata ND1 RF and prior to that, a 2014 BRZ. My thoughts on the new car? It’s a better car in (nearly…more on that later) every conceivable way. The engine is night and day better. Way more refined than the gravelly FA20, the torque problem has been addressed, and it now feels like it enjoys being taken to the limiter (which it gets to way quicker than the old one…hitting the limiter is now a bit too easy). The gearbox is better…it’s not as baulky when cold as the old one. The car feels stiffer bodied than the last one, and because of this they’ve definitely softened the suspension a bit…which is a good thing for a road car. It now has a more supple chassis which doesn’t have the slightly “over damped” feel of the last model and gets less thrown off line by mid corner bumps. To me, it feels a bit more progressive and less snappy. It signals it’s higher limits better. You can definitely boot the tail anytime you want now though. The interior quality is nicely improved too (although it will still be familiar to people who knew the old car). I think it’s a better and more mature exterior design too. The not so good? The steering is not as good as the first model. I don’t know why they didn’t leave it alone (it was one of the best electric systems out there) but they seem to have given it the Miata’s steering. It now (to me) feels slightly over assisted, and they’ve managed to excise all feel out of it. It’s certainly accurate and goes exactly where you point it (like the Miata), and you get plenty of feedback through your butt, but it’s not a good as it was. Interestingly, Toyota declined Subaru’s move to fit the aluminium front knuckles citing steering feel as a reason. I haven’t driven a GR86 so I can’t comment if that’s made a difference. The OEM ICE is still a bit average (I wish they’d give it at least the option of a name brand). It’s better than the old car but that’s really not saying much. Wireless CarPlay would have been nice too! Come on…it’s 2022. Others, I keep opening the centre console with my elbow and I keep activating the voice control by knocking the steering wheel button…and yes those mirrors seem big…but this is nitpicking. Overall though, it’s a brilliant car and ridiculous value for money. Go and buy one whilst they still exist!
This takes me back to when you were the first youtuber on youtube to have a full in depth review on the Subaru BRZ back in 2012, I believe it was summer 2012. This is the first review in a long time that I can tell you genuinely love this car, great review on the new BRZ. Again Takes be back to when you got the original BRZ. I did not buy the old BRZ because of the torque issue, and it was a little tight for me, but fun car. This new one seems to have fixed all the past issues. Seats look better as well. Matt the Funny thing is, the BRZ is probably the better car to have living in Pennsylvania. We have so many twists and turns, narrow roads, but The Mustang Bullitt is just cool, V8 American Icon, fast, bigger and more comfy on highway trips, so I would keep the Mustang, it is special, but I also have a thing for the BRZ and even the Miata. I am like you, love the big American cars, but The Japanese sports cars are really special. The Japanese cars get bashed on for not being American Icons like Mustangs, Challengers, Camaros. Also, of course, they get bashed for having four cylinders, but they are fun, lighter weight and so well put together. Great review.
Fellow former owner of an original generation BRZ here.. I actually started following you for your BRZ vids when I was considering buying one. Funny that you and a few other reviewers note how much better it sounds… idk if it’s just how it comes through on RUclips but I constantly think it sounds awful. Overall glad they made a second gen, would love a convertible option but I know it’s not going to happen. Will prob try to pick one up in a year or two
I love the go cart feel of it. Took me a while to get used to the clutch engagement being so high and fighting that clutch assistive spring at the cutch engagement point. Maybe it might be worth changing the spring to something less stiff. My other grip, that is expected with a low sports car is getting in. Getting out is super easy, but getting in is a pain with my leg hitting the steering wheel.
Enjoyed this comprehensive look at the new BRZ. Appreciate the even-handedness of the review as it honestly balances both good and bad attributes of the car. That said, the review does leave me with one question of personal interest: how would you rate ride comfort vs. the ND2 Miata? I'm trying to make a purchasing decision between the two cars and achieving reasonable comfort on rough midwestern roads is a significant issue for me.
I would say the ride is a bit smoother in this. I will have a 2022 Miata next week though, so stay tuned for that video where I can compare the rides back to back (I have a GR86 this week).
Great review! I have debated between the GR86 and BRZ and although they are very similar I think the Neptune Blue GR86 has it for me. You should definitely find an excuse to add this to your garage. It might grow your channel so maybe it would pay for itself as well.
@Paul Grant I don’t have a garage and I have a sapphire blue. No matter how often I wash it here in the SF Bay Area it gets covered in a light dust, sometimes freaking bush shavings. -_- Heed my advise, don’t get a dark color…and don’t get me started on water spots. The Bay Area has a lot of moisture. I tried applying my own ceramic coating but I don’t think it’s as good as the Pro products and kinda need a paint detail to get rid of swirls, that’s gonna be a penny.
No automatic door locks? Jeez I thought Subaru made that standard on all of their new models. Minor gripe, I'm still considering one of these in the next year or two. I had a '13 Limited that I bought used with low miles in '15, and it was a lot of fun on twisty backroads but I had a few gripes with it overall. Nice to see Toyobaru was so thorough in updating these cars!
What do you mean by automatic door locks? Key does wirelessly unlock the door handle and also eventually lock on its own if you walk away long or far enough (not sure which) and if not, you can tap the door handle to lock it from the outside (which I do, instead of using the remote). You can also set if only one or both doors unlock.
@@Rob165x sorry, I didn't mean to phrase it like that. I noticed while Matt was driving that the door is unlocked. I thought that after the 2021 model year, all Subarus came standard with doors that lock automatically after you hit a certain speed (I think it's around 10mph) as is the case with my '21 Crosstrek. But I'm sure there are other possibilities here; it could be a chip shortage issue, or maybe Matt simply wanted it unlocked.
@@LoveMyZJ Ah. Since most cars did this I didn't even consider it wasn't happening. Strange since this is an easy software fix and I had a yellow warning light pop-up when I started driving without correctly securing the door. I have to go move my car. Will let you know in a minute... Edit: Yup, moved parking spaces but got over 25mph in first (22’ BRZ) and the doors locks gave 0 Fu#ks. I think it might be a sport car thing?
Just watching this made me realize how long I’ve been subscribed to your channel. You’re the reason I originally bought my 2013 BRZ, although I sold it within a year due to first year issues with it. I’d love to have this car again with the problems worked out.
I have had my manual BRZ for a week. Toyota can't supply any in this country for another few months, so I can only comment on the BRZ. Seriously fun, seriously quick. I would rate it equal to my VK Brock, without the need for a kidney belt. And it uses less juice.
MY STI has the same issue when it's cold. Sub 20 degrees especially. It's hard to put into first and go from 1st to second. It warms up pretty quick though
Another great review Matt. Had 2 BRZ's and like you, if I could justify it, I would buy one again. I may wait for the refresh version in a few years to see what little improvements they make. Thoughts of getting rid of a M2 did cross my mind until BMW really messed it up with the new version. See you at SFO in the future.
Wish I could get my hands on one. Been looking at getting one for the past few years but never could afford it. Now I can and there aren’t any available
I'll be looking forward to your Elantra N review Matt. As you can see I have one in my avatar, I bought mine March 23rd and I look forward to getting in it E EVERYDAY and always look back at it. Yes I know the front end looks like an 👽
@@MattMaranMotoring thank you Matt! Thought I was getting a Veloster N but it wasn't the right color but all along I was looking out the window at the Elantra N and once we went out and looked at it and we drove it...DONE DEAL! The EN just had MORE....except this one had less pedals😋 I know you always say when you can buy a manual vote with your pocketbook but sadly this was the only EN they had, no KN. IMO the Cyber Gray fits this car to the T, couldn't be happier...even love the stock rims and have no desire to swap them out (except when winter rolls around) Looking forward to your always honest review and I understand you liking the BRZ better completely, just couldn't justify that as a daily driver in Chicagoland. I've got a 6 yr old daughter and I wouldn't feel right putting her in thr back during the winter, Bkizzaks or not😋
I bought my 2017 BRZ Yellow special edition based on one of your reviews 5 to 6 years ago. I have absolutely loved the car since day one and have about 7K miles on her now. Are you surprised to see these new upgraded 2022/23 models with less brake power than the special edition yellow? The yellow version came with the Brembo brakes package. The MSRP was $27,900, and they only made 500 units.
I'm glad the video helped you find a car you love! Yeah it's odd they're not offering it with Brembos yet, but I'm willing to bet they'll offer them eventually.
Whoa whoa whoa!! Was that a performance blue Elantra N in the driveway?! I just bought a PB Veloster N last month. If that's what it looks like, I'll keep an eye out for you on rt19 Edit: it WAS an Elantra N! I heard later in the video
Since I also go to drive all different version of GR86, I just wanted to add to Matt's very informative review. Base sound system is also bad...Probably tuned to give the perfect piped in exhaust note and then job done. Automatic's consumption was also very good. About 30mpg cruising around in the city or 24mpg with spirited driving. Automatic version in regular mode feels underpowered but that illusion disappears once in Track mode with paddle shifters. As the driver, I appreciated the performance value of the 6MT vs Automatic, but the passenger is not going to be able to tell the difference, especially in Track mode.
The bluetooth audio is a 5 second fix, just dont pair the phone with the car. My VW did this same thing, just unpaired it with the car and it stopped, which I didnt need anyways since I use carplay
Thanks for being a long time fan! No plans to review any new Mercedes, they’re not interested in sending me press cars and most of my Mercedes reviews usually don’t get good views anyway so I probably won’t review too many going forward.
Found this channel many years ago when deciding to get a BRZ or FRS. (Got a BRZ) Always a special occasion to see an upload from you when you have one of the Twins. Which would you choose now? I’m leaning towards the GR86 slightly.
I’ll be living with a GR86 in a couple weeks and will have a good assessment then, but right now it would be a toss-up for me. I like the world rally blue and base wheels on the BRZ better, but I enjoyed the GR86 driving dynamics a little better, at least on track last year.
Appreciate the review. Had a 2013 and 2017 brz and now 2022 Si. Just recently drove a GR86 back to back with a 2019 ND2 Miata. I will likely end up getting another brz (more likely still the Toyota version based on suspension set up preference) They improved the motor and the shifter (that is a fair bit better in my opinion) and didn’t screw up anything that was already good about the 1st gen. No disrespect intended to the bullitt, but they are apples vs oranges and both have their virtues…..but I’d have one of the 86 twins over the mustang or Miata without hesitation. Haven’t driven an Elantra n - but drove a veloster n and wasn’t impressed with the driver inputs. Fast but not nearly as fun
Really looking forward to seeing your GR86 for a week video. I've seen a few car reviewers, articles, etc. saying that the Subaru BRZ is the one that is better to live with every day on the street driving as a daily car due to the suspension differences (with the GR86 being a bit too stiff for street road conditions). Would love to know what you think after driving the GR86 on actaul street settings for a week.
I am now really looking forward to the GR86 video. Been considering a trade in of my Mustang Ecoboost Premium for one. MPG is better for mine though which I thought was crazy.
@@desertdriver7056 Not at all unhappy with it, it's a great car! Just kind of reached the limit on affordable and reasonable modifications that I can do to it. Had the Eco for 5 years and 90k miles so far, feeling something new if it ends up being worth it. Handling is excellent on the Eco, but maybe not GR86 excellent. I have heard the Mustang equated to more of a cruiser while the GR86 is more a true sports car.
I'm glad to see that the drive trend is different between the two cars 👌🏿 a lots of people are thinking where to go since Ford has x the focus RS Atlanta evolution is gone and Subaru has turned the mighty WRX into a 🤷🏿♂️ but also we still have the Civic type r but I wonder for how long though these cars are fun to look at to see others experience and play on video games but the way this country is trying to move into electric vehicles the future for them and the weekend warriors maybe grim 🙍🏿♂️🤦🏿♂️
CSSubaruWRXSTIBRZCarFan Here Dude That You Filmed Few Subaru's For The Longest Time That I'm A Huge Fan of My First Dream Car Will Be A 2013-2016 Subaru BRZ With The Automatic Dude For The Near Future.
Hi Matt, I got an offer for a Ltd edition model in Australia just last night but it is $50k here. was just wondering how you would rate the road noise as others are complaining that it is quite droning in the cabin. This is the one thing that would drive me up the wall if it is bad all the time lol
I personally wouldn't say it drones, but there's certainly some road noise like any other car that's small and light like this. You can always add some extra sound deadening yourself later on if it really bothers you and you really love the car.
Nice review ! How would you compare this to a Lexus RC 350 F sport RWD in terms of handling? I’ll be retiring in 5 years and these 2 cars will be in the top 5 choices along with an RCF and a C6 (2012-13) manual corvette.
Thanks! The RC is about a 1,000 lbs heavier so it’ll feel a lot less sporty. It’s a comfortable grand tourer, not a sports car really. Just depends which setup you prefer.
@@MattMaranMotoring hi Matt, curious what would you pick between a RCF and a 2019 or newer RC 350 F Sport RWD ? Not tracking either one and if I go RCF I wouldn’t get the TVD for this reason. Also, I heard if the TVD goes bad (if ever) it would cost about $12k to replace. Love both but for street use I’m thinking the RCF would overkill with nearly 500 hp. Also lose the foldable rear seats in the RCF Something of note, my daily is a 2002 ES 300 which is a phenomenal car, with 168k miles and is beautiful condition. I don’t plan on selling it, and will keep it for 10+ years. Yes it’s a cushy super quiet ride call it boring but I love it. I’ve watched both your reviews of the RCF and RC 350 F sport AWD and I’m still on the fence on which one to pick. So my goal is to get a GT cruiser to get that sporty car feeling so I’ll have both of best worlds.
The RC 350 was a great cruiser but I think the RC F is a more special experience. It'll also be more collectible in the long run, and will likely hold its value much better than an RC350. But it comes down to how sporty of an experience you want, if you think the power of the RC F is overkill, then the RC350 might be enough for you. Personally, I'd go RC F, but I may want more out of a sporty car than you do. I'd recommend test driving both if you can to see how they feel to you.
@@MattMaranMotoring awesome response. Yeah I definitely will test drive both and yeah the RC F with all that V8 power and rumble might persuade me to go for it ! This will be in 5 years when I retire so I’m gonna go big !
Are the Subaru boxer engines reliable for long term ownership? I have been told to expect problems at 60-80k miles by my mechanic son-n-law. I personally don't know anything about them. Any other manual shift new vehicles recommended? Can't do a Miata, too small for my needs!
They seem to be pretty reliable at least in the BRZ. For what it's worth, my old 2013 BRZ has over 120k on it and seems to still be running strong the last time I talked with the current owner.
I ran mine until 98k before selling it. No problem whatsoever. The reliability issue was overblown by young drivers who didn't know how to take care of a car or do basic maintenance.
@@t.k.morris I've gone thru a few cars the past few yrs, 2017 WRX, a 2019 MX-5 and now currently drive a 2022 Honda civic as a daily driver. I currently have a deposit down for a 2022 BRZ I'll be picking up next weekend.
Depends on what exactly you're looking for and how much you'd enjoy the convertible. BRZ and GR86 are flatter, have more grip and higher limits than the Miata. Also more room and a little more comfort.
Canada sure got one hell of a break on pricing. $22,795 plus destination charge for the base model. $25268 for the loaded one. We don't get tire pressure monitoring on either one, so you can't export them to the US. We also got very few, so the pricing is kinda theoretical. Used ones are going for more. Great enthusiastic review.
I don't care for the steering responsive headlights. when spirited driving it was super misleading on where the vehicle was actually pointing and tripping my brain out. I really see a need for them.. they're a bit distracting..
This is a pretty stupid comparison. But I'm going to ask it anyways. What do you prefer, either a well kept 2005 to 2012 Cayman v/s new or lightly used BRZ/GR86? I'm battling with badge vs reliability
I personally recommend staying far away from old German cars unless you don’t mind spending a lot on maintenance and repairs and don’t mind unreliability. Easy choice in my opinion, BRZ/86.
Brings back the 2013 vibe when I first discovered your channel! Great work as always!
His in-depth review of the BRZ is legendary
@@BrokeniPadAir absolutely
I've had my 22 BRZ Ltd for a week now. I'm happy with the sound system and don't understand why so many people nit pick it.
I've had some fun 4cyl cars (Scirocco, 200SX Turbo, Alpha Romeo Spyder, Celica GTS) in my life but this is a perfect salute to the 4cyl NA sports car. It turns like it's on rails that go wherever you tell it. Absolute joy to drive instead of go from point A to point B.
I like Matt's review and just wanted to add a few things: I got my 2023 Manual 6 speed BRZ yesterday! Ordered it in early January and so got it in about 4 months. Got it for MSRP, so happy about that as well. Really liking the car so far. Supposed to keep it under 4000 rpms for the first 1000 miles. That is going to be difficult. A few things I was a bit concerned with before I bought it, I found not to be a problem. Road noise inside the interior - not too bad. Once had a Nissan 350Z now that was noisy. The BRZ is fine in that regard! So not a problem, imo. Was worried the gear shift would be notchy - not bad at all especially compared to other cars I have owned. It's fine imo! Seats seem good! The seats in the Limited adjust vertically and so that can help a bit with the visibility. I like the little window in front of the side mirrors. Again, I have had other cars with worse visibility, so this seems fine. The Limited I got came with blind spot monitoring so that also helps. I haven't played with the radio too much yet - so I can't give a good opinion on that yet.
They nailed it with those rims, look aftermarket from the factory❗️ Love the looks and in that dark blue, awesome looking and that duckbill🔥🔥
This vid takes me back to 2013…I remember watching your “how to drive stick shift” video when I was learning to drive.
I've said "I want a Miata" enough that my wife thinks a BRZ is a compromise. Can't wait to own one.
this is the way
4d chess right there
Well played
When I went out to go car shopping with the wife, I fully thought we would land on a miata, but then when she got in the car, she said she wanted a back seat so we could take the dog with us... this landed us on the BRZ, which I'm totally happy with. (And started a channel about)
Wow...Matt was very close to getting rid of the Bullitt to get a BRZ!
HP isn't everything.
enough power to drift and push it through turns, good mpg, Torque tip fixed and looks better. Seems damn good to me. Not overloaded with weird tech and infotainment units either
@@username8644 correct. I switched it up because I'm from Europe and we say liters per kilometer. So lower is better. Thanks I will correct it.
I've noticed the snap oversteer thing in my gr86 actually too. What's weird is that it took the traction control by surprise as well. It basically threw me onto the opposite side of the road trying to straighten the car. I was Lucky there was no oncoming traffic. That aside, I cannot stop driving this thing. I've basically put 5k miles on the car in 2.5 months. Well done toyobaru!
My brief GR86 drive was only in Track mode and I felt safe in this mode, even in traffic with snow falling. Happened a few times were I felt like I was floating in space when the rear end started to go back the other way after correcting for it. Really cool being at just the limits and not having any stupid technology intervening and throwing you out of control.
@@psewgobind feel and logic, very different
Threw mines sideways today. For the first time I actually felt sideways, unlike the various small drifts I’ve been doing, I must’ve hit a puddle because I felt all tires come loose 😂, but it immediately recovered; which is confidence-inspiring tbh. Seems the Prius tires (Supremacy 17s) don’t have much grip at all for the power; which makes it more fun. Though like he said the 18s are still 215s, yet I sometimes wonder how much faster those pilot sport 4S take off (on top of making the car look nicer with bigger rims, I’m not thrilled on making the car any lower [NorCal roads] -_-).
@@Rob165x Those Pilot 4S hook-up very nicely once on the power. Need reduced throttle while countering the spin and then gun it when it's still sideways. 4S hooks up very nicely in this extreme, even in the slick.
@@brolyvi1211 The logic comes from knowing how to use your tool, otherwise it's all illogical.
The snappy characteristics of the oversteer is definitely something that stems from some high performance tires, but can also be affected by suspension setup among other things. Keeps ya on your toes at the limit!
Seems like the Toyota version has it perfectly tuned without the fancy aluminum knuckles.
I have the 17 primacies and I haven’t felt this snap oversteer as some have suggested so I concur. Even as a new stick driver whose been trying to drift every other U-turn or wide turns I never felt I was on the edge of losing it. Though I also don’t think they can always put down all the torque well (215s are at the limit)…not that I’ve tried to slide in 3rd or higher :P
Just sold my 500whp mkv Supra yesterday and picked up my new WRB BRZ today! Love the manual transmission it is way more fun to drive than the Supra.
That's crazy, congrats!
Damn I been following Matt this long lmao. Love to see the growth!!
Thanks for the longtime support!
Thanks Matt! I always enjoy the reviews on your channel. Your enthusiasm is infectious! Keep up the great work!
Thanks Bruce!
The new BRZ is a true winner 🏆.
just got a 2022 brz limited. Love it! There are commuters that only use a car to go from point A to B....and there are cars lover like us who wants to enjoy every moment of the driving. This and the 86 is the one especially when there's a budget. The manual driving of this machine really makes it so much fun. thank you for the reviews Matt !!
Congrats on getting one and thank you for watching! I hope you enjoy the BRZ for a long time!
Love the GR86/BRZ. If the Z doesn't work out I'm definitely going for these...more likely the 86.
I've got a 22 with the Primacys and its super progressive when sliding. I do agree with your comment about the traction control system- I wish there was a way to turn off traction control but leave stability control on.
I believe the 17s being more confidence inspiring to drift. As a new manual driver I haven’t had much panic even as I felt the whole car go sideways today. That snap steer is cuz of the stickier tires for sure. Thing is you know the car isn’t getting the grip it deserves. 🤷♂️ I’m gonna take my time to upgrade the tires so I can have some fun…when I do though, I’m grabbing some nice rims. :)
So you want to drive a sports car, but admit you don't have the skill
Traction control means the car decides things. No traction control (or ESP) means the driver has control. Which is as it should be. Let me guess - you have the flappy paddle version
@@peterg2345 chill bro geez
I'm five months into owning my 2022 base level BRZ and concur with your points; except on the traction control. On the street I seldom disable it but when driving 100% during autocross use the disable to completely remove it. This is refreshing after years of having a GTI that didn't allow driving without some level of nannies being present. The three levels of ESC are great in my opinion. One nit that people miss is that the passenger seat doesn't raise, which is an issue if you have a shorter passenger and don't want something silly like a pillow for them to sit on.
Good info, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I have a new 2022 BRZ (same spec as this one but in Silver with short shifter and STI gear knob). I previously had a Miata ND1 RF and prior to that, a 2014 BRZ. My thoughts on the new car? It’s a better car in (nearly…more on that later) every conceivable way. The engine is night and day better. Way more refined than the gravelly FA20, the torque problem has been addressed, and it now feels like it enjoys being taken to the limiter (which it gets to way quicker than the old one…hitting the limiter is now a bit too easy). The gearbox is better…it’s not as baulky when cold as the old one. The car feels stiffer bodied than the last one, and because of this they’ve definitely softened the suspension a bit…which is a good thing for a road car. It now has a more supple chassis which doesn’t have the slightly “over damped” feel of the last model and gets less thrown off line by mid corner bumps. To me, it feels a bit more progressive and less snappy. It signals it’s higher limits better. You can definitely boot the tail anytime you want now though. The interior quality is nicely improved too (although it will still be familiar to people who knew the old car). I think it’s a better and more mature exterior design too.
The not so good? The steering is not as good as the first model. I don’t know why they didn’t leave it alone (it was one of the best electric systems out there) but they seem to have given it the Miata’s steering. It now (to me) feels slightly over assisted, and they’ve managed to excise all feel out of it. It’s certainly accurate and goes exactly where you point it (like the Miata), and you get plenty of feedback through your butt, but it’s not a good as it was. Interestingly, Toyota declined Subaru’s move to fit the aluminium front knuckles citing steering feel as a reason. I haven’t driven a GR86 so I can’t comment if that’s made a difference.
The OEM ICE is still a bit average (I wish they’d give it at least the option of a name brand). It’s better than the old car but that’s really not saying much. Wireless CarPlay would have been nice too! Come on…it’s 2022.
Others, I keep opening the centre console with my elbow and I keep activating the voice control by knocking the steering wheel button…and yes those mirrors seem big…but this is nitpicking.
Overall though, it’s a brilliant car and ridiculous value for money. Go and buy one whilst they still exist!
Thank you for sharing your ownership impressions! I really appreciate it and I’m glad you’re enjoying yours!
@@MattMaranMotoring I am…keep up the great work. I’ve be a fan of the channel for a very long time now!
This takes me back to when you were the first youtuber on youtube to have a full in depth review on the Subaru BRZ back in 2012, I believe it was summer 2012. This is the first review in a long time that I can tell you genuinely love this car, great review on the new BRZ. Again Takes be back to when you got the original BRZ. I did not buy the old BRZ because of the torque issue, and it was a little tight for me, but fun car. This new one seems to have fixed all the past issues. Seats look better as well. Matt the Funny thing is, the BRZ is probably the better car to have living in Pennsylvania. We have so many twists and turns, narrow roads, but The Mustang Bullitt is just cool, V8 American Icon, fast, bigger and more comfy on highway trips, so I would keep the Mustang, it is special, but I also have a thing for the BRZ and even the Miata. I am like you, love the big American cars, but The Japanese sports cars are really special. The Japanese cars get bashed on for not being American Icons like Mustangs, Challengers, Camaros. Also, of course, they get bashed for having four cylinders, but they are fun, lighter weight and so well put together. Great review.
Thanks, I’m glad you liked the video!
Watch the first 10 seconds with the auto generated closed captions on , you won't be disappointed !
Hahaha
Ain't funny
2017 civic si driver here.. I watch Doug, RCR and now ol' Matt. Great review. Ping! Subbed
Thank you for subscribing! 🙏
Thanks Matt. Answered a lot if my questions, especially about road noise at highway speeds and stereo sound quality.
I'm glad the video was informative for you!
Fellow former owner of an original generation BRZ here.. I actually started following you for your BRZ vids when I was considering buying one. Funny that you and a few other reviewers note how much better it sounds… idk if it’s just how it comes through on RUclips but I constantly think it sounds awful. Overall glad they made a second gen, would love a convertible option but I know it’s not going to happen. Will prob try to pick one up in a year or two
I wish they’d make a convertible version too, it would be amazing.
I love the go cart feel of it. Took me a while to get used to the clutch engagement being so high and fighting that clutch assistive spring at the cutch engagement point. Maybe it might be worth changing the spring to something less stiff.
My other grip, that is expected with a low sports car is getting in. Getting out is super easy, but getting in is a pain with my leg hitting the steering wheel.
Enjoyed this comprehensive look at the new BRZ. Appreciate the even-handedness of the review as it honestly balances both good and bad attributes of the car. That said, the review does leave me with one question of personal interest: how would you rate ride comfort vs. the ND2 Miata? I'm trying to make a purchasing decision between the two cars and achieving reasonable comfort on rough midwestern roads is a significant issue for me.
I would say the ride is a bit smoother in this. I will have a 2022 Miata next week though, so stay tuned for that video where I can compare the rides back to back (I have a GR86 this week).
Great review! I have debated between the GR86 and BRZ and although they are very similar I think the Neptune Blue GR86 has it for me. You should definitely find an excuse to add this to your garage. It might grow your channel so maybe it would pay for itself as well.
If I had a garage space for it I might have found a way to get one.
@@MattMaranMotoring thanks for the reply and great review.
@Paul Grant I don’t have a garage and I have a sapphire blue. No matter how often I wash it here in the SF Bay Area it gets covered in a light dust, sometimes freaking bush shavings. -_- Heed my advise, don’t get a dark color…and don’t get me started on water spots. The Bay Area has a lot of moisture. I tried applying my own ceramic coating but I don’t think it’s as good as the Pro products and kinda need a paint detail to get rid of swirls, that’s gonna be a penny.
No automatic door locks? Jeez I thought Subaru made that standard on all of their new models. Minor gripe, I'm still considering one of these in the next year or two. I had a '13 Limited that I bought used with low miles in '15, and it was a lot of fun on twisty backroads but I had a few gripes with it overall. Nice to see Toyobaru was so thorough in updating these cars!
What do you mean by automatic door locks? Key does wirelessly unlock the door handle and also eventually lock on its own if you walk away long or far enough (not sure which) and if not, you can tap the door handle to lock it from the outside (which I do, instead of using the remote). You can also set if only one or both doors unlock.
@@Rob165x sorry, I didn't mean to phrase it like that. I noticed while Matt was driving that the door is unlocked. I thought that after the 2021 model year, all Subarus came standard with doors that lock automatically after you hit a certain speed (I think it's around 10mph) as is the case with my '21 Crosstrek. But I'm sure there are other possibilities here; it could be a chip shortage issue, or maybe Matt simply wanted it unlocked.
@@LoveMyZJ Ah. Since most cars did this I didn't even consider it wasn't happening. Strange since this is an easy software fix and I had a yellow warning light pop-up when I started driving without correctly securing the door. I have to go move my car. Will let you know in a minute...
Edit: Yup, moved parking spaces but got over 25mph in first (22’ BRZ) and the doors locks gave 0 Fu#ks. I think it might be a sport car thing?
The stereo sounds amazing compared to my 2020 STi . I love it
Thanks..I'm in the same boat, and was wondering about that.
Just watching this made me realize how long I’ve been subscribed to your channel. You’re the reason I originally bought my 2013 BRZ, although I sold it within a year due to first year issues with it. I’d love to have this car again with the problems worked out.
Thank you for the longtime support!
I have had my manual BRZ for a week. Toyota can't supply any in this country for another few months, so I can only comment on the BRZ. Seriously fun, seriously quick. I would rate it equal to my VK Brock, without the need for a kidney belt. And it uses less juice.
I'm glad you're enjoying yours!
MY STI has the same issue when it's cold. Sub 20 degrees especially. It's hard to put into first and go from 1st to second. It warms up pretty quick though
Another great review Matt. Had 2 BRZ's and like you, if I could justify it, I would buy one again. I may wait for the refresh version in a few years to see what little improvements they make. Thoughts of getting rid of a M2 did cross my mind until BMW really messed it up with the new version. See you at SFO in the future.
Thanks for the comment Steven, hope all is well with you!
Great review. I have a '23 BRZ on order. Should arrive October / November.
Congrats on the order!
Wish I could get my hands on one. Been looking at getting one for the past few years but never could afford it. Now I can and there aren’t any available
Just gotta place an order these days.
Definitely brings back memories, you belong in one along with the Mustang
I'll be looking forward to your Elantra N review Matt. As you can see I have one in my avatar, I bought mine March 23rd and I look forward to getting in it E EVERYDAY and always look back at it. Yes I know the front end looks like an 👽
That’s awesome, congrats on yours! I’ll be posting my video on it next week!
@@MattMaranMotoring thank you Matt! Thought I was getting a Veloster N but it wasn't the right color but all along I was looking out the window at the Elantra N and once we went out and looked at it and we drove it...DONE DEAL! The EN just had MORE....except this one had less pedals😋 I know you always say when you can buy a manual vote with your pocketbook but sadly this was the only EN they had, no KN. IMO the Cyber Gray fits this car to the T, couldn't be happier...even love the stock rims and have no desire to swap them out (except when winter rolls around)
Looking forward to your always honest review and I understand you liking the BRZ better completely, just couldn't justify that as a daily driver in Chicagoland. I've got a 6 yr old daughter and I wouldn't feel right putting her in thr back during the winter, Bkizzaks or not😋
I totally understand! Elantra N is a much better family vehicle haha.
@@MattMaranMotoring I'd be interested to see these 2 on track together🏁🏁
Ordered my 23 brz in wr blue yesterday, very hyped. Its going to replace my 2013 frs.
Congrats!
Can't wait to see your review on the GR86!
Hey guys it’s Subaru wrx fan here
I bought my 2017 BRZ Yellow special edition based on one of your reviews 5 to 6 years ago. I have absolutely loved the car since day one and have about 7K miles on her now. Are you surprised to see these new upgraded 2022/23 models with less brake power than the special edition yellow? The yellow version came with the Brembo brakes package. The MSRP was $27,900, and they only made 500 units.
I'm glad the video helped you find a car you love! Yeah it's odd they're not offering it with Brembos yet, but I'm willing to bet they'll offer them eventually.
Exaclty right. Especially about the huge mirrors
Whoa whoa whoa!! Was that a performance blue Elantra N in the driveway?! I just bought a PB Veloster N last month. If that's what it looks like, I'll keep an eye out for you on rt19
Edit: it WAS an Elantra N! I heard later in the video
It's saying a lot Matt that this Toyota could be your Bullitt replacement. 👍
Since I also go to drive all different version of GR86, I just wanted to add to Matt's very informative review. Base sound system is also bad...Probably tuned to give the perfect piped in exhaust note and then job done. Automatic's consumption was also very good. About 30mpg cruising around in the city or 24mpg with spirited driving. Automatic version in regular mode feels underpowered but that illusion disappears once in Track mode with paddle shifters. As the driver, I appreciated the performance value of the 6MT vs Automatic, but the passenger is not going to be able to tell the difference, especially in Track mode.
Thank you for sharing your impressions!
Happy Holidays Matt. Getting back to a BRZ for Christmas. Hope to run into at SFO in the future.
Congrats Steven, that’s awesome! Happy holidays to you as well and yeah I’m sure I’ll fly through SFO at least a few times next year!
The bluetooth audio is a 5 second fix, just dont pair the phone with the car. My VW did this same thing, just unpaired it with the car and it stopped, which I didnt need anyways since I use carplay
Great review. Looking forward to the GR86 review.
I only wish SubaruWRXFan was still alive to see this. Lol ;o)
I'm sure he wishes the STi was still alive too 😅
Lol!
What's up, SubaruBRZFan here
It looks much better than the gen 1 brz design.
I’m thinking about getting one is being in that bring back the Subaru days Subaru, guy, fan, Subaru, fan guy
Matt, will you be reviewing any AMG cars soon? Love the reviews, long time fan.
Thanks for being a long time fan! No plans to review any new Mercedes, they’re not interested in sending me press cars and most of my Mercedes reviews usually don’t get good views anyway so I probably won’t review too many going forward.
Found this channel many years ago when deciding to get a BRZ or FRS. (Got a BRZ) Always a special occasion to see an upload from you when you have one of the Twins. Which would you choose now? I’m leaning towards the GR86 slightly.
I’ll be living with a GR86 in a couple weeks and will have a good assessment then, but right now it would be a toss-up for me. I like the world rally blue and base wheels on the BRZ better, but I enjoyed the GR86 driving dynamics a little better, at least on track last year.
Appreciate the review. Had a 2013 and 2017 brz and now 2022 Si. Just recently drove a GR86 back to back with a 2019 ND2 Miata. I will likely end up getting another brz (more likely still the Toyota version based on suspension set up preference)
They improved the motor and the shifter (that is a fair bit better in my opinion) and didn’t screw up anything that was already good about the 1st gen.
No disrespect intended to the bullitt, but they are apples vs oranges and both have their virtues…..but I’d have one of the 86 twins over the mustang or Miata without hesitation.
Haven’t driven an Elantra n - but drove a veloster n and wasn’t impressed with the driver inputs. Fast but not nearly as fun
I saw one of these on the road recently and in the same color. It's not as derpy looking in person.
matt needs another brz. Its a great car for your newborn
Really looking forward to seeing your GR86 for a week video. I've seen a few car reviewers, articles, etc. saying that the Subaru BRZ is the one that is better to live with every day on the street driving as a daily car due to the suspension differences (with the GR86 being a bit too stiff for street road conditions). Would love to know what you think after driving the GR86 on actaul street settings for a week.
I'll be sure to cover that in the video!
I am now really looking forward to the GR86 video. Been considering a trade in of my Mustang Ecoboost Premium for one. MPG is better for mine though which I thought was crazy.
Not happy with the Ecoboost? Just handling or other stuff too? I’m considering both.
@@desertdriver7056 Not at all unhappy with it, it's a great car! Just kind of reached the limit on affordable and reasonable modifications that I can do to it. Had the Eco for 5 years and 90k miles so far, feeling something new if it ends up being worth it. Handling is excellent on the Eco, but maybe not GR86 excellent. I have heard the Mustang equated to more of a cruiser while the GR86 is more a true sports car.
@@AyatoWard thanks!
Mann Matt I can’t wait for you to test the new z,
Coming on Monday!
Hi, subarubrzfan here
Great drift car😎
I'm glad to see that the drive trend is different between the two cars 👌🏿 a lots of people are thinking where to go since Ford has x the focus RS Atlanta evolution is gone and Subaru has turned the mighty WRX into a 🤷🏿♂️ but also we still have the Civic type r but I wonder for how long though these cars are fun to look at to see others experience and play on video games but the way this country is trying to move into electric vehicles the future for them and the weekend warriors maybe grim 🙍🏿♂️🤦🏿♂️
I'd love a base BRZ.. if only they would put a more sleek front bumper like the 86.
Walt! You'd take a BRZ over a Supra, which previously held the "if I didn't have the Bullitt" title??
Now that I have a kid, I’d want any hypothetical Bullitt replacement to have a backseat 😊
@@MattMaranMotoring and if the kid was taken out of the equation?
@Danny D It would still be the Supra.
Looking forward to the gr86 review, better front end! Both great cars of course
The day they give me a BRZ with WRX drivetrain, i'd buy it at damn near any price point. Just cant do RWD as a DD in the north.
Yeah you can, winter tires😂
@@anaccount7923 I mean sure it’ll drive, just not very well compared to an AWD setup
Great review!
Thanks Pete!
Thanks for the great review
My pleasure!
that was a great intro.
Hey Matt! Great review!! I'm seriously thinking about buying the GR86 Base (as a 2nd car) but I also like the BRZ. Which one would YOU buy and why?
Thanks! I’ll have a GR86 next week so I’ll be talking in that video about how it compares to the BRZ. On track last year though I preferred the GR86.
CSSubaruWRXSTIBRZCarFan Here Dude That You Filmed Few Subaru's For The Longest Time That I'm A Huge Fan of My First Dream Car Will Be A 2013-2016 Subaru BRZ With The Automatic Dude For The Near Future.
There's already people sweating UEL headers on to these, if you want to further convince yourself to get this car😏
Matt - do you find the 1-2 shifts can be funky? Im having trouble making that a consistently smooth exeperience!
Sometimes, mostly when the car is cold.
Hi Matt, I got an offer for a Ltd edition model in Australia just last night but it is $50k here. was just wondering how you would rate the road noise as others are complaining that it is quite droning in the cabin. This is the one thing that would drive me up the wall if it is bad all the time lol
I personally wouldn't say it drones, but there's certainly some road noise like any other car that's small and light like this. You can always add some extra sound deadening yourself later on if it really bothers you and you really love the car.
What would you choose, Subaru Brz or BMW M2 new mod?
They’re pretty different cars, but I don’t think the M2 is double the fun of the BRZ for double the price. I’d definitely go BRZ.
Nice review ! How would you compare this to a Lexus RC 350 F sport RWD in terms of handling? I’ll be retiring in 5 years and these 2 cars will be in the top 5 choices along with an RCF and a C6 (2012-13) manual corvette.
Thanks! The RC is about a 1,000 lbs heavier so it’ll feel a lot less sporty. It’s a comfortable grand tourer, not a sports car really. Just depends which setup you prefer.
@@MattMaranMotoring hi Matt, curious what would you pick between a RCF and a 2019 or newer RC 350 F Sport RWD ? Not tracking either one and if I go RCF I wouldn’t get the TVD for this reason. Also, I heard if the TVD goes bad (if ever) it would cost about $12k to replace.
Love both but for street use I’m thinking the RCF would overkill with nearly 500 hp. Also lose the foldable rear seats in the RCF
Something of note, my daily is a 2002 ES 300 which is a phenomenal car, with 168k miles and is beautiful condition. I don’t plan on selling it, and will keep it for 10+ years. Yes it’s a cushy super quiet ride call it boring but I love it.
I’ve watched both your reviews of the RCF and RC 350 F sport AWD and I’m still on the fence on which one to pick.
So my goal is to get a GT cruiser to get that sporty car feeling so I’ll have both of best worlds.
The RC 350 was a great cruiser but I think the RC F is a more special experience. It'll also be more collectible in the long run, and will likely hold its value much better than an RC350. But it comes down to how sporty of an experience you want, if you think the power of the RC F is overkill, then the RC350 might be enough for you. Personally, I'd go RC F, but I may want more out of a sporty car than you do. I'd recommend test driving both if you can to see how they feel to you.
@@MattMaranMotoring awesome response. Yeah I definitely will test drive both and yeah the RC F with all that V8 power and rumble might persuade me to go for it ! This will be in 5 years when I retire so I’m gonna go big !
If perfected it, it have turbo, they dont bother pushing boundaries anymore now, evo not giving them a push
Are the Subaru boxer engines reliable for long term ownership? I have been told to expect problems at 60-80k miles by my mechanic son-n-law. I personally don't know anything about them. Any other manual shift new vehicles recommended? Can't do a Miata, too small for my needs!
They seem to be pretty reliable at least in the BRZ. For what it's worth, my old 2013 BRZ has over 120k on it and seems to still be running strong the last time I talked with the current owner.
I ran mine until 98k before selling it. No problem whatsoever. The reliability issue was overblown by young drivers who didn't know how to take care of a car or do basic maintenance.
@@D-AVG Thank you ... What do you drive now?
@@t.k.morris I've gone thru a few cars the past few yrs, 2017 WRX, a 2019 MX-5 and now currently drive a 2022 Honda civic as a daily driver. I currently have a deposit down for a 2022 BRZ I'll be picking up next weekend.
@@D-AVG Thanks for all of that information! Please report back your thoughts of the new BRZ after you get it and have some experience with it.
Waiting for mine to get here from Japan…,nice baracutta jacket !
Thanks!
How many recall the recalls on this second attempt car?
Looking at Miata RF vs BRZ vs GR86. Which would you choose? (Taking kids out of equation)
Depends on what exactly you're looking for and how much you'd enjoy the convertible. BRZ and GR86 are flatter, have more grip and higher limits than the Miata. Also more room and a little more comfort.
@@MattMaranMotoring thanls!
Can’t complain about “a better oral experience”
Buy it.
Sounds like a lot of cabin noise when driving which is a little surprising.
It’s under 3,000 lbs and focused on being light, refinement wasn’t a big priority, which seems reasonable for what it is.
Was this one in WR Blue or Sapphire Blue?
Looks like a baby nsx from the side profile
Canada sure got one hell of a break on pricing. $22,795 plus destination charge for the base model. $25268 for the loaded one. We don't get tire pressure monitoring on either one, so you can't export them to the US. We also got very few, so the pricing is kinda theoretical. Used ones are going for more. Great enthusiastic review.
I don't care for the steering responsive headlights. when spirited driving it was super misleading on where the vehicle was actually pointing and tripping my brain out. I really see a need for them.. they're a bit distracting..
This is a pretty stupid comparison. But I'm going to ask it anyways. What do you prefer, either a well kept 2005 to 2012 Cayman v/s new or lightly used BRZ/GR86? I'm battling with badge vs reliability
I personally recommend staying far away from old German cars unless you don’t mind spending a lot on maintenance and repairs and don’t mind unreliability. Easy choice in my opinion, BRZ/86.
@@MattMaranMotoring thank you so much, really appreciate it
Mine shrivels when cold
This new BRZ or a 2006 STI? 🧐
Oversteer and tail wagging is probally why not gave it a turbo
A better oral experience is ALWAYS good 👍
Tip of the cap for doubling down and making a 2nd gen version of this car...your up Miata, what you going to do🤔
I’m debating on parting with my 2011 sti to get a gr86
Loos like a mini RCF.
Matt do you think you can review a 2022 forte gt?
I've been asking for one from the press fleet, but I'm not sure if they're going to get one in. If they do, I definitely want to review it.
0-100 6.Xs?
MX5 can go topless though… i don’t know- i can’t decide which one i would get…
I’ll be reviewing the 2022 Miata at the end of this month to revisit where it lands now compared to the BRZ.